Vexed by the Text: Women Saved Through Childbearing?

In this world of blind eyes and hard hearts, you've likely heard the cry of the cynic, “You can make the Bible say anything you want it to say.” Yes, it's true: All of God's word is contested ground. And yet there are some passages of Scripture that are more “twistable” than others, especially the deep insights found in Paul's letters (cf. 2 Pet. 3:16). For all my brothers and sisters out there who have battle scars from engaging prideful hearts with biblical truth—you know what I'm talking about. Like a toddler to a cookie jar, those bound by a legalistic spirit always seem to know where to find “the twistables.”

More often than not, the misconception and misapplication of Scripture stems from a stubborn resistance to the Holy Spirit's prompting and guidance (Acts 7:51). This is true of many gospel-denying “Christians” today as it was to gospel-denying Israelites back then. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor. 3:6), and so the problem isn't intellectual deficiency—the core issue is spiritual:

And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:13–14, ESV).

That being said, sometimes the failure to grasp the true intent and meaning of the text of Scripture is made worse because of a poor translation. Moreover, the interpretation and application can get down-right lethal if someone isolates a bad translation by removing it from its surrounding context (just say "no!" to a bad translation in isolation).

Thankfully, we have no shortage of online tools to research the original text of Scripture, and one of the purposes of the newly published LSV is to provide modern English readers with a word-for-word translation with as little paraphrasing and personal interpretation as possible. For the text that we will be examining in this article, a more literal, word-for-word version like the LSV will help tremendously toward a coherent and faithful interpretation.


Say What, Paul?

Not to pick on this particular English version (they all have their merits!), but here is an example of a misleading translation that compounds the problem and makes this text especially “twistable”:

But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty (1 Timothy 2:15, NLT).

Now imagine that you were reading this for the first time. Without any context or knowledge of the original Greek, it's easy to see how this verse could be twisted and abused by some renegade pastor, teacher, fellow Christian, or even more likely—a cult leader.

What in the world is going on here? How exactly are women saved through childbearing? Even for a believing woman, her faith is no guarantee that she will physically survive pregnancy and childbirth. And, on the surface, it sounds like Paul is saying there is a different path of salvation for women than for men. I thought the apostle Paul said elsewhere that salvation is solely by grace, a gift from God, and not earned by our own labors (pregnancy pun intended)?

Ok, breathe! Don't panic. Paul isn't contradicting himself, and salvation is most assuredly based on our faith in Christ alone (Gal 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Php. 3:8-9). Therefore, the knee-jerk interpretation that relies exclusively on human wisdom is unacceptable, because women are not saved based upon how many children they can produce (all right, sisters, take another deep breath and exhale in relief)!

Before we expand things a bit to study the surrounding context, let's take a look at the LSV rendering of 1 Timothy 2:15:

And she will be saved through the childbearing, if they remain in faith, and love, and sanctification, with sobriety.

Ah, now we're getting somewhere. Based on my highlights above, here are a few observations to consider:

(1) In the first clause, the Greek text does not have two separate words for both subject and verb; the singular “she” is embedded in the verb sōthēsetai (“to save”). And, contrary to many English versions, the first clause doesn't even say “women” at all—the verb is singular (see Bible Hub), and so the referent is a particular woman (which, based on the preceding verse, we know to be “Eve”).

(2) For stylistic reasons, most English versions omit the definite article preceding the noun “childbearing” (in the Greek, it's tēs teknogonias, "the childbearing"). The omission is no small matter, because the absence of the definite article in the English affects the overall meaning of the text. Consequently, Paul isn't speaking in generalities about raising children in the home—he is referring to a specific act or process of childbearing that somehow results in salvation.

(3) Lastly, there is an abrupt shift from 3rd Person Singular in the first clause to 3rd Person Plural in the second clause (i.e. from “she will be saved” to “they remain in faith”). This “violation” of the rules of grammar might be jarring to modern sensibilities, but Paul is subtly communicating the spiritual “oneness” or corporate identification of Eve, who represents all women of faith (cf. Rom. 5:12; Eph. 5:31–32; Heb. 7:9–10).

From my survey of various commentaries, the popular and prevailing interpretation of “saved through childbearing” relates in some way to a woman's role in her household. Basically, if a woman takes care of business at home and doesn't try to usurp authority at her local church, then she will be “saved.” In support of this interpretation, I've seen appeals to 1 Tim. 5:14, which contains the verbal form of the noun teknogonias, “childbearing” (a compound term in the Greek; literally teknon “child” + gennao “to beget/bring forth”); however, this line of thinking doesn't adequately resolve the conflict between “salvation by works” and “salvation through faith in Christ alone.”

