Pastoral Epistles 07 – Character of Authority

Authority in the Church comes from men, and while it does not preclude the wise counsel of women, this particular kind of authority can come only from men. A priest should not be a drunkard or quarrelsome or greedy and desirous of money. He should not be a recent convert and must be held in esteem.

In a marriage, the wife should be submissive to her husband. Similarly, all Christians should be subject to one another to care for their brethren. This does not necessarily mean that the strongest personality in a family is the father’s. It is through the bearing of children that women are saved, though it is not necessary for women to bear children to be saved.