The EDC believe that there are two types of teaching which they describe in the Healthy Complementarian Paper (HCP):
1 – “in the narrow sense of imparting information.” HCP p37. The EDC seem to believe that this can be done by anyone.
2 – “as part of the exercise of authority in the church.” HCP p38. The EDC seem to believe that this can only be done by male elders.
The EDC believe that Paul, in 1 Timothy 2:12, is prohibiting all women for all time from assuming the authority to teach the official teaching of the church. They say,
“Paul’s concern for rightly ordered relationships is clear from his pairing of the verb διδάσκειν (“to teach”) with the verb αὐθεντεῖν (“to exercise authority”), which together indicate that he prohibits women from giving the authoritative, official teaching in the church.” HCP p37
I have written previously about the verb αὐθεντεῖν and how it is not the word used for ‘normal’ authority’ but a negative, domineering type of authority. This is not the type of authority that should be the “official teaching of the church”.
Like the EDC, Paul only speaks about two types of teaching, but Paul has two different categories to the EDC.
1 – False teaching (1 Timothy 1:3, 13).
2 – True teaching (Titus 2:1).
I can find no evidence of Paul speaking about teaching in a way that suggests it is simply the imparting of information insomuch as it is different in content to the “authoritative, official teaching in the church” (AOTC).
The EDC state that, “In the Pastoral Letters, Paul employs the διδάσκ– word group with the semi-technical sense of authoritatively declaring and defending the apostolic gospel.” HCP p37.
This statement claims that Paul couples ‘teaching’ and ‘authority’ to reference the proclamation of the ‘apostolic gospel’. Is there evidence for an ‘apostolic gospel’ that differs from the ‘ordinary’ or ‘non-apostolic’ NT teaching? We will examine the evidence presented by the EDC below:
1 – The EDC claim that Paul, “employs the verb διδάσκω, for example, when he charges Timothy to “devote” himself to “the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Tim 4:11; cf. 6:2).” HCP p37.
Paul does use the word διδάσκω in 1 Timothy 4 but does not include any words that dictate a further sense of authority or add to the idea of an ‘AOTC’. Paul’s purpose in this verse is to encourage Timothy to be devoted to these tasks.
2 – The EDC believe that Paul also uses διδάσκω “when he speaks of the solemn task of passing on the apostolic gospel, which Timothy is to “entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:2).” HCP p37.
The term ‘apostolic gospel’ is not used in the New Testament. The only indication of the content of what is to be taught is that they are the things that Paul told Timothy. The content is not detailed, and Timothy is encouraged to entrust these things to others not explicitly or exclusively to men or elders. Although most English translations say, ‘faithful men’ a Greek reader would have understood this to mean ‘faithful people’. Paul could have been explicit in making it only faithful men but did not.
3 – The EDC claim that,
“Paul similarly employs the cognate noun διδασκαλία (“teaching”) to refer to “a relatively fixed ‘orthodoxy,’ which the churches have received and which it is their duty to preserve against heresy.” This is evident from the way in which Paul customarily employs the article to speak of “the teaching” (ἡ διδασκαλία: 1 Tim 4:13, 16; 6:1, 3; 2 Tim 3:10; 4:3; Tit 1:9; 2:1, 10), and pairs the noun with adjectives to describe it as “the sound teaching” (ἡ ὑγιαίνουσα διδασκαλία: 1 Tim 1:10; 2 Tim 4:3; Tit 1:9; 2:1; cf. 1 Tim 6:3; 2 Tim 1:13; Tit 1:13; 2:2), “the good teaching” (ἡ καλὴ διδασκαλία: 1 Tim 4:6), “the teaching according to godliness” (ἡ κατ̓ εὐσέβειαν διδασκαλία: 1 Tim 6:3), or “the teaching of God our Saviour” (ἡ διδασκαλία ἡ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θεοῦ: Tit 2:10).” HCP p37
I agree, Paul is referring to “a relatively fixed orthodoxy”. Paul wants true teaching, not false teaching and the EDC provide us with ample evidence of Paul’s support of ‘true teaching’. The fact that Paul pairs the teaching noun with adjectives such as “the sound teaching” simply indicates Paul’s desire to see true teaching, not an ‘elder only apostolic teaching’.
