a man totally committed to the sufficiency of Christ and the sufficiency of Scripture…

Secondly, it is a limited calling. You will notice further, verse 1 says, if a man desires the office of overseer, he desires a good work. It is limited to men. The use of the Greek tis, t‑ i‑s in English in the masculine form indicates that men are in reference here. It means any man but it is masculine…if any man desires. It must also be noted, please, that we have just covered verses 11 to 15, wherein Paul said, “Let the women learn in silence with all subjection and I do not permit a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man but be in silence, for Adam was first formed, then Eve, and Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”

In other words, he’s already said that the leadership of the church does not belong with the women, they are to learn and they are to be under authority. Let the women learn says their equal and spiritual privilege, capacity, blessing, promise. The fact that they are not to teach means they’re not equal in role when it comes to the church. Sure they can teach children, they can teach other women, they can present the gospel to people that don’t know Christ, they can give counsel to friends within the family of God but when it comes to the one who stands up to preach and teach in the church, that is not a role for woman. When it comes to the matter of leadership, they are to be submissive. So we know then that it is a limited calling.

It’s amazing to me how few understand that seemingly today. And what a tremendous and exhilarating steam‑rolling movement there is for the ordination of women to the pastorate. It’s happening very rapidly, in spite of what the Word of God has to say, because people are more concerned with social intimidation then they are with obedience to the Word of God. We know from verse 15 where the balance comes, remember that. That a woman has her impact on society not by being a leader in the church but by raising up a holy seed, right? By child-bearing. If her life is one of faith and love and holiness and her priorities are right and she commits herself if God gives her children to those children to raise them in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord to bring about a godly generation…that’s how she influences the world. The man has the outward overt leadership, she has the influence. But it is a limited calling.

John MacArthur