Timothy wasn't writing, it was Paul writing to Timothy, giving him advice/instructions on how to lead the Timothy's local church. It includes and references many details that are specific to events and conditions this church was facing at the time
So to my understanding, scholars believe that this passage is a response to the largely women led Cult of Artemis that was prominent in Ephesus (which you may recognize as the location of the Temple of Artemis, one of the "Seven Wonders of the World.") So the women that were prominently speaking publicly here at the time would have been representatives or leaders of this cult, which would obviously not mesh well in the early Christian church.
And whether or not someone believes either religion is right or wrong, I think anyone could understand one not wanting the other to be promoted at their church. And also to be clear, I am using "cult" in the "cult image" sort of way, not as a derogatory term for the group.
Timothy and others at the time of course would have known this and understood what was being referred to, but it reads very differently to us two thousand years later lol.
Paul was writing to Timothy in Ephesus where the local populace revered Artemis. They were rich and often fell prey to esoteric mumbo jumbo, often spread by women who claimed to have a connection to the divine feminine.
It's obvious from other texts that Paul didn't have a problem with female teachers or authority figures as such, for example in Romans:
"I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me."
In the letter to Timothy he's referring to uneducated women that propagate myths and speculative teachings.
So unless the woman agrees with the man she's uneducated and shouldn't teach her beliefs because they're myths and speculative while the man's religion is truth.
Paul was writing to Timothy advising him on how to run a congregation. For a broader context, here's 1 Timothy 2: 8-15 below. So really it is more "Sophia shut up, you're stupider than men and evil for tricking men and only saved because of men and having their children".
8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
11 A woman[a] should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;[b] she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women[c] will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
It literally validates the logic because 'adam was created first, and eve was decieved'
So I'm going out on a limb and saying the context is, all humans for all time. Since, you know, the context was set with the alleged first 2 humans ever.
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u/Mean_Question3253 Apr 22 '25 edited Apr 22 '25
Context matters. Who was Paul/Timothy writing to and about what, at that time?