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The Berean Inquirer

In 1977 my pilgrimage in Christ took a decided turn. I came to see that Jesus had indeed inaugurated a New Covenant which required new wineskins. Considering the new ethical starting point, "As I have loved you, love one another," led me in 1980 to see the importance of the "new community" Jesus created on the cross. The 58 "one another's" in the New Testament were to be carried out by a spiritual priesthood of believers in which there is no Jew or Greek, male or female, slave or free. This then raised the question, "What ministry by women is legitimate under the New Covenant?" In 1981 my feeble stab at answering this query, "Aspects of Female Priesthood," was published in Baptist Reformation Review.

I appeal to you to consider my points, comparing Scripture with Scripture, with an open mind, captive to the Word, and willing to evaluate traditional viewpoints.

After 20 years of further reflection on almost every possible nuance published regarding Biblical texts relevant to the roles of women, I find myself coming to roost as follows:

1. In the body of Christ there are no "positions of authority." The rule of Christ is, "you are all brethren." According to the teachings of Jesus no believer, male or female, should have "authority" over other brothers and sisters. Some might ask, "But what about Hebrews 13:17, which the NIV translates as, 'Obey your leaders and submit to their authority'?" This is not a good translation. The word "authority" is nowhere in the Greek text. The verb peitho here is in the middle voice and thus carries the force of "let yourselves be persuaded by the ones leading you" (cf. Hal Miller, "As He That Doth Serve, Luke 22:26," Toward A House Church Theology, 1998, pp.74-79). The exhortation in Heb.13:17 was especially important because while the leaders were being faithful to the gospel in times of trouble, many were wavering and needed to listen to those who cared for their souls. In any event, whatever the N.T. teaches about leadership it cannot contradict Jesus' instruction to the Twelve that service in His kingdom was non-domineering, non-hierarchical, non-titular, and that the leaders would be as those with no authority or status in first century culture - children and slaves (Matt.20;20-28; 23;7-12; Mark 9:33-37; 10:35-45; Luke 9:46-48; 22:24-27).
2. In light of this, no believer should ever function in a way that would seek to "seize authority" over others. Brethren are to prefer others ahead of themselves. We are to "serve one another in love." Jesus teaches that the most honor goes to the ones who behave and think as those who have the least status, like slaves and young children.
3. I'm wondering if 1 Chronicles 25:5-8 doesn't pretty well sum up the revelation of the Bible's history of redemption. "And God gave to Heman 14 sons and 3 daughters. All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God . . . . Young and old alike, teacher as well as student, cast lots for their duties." Looking at the full sweep from Genesis to Revelation, can we not make the following generalization? The fact that the Lord has been pleased to visibly use more men than women ("14 sons, 3 daughters") in the history recorded in Scripture rests in His sovereign purposes, not in any inherent lack or disability in the female sex.
4. I think this is borne out by a consideration of "prophets" and "prophetesses" in the Bible. There can be no doubt that more male prophets are mentioned than female. But the women prophetesses functioned just like their male counterparts: they called Israel to covenantal faithfulness. In Israel there was no thought that "it is out of place for a women to be a prophet." Further, there is no concern that a prophetess doing her job - which certainly involved addressing the men and women of Israel with their words from the Lord - inherently "usurped authority" over men generally, or their husbands specifically. The female prophetesses are on par with male prophets. Miriam is listed with Moses and Aaron in Micah 6:4. She was so well respected that even during her punishment "the people did not move on until Miriam was received again" (Num.12:15).
5. Those who use 1 Tim.2:12 to affirm that it is always wrong for men to be taught by women are faced with a real problem. They see this text an ever-abiding principle, to be violated under no circumstances. Following from this, they also aver that any teaching of men by women carries with it a sinful "usurping of male authority." Neither the Old nor the New Testaments, however, will confirm this principle. The Old Testament gives several examples of godly women giving instruction to men. Deborah was a Judge in Israel, and in that capacity "she used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah . . . and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment" (Judges 4:4). Here is a case where men and women were instructed in justice and praise by a woman. The female prophetesses also clearly illustrate that there is nothing ignoble about men hearing the word of the Lord from the lips of women. In the N.T., the husband/wife team of Priscilla and Aquila took aside a man who was eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures and taught him in the way of God more fully (Acts 18). There was nothing wrong with this man having his understanding of the gospel deepened by a woman's Christ-given insight. Pricilla was not usurping authority over her husband or Apollos by participating in his instruction. She was not consigned to kitchen duty while her husband did all the teaching. Would those of you who are male Bible-teachers be willing in humility to learn of Christ's ways more fully if a husband/wife team invited you to their home? Apollos was. What if the wife had more to say than the husband (as Pricilla being listed first probably indicates)? Could you receive instruction from a woman? Apollos did. In 1 Cor.11 Paul assumes women were praying and prophesying in the assembly gatherings. Prophesying is a form of teaching: "you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may be instructed and encouraged" (1 Cor.14:31; cf. letters in Appendix). All of this points to the possibility that 1 Tim.2:12 was not given as an inviolable principle, but was spoken out of concern for a specific problem Paul was addressing. If this text is taken to mean that it is always sinful for men to be taught by women, then it would flatly contradict the clear evidence of both Testaments.
6. In Acts 21, we are told that Philip had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses. Surely these honorable women were not the only prophetesses functioning in the first century. This again illustrates the "14 sons, 3 daughters" pattern: there were more male prophets than female in the early church, but both functioned on par with each other. This means that when the Old Testament mentioned "a group of prophets" it is certainly not out of the question that a few women could have been present (1 Sam.10:5,10; 19:20). Also, when the New Testament mentions "prophets" of the Messianic age, we know for sure that some women were included among the males with this gift (Acts 13:1; 1 Cor.12:28-29, 14:29,32; Eph.2:20, 4:11; Rev.18:20). One author tried to mute the presence of female prophetesses by noting in Acts 21 that a male prophet came from a distance to give a word from the Lord to Paul, instead of Philip's daughters who were local. But one could just as easily point out that King Josiah sent his high priest Hilkiah and four other men to Huldah the prophetess to discern the Lord's will, and by-passed Jeremiah and Zephaniah who were living at the time (2 Kings 22:13-20; 2 Chron.34:22). The issue is not the sex of the prophet, but the sovereign purpose of the Lord. And is this not a crystal clear example of males with the highest status in Israel - a king and a priest - being taught by a female without impunity? "So they took her answer back to the king" (2 Kings 22:20). Does this event not show that a woman can teach men without breaking the boundaries of what is appropriate for a female? Was Huldah's giving the word of the Lord to a king, priest, and four other men (and ultimately to the whole nation of Israel) a violation of 1 Tim.2:12? Further, the cases of Deborah and Huldah show beyond doubt that women can carry on prophetic ministries without interfering with their marriages, and without "usurping authority" over their husbands or any other male. The names of both women's husbands are given, and Deborah is called "a mother in Israel." This conclusively shows that a wife can carry on a ministry, such as prophetess, without violating the headship of the husband. Again, the issue is the giftedness bestowed by Christ, not the sex of the recipient.
