The Role of Women in the Church
There is an ongoing debate in the churches today regarding whether women should be allowed to be pastors, allowed to preach and teach, and allowed to have any authoritative role in the body of Christ, His church.
The primary scripture that is used to exclude women from many areas of ministry is 1Timothy 2:11-14. “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection (obedience, submission). 12 But I suffer (permit, allow) not a woman to teach nor to usurp (unjustly take or assume) authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”
Some questions the reader may want to ask are as follows:
Who is this letter written too?
Where is the recipient of this letter living?
Did the Ephesian practice of goddess worship with the accompanying elevation of women in that culture have anything to do with Paul’s statement?
Why do we not find this particular position addressed by Paul in any of his other letters (Epistles) to any of the other churches?
If this is indeed a primary teaching regarding the structure of the church and the role of women, why is it not emphasized throughout scripture?
When Paul says “I do not permit,” does that make this teaching a commandment from God that should be followed in all Christian churches everywhere at all times?
Since God is not the author of confusion, and since He never changes, shouldn’t we find the role of women consistently presented throughout both the Old and the New Testaments as one in which women are not permitted to teach men or assume roles considered to be those of men?
Can believers today equate the role of men and women in marriage relationships as the same as the role of men and women in the spiritual kingdom of God? In other words, in God’s spiritual kingdom is the role of men and women the same as their roles in the realm of the flesh where the main purpose of marriage is procreation and raising the next generation?
In verse 14 above, did Paul really mean that only Eve sinned and that Adam was sinless? If so, then why did God punish both genders by removal from the garden of Eden and by applying curses that we all deal with to this day?
If the literal interpretation of Paul’s words in the passage above is applied today to the physical and spiritual life of the believers in all Christian churches at all times, then verse 15 that follows and states that women, “shall be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith and charity (unselfishness) and holiness with sobriety (self control),” teaches that only women who bear children will be saved. Is salvation through motherhood?
Is it good practice to build a church doctrine based on only one verse or one passage, or should there be supporting verses and/or passages elsewhere in the Bible before a doctrine is adopted?
Some references to women in pivotal roles in the Bible are as follows:
Old Testament
Sarah, Rachel, Rebekah, Leah, Bilhah, Zilpah (Genesis) These women established the sons that were to become the twelve tribes of the nation Israel and the physical line of Judah through which Jesus Christ was to enter into the world.
Miriam (Exodus) The sister of Moses, Miriam was part of the great liberation of the Hebrew people by God from Egypt. She was a prophetess who brought forth the Word of God and her words of praise to the Lord became Scripture and are recorded in Exodus 15:20-21.
Deborah (Judges) This woman was a prophetess, meaning that she brought forth the Word of God. She taught and preached. Judges 4:4-5 “And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.” She ruled an entire nation, both men and women, and was the judicial system in that day. She also led a successful military expedition against an enemy that was oppressing the Hebrews.
Hannah (1Samuel) The first and second chapters of 1Samuel are all about this woman and her vow to the Lord in which she promised to give her first born child to the ministry at the house of the Lord in Shiloh “all the days of his life and there shall no razor come upon his head.” Samuel became a spiritual leader in Israel and anointed both King Saul and King David. Her words of prayer are permanently part of the book of 1Samuel. She dared to bargain with God and He honored her both with the child, Samuel, and with other children as well. 1 Samuel 2:21 “And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters.”
Abigail (1Samuel 25) Abigail was a prophetess and became the wife of King David. She advised David regarding seeking revenge and shedding unnecessary blood. She predicted David would become ruler over Israel and is one of the few women recorded in Scripture to have been a king’s advisor. 1Samuel 25:32-33 “And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me. 33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging myself with mine own hand.“
Hilkiah (2 Kings) This woman was held in such high regard that Josiah, king of Israel, send a priest, a scribe and three servants to have her inquire of the Lord on his behalf and for the people of Judah. As a prophetess, she reported to these men what God wanted them to know. 2 Kings 22: 15-16 “And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God Of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, 16 Thus saith the LORD…” The entire message given from her lips is recorded in the rest of this chapter.
Many other women are recorded in the Old Testament as having been used by God in ways that required them to teach and usurp the authority of men. There is no scriptural reference to imply that God was displeased with the ministry of these women, but only scriptures showing God using these women in mighty ways for His kingdom.
New Testament
There are far too many examples of women in ministry in the New Testament to cover extensively in this topic, so names and references will be listed for you, the reader, to research yourself.
In the first book of the New Testament, Matthew, the genealogy of Jesus lists Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. Mary’s words are part of the nativity narrative.
In Luke, Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, prophesies regarding the coming Messiah, and the prophetess Anna blesses Jesus, the Lord and Savior, creator of the universe.
The gospel accounts record numerous women who followed and cared for Jesus during his travels. Luke 8:1-3 lists Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Chuza, and Susanna as supporting Jesus’ ministry with their own resources. John 4 records a Samaritan woman who listened to Jesus, was converted to belief in Him as the Messiah, and who went back to her city and preached Jesus which led many people to Him.
After resurrecting from the dead, Jesus showed Himself to women, not men, and then directed them to tell the disciples of His resurrection. They were commissioned by Jesus to convey the good news, the Gospel. The apostles Peter, James and John were not a part of this ministry.
In the book of Acts, women are recorded as being present with the disciples as they prayed and sought the Lord’s direction. Tabitha in Acts 9 is called a disciple and was reported to be “full of good works and alms deeds which she did.” Lydia, as recorded in Acts 16, was responsible for helping Paul start the church at Phillippi.
The book of Romans records a woman named Priscilla who Paul referred to as “a helper” in Christ Jesus. She corrected wrong doctrine of a man named Apollos and she had a Church that was meeting in her home. She appears to have been actively engaged in a leadership role in the Church. Also in the book of Romans is mentioned Phoebe, Junia, Tryphena, and Tryphosa.
Although there are more names listed in the Old and New Testaments, the ones above should help the reader research this topic for a better understanding of what the Bible says about women in the ministry.
What Does God Say?
Joel 2:28-29 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and you daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
Joel 2:28-29 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
Acts 2:17-18 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them.
This overview has been presented to give you, the reader, some scriptural areas to research regarding this controversy in the Church of Jesus Christ. Ultimately the resolution regarding this topic is between you and the Lord. You decide.