Thomas Aquinas Commentary 1 Timothy 2:11-15

"Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection. But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. For Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled hath fallen into transgression: but she shall be saved through her child-bearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety." — 1 Timothy 2:11-15 (ASV)

1. Above, the Apostle instructed women regarding prayer; here he instructs them regarding doctrine. First, he outlines his argument:

   1. He lays down his own law regarding their teaching.
   2. He gives the reason for this law, with the words for Adam was first formed.
   3. He answers an unspoken question, with the words yet she shall be saved.

   Concerning the first point, he does two things:

   1. He shows what is suitable for women.
   2. He shows what is not suitable, with the words but I do not permit a woman to teach.

2. Regarding the first point, he mentions three things suitable for women: silence, learning, and subjection. These three things proceed from one source: their lack of reason. So he requires them to be silent when he says, let the woman learn in silence. If any man does not offend in word, the same is a perfect man (James 3:2); let women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted for them to speak, but to be subject, as the Law also says (1 Corinthians 14:34). For the words of a woman are inflammatory: her conversation burns as fire .

   Second, he says that they should learn, because that is the proper function for one who is weak in intellect: if they would learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home (1 Corinthians 14:35). However, it is given to men to teach.

   Third, he recommends subjection, because it is natural for the soul to rule the body, and for reason to rule the lower powers. Therefore, as the Philosopher says, whenever any two things are related as the soul is to the body, and reason to sensuality, it is natural for the one with the greater amount of reason to rule and give orders, and for the other to be subject, since it is lacking in reason: he shall have dominion over you (Genesis 3:16).

3. Likewise, he states what is not permitted to women, saying they are not to use authority over the man, but to be in silence.

   Consequently, he forbids them to teach.

   An objection to this is the verse, the vision with which his mother instructed him (Proverbs 31:1). I answer that some teaching is public, and this does not belong to a woman (and thus he says "in the church"); other teaching is private, and by this means a mother teaches her son.

   But we read that Deborah taught the people of Israel (Judges 5:7). The answer is that her teaching came through the spirit of prophecy, and the grace of the Holy Spirit does not distinguish between man and woman. Furthermore, she did not preach publicly but gave advice under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

   Second, they are forbidden to use authority over the man: a woman, if she has superiority, is contrary to her husband . And the Philosopher says that the rule of women is the ruin of a family, just as the rule of tyrants is the ruin of a commonwealth.

   Accordingly, he forbids two things that are contrary to the two things suitable for her: teaching, which is opposed to being in silence, and having authority, which is opposed to being subject to the man.

4. Then, with the words for Adam was formed first, he gives the reason for what he had taught:

   1. From the order of creation.
   2. From the order of sin, with the words and Adam was not seduced.

5. Regarding the first, it should be noted that in the order of things, the perfect and the imperfect are arranged differently. In one and the same individual, the imperfect comes first in time, but the perfect is prior in nature, because nature proceeds from the imperfect to the perfect. But in different things, the perfect is prior in both time and nature, because nature always starts with what is perfect. This is the order we are now speaking of, because man is the perfect specimen of human nature, whereas a woman is an incidental man. Hence Adam was formed first: the Lord God formed man of the slime of the earth (Genesis 2:7). Then woman was formed as something imperfect originating from something perfect, namely, from a rib: for the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man (1 Corinthians 11:8). That is why man is not said to be formed for the woman, but in the likeness of God: let us make man to our own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). The woman, however, is for the sake of the man; therefore, the man should rule.

6. Second, he gives a reason from the order of sinning. The orders of coming into being and of ceasing to be are contrary, because that which is first in coming into being is last in ceasing to be. But sin is the ceasing to be of a nature. Therefore, coming into being begins first with Adam, and ceasing to be begins with the woman. Hence he says, Adam was not seduced—that is, not first—because he was the stronger; but the tempter approached the weaker one so that the stronger might be seduced more easily. Here he alludes to Adam’s words in Genesis. For when the Lord rebuked Adam, he said: the woman whom you gave me to be my companion, gave me of the tree and I did eat (Genesis 3:12). That is why he says, Adam was not seduced; but the woman.

   Now, seduction is of two kinds: one concerning an abstract principle and one concerning a concrete object, which involves the ignorance of choice. Therefore, whoever sins is seduced by ignorance of choice regarding a concrete object. But the woman was seduced by ignorance in the abstract when she believed what the serpent said. The man, however, did not believe this but was deceived in the concrete; and having never experienced the severity of God, he believed that he would be easily forgiven.

7. But ignorance is a punishment for sin; therefore, did the punishment precede the sin?

   I answer that it did not, because she was elated as soon as the serpent spoke and suggested that someone was concerned for her; and in that spirit of elation she was seduced. Therefore, the elation came first.

8. Then, with the words yet she shall be saved, he answers an unspoken question. Someone might say that if the woman is not for the man, and sin comes from her, she is harmful to men. But if something is not for someone but is harmful to him, it should be destroyed. Therefore, the woman should not be saved.

   The answer is that salvation is of two kinds: temporal, which is also common to animals, and eternal, which is proper to humanity: my salvation shall be forever (Isaiah 51:8). But the woman has lost neither of them: not the temporal, because she is not deprived of her female nature when a child is born; nor the eternal, because she is open to grace and glory because of her soul. Therefore, regarding the first, he says, she shall be saved and not rooted out; and this is through childbearing, to which she is ordained by God. Regarding the second, he says, if she continue.

   But since "if" implies a cause, does that mean that if she does not continue, she will not be saved? For the Apostle says that a woman does better if she does not marry.

   The answer is that this can be taken as a figure of speech, so that by "man" is understood the superior reason, and by "woman" the lower reason. Now good works are the product of the lower reason, just as charity is, which she conceives through the man and through which she is saved. The other explanation is literal, and the word through does not express a cause but a contrast. It is as if to say: the woman shall be saved, even if she participates in procreation—that is, if she marries and is not a virgin. Then through suggests an increase of salvation, as though by raising children for the service of God, she will be saved all the more: have you children? Instruct them and bow down their neck from their childhood .

   To attain eternal salvation, three things must be considered:

   1. Concerning the intellect, there is faith, through which the intellect is subjected to Christ; hence he says, in faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
   2. Because faith is worthless without charity, he immediately adds something concerning the affections, namely, and love. If I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2).
   3. Regarding the outward act, he mentions two virtues to counter lewdness. Lewdness consists of lust, against which he says, and sanctification (meaning chastity): this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should abstain from fornication (1 Thessalonians 4:3). It also consists of drunkenness, against which he says, with sobriety: we should live soberly, and justly, and godly in this world (Titus 2:12).

Chapter 3