7. The assembly in the city of Thyatira was rebuked by Christ with these words: "You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and eating foods sacrificed to idols . . . . I say to the rest of you in Thyatira , to you who not hold to her teaching . . ." (Rev.2:20,24). This passage indicates that the Head of the churches was not upset at the fact that a woman was prophesying, but his anger was against her teaching which led to sinful practices. J. Ramsey Michaels notes concerning this disruptive woman: "The power and influence of this Jezebel, a self-styled prophetess at Thyatira, must be viewed in light of three facts: (1) women prophesied freely in early Christianity (see, for example, Acts 2:17; 21:9; 1 Cor.11:5); (2) women often played major roles as priestesses in contemporary Roman and Eastern cults in Asia Minor; (3) the Christian Montanist movement in the same region a century later assigned conspicuous leadership roles to two prophetesses - Pricilla and Maximilla (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 5:14-19)" [Revelation, IVP, 1997, pp.78-79]. The very fact that her teaching apparently had time to permeate the assembly would indicate there was no general prohibition against women prophesying. This female, nicknamed "Jezebel," shows that just as there were males who were false prophets, so there are false female prophets. While many men have started dangerous sects, one thinks of women like Ellen G. White, Aimee Semple McPherson, Mary Baker Eddy and Kathryn Kuhlman as women who taught false doctrine and led many astray. The issue here is what is taught, not the sex of the one from whom it originated. This dimension meshes well with the suggestion that Paul's restraint of women in 1 Tim.2:12 related to his concern for the false doctrine that was being spread by some women in Ephesus. The Greek there can be translated, "I am not now permitting a woman to teach . . ." There is much evidence to suggest that special circumstances occasioned these remarks. Paul and Timothy had worked with each other for some 15 years. If Paul had banned women from speaking in all the churches, wouldn't such a statement as 1 Tim.2:12 be superfluous to the younger assistant?
8. Paul uses the interesting Greek word, synergos, to describe those men and women who labored with him in the gospel. It means "co-worker." He uses this word with reference to women in Rom.16:3-16; Phil.4:3-4. That he would use such a word for both Timothy and Euodia is not without significance. The fact that Euodia and Syntyche "contended at my side in the cause of the gospel" (Phil.4:3) must mean that they did a whole lot more than just bake bagels. Florence Gillman observes: "a co-worker is 'one who works together with Paul as an agent of God in the common work of missionary preaching' [Ollrog] . . . . Co-workers were (1) basically rooted in the communities which sent them on their mission as community delegates. (2) They were integrally related to Paul's mission historically (the breadth, depth, and success of the mission related to the use of co-workers) and theologically (Paul's use of co-workers gave his mission the character of being a shared function of the Church). (3) Paul's treatment of his co-workers as partners was based in the gospel and gave him no claim to dominating authority, i.e., there was no hierarchy directing the co-workers. (4) The relation of the co-workers to their communities remained essential to them . . . . Paul was unthreatened by this type of woman [co-worker]. His leadership was evidently not premised on their diminution . . . . Paul . . . in living out his own call and mission also appreciated, and depended upon, the roles, tasks, and gifts of all the members of his communities" (Women Who Knew Paul, pp.43-44,42). Paul's women co-workers were involved in gospel ministry in much deeper ways than the "silence" position will allow as permissible.
9. In 1 Cor.12:7 Paul teaches that to every believer, male and female, a manifestation of the Spirit is given for the good of the body of Christ. Those who use two texts (1 Cor.14:34 and 1 Tim.2:12) to prohibit women from speaking at all in the body gatherings seem to fly in the face of Paul's flow of thought in 1 Cor.11, 12, 13, and 14. In chapter 11 he asserts that it is all right for women to pray and prophesy in the gathering; in chapter 12 he emphasizes the importance of all the parts in the body of Christ (not just the males); in chapter 13 he underscores that love must reign in our relationships and our functioning together, or all is in vain; and in chapter 14 he stresses the priority of understandability (in prophecy) over unintelligibility, which all may participate in ("each of you has…," v.26; "you can all prophecy…," v.31). What textual basis would anyone have for silencing women up to verse 34? Given the long context that leads up to the "silence" passage, does it seem right to cancel it out in alleged faithfulness to one text? Especially since in Acts 2 the Holy Spirit is poured out, in fulfillment of Joel's words, on both men and women who prophesy. To start with the "silence" passage and work backwards causes people to squeeze Scripture unnaturally into their mold: (1) "Each of you" in 14:26 really means "each male"; (2) "All may prophesy" really means "all men can prophesy"; (3) "To each is given" in 12:7 really means "to each male"; (4) "Woman praying and prophesying" in 11:5 was not in the assembly, but somewhere else; etc. It is more natural to see Paul's concern in 14:34 referring to, as Grudem suggests, "a silence with respect to the spoken evaluation of prophesies" (The Gift of Prophecy in the N.T. & Today, p.225). Are we to believe that women under the New Covenant have less freedom than Miriam, Deborah and Huldah had under the Old Covenant?
10. Those who use 1 Cor.14:34 to silence women in the assembly are forced to posit that the feminine prophesying in 1 Cor.11:5 did not take place in the context of the assembled congregation. If women were indeed prophesying during the assembly gathering, then the purpose of 1 Cor.14:34 could not be to silence women during such a meeting. The virtual consensus of New Testament scholarship is that in 1 Cor.11:5 Paul had the meeting of the saints in view (cf. Zens, "Aspects of Female Priesthood," 1981, pp.5-7). To say that the prophesying of women in 1 Cor.11 took place in a private home, or out in the countryside, or in the city streets is a very unnatural interpretation of the texts. Prophesying is an edifying activity for the assembled body, as the body meeting described in 1 Cor.14 adequately shows (where "prophecy" is mentioned around 26 times). The fact that women prophesied in the assembly is proof enough that 1 Cor.14:34 was not intended to silence them totally. Paul would not take away with a later verse what he approbated in an earlier verse.
