Authority and Leadership in the Church

This morning as I continue to study the word “authority” I was reading in 1 Timothy and his writing to “pray for all people”. This is where I found the below verse.

“¹²I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.” — 1 Timothy 2:12 (ESV)

Without context of what Paul is referring, one would see the role of woman to be that of full submissive and do as they are told. That is not being referred to here. Paul is stating that the role of men in the church is that of leadership and authority and for women it is of support. And that is the only place that the supportive role is being referenced.

Women are not prohibited from leadership and authority positions outside the church or in the personal relationship with their husbands (remember from my writing related to wearing symbols of authority). Even in the church, women are encouraged to teach and have leadership positions over women and children. They are to teach and care for them as their own. But in the church as a whole, women are to be supportive of the men and their leadership and authority. They are to be conservative and not drawing attention to themselves.

“⁹likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,” — 1 Timothy 12:9 (ESV)

This conservative and modest appearance allows for the attention to be on those in authority and does not distract from the role of the church, to bring glory to God and allow for the full worship of Him.

The authority and leadership of the church is reserved for men in the eyes of God. Not as a way of controlling or having women submit to them. The men have their role and the women, theirs. These roles are very clear and therefore are in the interest of God and for His glory and honor.

What are your values related to leadership and authority? Are you interested in those that are self-serving or those that are serving God? What if you were to take the leadership and authority role that God intended for you and served Him in that capacity and supported others in their role?