Although women in that time and culture could be well educated, many were less literate and educated in matters of religion, and therefore more likely to hold wrong ideas.50 This was certainly the case in Ephesus, where the prevalence of “profane myths and old wives’ tales” (1 Tim 4:7 NRSV) needed to be addressed by the author of 1 Timothy.51 Indeed, the primary issue in 1 Timothy is false teaching.52 The women, exercising their new freedom in Christ, were outspokenly causing an issue by questioning
Page 50