4 – The EDC continues,
“Consistent with this, the phrase translated “quietness” or “quiet” (ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ) does not require that women are “silent” in church. Although the word can mean “silence” (Luke 14:4; Acts 11:18; 21:14; 22:2), it also means “with a quiet demeanour” (1 Thess 4:11; 2 Thess 3:12; 1 Pet 3:4). The latter is more likely in 1 Timothy 2:11–12. Paul employs the cognate adjective ἡσύχιος with this sense in the immediate context (1 Tim 2:2), and his only two other uses of the word group denote a quiet demeanour rather than silence (1 Thess 4:11; 2 Thess 3:12). There is, moreover, nothing in the context which requires the meaning “silence.” Paul’s command, then, does not impose any absolute rule against women speaking in gathered worship, or teaching in the church in a range of appropriate contexts, but affirms that men rather than women are to provide the authoritative teaching in the church.” HCP p38.
The EDC suggest that because ‘quietness’ does not mean silence women can still teach in appropriate contexts but the imperative here is to learn, not to teach. The quietness is a requirement on how the learning will happen. It does not speak to how a woman would or should conduct herself in any other situation, including the teaching that is simply imparting information, or the AOTC. Indeed, the context of the teaching being referenced in 1 Timothy 2:12 is of (false) teaching not being permitted.
5 – The EDC states,
“Significantly, however, it is not just any men who are to provide this authoritative teaching, but the male elders. Paul’s commands about men and women in church (1 Tim 2:8–15) are immediately followed by his instructions regarding the offices of overseer and deacon (1 Tim 3:1–13). In this context, the apostolic requirement that overseer-elders must be “able to teach” (1 Tim 3:2: διδακτικός) indicates that it is the role of the elder-overseers to authoritatively declare and defend the apostolic gospel in the church.” HCP p38.
The idea that elders should be able to “declare and defend the apostolic gospel in the church” is obviously very important. The question in view is whether there is an authoritative teaching that belongs only to male elders. The EDC has jumped to a conclusion in stating that it is only male elders who are to provide this teaching. Note that 1 Timothy 3:2 does not state that the elders are the only ones to teach or that elders are the only ones to marry, have children, manage a household or be sober. It does not suggest that they need to be male (I have dealt with the gender-neutral realities of 1 Timothy 3 previously).
It is an assumption to connect the teaching here to the ‘AOTC’, ‘authoritative teaching’ or an ‘apostolic gospel’. The reality is that 1 Timothy 2:12 is a reference to an assumed authority.
6 – The EDC concludes this part of their argument saying,
“This is confirmed by the parallel passage in Titus 1, where Paul requires of each elder-overseer that “he must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Tit 1:9). The references here to “the trustworthy word as taught” (τὴν διδαχὴν πιστοῦ λόγου) and “the sound doctrine” (τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ) make it clear that Paul speaks of the church’s official teaching—the apostolic gospel at the centre of the whole counsel of God—and that it is the responsibility of the elder-overseers to declare and defend this body of truth. Certainly, in 1 Timothy 2–3, the correspondence between the verb διδάσκειν (“to teach”) in 1 Timothy 2:12, and the cognate adjective διδακτικόν (“able to teach”) in 1 Timothy 3:2 ties the two passages together and indicates that both have the same kind of activity in view.” HCP p38
It is true that Paul references ‘the trustworthy (or faithful) word taught and ‘the sound doctrine’ but there is inadequate support for the EDC’s claim that only elders can or should do this. There is also a lack of support that “the apostolic gospel is at the centre of the whole counsel of God”. There is the truth of the Gospel that belongs to God which has ushered in the church. It does not belong to only apostles or male only elders. It simply is the one, true, Gospel. It belongs to the author and protector of life who has chosen to share it with all people. Indeed, if they are gifted to teach, they should teach (Romans 12:7).
