because I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise dominion over a man, but to be silent.
2:12 — Because — Now follows the reason why the woman should learn in silence, with all subjection (see. eleven). — I do not allow — Apostolic authority is expressed in the matter. It is not a matter of one’s preference. Modernists like to accuse Pablo of prejudice against women because he was single. But apart from Paul speaking by inspiration, let us note that he bases his instruction on the authority of the Scriptures (ver. 13,14). — Teach the woman — Paul does not speak at all, saying that he does not in any way teach the woman. On the contrary, in Tit 3:3-5 He commands him to teach. Col 3:16 He says that singing is teaching, and surely the woman sings. In Acts 18:24-26, a woman participated in the teaching of an evangelist. This prohibition, as well as the one that follows (or exercising dominion), is qualified by the phrase “over man.” Although this passage (ver. 8-15) cannot be limited to matters of the public assembly of the church, it does have application to it. But there are those who misapply this verse, separating the prohibition, that the woman does not teach, from the phrase that qualifies it: “on the man”. They twist the verse to read, “I do not allow women to teach (in church), full stop.” See the sentence below, “about the man”, comments. The church can agree to have Bible classes, and have women teach children’s classes. In such a case they are not teaching in the public assembly of the church, nor are they exercising authority over man. They are not violating this passage. — nor exercise dominion — Other versions say “exercise authority”. The Greek word for “rule” literally means “to be an autocrat” (that is, a person who exercises one’s own unlimited authority). She must not do this in public or in private. The man has his role and his functions, and she has hers, and she must not dominate his. He is the head of her (1Co 11:3). She must not disgrace or disgrace her head (1Co 11:5). — about man — Paul forbids two things in relation to man, and not just one. He does not say: “the woman does not teach”, and as an aside, “the woman does not exercise dominion over the man”. He says: don’t do that thing or this other thing about the man. He is forbidden to teach over man, and he is forbidden to exercise dominion over man. A parallel to this expression is found in Ac 4:18, “…that they in no way speak or teach in the name of Jesus.” The prohibition was not to speak in the name of Jesus, and not to teach in his name. It is clear that the apostles were never forbidden to speak, and as an aside, not to teach in the name of Jesus. The “anti-Bible class” brethren (those who oppose Bible classes in the meeting place) try to isolate the first of the two prohibitions from the qualifying phrase, “on man,” so that the woman teaching (a class of children). — but to be silent — The same Greek word for “silence” appears in verse 11. Regarding it, see the comments there. This phrase represents the opposite of teaching, and exercising dominion, over man. Instead of taking public teaching, and in other ways exercising dominion over men, the woman submissive to the will of God seeks rather to be a quiet, calm, or calm person. In human churches, women who serve as priestesses and “shepherds” violate the very Word (of God) that they publicly profess to teach and represent! They are liberals in liberal churches. They have elevated their own wisdom above the Divine. Sometimes the case of the prophetesses in biblical times is presented, as if this case contradicts what Paul says here. It is enough to note that they, when exercising their gift publicly, always did so within the limits of their subjection, since the veil was a sign of that.
Source: Commentary on the New Testament by Partain
I do not allow it is present tense and indicates a permanent attitude. The apostle expresses his permanent personal authority as an apostle in judging the problem of women teaching men in the local church (cf. with Romans 12:1).
to teach (gr. didaskein): The apostle uses the Greek word to express the type of teaching that was found in the Jewish communities in which Paul was. This was more than just delivering information to students. This included the call of a rabbi, or teacher, to cause his disciples to hear, believe, and practice the words of the teacher. Such teachings were built on the revelation of God and assumed the functions exercised in the first church through the elders (doctrine, correction, discipline and reprobation; cf. with 2Ti 3:17; 1Ti 4:11; 1Ti 4:16; 1Ti 5:1-2; 2Ti 4:1-4; Tit 2:15; Tit 3:8-11). Generally those who exercised this responsibility in the early church had the spiritual gift of teaching (cf. with Romans 12:7; 1Co 12:28) but not all exercise of this spiritual gift (men or women) should necessarily be on the congregation.