11. It is clear that Paul teaches the headship of the husband in the home, which, of course, carries over into the assembly. However, it seems to me that 1 Cor.7:1-7 reveals a mutuality that is also present in the Christian marriage. Male headship cannot mean that the husband has control over his wife's body. This text teaches that husband and wife each have "authority" over the other's body. The important decision to withdraw sexually from one another for a period of time does not rest in the husband's hands. Such a course of action, Paul says, can only be reached by the mutual agreement of the couple. The Greek word here is symphonou, from which we get our English word, "symphony." Would this not indicate that the goal of a "one-flesh" couple is to reach decisions together? The traditional notion that male headship equates to the husband "making the decisions" virtually unilaterally does not seem to flow out of Paul's thought. If decisions in a household are continually being made by the husband, without the input of the wife, would this not constitute a serious distortion of the husband as head of the home? As the couple submits to one another in the fear of Christ, shouldn't they be constantly seeking to be one-minded in their lives together? And isn't this the way it should be in the assembly? Traditionally, "the Pastor" as the head of the local church pretty much makes decisions for the congregation. The idea of the assembly working matters through until the Holy Spirit brings like-mindedness (as happened in Acts 15) is virtually unknown. Unfortunately, many Christian marriages follow this pattern. The husband rules with a rod of iron, and the wife is made to feel like a piece of property. A Christian man with a naturally strong personality who uses "submit to your husband" as a justification for dominating or abusing his wife is out of touch with how Christ cares for his bride, the church.
12. Often it seems that problems and concerns related to the ministry of women arise because we read our traditional church practices into the New Testament. For example, in many circles the question boils down to, "Is it right for a woman to say things while standing behind a pulpit?" But such a question was never asked in the first century. There was no pulpit for men or women to stand behind (cf. Norrington, To Preach or Not To Preach). Another big question is, "Should women be ordained to the ministry?" But, as Strom points out, this "whole debate is premised on notions of leadership and ordination that cannot be found in Paul or the rest of the N.T. Given the ways Paul repudiated the conventions of leadership, the argument should not be about whether women should be ordained, but about why anyone should be" (Reframing Paul, p.179). Thus, when you place the ministry of women and men in the first century context of the "assembly that meets in their home" (Rom.16:5), the whole issue takes on more of a family flavor instead of an institutional setting. Witherington's research led him to conclude that the Corinthian ekklesia consisted of about 40 people. "It is tempting," he says, "to see the Corinthian house congregation as an extention of the household, with the head of the house also being the head of the assembly. Favoring this view is that Gaius, Priscilla and Aquila, and perhaps Stephanas, Chloe, and Phoebe were both the hosts and the leaders of the churches that met in their homes" (Conflict & Community, p.30). The basic picture we see in the N.T. is that believers got together "to break bread" (Acts 20:7) in homes and in that context the Holy Spirit led their mutual ministry with one another as illustrated in 1 Cor.14. In a Christian home, when a husband, wife, two boys, and two girls gather in the evening around a table for dinner, does the father converse only with the sons, while the wife and daughters sit and eat in silence? Of course not. When you picture the early church meeting in Priscilla and Aquila's home to eat and fellowship together around a table, isn't it a bit inconceivable and unnatural to believe that all of the wives and daughters were mute during the meeting? The "silence" position seems out of touch with the reality of the family nature of early Christian assemblies.
13. It seems to me that it is also important to put the function of elders and deacons in this family setting. Perhaps a number of issues regarding "church leadership" can be put into better perspective by realizing that the early church was like an extended family, where servanthood -- not office, title and position -- was important. It would be quite natural as an assembly functioned together as a spiritual family for a grouping of older, mature men and women to be recognized by the body for their service. The Greek word presbuteros means "older man," and presbutera means "older woman." The oversight of the assembly is to be carried out by the "older men," the presbuteroi. As Frank Viola notes, "We never see women in the first century exercising oversight in the church" (Open Letter). The "older women," the presbuteras, have the privilege of ministry, not limited to, but certainly focused on helping the younger women in the assembly. Two times in the N.T. these groups are in close proximity to one another: 1 Tim:5:1-2, "rebuke not a presbutero" - "treat presbuteras as mothers"; Titus 2:2-3, "teach the presbutas to be temperate" - "likewise, teach the presbutidas to be reverent." With regard to the elders, the family analogy in home and congregation is evident in this apostolic standard: "if he does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's ekklesia?" The elders living among the spiritual family do not lord it over the flock, or dominate ministry, but desire to protect the brethren and equip them for various ministries, just as a father/husband does with his wife and children.
14. It just seems to me that when you see ekklesia functioning in an informal, family atmosphere, the whole concern of "a woman teaching men" is put into a proper perspective. Husbands who are honest will freely admit that they have been taught many things by their wives from the Word, and have received invaluable discernment from them in the family decision-making process. When this phenomenon takes places is the wife "usurping authority" over her husband? Obviously, a wife should never seek to dominate or manipulate her husband. Rather, the couple should be seeking to discern the Lord's mind in all things together (symphonou, 1 Cor.7:5). "Teaching" in the N.T. is much broader than some of our narrow, "official" conceptions of it. Paul says that even in singing with and to one another, we "teach and admonish." If the Lord gave a song for a sister to sing to the body, she would be involved in a broad teaching ministry to the entire ekklesia, and yet this is not "seizing authority" over anybody. When a woman prophesies in the assembly, she will be part of the "teaching/learning" process in the body (1 Cor.14:26,31), yet she is not out of line as a sister. The truth is that both brothers and sisters can get out of line by what they say in the assembly. When this occurs the body in general, and the elders specifically, have the responsibility to correct the situation. In our experience we have discerned the following general points with reference to the functioning of the sisters/wives: (1) they should not bring up matters publicly that are touchy or controversial which have not been discussed with their husbands first; (2) they should not engender discussion in the assembly about matters in which the husband/wife do not have unity on themselves; (3) they should not publicly take issue with their husbands, or other brothers present. "The business of correcting and challenging others in a meeting," Frank Viola observes, "is best handled by the brothers. The sisters should be unburdened by such unseemly tasks" (Open Letter). I do know of a case where a sister did speak up when false doctrine was set forth by a visiting Bible-teacher, but she only did it because no male spoke up, and she spoke with an evident humility and non-accusatory calmness. Sisters are very discerning and their concerns and questions should never be squelched. But it appears that the better part of wisdom is for the sisters to discuss such things with their husbands, or if single, with the elders or older sisters. If the ekklesia desires the mind of Christ, then the concerns of all must be processed in a proper way. And in thinking about these things we must remember that women can function with eminent gifts without interfering with their marriage, and without violating the husband's headship, as did Deborah and Huldah. The balance, it seems to me, is to let the sisters function with the blessing of their husbands and under the care of the elders, not to silence them.
