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Originally Posted by Evangelical
Scripture is fairly clear that only the woman was deceived. Adam was not deceived and ate the fruit knowing that it was a sin (1 Tim 2:14). Adam's sin was willful, and greater than the woman's - for this reason death came through Adam directly (Romans 5:12), not Eve.
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So, I dont think this was a matter of whose sin was worse/greater. I think what Paul is getting at is the fact that there is a created order. Many scholars argue that the fact that Paul goes all the way back to creation in addressing women teaching means that he is not just confronting a local cultural issue but, he is giving this as a universal principle for the church everywhere. I know that the "A" word is a touchy subject here. But God is a God of order with order comes authority. We see this playout in the angelic realm when Michael would not bring a charge against the enemy over the body of Moses. Paul is just bringing that to light here.
So, yes Eve sinned 1st but sin did not enter into humanity because of her transgressions, because she was not the head of humanity, Adam was the head of humanity. That is why Romans 5 tells us that " just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men" The cause of Eve's sin was her desire for authority, her desire to have her eyes opened and be as the Most High. Sound familliar? Maybe the serpent knew he couldn't get the man? Perhaps he tried already? The man had already been working the garden by himself prior to the creation of the woman. Perhaps the the enemy saw something in the relationship between Adam and Eve that he could take advantage of? Who knows?
But we do know that Paul, as directed by the Holy Spirit, saw fit to use this as grounds to forbid women from being in authority positions over men in the church. I think that much is clear and I think that it has been clear for almost 2000 years and that the church has been abiding in this principle since Paul wrote it. It is only in recent times (the last 70-80 years) that it is being challenged. Why is that?