Titus 2 Woman

[momi]

Do you think there is an age requirement to be considered an "older" woman according to Titus 2? Or could it possibly be referring to maturity or station in life?

Titus 2:3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior...

 

[Iwanthealthyhair67]

I'm not totally sure, we got a lot of young grand mothers in todays world who have experienced things that my grandmother hadn't in all her 75 years, yet they lack wisdom.

 

[momi]

I'm not totally sure, we got a lot of young grand mothers in todays world who have experienced things that my grandmother hadn't in all her 75 years, yet they lack wisdom.

You are right about it ... which is why they must meet the other qualifications:

...that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

 

[alexstin]

Do you think there is an age requirement to be considered an "older" woman according to Titus 2? Or could it possibly be referring to maturity or station in life?

Titus 2:3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior...

No, there's no age requirement. It's definitely about maturity AND stages of life. When DH became the pastor of the college ministry at our former church we weren't even 30 yet, but we'd already been where they were going. We experienced college unsaved and saved. We could identify with their struggles and temptations in a way that maybe others in their 20s, 30s or even 40s couldn't simply because of maturity and as you said life station. Both are important.

Some may disagree, but because of the issue of life station I don't think a spiritually mature woman or man that's never been married should minister to those who are married. Marriage is not like the books. It takes more than a head knowledge to minister to those who are married. It doesn't take anything away from that person's maturity, but it's just different when you've experience it. I feel the same with regards to those who have never raised kids who give childrearing advice. JMO.

I guess it's kind of like God, many people think they know so much about our God because they've read the scriptures. They then try to tell those who have a relationship with Him and have experienced HIM, what He's like. Head knowledge vs heart knowledge.

 

[momi]

No, there's no age requirement. It's definitely about maturity AND stages of life. When DH became the pastor of the college ministry at our former church we weren't even 30 yet, but we'd already been where they were going. We experienced college unsaved and saved. We could identify with their struggles and temptations in a way that maybe others in their 20s, 30s or even 40s couldn't simply because of maturity and as you said life station. Both are important. Some may disagree, but because of the issue of life station I don't think a spiritually mature woman or man that's never been married should minister to those who are married. Marriage is not like the books. It takes more than a head knowledge to minister to those who are married. It doesn't take anything away from that person's maturity, but it's just different when you've experience it. I feel the same with regards to those who have never raised kids who give childrearing advice. JMO. I guess it's kind of like God, many people think they know so much about our God because they've read the scriptures. They then try to tell those who have a relationship with Him and have experienced HIM, what He's like. Head knowledge vs heart knowledge.

Thank you for your insightful comments.

 

[PinkPebbles]

No, there's no age requirement. It's definitely about maturity AND stages of life. When DH became the pastor of the college ministry at our former church we weren't even 30 yet, but we'd already been where they were going. We experienced college unsaved and saved. We could identify with their struggles and temptations in a way that maybe others in their 20s, 30s or even 40s couldn't simply because of maturity and as you said life station. Both are important.

Some may disagree, but because of the issue of life station I don't think a spiritually mature woman or man that's never been married should minister to those who are married. Marriage is not like the books. It takes more than a head knowledge to minister to those who are married. It doesn't take anything away from that person's maturity, but it's just different when you've experience it. I feel the same with regards to those who have never raised kids who give childrearing advice. JMO.

I guess it's kind of like God, many people think they know so much about our God because they've read the scriptures. They then try to tell those who have a relationship with Him and have experienced HIM, what He's like. Head knowledge vs heart knowledge.

alexstin Although I'm not married yet, I recently attended a marriage conference. It was a blessing to receive wisdom and hear real life experiences from the married speakers and couples.

I was unaware about some things simply b/c I'm not married, so I had a few Aha moments . I agree that head knowledge and heart knowledge are totally different.

I love learning from people that are where I desire to be in life. My friend teases me b/c she claims that I'm always making friends with women that are 3x my age ...I realize that I'm drawn to their wisdom and knowledge which has nothing to do with age but their experiences.

Great thread!

 

[alexstin]

alexstin Although I'm not married yet, I recently attended a marriage conference. It was a blessing to receive wisdom and hear real life experiences from the married speakers and couples.