15. What does it mean for the husband to be the "head" of his wife? We can certainly learn some key things about headship by thinking through the fact that Paul says God is the "Head" of Christ (1 Cor.11:3). Christ and the Father are absolutely equal. God being the "Head" of Christ, therefore, has nothing to do with superiority/inferiority or Christ being "underneath" in a hierarchical sense. Further, "the head of Christ is God" is not meant to convey the idea that the functioning of the Son was limited or restricted by this headship. The Messiah willingly humbled himself and came into a sinful world to do his Father's will in all things. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life a ransom for many. As Ben Witherington III observes, "Paul's vision of headship or leadership involves the leader in being the head servant - the oikonomos or household steward in the house of God. In Christ, Paul thus inverts the world's order of who must serve and who will be served" (Conflict & Community in Corinth, p.240). Paul's thinking about the headship of the husband in 1 Cor.11 does not result in the silence of the wives, but in their functioning as priests.
16. In 1 Cor.11 the traditional emphasis has fallen on "the woman is the glory of man . . . . Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man." But it does need to be pointed out that Paul's emphasis seems to land on the mutual interdependence resulting from redemption, rather than on a hierarchical priority of the male. Literally, Paul says in verses 11-12, "Nevertheless, neither woman without man nor man without woman in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, so also the man is through the woman, but all things are of God." We know from Genesis 2 that God's creation of the "image of God" encompassed both male and female. Eve as "helper" carried with it no idea of inferiority or inherent weakness. This Hebrew word is used often to refer to the Lord as the "helper" of Israel. The command to have dominion over the earth was given to both Adam and Eve. As a result of the fall, the beautiful relationship between man and woman was ruptured. Sin causes them to want to dominate each other, instead of pursuing harmony and one-mindedness together. In Christ, marriage is restored. With mutual respect for one another, the wife can submit to her husband (as the ekklesia does to Christ), and the husband can love, nourish, and cherish his wife (as Christ does the ekklesia). Together they can reach decisions with mutual consent (symphonou). The traditional model of a dominating husband and a passive wife cowering in submission reflects the fallen order, not the redemptive order of the "new man," where there is neither male nor female. As one author put it, woman was created to be at man's side, not at his feet.
17. We need to keep in mind that the conceptions of women that emerged in the early church fathers were awful and unbiblical (cf. Clark, Jerome, Chrysostom & Friends). Yet many church leaders act like the visible church has always been a friend to women. John Lofton makes this incredible remark, "All of us who write have wished . . . that we had the power to, once and for all, lay to rest certain lies. Big Lies. And one of the biggest of the Big Lies I would like to never see repeated again is this: Christianity has been anti-woman" (Chalcedon, Nov., 1986). Certainly neither Christ nor Paul were anti-woman. But it is a fact that post-apostolic Christianity has grievously portrayed the persons and functions of women (cf. Gage, Woman, Church & State; Ranke-Heinemann, Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven). Ambrose (A.D.339-397) wrote: "She who does not believe is a woman . . . for the woman who believes is elevated to male completeness." Many such statements, and worse, could be multiplied. The inferiority of women is embedded in the doctrine of the visible church. Are we so naïve as to think that the historical church has not been infected and affected - in everything from Bible translation to interpretation of Its texts -- by the vile, dishonoring conceptions of women inherited from the past? Is it any wonder that those wrestling with this issue in our day often have to spend time exposing and stripping away layers of assumptions that have piled up over 1500 years of unabated distortion? It is imperative that we search the Scriptures to see what is really so about women. A strong case could be made that the church was responsible for spawning the ungodly feminist movement. Is it any wonder that at some point women would rise up and react vehemently to the church's horrendous misrepresentation of the female sex?
18. Romans 16 provides us with some clues regarding the ministry of women in the early church. Paul begins by commending Phoebe, who probably brought his letter to the brethren in Rome. The apostle informs them that she was functioning as a "deacon of the ekklesia in Cenchreae" (cf. 1 Tim.3:11 for a possible reference to female deacons). It is interesting that when the Greek word diakonos is used of Paul and other males, the King James Version often translated it "minister," giving it a formal, office-bearing flavor But when this word was used of the female Phoebe, they recoiled from the "minister" rendering and translated it "servant," giving her a non-official function. In my opinion it would be best to always translate diakonos as "servant," thereby reflecting the New Testament's focus on family images, not on hierarchical offices. The space Paul devotes to this sister shows how much he respected and valued her. The Roman saints are told to "stand by her in whatever help she may need from you." This means that they (including the elders, though they are not mentioned anywhere in the epistle) are to listen to what she says and respond to her requests for aid. Then Paul says that she was a "prostatis to many people, including me." This is an interesting noun. The verb form means: "1. to exercise a position of leadership, rule, direct, be at the head (of) . . . . 2. to have an interest in, show concern for, care for, give aid" (Bauer's Lexicon, revised by Danker, Univ. of Chicago Press, 2000, p.870). The noun form means: "one who stands out in front, one who looks out for the interests of others, defender, guardian, benefactor" (Bauer, p.885). It is clear that this sister had a prominent, important and wide-ranging ministry, and was so recognized by the assembly at Cenchreae. In vv.3-5 Paul mentions the husband-wife team of Priscilla and Aquila, who both are his "co-workers," and in whose home an ekklesia meets. In the following verses Paul mentions eight more sisters: Mary, "who worked hard for you"; Tryphaena and Tryphosa "who work hard in the Lord"; Persis "who has worked very hard in the Lord"; Rufus' mother; Julia; and Nereus' sister. Andronicus and Junia appear to be another husband-wife team who were relatives of Paul and with him in prision. Paul designates them in v.7 as "outstanding among the apostles," using "apostle" here in the sense that Barnabas and Silas were apostles. Some have questioned that the name here is a feminine form, but the evidence points to its correctness. "In a survey of the Church Fathers up to the 12th century who commented on Rom.16:7, the overwhelming consensus was to give a feminine reading. One of the most striking comments is that of by Chrysostom. Of Junia he wrote: 'Oh! How great is the devotion of this woman, that she should be counted worthy of the appellation of the apostle!' . . . . What tips the balance most decisively toward a feminine reading, however, is not so much opinion but the fact that Junia was a common Roman female name, while not a single instance of the masculine form Junias . . . is attested" (Gillman, pp.67-68). Romans 16 certainly shows that women were not relegated to the shadows in the early church.
