[1] Most Bible versions use the words gullible, weak, and silly to describe women in this verse. First, a word about the term, “silly” as used in the A.V.. "This example of gender-biased-English-translation-theology
might appear minor to some, but we do not believe it to be so.
In this passage, we are given a description of false teachers who target women who are spiritually immature (young in the Lord--not necessarily in age) as primary victims.
In this passage, we are given a description of false teachers who target women who are spiritually immature (young in the Lord--not necessarily in age) as primary victims.
These female victims are described in the Greek as gunaikarion. James Strong wrote that the word, gunaikarion, is a diminutive of gune (pronounced goonay)
which means woman or wife.
A diminutive of “woman” would indicate a young woman or teenager. If that is indeed what gunaikarion means, translators and Bible commentators could easily have reflected that. But, no translation reflects teenagers or very young women in this verse. Instead, the Strong's Concordance defines gunaikarion, as “silly” women—which just happens to be the same words used by the translators of the A.V..
This does not accurately reflect the biblical meaning of gunaikarion.
A diminutive of “woman” would indicate a young woman or teenager. If that is indeed what gunaikarion means, translators and Bible commentators could easily have reflected that. But, no translation reflects teenagers or very young women in this verse. Instead, the Strong's Concordance defines gunaikarion, as “silly” women—which just happens to be the same words used by the translators of the A.V..
This does not accurately reflect the biblical meaning of gunaikarion.
Virtually all translations are just as misogynistic as the A.V. and the Strong's Concordance in their translation and interpretation of this verse. Most use derisive words to describe the women, such as, "weak or gullible."
These women are not silly, weak, or gullible but simply victimized because of their inexperience and lack of education in the Word of God.
Words such as silly, weak, and gullible falsely accuse women whose only fault is inexperience and victimization by their culture and by predators who are loaded down with sins and various lusts.
These women are not silly, weak, or gullible but simply victimized because of their inexperience and lack of education in the Word of God.
Words such as silly, weak, and gullible falsely accuse women whose only fault is inexperience and victimization by their culture and by predators who are loaded down with sins and various lusts.
Describing these women in such a contemptuous manner is inexcusable
on the part of Bible translators and commentators.
The Greek word “karion” (or karyon), which is added to the Greek word gune to form the compound word gunaikarion, is still used in the Greek language today.
Karion (or karyon) means, cell, nut, or kernel.
The Greek word “karion” (or karyon), which is added to the Greek word gune to form the compound word gunaikarion, is still used in the Greek language today.
Karion (or karyon) means, cell, nut, or kernel.
Nuts and kernels are
seeds. Cells develop. So, we see that the word does not carry a connotation of weak, foolish, silly, or gullible but rather a promise of growth and development.
It is not a stretch to connect a seed with a young [and as
yet educationally and spiritually undeveloped] human.
All Christians, no matter what their natural age when they come to Christ, begin their Christian lives as spiritually young, full of promise, but nowhere near mature in the faith. It is preposterous that spiritually young female believers [victims], targeted by false teachers [predators] in 2 Timothy 3:6, are transformed [using gender-biased-English-translation-theology] from spiritually naive women into "foolish, silly, weak, and gullible women."
This fits with the historical narrative but is far from fact and honest Christian scholarship.
All Christians, no matter what their natural age when they come to Christ, begin their Christian lives as spiritually young, full of promise, but nowhere near mature in the faith. It is preposterous that spiritually young female believers [victims], targeted by false teachers [predators] in 2 Timothy 3:6, are transformed [using gender-biased-English-translation-theology] from spiritually naive women into "foolish, silly, weak, and gullible women."
This fits with the historical narrative but is far from fact and honest Christian scholarship.
About the word
“silly,” used by the translators of the A.V., to translate the Greek word, "karion." The word "silly," is used only once in the New Testament—and that is in
reference to one group of spiritually undeveloped women, described in 2 Timothy 3:6. There is no
corresponding Greek to support the use of such a derogatory word.