I was unaware about some things simply b/c I'm not married, so I had a few Aha moments . I agree that head knowledge and heart knowledge are totally different.

I love learning from people that are where I desire to be in life. My friend teases me b/c she claims that I'm always making friends with women that are 3x my age ...I realize that I'm drawn to their wisdom and knowledge which has nothing to do with age but their experiences.

Great thread!

at aha moments. I completely agree with your last paragraph. The experiences people share about their life journey are priceless.

 

[momi]

After looking at the scripture a bit closer I am leaning towards the Titus woman being at a stage in her life where the children are grown and she has more available time to invest in the lives of younger women. In order to "teach or train" women as it relates to marriage, child rearing, home-keeping it requires one on one time. This would be a challenging task for a woman who is still in the midst of raising her own children etc.

Possibly younger women would benefit from spending time with and being a helper to a woman that is currently in the throws of children underfoot and keeping a home - but I would consider this more of a "modeling" concept than a training one.

 

[Iwanthealthyhair67]

I looked at it again too,

3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.


I imagine this something that they would have learned themselves from the mothers in the church elders...I guess that's where the word 'aged' would have come in, the new church has lost so much of this training this is why we are having some of the problems that we do in in our homes and communities.

 

[momi]

I looked at it again too,

3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.


I imagine this something that they would have learned themselves from the mothers in the church elders...I guess that's where the word 'aged' would have come in, the new church has lost so much of this training this is why we are having some of the problems that we do in in our homes and communities.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[alexstin]

After looking at the scripture a bit closer I am leaning towards the Titus woman being at a stage in her life where the children are grown and she has more available time to invest in the lives of younger women. In order to "teach or train" women as it relates to marriage, child rearing, home-keeping it requires one on one time. This would be a challenging task for a woman who is still in the midst of raising her own children etc.

Possibly younger women would benefit from spending time with and being a helper to a woman that is currently in the throws of children underfoot and keeping a home - but I would consider this more of a "modeling" concept than a training one.

momi I came across the scripture last night in my reading and thought of this thread and after looking at the word "older" in the Greek, I'm going to have to reword my initial statement. Seeing in the Greek the word older refers to "aged" leads me to believe the woman is much older, BUT the lifespan during new testament times was much shorter then ours, I think. I mean when I think of aged, I think of 60s and 70s. Maybe today's 60s and 70s is like the new testament 40s and 50s. Hmmm.

Women are having kids well into their 40s in this day and time. I can't believe the number of women on my homeschooling board who have children ranging in age from 20s to toddler stage. Any thoughts on that? Obviously they are still raising little ones, but have seen children into adulthood.....

 

[momi]

momi I came across the scripture last night in my reading and thought of this thread and after looking at the word "older" in the Greek, I'm going to have to reword my initial statement. Seeing in the Greek the word older refers to "aged" leads me to believe the woman is much older, BUT the lifespan during new testament times was much shorter then ours, I think. I mean when I think of aged, I think of 60s and 70s. Maybe today's 60s and 70s is like the new testament 40s and 50s. Hmmm.

Women are having kids well into their 40s in this day and time. I can't believe the number of women on my homeschooling board who have children ranging in age from 20s to toddler stage. Any thoughts on that? Obviously they are still raising little ones, but have seen children into adulthood.....

Yes alexstin that is a twist!

I would still hold to my original position though. Although the mother with children spanning from diapers to degrees, her "stage" in life really hasn't changed. Providing the one on one - hands on type of teaching that a T2 woman is instructed to share would still be burdensome and should be reserved for a woman that has progressed from that "stage".

 

[Iwanthealthyhair67]

Titus 2 list the qualities of such a woman, these qualities are learned/taught by
'older' or 'aged' woman who already maintains a successful Christ centered home, marriage and children, now she is free to teach or help the younger woman do the same.

 

[FreeIndeed]

I believe that Paul was referring to older women (in age), the character they should possess, and their role in helping younger women.

I would imagine that the Lord expects younger women to demonstrate the same qualities as older women, but older women should have already reached spiritual maturity and be able to provide a living example of Proverbs 31 for younger women.