19. The information we have about the ministries of women in the N.T. is all the more significant, it seems, when one considers the scanty or total absence of light we have on so many other people. The Book of Acts highlights the ministries of Peter and Paul. With the exception of James, we know almost nothing about the shape and direction of the other Apostles' work for the Lord (cf. W. Steuart McBirnie, The Search for the Twelve Apostles, Tyndale, 1977). The truth is we have only glimpses of information about a lot of matters we wish were expanded in the N.T.
20. In summary, I would note the following salient points: (a) women were not silent in the Old Testament era; (b) Joel foretold that males and females would prophesy in the Messianic age; (c) women were not silent when the Messiah was born (Luke 2:36-38); (d) women were not silent when Messiah was raised from the dead; (e) women were not silent on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:13-14; 2:1-4,6,8,11, 16-18); (f) women were not silent in Christian meetings (1 Cor.11:5, 14:23-24, 26, 31); (g) in 1 Cor.11 Paul sees the headship of husbands as the basis for the proper functioning of the wives, not as a basis to silence them; (h) as in B.C. so in A.D there were women prophetesses; (i) the initiation of a divorce by a wife was unheard of in the first century, but Christ mentioned it as a possibility (Mark 10:12); (j) wives must be careful to function in unity with their husbands; (k) a proper N.T. perspective would encourage men and women to function as equals, while the wives would seek to manifest a submissive spirit in light of Paul's concerns; (l) there are examples in Scripture of women teaching men without being out of place or violating their husband's headship. In light of this information from the Bible, is it proper to use two passages to enforce a "silence" position on believing women? Is the tail not wagging the dog? If the Bible is clear on the participation of the sisters, then the two problem texts should be seen as grounds for valid concerns, not as grounds to gag the ladies.
21. I'll never forget what happened at a home church we visited in Louisiana in 1987. The first thing the leader said when the meeting began was, "In accordance with Paul's teaching, women will be silent in our gathering." My spirit was deeply grieved by this dogmatism. Something did not seem right. Brethren, Moses said in anticipation of a future era, "Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets! That the Lord would put his Spirit upon them!" (Numbers 11:24-30). This has indeed been fulfilled. The Lord has made his flock a kingdom of priests who each have a manifestation of the Spirit for the good of the body. A position which silences female believers ends up with the priesthood of males, not a priesthood of all. I do not believe the functioning of women revealed in the history of redemption will sustain such a conclusion.
22. Those who press 1 Tim.2:11-12 into service to silence women in the assembly do not seem to be consistent in their application of what is "clear." I've never heard anybody enforce Paul's "clear" and specific direction to the men in 1 Tim.2:8 with equal vigor. He asked for men "to lift up holy hands in prayer." According to this verse shouldn't men lift up their hands when they pray in the assembly? Why isn't a big deal made of this requirement by Paul? Do we hesitate to press this point because we believe a cultural element is present that is not binding upon us? We conclude that prayer without anger or disputing is the requirement, not the lifting up of hands. Since the Bible clearly teaches the participation of women - and even reveals circumstances where women taught men - is it possible that we should be very cautious to employ 1 Tim.2:11-12 as a sweeping command to silence the sisters?
23. Dealing with the ministry of women affords us the opportunity to scrutinize some of the hidden elements that come into play as we try to understand God's Word. None of us are blank tablets when we interpret Scripture. We all bring to our study of and meditation upon the Bible various forms of cultural, familial and personal biases, preferences and prejudices. Our only hope is for the Holy Spirit to take the Word, break through what is in us that opposes and obscures the truth, and to then show us the mind of Christ - both as individuals and assemblies. Many books have been written asserting the clarity of Scripture, but I think we need to reckon candidly with its ambiguity. With every doctrinal position comes a few texts that do not seem to "fit in." The pacifist has to deal with John the Baptist's counsel to the soldiers. Those who defend "free-will" have to face Romans 9. The Calvinist has to wrestle with 1 John 2:2. 1 Cor.14:21-22 challenges the Charismatic. Roman Catholics have to explain why Peter had a mother-in-law and why they call their priest "Father." Scofield skipped over John 6:15. The Seventh-Day Adventist has to come to grips with 1 Tim.4:3-5. If the Bible is so clear why is there unending disagreement among people who all confess it as the inspired final authority? Why is it that what is very "clear" to one believer is "obscure" to another? Why is it that a Bible teacher's presentation will be convincing to some but not others? These questions, among many others, illustrate that there must be many fleshly forces at work in the chemistry that takes place in our interaction with the Scriptures - inherited traditions, prejudices, personal preferences, religious upbringing, past bad experiences, and even deficient translations of certain texts. In the case before us now - the functioning of women in the body of Christ - I submit that something is skewed in the conclusion of feminine "silence." It is clear that women participated in the inauguration of the ekklesia on the Day of Pentecost, and that this was in fulfillment of Joel's words concerning the Messianic days when both men and women would prophesy. In light of the flow of Biblical evidence, to silence women on the basis of two texts that seem "clear" is very questionable. Would it not be a better conclusion to suggest that those texts express apostolic concerns, but were not meant to gag half the priesthood? Is it a balanced hermeneutic that would negate a whole history of feminine participation in both Testaments based on two texts?
24. "Given the difficulties of correctly applying 1 Cor.14:33b-35," says Steve Atkerson, "we must be careful to respect those who hold to applications which differ from our position" (THCT, p.132). This is a worthy reminder. The ministry of sisters is an issue that requires careful consideration indeed. The fact that so many N.T. scholars cannot agree on how to correlate 1 Cor.11:5 and 1 Cor.14:34, etc., should prompt us to hold our views with humility and openness. I think we all need to ask ourselves, as Thomas Dubay notes, do we have a "willingness to be changed by evidence," for the "acid test of openness is seeking evidence and bowing to it" (ST, Winter, 1985, pp.11,13)? Twenty years of wrestling with this matter has led me to conclude that the "silence" view is woefully inadequate. There is too much contrary evidence to justify silencing half the priesthood. I wish that those who stake everything on two limiting passages would be willing to revisit this topic.

