Cheryl Schatz

Mark,

1 Cor. 7:10 says:

1Co 7:10 But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband

Paul makes it clear that these are not his own instructions but God’s instructions. When Paul says that it is his own instructions and not the Lord’s, he is only affirming God’s desire for marriage without divorce and he makes application of this with an unbeliever. This of course has nothing to do with 1 Timothy 2:12 and contains no new “law” spoken in a man’s name.

As far as Paul’s apostolic “authority”, Paul rarely used it but as a “father” to many churches, Paul encourages discipline. He usually didn’t do the discipline himself although he threatened those who were sinning with his own personal presence disciplining them. Rather Paul encouraged the church to discipline an unrepentant sinner and in the case of 1 Timothy 2:12, I believe that Paul was encouraging Timothy to discipline in his own name. I don’t recall any other case of discipline where the situation was so difficult that the apostolic representative had to name drop in order to set up a boundary against the actions that were ongoing.

Other than discipline, I don’t recall any place where Paul takes authority over a believer. The gift of apostle was not about lording it over others but about laying down one’s life for the church. The initiating of discipline was not about lording over another believer but about erecting a boundary against sin.

I hope that helps!