The Aged Women Likewise

(Article for publication week of 11-6- AD 2104)

 

"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, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of  be not blasphemed" (Titus 2:3-5).

In the Book of Titus we  are taught to adorn the gospel by a holy life. In Titus chapter two every age and class is addressed. Men and women , young and old, masters and slaves are addressed. We are taught to know our place and calling and serve the Lord where He has put us. The inspired writer instructs the aged women to teach the younger women in the holy art of wifehood and motherhood. The reason they are to teach these things is that the Word of God be not blasphemed. The unholy lives of professed Christians cause the Word to be blasphemed. Christians are called upon to live radically different from the unsaved world. A holy life adorns the doctrine of the gospel.

The teaching that aged women are commanded to is strictly private. God's word in other places forbids women to be public teachers or (especially) preachers. For example we read in I Corinthians 14:34, "let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law." Again, in I Timothy 2: 11-12 we read, "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." Again in I Timothy 3:1 we read, "if a MAN desire the office of a bishop , HE desireth a good work." And then we go on and read in verse 2 that the bishop (a.k.a.  elder, overseer, pastor, minister, presbyter, etc) must be the HUSBAND of one wife. God has forbidden that women should ever be public teachers or ministers of the Word. The ministry is no place for a woman, or a sissy. It is a man's work and only a man who is a man in a every sense of the word is qualified for the hard work of preaching. A preacher must be a man physically, mentally, psychologically, and in his general demeanour. Furthermore, the only men that God has ever authorised to teach publicly are those men that He has gifted and qualified for the work, and who have been approved by the church as "apt to teach" ( I Timothy 3:2), and who have the Biblical qualifications of a preacher (I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).

But the women in the church are to be teachers of good things. Younger women are to be keepers at home and to be teaching their own children. The aged women are to be teaching the younger women to be faithful wives and mothers. Again, we know that this teaching is strictly in a private setting because of the texts preciously cited which clearly limit public preaching and teaching to men. Also, note well, that women are not to be teachers of doctrine, but they are to be teachers of practical godliness to their daughters and daughters- in - law, etc. They are to be teaching these things in their own homes, not in the church. Many marriages could possibly be saved by older women teaching their daughters to love and obey their husbands and to love their children.

The aged women can teach these things by knowing the word themselves and privately proclaiming it to the younger women. They can teach best by example. Some aged woman may be reading this week who was not converted until later in life. You can teach by warning the younger women to avoid your mistakes. And I am sure many are reading who are lost. May the Lord have mercy, and save you before it is too late.