I Suffer Not a Woman: Rethinking I Timothy 2:11-15 in Light of Ancient Evidence - Paperback

by Richard Clark Kroeger (Author), Catherine Clark Kroeger (Author)

Presents scriptural and archaeological evidence which refutes the traditional interpretation used to bar women from leadership.

Back Jacket

"I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."
--1 Timothy 2:12 KJV

This passage troubles those who desire greater leadership roles for women in ministry but who also want to remain loyal to Scripture. Did Paul forbid a woman to exercise her leadership and teaching gifts, or was he dealing with a particular error in the church?

According to I Suffer Not a Woman, Paul was reacting to a specific problem that was sweeping churches: a myth, taught mostly by women, which later became a foundation for gnosticism. This book offers an in-depth look at the Greek text of 1 Timothy 2:11-15 in the context of the Pastoral Epistles and in its historical context. By illuminating the first-century culture of Ephesus, the Kroegers shed light on the ancient world thought patterns Paul faced and offer a responsible alternative understanding of this much debated passage.

Author Biography

Richard Clark Kroeger is a retired pastor and college professor. Catherine Clark Kroeger is founder and president emerita of Christians for Biblical Equality and is an adjunct professor of classical and ministry studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. The Kroegers founded the Institute for Lay Training.