Thomas Aquinas

For the Apostle above gave directions to women with regard to prayer; here he directs them with regard to teaching. And first he sets down his ordinance concerning their teaching; second he assigns the reason for the ordinance, at the words *For Adam was first*; third he answers a tacit question, at the words *yet she shall be saved*. Again, first he shows what is fitting for women; second, what does not belong to them, at the words *but to teach*.

Concerning the first, he sets down three things as belonging to them, namely silence, being taught, and subjection; these three proceed from one reason, namely from a defect of reason in them. To these he first enjoins silence, saying *let a woman learn in silence*, etc. James 3:2: *If anyone offends not in word, he is a perfect man*; and 1 Cor. 14:34: *let women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted them to speak*, etc. For a woman's words are inflaming. Ecclesiasticus 9:11: *her talk burns as it were with fire*. Second, that they should learn, because it is proper to those who are deficient in reason to be learning. 1 Cor. 14:35: *but if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home*, etc. But to men it is given that they should teach. Third, he enjoins subjection, because it is natural that the soul should rule the body, and reason the lower powers. And therefore, as the Philosopher teaches, whenever two things are related to one another as the soul to the body, and reason to sensuality, the natural dominion belongs to that one which abounds in reason, and that one rules, while the other is subject, namely the one that is deficient in reason. Gen. 2: *you shall be under the power of your husband*.

Again, he excludes those things which do not belong to them, saying *but to teach*, etc. And there are two things, namely, that they not teach. But against this, Proverbs, last chapter: *his mother taught him*, etc. I answer. It must be said that teaching is of one kind public, and this does not belong to a woman, and therefore he says *in the Church*; of another kind private, and by this a mother instructs her son. But against this, Judges 5: Deborah instructed the people of Israel. I answer. That instruction was through the spirit of prophecy, and the grace of the Holy Spirit does not distinguish between man and woman; yet she did not preach publicly, but by the instinct of the Holy Spirit gave counsel.

Second, dominion over a man is forbidden to them. Ecclesiasticus 25:30: *if a woman has the primacy, she is contrary to her husband*. And the Philosopher says that the rule of women is the corruption of a household, as of tyrants in a kingdom. And thus he forbids two things against the two that belong to them, but he repeats the first, namely *but to be in silence*.

Then, when he says *For Adam*, he assigns the reason for what he had said, and first from the order of creation; second from the order of guilt, at the words *and Adam was not seduced*. Concerning the first, it must be known that in the order of things the perfect and the imperfect are ordered in different ways: for in one and the same thing the imperfect precedes in time, and the perfect precedes in nature, because nature tends toward the perfect; but in different things the perfect is prior both in time and in nature, because nature always begins from what is perfect. And this order is at work here, because man is perfect in human nature, woman is a defective male. Hence Adam was formed first. Gen. 2:7: *God formed man from the slime of the earth*; secondarily woman, as a certain imperfect thing originated from the perfect, namely from a rib. 1 Cor. 11:8: *for man is not from woman, but woman is from man*. And hence it is that man is not said to have been made for the sake of woman, but to the likeness of God. Gen. 1:26: *let us make man to our image and likeness*. But woman was made for the sake of man; therefore man ought to preside.

Likewise on the part of guilt. For the order of generation and of corruption is contrary, because what is first in generation is last in corruption. But sin is a corruption of nature, and therefore generation begins first from Adam, but corruption from the woman. Hence he says *Adam was not seduced*, namely first, because he was stronger, but the tempter began from the weaker, so that the stronger might more easily be seduced. Here he alludes to the words of Adam, Gen. 3:12. For when the Lord reproved Adam, he said: *the woman whom you gave me as a companion, she gave to me*, etc. And therefore he says *Adam was not seduced, but the woman*.

But seduction is twofold: namely in the universal, and in the particular object of choice, which is ignorance of choice. Whoever therefore sins is seduced by ignorance of choice in the particular object of choice. But the woman was seduced by ignorance in the universal, namely when she believed what the serpent said; but the man did not believe this, but was deceived in the particular, namely that he ought to indulge his wife's wish, and that he ought to eat with her, and, being unpracticed in the divine severity, he believed that it would easily be forgiven him. But against this: ignorance is the punishment of sin, therefore punishment preceded guilt. I answer. It must be said that it did not precede, because immediately at the words of the serpent she was elated, because someone else was concerned for her, and from that elation she was seduced; hence elation preceded.

Then, when he says *yet she shall be saved*, he answers a certain tacit question; for someone might say that if woman is not for the sake of man, and from her is the beginning of sin, then she is harmful to man; but if something is not for the sake of another, but is harmful to it, it ought to be removed; therefore woman ought not to be saved. It must therefore be said that salvation is twofold: namely temporal, and this is common even to brute animals; the other is eternal, and this is proper to human beings. Isaiah 51:8: *but my salvation shall be forever*. But woman has not lost either salvation. Not the temporal, for she is not thereby deprived of the female sex on account of the generation of offspring. Nor the eternal, because according to the soul she is capable of grace and glory. And therefore, as to the first, it is said *she shall be saved*, that is, she shall not be uprooted, and this through the bearing of children, to which she is ordained by God. As to the second, he says *if she continues*.

But because *if* implies a cause, is it then the case that she who has not continued will not be saved, since the Apostle says that a woman does better if she does not marry? I answer. In one way the expression can be figurative, and thus by *man* the higher reason is understood, the lower reason is the woman, good works are the children of the lower reason, and the charity which she conceives through the man, and by these she shall be saved. The other is a literal exposition, such that the word *through* does not signify a cause, but an opposition. And the sense is: the woman shall be saved, even if she proceeds by way of childbearing, that is, if she marries and is not a virgin. And then the word *through* denotes an increase of salvation, as though through the bearing of children for the worship of God she shall be saved the more. Ecclesiasticus 7:25: *have you children? Instruct them, and bow them down from their childhood*.

As to attaining eternal salvation, he sets down three things. First, something with regard to the intellect; second, with regard to the affections; third, with regard to the exterior act. In the intellect is faith, through which the intellect is subjected to Christ; hence he says *in faith*. Heb. 11:6: *without faith it is impossible to please God*. And because faith is worth nothing without love, therefore as to the affections he immediately adds, saying *and love*. 1 Cor. 13:2: *if I have all faith, so that I could move mountains, but have not charity, I am nothing*, etc. But as to the exterior, he sets down two things against wantonness, which consists in two things, namely in lust; and as to this he says *in sanctification*, that is, in chastity. 1 Thess. 4:3: *this is the will of God, your sanctification*, etc. Likewise in drunkenness, against which he says *with sobriety*. Titus 2:12: *that we should live soberly, and godly, and justly in this world*.