1 Timothy 2:13--15 in the light of views concerning Eve and childbirth in early Judaism

This study evolved from the controversial and debatable question on 1 Tim 2:9--15: Is Paul's prohibition in verse 12 a universal truth for all women in all ages, or only a cultural correction of the Ephesian women? This question is directly related to the function of 1 Tim 2:13--15 in the passage. The study is primarily a monograph on Jewish views concerning Eve and childbirth as they relate to 1 Tim 2:13--15.;The study has six chapters. Chapter 1 is an introduction to the significance of the study of 1 Tim 2:13--15. Chapter 2 summarizes and evaluates the unsolved problems of the major extant views of 1 Tim 2:13--15. These views are: the "Reason" view, the "Explanation/Illustration" view, and the "Saying" view.;Chapter 3 is a long chapter concerning the portraits of Eve in early Judaism. It examines selected passages from the Old Testament, the Apocrypha, Philo, Josephus, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Pseudepigrapha, the Babylonian Talmud, and the Midrash Rabbah, concerning Eve's creation, her relationship with Adam, her transgression, and her punishment. The results show that Eve was both denigrated and applauded in early Judaism, just as Adam was. However, on the whole, in Paul's times the sages and rabbis ultimately hold Adam responsible for bringing sin and death into the world, even though Eve was involved in it.;Chapter 4 deals with the issue of childbirth in Judaism. It focuses on selected passages from the Old Testament, some Jewish writings of the Second Temple period, the Mishnah, the Talmud, the Midrash Rabbah, and the Targums. The rabbis believed that childbirth (or procreation) hastens the coming of the Messiah and his salvation. The births of some significant figures are God's means to protect and preserve the nation Israel in order to fulfill his promises and plan in history. These significant heroes also manifest some of the characteristics of the coming Messiah. Furthermore, the rabbis seem to believe that God's prediction in Gen 3:15bc implies the messianic redemption of humanity from sin. The Old Testament has a progressive and historical development of the teaching of the promised "seed" (Gen 3:15; 12:3; 2 Sam 7:12).;Chapter 5 is a reconsideration of 1 Tim 2:13--15 in the light of views concerning Eve and childbirth in early Judaism. This writer suggests that 1 Tim 2:13--15 functions as a conclusion of chapter 2. It is also an explanation (or an elaboration) of Paul's confrontations of the disruption caused by men and women in the Ephesian church. Paul first states the roles of Adam and Eve in creation (v. 13), and then uses their failures to remind the Ephesian men and women of their inadequacies (v. 14). Thus, the usage of the preposition ga&d12;r is explanatory. Since the Ephesian women went astray from God's word and caused most of the problems in the church, Paul finally used verse 15 to direct the Ephesian women back to the right path. He encourages them to manifest their salvific faith by accomplishing the significant and honorable roles of childbearing, accompanied with good virtues. He uses the formula pisto&d13; vo `lo&d12; gov (3:1a) to reinforce the significance of his final instruction to women.;Chapter 6 is the conclusion of the study. A summary of 1 Tim 2:8--3:1a with application in the light of the discussion and exegesis done in chapter 5. The entire study proves that Paul is not a misogynist. He is consistent in his teachings.