taken by God) should be kept constantly reminded of the presence of sin by now having

"sorrow" attached to her experience.

But in this sorrow there shone through hope, for it was to be "the seed of the woman"

that would bring salvation and restoration to mankind (Gen. 3: 15; Matt. 3: 20, 21).

I Tim. 2: 15 has sometimes been connected with this promise of Christ by translating:

The whole context of the passage mitigates against this suggestion, however, and it

may also be noted that strictly speaking salvation comes only through the death and

resurrection of Christ, not His birth (I Cor. 15: 14, 17 etc.).

What the Apostle actually meant in I Tim. 2: 15 by the phrase "she shall be saved

through the childbearing" (lit.) will be made the subject of a separate study, when it will

be seen that the words have more in common with the thought of working out one's

salvation (cp. Phil. 2: 12) than with initial salvation in Christ. A woman will work out

her own salvation, not by usurping the position allotted to man (in this context,

"teaching"), but by abiding in her own calling in faithfulness and love.  Eve was

reminded of her peculiar calling in that now it was to be worked out in "sorrow"

(Gen.iii.16). Such was the first part of the reckoning.

The second part of the judgment pronounced upon Eve, emphasized the first:

A number of translations suggest that the first part of this verse means, "Your desire

shall be for your husband" (R.S.V.); Moffatt and N.E.B. are similar. But the A.V.

margin and The Companion Bible are more in line with the whole context, "thy desire

shall be subject to thy husband". The LXX renders the Hebrew teshuqah (`desire') by the

Greek apostrophe, "turning".

As the `desire' of the woman had led her astray in Eden (Gen. 3: 6), so that desire

should now be under the control of her husband; her "turning" should be "subject" to

him, and he would exercise authority over her in this respect.

But this "rule" (Gen. 3: 16) was not meant to become despotic, making the woman

little different from a slave, a situation which became the rule in ancient and modern

heathenism, and was even perpetuated under so-called Christendom. Rather was it an

emphasis of the relative positions of male and female in God's original design, positions

which should have their roots in mutual respect and love, with obedience to God as the

prime motive.

In the light of the revelation concerning the Body of Christ, it may be wondered how

relevant this "rule" now is. But the Apostle Paul has no hesitation in using the word