1TIMOTHY 2:15;
“Notwithstanding, she shall be saved in
(Gk. dia;a channel, through)
childbearing,
(Gk. teknogonia; to produce a child)
if they continue (Gk. meno; to
remain, abide)
in faith and
love and holiness with sobriety.”
This verse is easily misinterpreted or misunderstood,
because of the common way of interpretation,
and that is interpreting the verse literally
and by itself.
This is what 2 Peter 1:20 is saying
not to do.
"Knowing
this first, that no prophecy of the scripture
is of any
private interpretation."
(2PE 1:20)
To understand this verse,
you must understand the theme of the
chapter.
Reading from chapter 1:3 through
2:14,
we find that the Apostle Paul,
is teaching Timothy, to beware of
being deceived,
and being deluded by false doctrines,
and being led astray.
In v. 19, he warns Timothy,
of holding on to faith with a good conscience,
that he be not led astray, and become
shipwrecked
Holding
faith, and a good conscience;
which some
having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
(1TI 1:19)
Paul uses the
term shipwrecked because we are
*sailors of men.
We are to navigate or guide others
in the right course,
that we not be led astray, and become
shipwrecked.
*The term
fishers of men is a misnomer.
The word for fish is itchus,
but here the word used for fishers is
halieus,
which means sailors.
It should be sailors of men.
Although we do some fishing, (preach the
gospel)
the word sailor has a more deeper meaning
than just one aspect of Christianity.
The same is the case of the word Stewardship.
Many has the idea that stewardship has
to do with only handling money.
A steward is one that is managing the household,
economy of the things of God.
It has to do with the whole aspect of
God's household,
such as preaching, teaching, guiding,
warning, encouraging, etc.
We are to navigate all that are aboard
with us,
through rough waters of life.
The sea is a picture of this life’s course.
There are times when the sea gets awfully
rough,
but a good sailor know's how to navigate
the ship to safety with all aboard.
Christians who are grown in the Word of
God,
will be steadfast and able to guide his
crew and passengers to safety,
in this world of turmoil and uncertainty.
"But they that
will be rich fall into temptation and a snare,
and into many
foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown
men in destruction and perdition."
(1Tim. 6:9)
Paul also uses the term drown.
This is referred to the sea and to the seaman.
Read 1Tim. 1:3--2:15
1:3-11; Paul, is admonishing Timothy
to warn others,
not to teach false doctrine such as fables,
endless genealogies and about the law.
These things does not build anyone up in
the faith.
Love and faith is what one should remember
and thrive on,
and this is according to the Gospel of
God (v. 11).
1:12-17; Paul’s testified
that
he persecuted the Christian,
before he was converted.
He was persecuting anyone who was not
following the ways of the law.
God put him in the ministry of the Gospel
of Grace,
and now was teaching everyone that Christ
and faith in Him is the way.
1:18-20; Paul warns Timothy to hold
fast to this doctrine of faith.
Others who have not are led astray, shipwrecked
(nauageesan).
Paul uses this term shipwrecked for we
are sailors (halieus; Mat. 4:18).
Hymenaeus and Alexander were two who were
deceived by Satan and led astray.
2:1-8; What a Christian should be
doing.
Have faith, pray, and of thanksgiving.
2:9-14; Women in moderate manner,
and in subjection to the man for man is
the head and
woman is the body (1Cor.
11:3; Eph. 5:22-24).
In the Garden
of Eden,
God told Adam not to eat of the fruit,
from the tree of the Knowledge of Good
and Evil.
God did not tell Eve
for she was not created as yet.
But Eve knew thus we know that Adam told
Eve.
God speaks to our
mind (spirit that was quickened,
made alive to God) and God wants our soul
(Eve) to listen,
and be in subjection to the mind.
This means that we do not go by
our feelings,
but by the Word of God that is spoken
to our mind,
and transmitted to our soul and more specifically,
to our heart which is the core of our
soul.
If
we go and do how we feel in our hearts,
then we are not walking by our spirit
(Adam),
which was quickened but we are listening
to our heart (Eve).
This is the picture of Eve (woman, soul,
heart),
not subject to the Adam (man, mind, spirit)
and we are deceived by Satan.
In verse 14, it changes
from Eve to the woman.
Here
the woman is an an analogy or an antiype of the church
and of our body as we live and move.
The words, “she shall be saved” is not
speaking of eternal salvation,
but of being saved from the cares of this
life and its temptations.
We have a good testimony for the Lord,
and not be shipwrecked or backslide.
If we continue (Gk. meno; to live,
stay, abide)
in faith and love and holiness with sobriety
this will not happen.
The word childbearing comes from
the Greek word teknogonia which means
to produce a child. This
has a spiritual meaning.
Notwithstanding,
(but, moreover), we shall be saved in childbearing,
The meaning here is to produce the born-again
babe, a new life,
a new babe in Christ, by producing a testimony.
If we are led
astray, we cannot produce the born-again child in our life,
and we are shipwrecked.
A life of the born-again person is sailing
in safety even in rough waters of life.
The person is not being led astray and
not become shipwrecked.
We (the woman, our body, behavior)
shall produce a born-again life and testimony
(a child)
if we continue in faith and love and holiness
with sobriety
and we shall be saved (not eternal
life)
but saved from backsliding or becoming
shipwrecked.
This
verse is not literally saying that woman will have eternal life
by literally giving birth to a baby.
Adam represents our
head, our mind,
our spirit and the woman represents
our body, our emotions, our soul.
The woman thus represents our behavior
through our body.
If Eve was in subjection to Adam,
she would not have sinned in the Garden
of Eden.
She listened to the serpent and not to
Adam.
If we go by our our emotions, by how we
feel,
then we are not walking by faith for we
are not listening to the spirit of our mind.
Walking by faith is listening to our mind
which is born of God and to listen to the Word of God.
If we do this,
we will produce the testimony of the new born babe,
or the born-again life
and we will be saved from going astray,
from
being shipwrecked.
Read 2Peter 1:3-10.
"Brethren, give diligence to make your calling
and election sure,
for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall"
(2Pe. 1:10).
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