What, Where, Who and How Christian Women Should Teach

    Titus 2.3-5 “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

The apostolic instruction given to older believing women in Titus 2 is with regard to their character and conduct. Notice in verse 3 that it is addressed to: “the aged women” (Gr. presbutis), used here only in the New Testament. Younger women are mentioned in verse 4 as learners, not teachers. They are at an age where they may marry, bear children and raise a family. Therefore they should not presume to be “teachers” as in this passage, but learners. To such women we say, “accept that the home is your primary sphere of ministry, stay there and be a godly wife and mother. Love your husband and children, love your vocation –ministry– and give your all to it. Be a homemaker, not a theologian, preacher, teacher or author”. “Aged women” is a good translation, and more precise than simply “older.” The fact a woman is older than some others does not qualify them for this kind of teaching. A woman in her forties is older than women in their thirties or twenties, and so on. But as W. E. Vine indicates, the term is derived from a word that means “to be far advanced”, and therefore refers only to women who are far advanced in years. (“Proeisbaino, ‘to be far advanced’. The noun is found in Luke 1:18, ‘an old man’”. Vine’s Expository Dictionary)
    However women must do more than grow old, for age alone does not qualify them to teach younger women. Their character and conduct are extremely important, and are addressed in verse 3 as prerequisites for teaching in verse 4 and 5. This could be considered an application of the instruction of Paul to Timothy, “Take heed unto thyself.” Even more so with the aged women, whose teaching is not in a classroom, meeting or “Bible study” session, but by their lives, in their homes.
    They should be “in behavior as becometh holiness.”  Position is not in view here, but practice. “God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (1 Thess. 4.7). A worldly older woman is in no position to help younger women. Orthodox truth –sound doctrine– is surely important, but Titus 1.1 reminds us of “the truth which is after godliness.” Believing and practicing God’s truth in marriage, home life and the assembly brings about holy, godly living, and this is what God requires of older women, not just “in the meetings” but in all of daily life.  “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Pet. 1.15).  These godly older  women “adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works” (1 Tim. 2.9-10). They don’t dismiss modest feminine clothing and chaste behavior with the argument: “God looks on the heart,” because they know that God cares about their manner of dress. It is one of the marks of their profession of godliness. God-fearing women do not dress or behave like unsaved, worldly women, or even like disobedient professing Christian women. Their adornment should “not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (1 Pet. 3.3-4).  They “reverence” their husbands (Eph. 5.33), which means treating them with deference, respect or reverential obedience. They are not bossy, aggressive, independent or rebellious to “male leadership” as feminism would have them be. Rather they submit themselves unto their own husbands, as is fit in the Lord (Col. 3.18). Why? “For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord...” (1 Pet. 3.5-6).
    They are not “false accusers” (Tit. 2.3), which is the Greek word “diabolous” – devil, slanderer. A wagging tongue, a sharp tongue, gossiping and critical conversation is unbecoming to a woman who professes godliness. Simply stated, it is unholy. Older women, free from many of the labors of raising a family, find themselves with more time, but it should not be used in talebearing. One mother when she saw her children idle and bored would say, “find something constructive to do.” The same advice goes for the aged women.
    They are not to be “given to much wine.” Again, “find something constructive to do,” and don’t pass the time sipping wine. Noah in later life through carelessness fell into drunkenness. In many countries wine is taken with meals as an ordinary part of life. It is undeniable that the Lord Jesus made good wine at the wedding in Cana, but He certainly was not given to wine, nor should be any of His followers.
    These godly aged women are to be “teachers of good things” (Tit. 2.3). The phrase represents one Greek word (kalodidaskalos), which means literally teaching that which is good, or teachers of good things. Used only here in Scripture, it does not refer to doctrine or exposition, as in sermons or classes or public ministry, but to private personal work. It is more than obvious to any careful reader that verses 4 and 5 define and qualify this expression. What kinds of good things are aged women to teach, and to whom?
    Verse 4 says, “that they may teach the young women.”  These holy aged women are not pastors in churches, nor preachers, authors, conference speakers or seminary professors. There are no meetings in the New Testament where Christian women teach. They are to keep silent in the congregations “for it is a shame for women to speak in the church” (1 Cor. 14.35). They are not to teach men, since this is strictly forbidden: “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (1 Tim. 2.11-12). This is not a “paulism” or a cultural teaching for those times. The things that  Paul wrote are “the commandments of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14.37).  The reasons for the instruction are clearly given in verses 13 and 14, and are rooted in the book of Genesis. They have to do with God’s order and purpose in creation, and woman’s disgrace by being deceived and initiating the fall. We may not disregard or reject the early chapters of Genesis without grave consequences in many areas of life. Sadly, this has happened in many churches.
    According to Scripture, the godly aged women are to teach good things to the younger women. The question is, what should they teach and how should they teach it? Again, verses 4 and 5 give a clear, specific reply. These eight things are their “curriculum,”so to speak. 
    · to be sober
    · to love their husbands
    · to love their children
    · to be discreet
    · to be chaste
    · to be keepers at home
    · to be good
    · to be obedient to their own husbands
    
