ΑΥΘΕΝΤΗΣ (AUTHENTĒS)

ΑΥΘΕΝΤΗΣ  (AUTHENTĒS)

Virgil Warren, PhD

            An important item in 1 Timothy 2 is a case of αὐθεντέω (authenteō) that Al Wolters pointed out at the November meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society in Lisle, Illinois.  It appears in Origen’s Commentary on 1 Corinthians, which, I believe, is one of Origen’s as-yet untranslated works. The full Greek text of the commentary is in Journal of Theological Studies, X (1909), 29-51. The reference appears in 74:20 of Origen’s Commentary. The text is as follows: 

            aἰσχρὸν γὰρ γυναικὶ λαλεῖν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ διδάσκειν δὲ γυναικὶ οὐκ ἐπιτρέπω

            ἁπλῶς ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ αὐθεντεῖν ἀνδρός.  Καὶ ἄλλοθεν δὲ τοῦτο παραστήσω, εἰ καὶ

            ἐκεῖνο ἀσφαλέστερον εἴρηται περὶ τοῦ μὴ τὴν γυναῖκα ἡγεμόνα γίνεσθαι τῷ λόγῳ

            τοῦ ἀνδρός, etc.

The importance of this comment lies in the fact that αὐθεντέω is equated simply with “being a leader of” rather than implying domination or aggressively, assertively exercising leadership and authority. Mr. Wolters concluded as does Baldwin and Barnett/Harris that Wilshire’s decision for “domineer, be aggressive” does not hold for the period from the six centuries prior to A.D. 311. A significant portion of time should be devoted to studying this little problem. 

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