Granted, we shouldn't minimize the practical outworking of our faith, i.e. the “good works” that we were created for in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10), because Paul certainly gets practical in this pastoral letter to Timothy. And by all means, sisters in Christ should respect the spiritual authority/headship of men in both the public assembly and at home. However, spiritual fruit and predetermined works notwithstanding, 1 Tim. 2:15 has more to do with God's promise of salvation and redemption than the domestic life of women. After all, salvation hinges upon faith alone in God's word/revelation—period.

So, if it's not a woman's role at home, what is Paul really getting at when he says, “she will be saved through the childbearing”? 

To find out, let's take a closer look at the preceding verses so that we can follow Paul's train of thought. In order to determine what the apostle means by “the childbearing” and how this relates to the complete and total salvation of all believing women, we must go to the beginning—all the way back to the first chapters of the book of Genesis.


The Gospel in Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Redemption

As fascinating as it is to learn about ancient customs and cultures, there are limitations to extra-biblical study and research. Sure, it's interesting to know how Ephesian women dressed and what they ate for lunch. However, this kind of background info doesn't help in the least when it comes to determining the intended meaning of “she will be saved through the childbearing.”

Instead of rushing to the commentaries and history books to hunt for cultural clues from ancient Ephesus (cf. 1 Tim. 1:3), all one really has to do is follow the guidance of the apostle Paul. He shows us where to look and gives us a HUGE hint in 1 Timothy 2:13–14:

For Adam was formed first, then Eve, and Adam was not deceived, but the woman, having been deceived, came into transgression (LSV).

All right, so let's try to put ourselves in the mind of the author, a Hebrew of Hebrews (Php. 3:5) who knows the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) like the back of his hand. In 1 Tim. 2:8–12 Paul provides practical instruction for men and women by showing them what godly conduct looks like at their public gatherings (cf. 1 Tim. 3:14–15). We know from the broader context of the letter that things were already getting rowdy within the assemblies at Ephesus, and many would-be teachers were mishandling God's word causing confusion, arguments, and disorder (1 Tim. 1:6–7; 6:3–5).

Since God is not the author of confusion (cf. 1 Cor. 14:33; 40), Paul aims to counter the works of the flesh by emphasizing gentleness and peace for the men (1 Tim. 2:8) and submission and self-control for the women (1 Tim. 2:9–12). Apparently, some of the wealthier women who likely held positions of influence in the community were taking the lead and seeking to be teachers in the public assembly (thereby, gaining authority over the men). Thus, to support his argument that women should not teach and hold positions of authority in the congregation, Paul appeals to Genesis—the authoritative and foundational text of Scripture. Let's trace Paul's flow of thought as he recalls particular events in the Genesis narrative chronologically:

First, in parallel to 1 Tim. 2:13a, he recalls Gen. 2:7:

And YHWH God forms the man [Adam]—dust from the ground, and breathes into his nostrils breath of life, and the man becomes a living creature (LSV).

Second, in parallel to 1 Tim. 2:13b, he recalls Gen. 2:21–23:

And YHWH God causes a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he sleeps, and He takes one of his ribs, and closes up flesh in its stead. And YHWH God builds up the rib which He has taken out of the man into a woman, and brings her to the man; and the man says, 'This at last! Bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh!' For this is called Woman, for this has been taken from Man (LSV).

Third, in parallel to 1 Tim. 2:14a, he recalls Gen. 3:1, 4–5, where the serpent intentionally targets the woman, not Adam:

And the serpent has been cunning above every beast of the field which YHWH God has made, and he says to the woman, 'Is it true that God has said, You do not eat from every tree of the garden?'...[a]nd the serpent says to the woman, 'Dying, you do not die, for God knows that in the day of your eating of it—your eyes have been opened, and you have been as God, knowing good and evil (LSV).

Fourth, in parallel to 1 Tim. 2:14b, he recalls Gen. 3:6, 12–13:

And the woman sees that the tree [is] good for food, and that it [is] pleasant to the eyes, and the tree is desirable to make [one] wise, and she takes from its fruit and eats, and also gives [some] to her husband with her, and he eats...[a]nd the man says, 'The woman whom You placed with me—she has given to me from the tree, and I eat.' And YHWH God says to the woman, 'What [is] this you have done?' And the woman says, 'The serpent has caused me to forget, and I eat (LSV).

