WGS 3463
Blog 5
The description in
1 Timothy 2:1-15 of how women should behave is demonstrated by Thecla’s actions
(or lack thereof) in The Acts of Paul and
Thecla.
1 Timothy tells us
that women should “learn in silence with full submission” (2:11) and that women
are to “keep silent” (2:12). Silent likely one of the easiest ways to
characterize Thecla. Almost the entire plot Thecla does not say a word, but
rather listens intently to Paul. She easily learns in submission as she “sat at
a near-by window and listened night and day to the word of the virgin life”
(Acts of Paul and Thecla 7). It is almost as if the protocol for women was
written solely based of Thecla’s behavior. 1 Timothy also mentions that women
should dress modestly, without any garnishments or frivolities. Thecla is
described has her mother as “’ a maiden as modest as she’” (Acts of Paul and
Thecla 7). There is no mention of ornate clothing or hair ornaments and that is
easily a testament to how plainly she dressed. It is also noteworthy that
Sheila McGinn points out in Searching the
Scriptures that Thecla is define as a character by her relationship to a
man, the man being her betrothed. This follows along with the idea that women are
not “to have authority over a man” (1 Timothy 2:12) but rather be inferior to
them, therefor defined by them.
From her devotion
to Paul and his teachings, it is clear that Thecla conforms to what 1 Timothy
tells us about how women should behave. She is both eager and passionate about
Paul’s teachings and is undoubtedly submissive and silent when it comes to
learning about them. However, is this to a fault? The scripture in 1 Timothy
says that there is one mediator between God and humankind, and that is Jesus
(2:5). Is Paul somehow trying to take the place of Jesus in this account of him
and Thecla? If so, she certainly would not be conforming to what is essentially
the most significant point of the scripture.
As you have shown, Thecla's silence in the context of Paul shows respect and honor, which is obviously in line with the author's objectives in 1 Timothy, but her silence with regards to her mother and fiancé are very disrespectful. You make several thought-provoking points in this essay, especially showing Thecla's life as a counterpoint to the womanly conduct outlined in 1 Timothy. You also end the essay with a spiritual and theoretical question. On the technical end, I believe you have a fragment in the third sentence.
ReplyDeleteI think that you have an interesting view of Thecla. I did not think she was silent or submissive. Even though she may not have spoken much I think her actions spoke louder then her words. I also didn’t feel like Thecla character is defined by her relationship with her betrothed. I felt like she didn’t feel inferior to him because she did what she wanted to. She did not listen to what he told her to do. I think that she was submissive to Paul and his teaching but I think that is because she believed everything he was telling her, and by her being saved over and over again I think it proved to her that she was doing the right thing. I think you have a great essay I enjoyed reading it because it allowed me to see The Acts of Paul and Thecla in a different way.
ReplyDeleteYour point about Thecla seems pretty on the dot. Thecla listening to Paul intently and being submissive to him, following in his teaching. From your statement as well as that from the passage of woman not having authority over man, I think that Thecla disregarded that by not marrying her betrothed. I would have to question whether or not Paul was trying to take the place of Jesus as well.
ReplyDelete