The EDC return to the topic of ‘authoritative teaching’ and give us more of an understanding as to what it is that those who are not male elders can teach.
7 – They say,
“Further confirmation of this understanding of Paul’s teaching in the Pastoral Letters comes from Titus 2, where Paul instructs “older women…to teach what is good” (Tit 2:3). Paul’s use of the adjective καλοδιδασκάλους (“teaching what is good”) indicates the content of what the older women are to teach must be consistent with the church’s official teaching. Like the elder-overseers, the older women have a significant role in passing on the gospel, in declaring and defending it, “that the word of God may not be reviled” (Tit 2:5). The teaching of the older women is crucial to the life and mission of the church.” HCP p38-39
Paul is clearly concerned that all teaching is consistent, not with ‘the church’s official teaching’ as much as the true teaching of the Gospel, which of course, is hopefully reflected by what the church ‘officially’ teaches. Sometimes it is not, which highlights the problem with the EDC’s claims. Being a male elder or an official ‘church’ does not determine or protect the ‘AOTC’. As Paul knows, true teaching is true. False teaching is false.
The EDC make it clear that the women are asked by Paul to teach what is good and consistent with the official teaching. They even highlight that these older women have a significant role in passing on, declaring and defending this ‘official teaching’. The EDC then says,
“Significantly, however, the scope of this teaching is limited. Unlike the elder-overseers, whose sphere of teaching encompasses the whole church, the older women are specifically instructed to “train the young women to love their husbands and children…” (Tit 2:4). This specific focus further confirms that Paul reserves the office of elder-overseer to appropriately qualified men, while also encouraging the older women to play their part in promoting the truth of the gospel and so strengthening the church and advancing its mission.” HCP p39.
Paul does not limit the teaching of the older women to young women. The EDC cut off the beginning of the verse that says, “teach what is good so that they may train the young women…” The content of the teaching is what is good. The training is an outcome. The content is not defined by the outcomes.
I note that the EDC acknowledge here that the older women are charged with the official teaching of the church that they claim in 1 Timothy 2:12 women are not permitted to teach. They stated explicitly, “Significantly, however, it is not just any men who are to provide this authoritative teaching, but the male elders,” yet they continue,
“The elder-overseers and the older women are not, of course, the only people called to teach in the church. Paul elsewhere speaks of the gift of “teachers” (1 Cor 12:28; Eph 4:11–12), using a broad category which almost certainly includes the elder-overseers, but is probably not limited to them. In addition, there is the important sense in which all of God’s people are called to teach each other, “speaking the truth in love,” so that we grow up to maturity in Christ (Rom 15:14; Eph 4:15–16; Col 3:16; Heb 5:12). Nevertheless, as we have noted, it is the male elder-overseers who are responsible for the church’s authoritative, official teaching as they declare and defend the apostolic gospel, at the centre of the whole counsel of God.” HCP p39
To summarize the EDC:
-the “authoritative, official teaching of the Church” is only done by men who are elders.
-women can teach the “authoritative, official teaching of the Church”, but only to young women, but this is a limited “authoritative, official teaching of the Church”.
-there are ‘probably’ others who can teach to help other mature, but this is not the “authoritative, official teaching of the Church.”
The EDC have failed to show us the difference in content between the ‘ordinary’ teaching and the teaching they refer to as AOTC. They have used terms that are not found in scripture, such as ‘authoritative teaching’, ‘official teaching of the church’, and the ‘apostolic Gospel’. What results is a confused presentation of teaching that does not help us practically move forward.
Scripture only ever presents two types of teaching. True and false. Paul only seems to be concerned about encouraging one and stopping the other. This is the only way to preserve and encourage the purity of what is the one true Gospel. Imposing limitations or categories of teaching beyond this only serves to restrict, not purify teaching.