APPENDIX: LETTERS TO STEVE A. & ERIC S.

Just received the March, 1993, "Woman's Issue." Just wanted to make a few comments as my time allows, for in a few areas I felt the presentation was weak.

I agree that when you put ekklesia into an informal context, many aspect of the woman's question fade into oblivion. But it still remains as a critical practical question since roughly half of the priesthood is female! I take issue with your statement, Steve, that "in fact, there is not a single example in the entire NT of women teaching men." That is a loaded way to put the matter. If you follow the reasoning below, which seems to conform to NT information, then you do in fact have examples of situations where women taught men/women in the assembly.

1. In Acts 2 Peter states that the gift of prophecy in the Messianic age will be exercised by both men and women.

2. Prophesying is a form of teaching in Paul's mind. Not all teaching is prophesying, but all prophesying is a form of teaching (as is, for that matter, singing).

3. In 1 Cor.14 Paul saw prophesying as central in Christian meetings.

4. In 1 Cor.11 Paul had no problem with women praying or prophesying with men present, as long as they did these activities in a proper manner.

5. Philip had four daughters who prophesied. Are you prepared to argue that they never exercised their gifts (which involved "teaching" per #2 above) in the presence of males?

6. Thus there are clear examples in the NT where women prophesied (which was a form of teaching) with males present.

While, as you rightly note, "teaching and prophesying [are not] synonymous gifts . . . . [and] are listed as two distinct, separate gifts," you cannot avoid the fact that prophesying is still another form of teaching in the body of Christ. Thus, just because the two gifts are not identical does not get you off the hook.

You seem to assume that anytime a woman teaches men the Bible, she is in this action usurping authority. I challenge that. The NT never teaches this. To me, the issue is how a woman teaches, per 1 Cor.11 Paul says in 1 Cor.14:26, "each of you . . . has a teaching." There is no contextual reason for limiting this remark to males, especially when Paul states in vv.23-24, "the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues . . . if all prophesy," and in v.31, "you can all prophesy one by one so that all may learn and all may be exhorted." The flow of 1 Cor.11, 12, 13, 14 is in line with Acts 2 - men and women may participate in body edification.

Other verses that qualify women's ministry must not be used in such a way as to cancel out the clear perspectives of Acts 2, etc.

To make my position clear at this point: I do not believe that women should be elders; but I do believe women's gifts in the assembly should not be stifled. In the informal context of doing ekklesia I think the concern of a woman prophesying (teaching) men should subside.

Thanks for considering these brief thoughts.

Jon

June 19, 1993

Dear Eric/Steve,

Thanks for your replies of 4/25 (Eric) and 5/18 (Steve) to my letter.

Eric's letter did not give me any reason to modify my original reasoning. Further, his letter did not seem to keep in mind what I was responding to. I was specifically questioning Steve's remark, "there is not a single example in the NT of women teaching men." As you point out, Eric, my crucial point is that Paul considered prophesying to be a form of teaching. I believe my point is well-taken. I'm surprised you would not agree with this, and that is why I felt no need to cite a text. Check out all the major scholarly studies on prophecy in the NT (David Hill, E. Earle Ellis, David Aune). They all assert that prophecy is a form of teaching. To cite a rather obvious text: "for you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted" (1 Cor.14:31). If one is "learning" from something that is being said, does that not imply that a form of teaching is going on? The fact that Paul wished for prophesy (which is understood), not toungues, to be central in the meeting implies some relationship to teaching does it not?

To return now to my presentation: women did prophesy (a form of teaching) in the assembly in the presence of all, hence Steve's statement that there is no example of women teaching men in the NT is incorrect. Your statement, Eric, that it is a leap of logic for me to say that if women can participate in one form of teaching means they can participate in all, begs the question. My point was in response to Steve's remark that there is no NT example of women teaching men. Wrong. There is a clear example of this. If women can participate in a form of teaching where men receive, then Steve's universal remark at best, then, needs to be qualified. That was the point I was making, and still feel strongly that you both need to consider if you are to be faithful to NT data.

If we agree that it is important in hermeneutics to let the clear shed light on the vague, then I feel both feminists (women can do all) and those who hold to some stricter view of feminine participation need to allow what is clear to be heard. Both tend to skip over what is "clear" to the other side.

