I do not permit a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence.

These inspired words encouraged women to listen attentively to the teaching provided by the appointed men. The women were to remain silent, not attempting to share in giving public instruction.a

By their attitude and actions, Christian women were to show that they fully submitted to the congregational arrangement for teaching. It would have been inappropriate for a woman to raise a question publicly, thereby putting herself forward as disagreeing with the men or implying that their teaching lacked clarity. Such public questioning would reveal a lack of humility and modesty on a woman’s part and would disrupt the order and seriousness that should exist at a congregational meeting.