Hi @Combine_Advisor, I’d say that some of that reflects a standard view, but there’s a lot of rhetoric that goes well beyond the facts.
So men are to pray and women are to dress modestly. That’s quite a contrast.
It’s a terrible contrast. 1 Timothy 2:1–4 begins by urging prayer without limiting it to one sex. When the discussion continues, it appears that men and women are called out for different bad behaviour. Men should stop arguing and lift up their hands to pray instead of fight. Women should make sure their professions of godliness (i.e. when they are praying out loud) are not contradicted by their extravagent clothing and accessories. To dress modestly here means not showing off their wealth.
So both men and women are praying, but they’ve been doing it badly. The text corrects them both so they can both pray properly. The sentence begins and ends with the out-loud speaking of each sex, “the men should pray … as is proper for women who profess reference for God” (2:8–10). It’s not about women professing silently any more than the men are praying silently. Both are speaking, and their speaking is not the problem.
So, according to this text, women were to be silent in worship because they were created second and sinned first.
For the created second, sinned first stuff, see this excellent post by Christy. For the silence, here’s something I wrote several years ago:
In 1 Timothy 2:11, a woman is to receive instruction quietly (hēsychia); this word also ends verse 12, and appears twice elsewhere in the New Testament.[1] In Acts 22:2, it is moderated by “more,” showing it does not mean complete silence. In 2 Thessalonians 3:12, it refers to avoiding needless chatter and distraction. Unfortunately, this word is frequently translated as “silence” when addressed to women[2] even though it consistently indicates a quiet demeanour.
[1] This summarizes the use of the noun form that occurs in the passage. A related cognate adjective, hēsychios (1 Tim. 2:2; 1 Peter 3:4), refers to the quiet lives and quiet spirit that are to characterize all Christians. A related verb, hēsychazō (Luke 14:4; 23:56; Acts 11:18; 1 Thess. 4:11), is used variously, but the only Pauline use refers to living quietly.
[2] Of the four occurrences (Acts 22:2; 2 Thess. 3:12; 1 Tim. 2:11; 2:12), the first refers to a Jewish mob, the second to people who had become busybodies, and the last two to women. The NASB and ESV translate all four occurrences using a form of “quiet.” Other translations are less consistent (italics indicate surrounding words):
- HCSB (2003): “quieter,” “quietly,” “silence,” “silent.”
- NRSV (1989): “quiet,” “quietly,” “silence,” “silent.”
- NIV (1984): “quiet,” “settle down,” “quietness,” “silent” (the last becomes “quiet” in the 2011 update).
- NKJV (1982): “kept all the more silent,” “quietness,” “silence,” “silence.”