1 Timothy 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

A good sister in Maryland asked about the interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:12  "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."
Basically she asks why did Paul say this?
She understands and  state that "We know without a doubt that Christ warned that no one is to rule over one another like the chief of the gentiles (Mark 10:42-44; Luke 22:25). The hierarchy paganism structure is the complete opposite and rebellion against God's pure intentions for His Body and Bride. We have seen the bad fruits and results from so many pagan influences ...DIVISION. From the fall in the garden to tower of Babel to Israel choosing a King like the gentiles rather than God (1 Samuel 8) and so much more today."  

The phrase "usurp authority"  is from the compound word "authenteo" which appears only once in the Bible and is actually defined as "one who with his own hands kills another or himself
 2) one who acts on his own authority, autocratic
 3) an absolute master
 4) to govern, exercise dominion over one.

What man or woman should "usurp authority"?
She also asks "How do gifts or functions of the body apply today?"
Peter appears to be a bit of a male chauvinist from time to time in some of the gospels and other books until Pentecost. Then we see him saying in Acts 2:17-21  "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:   The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."


 Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Son or Daughter.
 
No one seemed to have a problem in Acts 21:9  with "And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy." Evidently they were able to speak their peice.

Later in 1 Peter 3:6  we see him write "Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement."
The phrase  "do well" is from agathopoieo which is defined "to do good, do something which profits others"
 
In childbearing a mother learns "to do good, do something which profits others". But one does not need to have a child to learn or do this.

In the verse found in 1 Timothy 2:15  "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety." Child bearing is not the essential element here but "continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety" is the precept.


A man or a woman can be the temple of the Holy Spirit and as such both can have gifts of the Holy Spirit.
 
Real men are not threatened by a woman with the Holy Spirit working in them.
 
Gregory