You are wrong, Eric, is saying that there is no Scripture to cite to prevent feminine elders. There is. A woman cannot be the husband of one wife. To assert that women can in proper ways teach men does not at all mean that they can also be elders, if the Word indicates that males are to be elders. Again, one can listen to what is clear in the NT. For you to say that the sex of elders is "not specifically addresses in the Bible" is beyond me. It is clearly addressed. If it is, then your last two paragraphs have no bearing on my original reasoning in my first letter.

My challenge still stands to you both: Acts 2 states clearly that men and women will prophesy; prophesying is central in Paul's mind to Christian meetings; prophesying is a form of teaching with all present; hence, it is not faithful to the NT to say, without important qualification, that there is no example of women teaching men. I think you need to think through your position more carefully and make sure you do justice to what the NT states. Yours by His grace,

Jon

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Miller, Hal. "Men, Women & Ministry: Theology Workshop [notes]," unpublished paper, May, 1981, 9pp. ($1.00)

Miller, Hal. "The Sociology of the Gospel? An Analysis of Stephen B. Clark's Book, Man & Woman in Christ," TSF Bulletin, Sept.-Oct. 1981, pp.5-8. ($.75)

Mollenkott, Virginia R. Women, Men & the Bible, Abingdon, 1977, 143pp.

Moloney, Francis J. Woman First Among the Faithful. Ave Maria, 1986, 127pp.

Moltmann-Wendel, Elisabeth. The Women Around Jesus. Crossroad, 1982, 148pp.

Moo, Douglas J. "1 Tim.2:11-15: Meaning & Significance," JETS, 1980, pp.62-87. ($2.50)

Morey, Robert A. "Head-Coverings," unpublished paper, 1979, 22pp. ($2.00)

Myers, Carol, Toni Craven & Ross Kraemer, eds. Women In Scripture: A Dictionary of Named & Unnamed Women in the Hebrew Bible, the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books, and the N.T. Eerdmans, 2000, 592pp.

Nash, Gary B., ed. The Private Side of American History: Readings in Everyday Life, 1, to 1877, 3rd ed. Harcourt Brace, 1979. "The Planter's Wife: The Experience of White Women in 17th Century Maryland," Lois Carr & Lorena Walsh, pp.67-94; "Sex Roles & Social Stress in Jacksonian America," Carroll Smith-Rosenberg, pp.319-340; "Ladies Have the Hardest Time, That Emigrate by Land," Julie Jeffrey, pp.411-428.

Nelson, Mary. "Why Witches Were Women," Women: A Feminist Perspective, Jo Freeman, ed. Mayfield Pub, 1975, pp.335-350. ($2.00)

Nielson, Nancy. "Women in Church," Daughter of Sarah, July/Aug., 1979, pp.12-13. ($.50)

Nies, Judith. Seven Women: Portraits from the American Radical Tradition. Penguin, 1978, 235pp.

Norrington, David. To Preach or Not To Preach? The Church's Urgent Question. Paternoster, 1996, 130pp. ($8.00)

Ochs, Carol. Behind the Sex of God: Toward A New Consciousness Transcending Matriarchy & Patriarchy, Beacon, 1977, 177pp.

O'Faolain, Julia & Lauro Martines, eds. Not In God's Image: Women in History from the Greeks to the Victorians. Harper, 1973, 362pp.

Osborne, Grant R. "Hermeneutics & Women in the Church," JETS, 20:4, 1977, pp.337-364. ($2.50)

Padgett, Alan. "Paul On Women in the Church: The Contradictions of Coiffure in 1 Cor.11:2-16," JSNT, 1984, pp.69-86. ($1.50)

Painter, David. "A Brief Consideration of Leadership & Women in the Church," unpublished paper, Jan. 1998, 24pp. ($2.50)

Pape, Dorothy R. In Search of God's Ideal Woman: A Personal Examination of the New Testament. IVP, 1979, 370pp.

Payne, Philip B. "Libertarian Women in Ephesus: A Response to D.J. Moo's Article, '1 Tim.2:11-15: Meaning & Significance'," JETS, 1981, pp.169-197; D.J. Moo, "The Interpretation of 1 Tim.2:11-15 - A Rejoinder," pp.198-223. ($5.50)

Pearson, Helen Bruch. Do What You Have the Power to Do: Studies of Six N.T. Women. Upper Room Books, 1997, 168pp.

Penn-Lewis, Jessie. The Magna Charta of Woman [1919]. Bethany, 1975, 103pp.

Piper, John & Wayne Grudem. Fifty Crucial Questions: An Overview of Central Concerns About Manhood & Womanhood. CBMW, 1992, 67pp.

Piper, John & Wayne Grudem, eds. Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism. Crossway, 1991, 566pp.

Prohl, Russell C. Woman in the Church: A Restudy of Woman's Place in Building the Kingdom, Eerdmans, 1957, 86pp. ($6.50)

Rader, Rosemary. Breaking Boundaries: Male/Female Friendship in Early Christian Communities. Paulist, 1983, 117pp.

Ranke-Heinemann, Uta. Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven: Women,Sexuality & the Catholic Church. Penguin, 1990, 360pp.

Richards, Sue & Larry. Every Woman in the Bible. Nelson, 1999, 302pp. ($11.00)

Riehl, Aqilla. The Christian Woman's Head Covering. [tract] Rod & Staff, n.d., 8pp. ($.50)

Robbins, John W. Scripture Twisting in the Seminaries: Part 1, Feminism. Trinity Foundation, 1985, 116pp.

Rose, Darlene Deibler. Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of WWII. Harper, 1990, 224pp. (The best biography my wife & I have ever read)

Rose, Phyllis, ed. The Norton Book of Women's Lives. Norton, 1993, 826pp.

Rousu, Don. "The Truth About Women in Public Ministry," Spread the Fire, October, 1997, pp.4-6,33 ($.75).

Ruether, Rosemary R., ed. Religion & Sexism: Images of Woman in the Jewish & Christian Traditions. Simon/Schuster, 1974, 356pp.

Ruether, Rosemary R. & Rosemary S. Keller, eds. Women & Religion in America: Vol.1, The Nineteenth Century. Harper, 1982, 353pp.

