Teaching
1. Who is Paul writing to?
Two main groups:
The Pauline Letters to Churches
Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians,
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians,
1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians
The Pastoral Letters
1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus
2. Big ‘T’ and little ‘t’
The church letters….
‘16 Let
the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
teaching and admonishing one another in all
wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts
to God.’ Col 3: 16
‘If your gift is teaching, then teach, and if your
gift is exhortation, then exhort’ Rom 12:7-8.
‘26 What
then shall we say, brothers and
sisters? When you come together, each of
you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a
revelation, a tongue or an
interpretation. Everything must be done so that
the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in
a tongue, two — or at the most three — should
speak, one at a time, and someone must
interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker
should keep quiet in the church and speak to
himself and to God.’ 1 Corinthians 14
Andrew Wilson writes:
‘The idea that the teaching ministry
might be the preserve of a handful of
leaders with proven character does not,
in the main, come through in Paul's
letters to churches. To the churches
Paul is encouraging the use of the
small “t”’
The Pastoral Letters…
‘3 As
I urged you when I was going to Macedonia,
remain at Ephesus so that you may charge
certain persons not to teach any different
doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and
endless genealogies, which promote speculations
rather than the stewardship from God that is by
faith.5 The aim of our charge is love that issues
from a pure heart and a good conscience and a
sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from
these, have wandered away into vain
discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the
law, without understanding either what they are
saying or the things about which they make
confident assertions.’ 1 Timothy 1
‘5 This
is why I left you in Crete, so that you
might put what remained into order, and appoint
elders in every town as I directed you — ….
7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be
above reproach. He must not be arrogant or
quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or
greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of
good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and
disciplined. 9 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.’
Titus 1
‘12 I
do not permit a woman to teach or to
exercise authority over a man; rather, she
is to remain quiet.’ 1 Tim 2: 12
Position A:
Paul is speaking specifically to marriages
here: wives are not to teach or to be in
authority over their husbands.
Answer:
The argument that Paul's comments only apply
to husbands and wives, when the whole of
chapter 2 seems to address men and women
in general and not just married people, is very
improbable.
Position B:
Paul’s argument is grounded in the culture of the
day – In other words, that Paul is saying that he
does not want women to teach or exercise authority
over men in this church only. But does not see this
as a restriction for the whole church, for or all time.
Answer:
Paul's argument is not grounded in the culture of
the day in Ephesus or the lack of educated women,
but in creation (2:13-14), and therefore it seems
that whatever Paul is restricting, he is restricting on
the basis of the way men and women were created.
Andrew Wilson:
‘Historically, it is simply not the case that all
women were uneducated in the GrecoRoman world, nor that Paul was unwilling to
challenge the patriarchal culture of the day
to give women far more status and
responsibility than they would otherwise
have been granted; both of these things are
apparent from the number of times women
appear in key roles in Paul's letters.’
Position C:
Is that Paul’s instructions continue today:
Answer C-1
'To teach or have authority' refers to
preaching from the Bible when the church
is gathered on Sundays. Women may
teach in all other areas of church life
(seminars, books, conferences, downloads,
articles, kids ,youth, small groups, etc), but
not when the whole church comes together
on Sundays.
Answer C-2
'Teaching' means defining doctrine for the
church: 'this is what must be believed, and
this is what must be done'. Women may
speak publicly (incl. Sundays), instruct,
exhort, explain Scripture, preach the gospel
and so on, but defining doctrine for the
church, and exercising spiritual authority
over the church, are for male elders.
Further Comments
1. Think Family
2. This is not a change of doctrine
3. Understanding the relationship
between Teaching and teaching
‘When Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is performed, the
members of the orchestra - the violinists, trombone players
and so on - are interpreting the music. The music is their
authority, and they are interpreting it, so that the audience
can experience it. But they are interpreting it in submission
to and in close dialogue with, the conductor, who knows the
music even better than the orchestra and carries the can
for the whole performance. You could say that the
trombone player is interpreting the music, but the
conductor is Interpreting it. And there is no conflict between
them - far from it! - as long as the former operates in
conscious submission to the latter, and as long as both
seek to faithfully represent the music, and of course the
composer.’
Teaching with a big T = Defining doctrine: this is
what should be believed, and this is what
should be done.
teaching with a small t = this is quoting,
explaining and applying scripture under the
guidance and oversight of the elders
Further Comments
1. Think Family
2. This is not a change of doctrine
3. Understanding the relationship
between Teaching and teaching
4. Going Forward