This unfortunate rendering is incorrect, casts women in bad light, it is entirely inappropriate and profoundly prejudiced against women. The fact that the translation and interpretation of 2 Timothy 3:6, has gone unchallenged up to the present time, indicates how deeply ingrained into the Christian psyche, is the pejorative stereotyping of women. --
This unfortunate rendering is incorrect, casts women in bad light, it is entirely inappropriate and profoundly prejudiced against women. The fact that the translation and interpretation of 2 Timothy 3:6, has gone unchallenged up to the present time, indicates how deeply ingrained into the Christian psyche, is the pejorative stereotyping of women. --
Woman this is WAR!
Gender, Slavery and the Evangelical Caste System, 2010, Jocelyn Andersen
Under
the Old Covenant, girls and women
were not taught the scriptures in the same way boys and men were. Boys
were entitled to sit at
the rabbi's feet (to be systematically educated), while girls and women
had
to catch it on the fly (so to speak), hearing the Word of God only at
Temple
and synagogue attendance and by listening to men have conversations
about the Law and Prophets--always discussed and interpreted from
male-perspectives.
This does not mean that
women were less devout than men, completely ignorant, or that every
woman was spiritually immature. It simply means that women as a group
were less privileged, at that time--as they still are, due to gender-biased biblical scholarship and restricted ministry options.
The educational knowledge of 1st Century women, was severely limited by
sexist traditions that, among the Jews [who were the first Christians],
carried
the weight of TORAH. So naturally, there would have been many New Testament women, exhilarated
by the new freedom given to them to learn, who would have been starving for
knowledge, and who would have been targeted by the false teachers written about in 2 Timothy chapter three.
[2] It is not the women, but rather the
predatory male teachers in verse :6, who are “laden with sins led away with divers lusts. This is made clear in
the following verses where no one questions that it is the false teachers and not the women who
are 7: Ever learning and never
able to come to the knowledge of the truth,” and who “8:… also resist the truth, men of corrupt minds,
reprobate concerning the faith.”
Despite this, translation after
translation makes it appear as though
it is the women who are “loaded down
with sins and led astray by various lusts,” instead of it being the men (wolves)
who targeted them.
It is the deceivers, not the the deceived, who are referenced in verse :6 as, "laden with sins [and] led away with divers lusts." The women in this passage, are not bad people. They are not stupid people. They are people whose lack of education (not by their own choices) has prepared them to become victims.
Woman this is WAR! Gender, Slavery and
the Evangelical Caste System, refutes complementarianism [also called
complementarity], which teaches that all men and women are born into a caste
system that follows them from the moment they exit the womb throughout all
eternity. Men are alleged to be born into the leadership caste and women into
the “follower” caste.
Complementarian
doctrine suppresses the autonomy of adult Christian women and has been
embraced, with few exceptions, by virtually every Christian
denomination...despite unmistakable parallels between complementarian dogma
[and the adverse effects of the paradigm on men, women, and children] and that
of institutionalized slavery in previous centuries [caveat: lots of Black
History in this book up through the Civil Rights Movement].
Woman
this is War! quotes well-known evangelical pastors who compare Christian
marriage to a war of dominance between wives and husbands, a war they claim
that husbands must win.
Gender-biased-English-translation-theology, along with male-centered Bible
commentary and translation practices, are used in forbidding women to preach,
pastor, or serve as elders and deacons in most churches. This hinders the work
of the gospel. In most churches where women are not forbidden to preach, they
are told to submit to their husbands at home.
Gender-biased-English-translation-theology has interfered with understanding
the scriptures, pitted men and women against each other, and eroded the
happiness of women and men.
The
book contains rare insights into Christian initiatives in the movements for
women’s rights that have either deliberately or inadvertently been keep out of
Christian literature. These observations bring a new perspective, along with
freedom and hope. The doctrine of female submission to male headship in the
church and home, is soundly refuted using scripture to support equality between
women and men. Woman this is WAR! is a treasure-trove of information on gender
equality from biblical, historical, and Christian perspectives.
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