I believe Paul’s language is somewhat diplomatic in verses 11-15, though not without some force to it. ” “Charge” is a strong word (verb: paraggellō and noun: paraggelia), and Paul uses it seven times in 1 Timothy. Paul’s use of epitrepō in 1 Timothy 2:12 is especially marked when compared with the language used elsewhere in First Timothy, including, for example, 1 Timothy 6:17: “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty. You can check this for yourself. I’ve typed out every NT verse that contains epitrepō here. It is also used in the context of withholding permission in a specific and limited situation.
This word is consistently used in the Greek New Testament in the context of giving, or asking for, permission by making an exception or a temporary allowance limited in scope. Ray begins by quoting the first four words of the English translation of 1 Timothy 2:12, “I do not permit.” “I permit” is a translation of the Greek verb epitrepō. Rays comments are given in bold and in quotation marks. Yet, they are probably read by, and inform, many people. To be fair, I should point out that commentary in a Study Bible needs to be concise, and these notes do not represent Ray’s best work. The author of these notes is Ray Van Neste. They are essentially identical to those in the ESV Study Bible.
In this post, based on a talk I gave on the 3rd of November 2018, I address 1 Timothy 2:12 by critiquing the notes found in the ESV Global Study Bible. It is the sticking point that stops them from seeing other verses that show that women did minister and lead in Bible times, and that women can minister in whatever capacity God has called and gifted and equipped them for. I expected to find a Bible verse that clearly states God really only wants men to be the leaders in the church. When I first began my journey as a Christian towards egalitarianism, I expected to come across an insurmountable scriptural roadblock.