Frank

Cheryl, I hate to say it, but it seems to me that as long as 1 Timothy 2:12 is understood by Mike as meaning that Paul prohibits the proper exercise of teaching authority, rather than the improper exercise of teaching authority; and then makes this one isolated text, understood in this peculiar way, the sole rule by which he measures every argument contrary to his own position, well, I think you will have a difficult time persuading him to see things differently.

However, I wonder if it might be more profitable to challenge him as follows: Now, Mike, as one who believes that the prophets and apostles wrote the Scripture under the inspired guidance and supervision of the Holy Spirit, you would agree that there can be no contradictions in what it teaches regarding our ministerial duties and responsibilities in the Body of Christ, correct? And according to you, in 1 Tim. 2:12, Paul absolutely forbids women teaching in a mixed audience during worship, correct? Then how do you square that with the teaching Paul gives to the entire church in Colossians 3:15-17? The Apostles writes as follows:

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col. 3:15-17, TNIV)

In these three verses, we find a summary of the teaching Paul gave regarding prayer and prophesy in 1 Corinthians 12-14, with his focus here on the message of Christ being communicated in psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, with the purpose being to “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” (v. 16). This text clearly indicates that in the NT congregations, psalms, hymns and songs not only expressed adoration towards God regarding our great redemption in Christ, but also served a didactic or teaching function for all involved in the worship service. Regarding these “prophecies,” THE EXPOSITOR’S GREEK TESTAMENT says, “The precise distinctions intended are not certain, and perhaps they should not be sharply drawn. The meaning is, whatever kind of song it may be, let it be made the vehicle of religious instruction and admonition” (Vol. 3, p.541). Like 1 Cor. 12-14, this text not only assumes that both men and women will proclaim the message of Christ together in worship, but to one another as well, so as to instruct and admonish one another so to make each other wiser in the mysteries of Christ and his Gospel.

Now, Mike, if Paul absolutely forbids women to proclaim or teach God’s Word to mixed audiences during worship in 1 Tim. 2:12, does this not contradict what he positively exhorts them to do in Col. 3:15-17? If one thinks about this critically and logically, one must come to one of these conclusions:
1. Paul, when he wrote 1 Tim. 2:12, had forgotten what he wrote in Col. 3:15-17, and did not realize he had written two texts that contradicted each other. Well, a liberal might believe this could happen; but do we really think Paul was so irrational or forgetful that if someone had pointed this out to him, that he would not see the contradiction?
2. Paul made a distinction between prophecy and teaching, one which he permitted women to do in the congregation, according to 1 Cor. 12-14 and Col. 3:15-17, but forbade the other, according to 1 Tim. 2:12. Well, as most readers of Cheryl’s blog will know, there have a number of NT scholars who have studied the subject , and demonstated that the NT does not make the rigid distinction between teaching and prophecy, or preaching, that we moderns do. After all, while Jesus is called a prophet, the NT mainly records his teaching and preaching, and even prophets like Silas and Judas preach and exhort on the basis of the previous word revealed to the church at Jerusalem (Acts 15), rather than on new revelations they themselves have received. So denying women the right to proclaim God’s Word in the congregation on the basis of this false distinction between teaching and prophecy is totally unwarranted.
3. Paul’s instructions in 1 Cor. 12-14 and Col. 3:15-17 are the normal guidelines and regulations regarding how men and women are to instruct, encourage, and build one another up in the Lord during worship. But, as determined by its context, 1 Tim. 2:12 is a special ruling pertaining to an unusual or abnormal situation that existed in the Ephesian church, which situation Timothy was sent, by Paul, to correct.

So, Mike, which of the three conclusions is the most biblical and logical for someone to hold who believes there can be no contradictions in Scripture?