Essentially, the same root problem that took place in the garden of Eden was also happening at Ephesus. The women who wanted to teach and have authority over the men were repeating Eve's error and, consequently, making themselves a target for the enemy once again. Thankfully, Paul does not stop at 1 Tim. 2:14, he completes his brief OT history lesson of the Creation and the Fall with God's promise of Redemption:

Fifth, in parallel to 1 Tim. 2:15a, he recalls Gen. 3:15–16, where YHWH says to the serpent:

And I put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He bruises your head, and you bruise His heel.' To the woman He said, 'Multiplying I multiply your sorrow and your conception; you will bear children in sorrow, and your desire [is] toward your Man [[or husband]], and He [[or he]] will rule over you (LSV).

At last! We've arrived at the biblical precedent for Paul's perplexing “childbearing” statement in 1 Timothy 2:15. In scholarly terms, this passage in Genesis is called the protoevangelium (“first gospel”), because this is the first instance in all of the Bible where we find the “good news” about the coming Messiah. Therefore, when Paul says that “she (Eve) will be saved through the childbearing”—he is summarizing the promise of Genesis 3:15–16, which reveals that salvation comes to humanity through the Seed of the woman who conquers the serpent.

While the punishment for Eve's transgression is severe—YHWH multiplies her sorrow (or pain) as she brings forth children into the world—He also provides a glimmer of hope by graciously providing a means of salvation. Through the long and arduous generations of painful labor and death, there would eventually come the Redeemer and Savior of humanity.

Until the Time When the Woman in Labor Gives Birth

So, if “the childbearing” of 1 Tim. 2:15 is a concise and creative way of restating the messianic promise of Genesis 3:15–16, then why the need for the conditional statement, “...if they remain in faith, and love, and sanctification, with self-control?”

For one, the original promise of Genesis 3:15–16 continues to unfold and expand throughout the entire Bible. The impact of these verses cannot be overstated (though some have attempted to minimize its messianic implications). Therefore, it's not merely Eve who is delivered through the childbearing—all women of faith (and men, too) will be saved by continuing to believe and live by God's revelation of the Seed of the woman.

Interestingly enough, there is an ancient interpretation of 1 Tim. 2:15 that references Christ's birth in the gospel narratives. Many modern interpreters, however, dismiss this idea for one reason or another, but it still goes to show that other believers were thinking along the same lines. In fact, the late Jack Kelley has a short but excellent pastoral response to this issue; check out Are Women Saved Through Childbearing?

Rather than limiting “the childbearing” of 1 Tim. 2:15 to a single event that occurred in the past (i.e. Christ's birth in Bethlehem), we should expand this view to cover the future sanctification and glorification of all believers through this same Child, born of a woman at the appointed time (Gal. 4:4). After all, the metaphor of “the woman in labor” is the preeminent figure of speech in the Bible that represents the transformation process of redeemed humanity into the “sons of God” (for further study, please see Brad's “Woman in Labor” in the Bible).

Yes, the process of the spiritual “childbearing” that Paul's speaks of in 1 Timothy 2:15 is ongoing and awaits complete fulfillment. While we must reckon with the tension of the already-but-not-yet, believers can take comfort that Jesus is already there (Php. 3:20–21; 1 Jn. 3:2). In a related passage, the apostle confirms this understanding of “the childbearing”:

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for the adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved... (Rom. 8:19–24, ESV).

Just as in 1 Timothy 2:15, Paul mentions the ongoing “pains of childbirth” in conjunction with the hope of redemption and salvation. Greg Lauer, in his most recent gem, Signs of His Coming, explains this key passage in Romans:

Paul is saying that ever since the fall of man, all of Creation has been experiencing and continues to experience birth pains in anticipation of the day when Christ would redeem it and us from the curse of sin and death, and finally take possession of the earth and establish His kingdom with us, the children of God, at His side.

Throughout the long generations of “begetting” and seeking and waiting—finally, salvation has come through the arrival of Messiah. Ironically, Eve and all children of the promise will be saved by means of painful labor, the very punishment enacted at the Fall. It was through the pains of childbirth that Mary delivered the Serpent Crusher and Curse Breaker (Ps. 91:13; Gal. 3:13–14; Rev. 22:3). And yet, Mary herself will be delivered by the Messiah along with everyone else who puts their trust in God's word (cf. Lk. 11:27–28)

Soon, brothers and sisters, the woman will give birth to her children (Mic. 5:3; Isa. 66:7–9; Rev. 12:1–5). Soon, and very soon, the God of peace will crush the serpent underneath our feet (Rom. 16:20)! Maranatha!

Related Articles from Unsealed:

Uncovering the Mystery of the Prophetic Poem in 1 Timothy 3:16

A Closer Look at Genesis 3–4

Who is the Male Child of Revelation 12?

Major Discovery Concerning Revelation 12

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