Women Saved Through Childbearing

1 Timothy 2:15 -- But she will be saved through childbearing, if they abide in faith and love and holiness, with self-restraint. -- Berean Literal Bible

This verse has always been a bit of unresolved business in my mind. At first read, it seems to say that women are saved (from sin) by bearing children. That would contradict the many explicit passages teaching that salvation comes through faith alone. A wise interpreter does not let contradictions stand and does not allow ambiguous verses outweigh explicit verses. So we dig and put faith in the knowledge that an explanation exists.

The meaning of "saved" is not explicit. If you ask, "saved from what," you realize that "saved" does not always refer to the salvation of our souls. It can have a more general meaning. 

Similarly, "childbearing" is probably a synecdoche (sin-NEK-tuh-kee), a figure of speech in which a term for a part of something refers to the whole of something (or vice versa). Childbearing probably refers to the whole of rearing children, since the word is followed by a code of lifelong behaviors.

Dr. Andrew Farley has given an explanation that unlocked the verse for me. (The video also explains verse 14.) I would feel comfortable giving this explanation even to people who use it in an attempt to slander Paul and denigrate the scriptures.

The teachings of the pagan religions, especially those of the cult of Diana, had left women who converted to faith in Christ feeling insecure. For example, the cult taught women that focusing on family instead of on career achievement would make them lesser people. Also, Diana was the goddess of fertility and childbearing, so women probably feared that renouncing Diana had removed her protection and made motherhood more dangerous. 

Paul intended to reassure them that God's blessing was still on them if they devoted themselves to crafting the next generation instead of focusing on careers. Faith, love, holiness, and propriety do not save us, but they are the evidence that a sincere conversion produces. 

That reassurance still applies. Society pressures women to abandon family in pursuit of career achievement.

Aside from learning that the passage merely reassures women that they lose nothing by abandoning the mindsets of their former religions, finding this interpretation also gives an example of hermeneutical principles. 

• Words have multiple meanings and levels of meaning.
• Ambiguous passages do not cancel or override explicit passages.
• "Context" in which a verse is interpreted has multiple levels, including sentence, paragraph, book, author, testament, and especially important in this passage, cultural.

The most important hermeneutical principle illustrated for many is that when explanations escape us, we do not choose a doubtful one, conclude that there is a contradiction, or give up. Rather, we keep an open mind, keep digging, and keep gathering background information, even if it takes decades.

Copyrighte 2020, Richard Wheeler. Permission granted for non-remunerated use. Please give credit where credit is due.