    Notice that these are not “Bible studies,” doctrinal studies, women’s conferences, books or magazines, or any similar exposition of Scripture. Unfortunately, these kinds of activities have been widely accepted and have become common practices in many assemblies, but that does not make them right. Undoubtedly those who participate are sincere, but their sincerity does not save them from being mistaken. We must not allow the pressures and trends of society to mold the church, and today the feminist agenda has made great inroads in many churches. As we have seen, Scripture clearly forbids Christian women to teach in this way (1 Tim. 2.11-12). Those who reject this instruction and try to find a way around it, show that they, like Eve, are being deceived by the serpent. Remember the Lord’s strong words of rebuke and reproof to the church in Thyatira. “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach...” (Rev. 2.20). It is not just what she taught, but the fact that she was permitted to teach at all. She called herself a prophetess, one who knew God’s Word and would proclaim it to others. She usurped the place God in His wisdom and sovereign order gave to men, and the end result was divine disapproval and punishment on her and her followers. Jezebel could be the patron saint of women teachers in churches in our day.
      1 Corinthians 12 makes abundantly clear that God distributes the gifts in the body of Christ, and that we don't choose our spiritual gift(s) and should not envy others or feel that we have been slighted.

     v. 8  "given by the Spirit."

    v. 11  "But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."

     v. 18 "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him."

     v. 24 "... God hath tempered the body together"

     v. 28  "... God hath set ... in the church" 

     The ear should not despair of being an ear instead of an eye (1 Cor. 12.16-17), and women should not wish for gifts that God does not give them. Each member of the body has an important function. God, in His sovereign wisdom, has given the teaching and governing gifts to men, not to women. Ephesians 4.8 states that the risen, ascended Christ "gave gifts unto men" (Gr. anthropos), and verse 11 continues, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers." Each of those gifts is stated in the masculine form, and refers to gifted men, not women, who are tasked with the "the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry" (v. 12). The divine distribution of these gifts is not a mistake. It was not chosen by Paul or other apostles. The operative force was not the male ego or the cultural norms of the day, but the sovereign and wise will of God. Clearly, God is not mistaken when He limits women's teaching to aged women who instruct younger women in the practice of piety in the home and family.

    Unlike Jezabel, aged believing women whose lives are an expression of holiness and example of godliness have been entrusted by the Lord to be “teachers of good things” to younger women, and those things are clearly stated in verse 4 and 5. Note that all these good things can be taught by the example and advice of the aged women in the sphere of the home and assembly life, without a single organized meeting. David McAllister, missionary in Zambia, writes:

    There are those who have used these verses to support the practice of women’s meetings or conferences, in which Christian women gather together, for the teaching of the Scriptures. But, as the context shows, it is primarily by their godly character and manner of life that older women teach younger women how they should live. The younger ones look to the pattern set by the older women, and thus learn how they should behave. Of course, this does not preclude verbal advice and instruction; it would be a strange thing if the older women never offered counsel to the younger. But to try to use this as a pretext for women’s meetings is to read into the passage something which is not there.

 (David McAllister, from chapter 11 of The Glory of Godly Women, Assembly Testimony, Belfast, Northern Ireland)

    If we review the list of things she is to teach in verses 4 and 5, we see that first of all she must exemplify these things in her character and life. If she would teach younger women to be sober –serious minded – she must show it in her own character. If she is to teach them to love their husbands and their children, she must herself have learned it and practiced it by growth in grace and experience of godly living in the home. But, what wife doesn’t love her husband, and what mother doesn’t love her children? Some might be surprised by those who have allowed their hearts to grow cold, hard, bitter, critical and even resentful or hateful. Love is not a passing romantic emotion or thrill. The text speaks of decided love, practical, sacrificial love seen in acts. A woman who loves her husband and children will happily labor in the home for their good, as the godly woman of Proverbs 31.10-31 cared for her family. This was her ministry, and sisters, this is yours. Be happy and godly at home. Donald Norbie writes:

     “She is to be a ‘home worker,’ centering her life in her home and family. It is a great challenge to budget one’s funds well, to provide attractive, nourishing meals and to make a warm, inviting home. Some may augment their income by work at home,  a small business, a garden, some other enterprise. If a mother has to leave home to work in the marketplace because of being a single parent or because of some other misfortune, the family suffers. It is very difficult for a woman to be a success in a profession and also to be a good wife and mother. Paul would say, ‘Love your family and your home.’”
(Donald Norbie, 2 Timothy and Titus, Walterick Publishers, 1992, p. 118)

 
 And so with the rest of the list in Titus 2.4-5, discretion, chaste behavior, working at home, goodness, and obedience to husbands. These must be first taught by example and when necessary by a word of advice or practical instruction. A woman who answers back, argues, nags, criticizes, deceives or manipulates her own husband cannot teach others what she herself is not practicing. If she is resentful or unsubmissive, she certainly ought not to influence other women! If Scriptural guidelines were simply followed, so-called “women’s ministry” meetings would be eliminated in modern churches, even assemblies, and younger women would find great benefit in the godly example of aged holy women in the home. It’s predictable that the world will laugh and call them old-fashioned, brain-washed or exploited. “They think it strange that ye run not with them...” (1 Pet. 4.4). But what do worldlings know, and why should we even care about their opinions? Our aim is to please the Lord, not the world.
    Verse 5 concludes with an important reason attached to this valuable ministry of aged Christian women, "that the word of God be not blasphemed.” God is concerned about the conduct of those who carry His Name in the world. When Christians or professing Christians misbehave or err, it affects the testimony of God’s Word, and of the local assembly.  This recognizes what the world expects of such who claim a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. If they misbehave, the world criticizes them, and Christ, and Scripture. And if not vocally, certainly it is true that people lose respect for Scripture when they see misbehavior in a professing Christian.
    It is important to God that Christian women don’t take their cues or values from the world around them, but maintain their distinct, godly testimony in the home and the local assembly. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom. 12.2). Our minds are not to be "renewed" by the changing trends and movements of society, nor even by what other churches are doing, but only by God´s Word "which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Pet. 1.23).

Carl Knott