Here's the BIG PICTURE on 1 Timothy. In 1 Timothy we get to read over Timothy's shoulder as he gets instructions from Paul on correcting wayward overseers in the church. Section Two of this letter, 1 Timothy 2:8-3:16, focuses on those who were guilty of Paul's three sins. These insights are VERY important when we try to look deeper at individual verses like 1 Timothy 2:12 and 3:2.
Let’s focus on 1 Timothy 2:8-3:16 because this is the heart of Paul’s instructions to Timothy on how to correct wayward overseers at Ephesus and even today. Misinterpretation of this passage is the source of much bad teaching and practice regarding women in ministry and in the Christian home.
Did Paul teach that women are to be silent in church? Did Paul teach that Adam and all men have priority over Eve and all women?
Did Paul teach that only men can be pastors? No, no and no! Not here in 1 Timothy 2:8-3:16 he didn’t!
People have gone astray because they have taken smaller pieces of this long passage out of context. This passage that focuses on one thing is made out to be about some other thing.
This is a big problem! Can we successfully study verse 2:12 without looking at where it fits in with the larger context? No. How about verse 3:2? No again.
In this overview we discover the important parts of 1 Timothy and where the verses fit in to the big picture.