Ruether, Rosemary & Eleanor McLaughlin, eds. Women of Spirit: Female Leadership in the Jewish & Christian Traditions. Simon/Schuster, 1979, 400pp.

Rushdoony, R.J. "The Place of Women, Position Paper #47," Chalcedon Report, 1980's, 2pp. ($.50)

Ryan, Mary P. Womanhood in America from Colonial Times to the Present, 2nd ed., New Viewpoints, 1979, 284pp.

Sahgai, Gita & N. Yuval-Davis, eds. Refusing Holy Orders: Women & Fundamentalism in Britain. Virago, 1992, 244pp.

Saucy, Robert L. "Women's Prohibition to Teach Men: An Investigation Into Its Meaning & Contemporary Application," JETS, 37:1, 1994, pp.79-100. ($2.50)

Scanzoni, Letha & Nancy Hardesty. All We're Meant to Be: A Biblical Approach to Women's Liberation. Word, 1982, 255pp.

Scholer, David M. "Hermeneutical Gerrymandering: Hurley On Women & Authority," TSF Bulletin, May-June 1983, pp.11-13. ($.75)

Schondt, Alvin. "Fundamentalism & Sexist Theology," Fundamentalism Today, Brethren Press, 1984, pp.100-105. ($.75)

Small, Dwight Harvey. "So You're Soured On Submission?" Marriage As Equal Partnership, pp.60-63. ($.50)

Spencer, Aida Besancon. Beyond the Curse: Women Called to Ministry. Hendrickson, 1989, 223pp.

Spruill, Julia C. Women's Life & Work in the Southern Colonies. Norton, 1972, 426pp.

Stendahl, Krister. The Bible & the Role of Women: A Case Study in Hermeneutics. Fortress Press, 1966, 46pp. ($3.00)

Stout, Martha & P. Ward. "Christian Women: Are Attitudes Changing?" Eternity, May 1984, pp.16-23. ($1.00)

Strange, James F. "Women Leaders in the Ancient Synagogue [Bernadette Brooten]: A Review," Biblical Archaeology Review, 1982, pp.14,16. ($.75)

Stratton, Joanna L. Pioneer Women: Voices from the Kansas Frontier. Simon & Schuster, 1982, 319pp.

Strom, Kay Marshall. Helping Women in Crisis: A Handbook for People Helpers. Zondervan, 1986, 170pp.

Strom, Mark. Reframing Paul: Conversations in Grace & Community. IVP, 2000, 256pp. (esp.pp.136-141; 169-180). ($16.00)

Swartley, Willard. Slavery, Sabbath, War & Women: Case Issues in Biblical Interpretation. Herald, 1983, 366pp. ($14.00).

Swidler, Leonard. Biblical Affirmations of Woman. Westminster, 1979, 382pp.

Totlow, Elisabeth M. Women & Ministry in the New Testament. Paulist, 1980, 164pp.

Torjesen, Karen Jo. When Women Were Priests: Women's Leadership in the Early Church & the Scandal of Their Subordination in the Rise of Christianity. Harper, 1995, 278pp. ($9.00)

Trible, Phyllis. "Eve & Adam: Genesis 2-3 Reread," Woman Spirit Rising, Harper, 1979, pp.74-83. ($1.00)

Trombley, Charles. Who Said Women Can't Teach? Bridge Pub, 1985, 235pp.

Tucker, Ruth A. Women in the Maze: Questions & Answers on Biblical Equality. IVP, 1992, 276pp.

Turpin, Joanne. Women in Church History: 20 Stories for 20 Centuries. St. Anthony, 1990, 175pp.

Van der Wal, B.J. The Bible As Eye-Opener On the Position of Women. PUCHE, 1988, 53pp. ($5.50)

Van Leeuwen, Mary Stewart. Gender & Grace. IVP, 1990, 278pp.

Viola, Frank. "Now Concerning A Woman's Role in the Church: An Open Letter" @ www.ptmin.org/women.htm

Vroon-Rienstra, Marchiene. "Women & the Church," Reformed Journal [?], 1970's, pp.7-11. ($1.00)

Warkentin, Marjorie. Ordination: A Biblical-Historical View. Eerdmans, 1982, 202pp.

West, Nathaniel. Women & Church Ministry. Alden, NY. n.d. 50pp. ($2.50)

Wijk-Bos, Johanna W.H. van. Reformed & Feminist: A Challenge to the Church, W/JKP, 1991, 117pp.

Williams, Don. The Apostle Paul & Women in the Church. Regal, 1980, 157pp.

Wire, Antoinette C. The Corinthian Women Prophets: A Reconstruction Through Paul's Rhetoric, Fortress, 1990, 316pp. $15.00

Witherington III, Ben. Conflict & Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 & 2 Corinthians. Eerdmans, 1995, pp.231-290.

Witherington III, Ben. Women in the Ministry of Jesus. Cambridge, 1994, 221pp.

Wold, Margaret. Women of Faith & Spirit: Profiles of 15 Biblical Witnesses, Augsburg, 1987, 143pp.

Wold, Margaret. Women of Spirit: A Study of Women in Scripture. Augsburg, 1984, 96pp.

Woodrow, Ralph. Women's Adornment: What Does the Bible Really Say? RWEA, 1983, 61pp. ($3.50)

Wright, R.K. McGregor. "A Response to the Danvers Statement in Three Parts," unpublished paper for CBE, Feb., 1989, 36pp. ($3.00)

Young, Carrie. Nothing To Do But Stay: My Pioneer Mother. Delta, 1993, 164pp.

Zens, Jon. "1 Cor. 11 & 14 -- Half the Priesthood Silent?" Searching Together, 13:4, 1984, pp.29-30. ($.75)

Zens, Jon. "Aspects of Female Priesthood: A Focus on 1 Cor.11:2-16 & 14:34-35," Baptist Reformation Review, 10:3, 1981, pp.3-18. ($2.00)

Zwiep, Mary. Pilgrim Path: The First Company of Women Missionaries to Hawaii. Univ. of Wisc. Press, 1991, 376pp.

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