domain (gr. authenticin) is not the normal word for authority (which is exotica, “do the right thing”). The word is found only once in the NT. and has been the subject of misunderstandings. The generally accepted understanding of authenticate in well-known dictionaries and recent studies it clearly shows that the idea is that women should not exercise authority over men. The connection neither (gr. oude) seems to indicate that to teach it is defined here through the term “having authority.” Some have unfairly thought that the two terms should be put together and translated as “teaching in a dominant way.” That way, if the women teach with the right attitude, they could teach the men in the congregations. This introduces a grammatical idea that is simply not found in this text and a style not characteristic of the apostle’s writing. Certainly Paul would not want either men or women to teach incorrectly. Furthermore, the text nowhere indicates that the apostle forbids the teaching of false doctrine (which would be prohibited for both men and women). Rather the apostle is forbidding any teaching for men by women (congregational teaching is obvious from the context, vv. 1Ti 2:8-12) or that women have congregational authority over men. When one examines the 144 examples of the NT. of the same construction found in v. 1Ti 2:12one discovers that neither it is used to reinforce or intensify a concept with which both elements establish a connection (the first specific and the second general: here to teach and exercise authority) No to indicate a single idea (ie, teach in a dominant way). Paul, then, does not reject teaching by women because of cultural reasons, aptitude, or their education. The exhortation is purely theological, due to the order of creation and the fall, where one aspect of the woman’s judgment was for her exercise of authority in an area clearly reserved for the husband: a reversal of the order of creation (cf. Gen 3:16; Gen 4:7). He seems to understand this passage best as teaching that women may exercise any of the spiritual gifts they receive and develop in a variety of ministries in a local assembly (2Ti 3:14; Tit 2:3, Tit 2:4), other than teaching men, when done under proper male leadership. Women may serve the Body of Christ in many types of ministries, but men work as God’s official leaders in the local assembly.
Source: New Illustrated Caribbean Bible Commentary
I do not allow. The Greek word translated “permit” is used in the NT to refer to letting someone do what he wants. It is possible that Paul was dealing here with a real situation in which several women in Ephesus wanted to preach in front of the entire congregation. to teach. Paul used a verbal form of this Greek word that indicates a condition or process and is better translated “to be a teacher.” This was an important and official function in the church (see Acts 13:1; 1Co 12:28; Eph 4:11). Here Paul prohibits women from holding the pastoral office and exercising the functions of pastor or teacher, but he does not prohibit them from teaching under other appropriate conditions and circumstances (cf. Ac 18:26; Tit 2:3-4). exercise dominion over. Paul prohibits women from exercising any type of authority over men in the congregation of believers, since the elders are the ones who fulfill that function (1Ti 5:17). All leaders must be male (as the qualification requirements make clear). 1Ti 3:2; 1Ti 3:5). silent. See the note on v.1Ti 2:11.
Source: MacArthur Study Bible
2:12 – Because – Now follows the reason why the woman should learn in silence, with all subjection (ver. 11).
— I do not allow — Apostolic authority is expressed in the matter. It is not a matter of one’s preference. Modernists like to accuse Pablo of prejudice against women because he was single. But apart from Paul speaking by inspiration, let us note that he bases his instruction on the authority of the Scriptures (ver. 13,14).
— teach the woman—Paul does not speak at all, saying that the woman should not teach at all. On the contrary, in Tit 3:3-5 he commands him to teach. Col 3:16 says that singing is teaching, and surely the woman sings. In Acts 18:24-26, a woman participated in the teaching of an evangelist. This prohibition, as well as the one that follows (or exercising dominion), is qualified by the phrase “over man.”
Although this passage (vv. 8-15) cannot be limited to matters of the public assembly of the church, it does have application to it. But there are those who misapply this verse, separating the prohibition, that the woman does not teach, from the phrase that qualifies it: “on the man”. They twist the verse to read, “I do not allow women to teach (in church), full stop.” See the sentence below, “about the man”, comments.
The church can agree to have Bible classes, and have women teach children’s classes. In such a case they are not teaching in the public assembly of the church, nor are they exercising authority over man. They are not violating this passage.
— nor exercise dominion — Other versions say “exercise authority”. The Greek word for “rule” literally means “to be an autocrat” (that is, a person who exercises one’s own unlimited authority).
She must not do this in public or in private. The man has her role and her functions, and she has hers, and she must not dominate his. He is her head (1Co 11:3). She must not dishonor or dishonor his head (1Co 11:5).
— about man — Paul forbids two things in relation to man, and not just one. He does not say: “the woman does not teach”, and as an aside, “the woman does not exercise dominion over the man”. He says: don’t do that thing or this other…