The Conflicting Nature of Christianity, Part #7

  The Conflicting Nature of Christianity

Should A Woman Preach?

As I listen to several Bible students discuss whether a woman should teach in the church or not became an eye opening experience. The consensus ran from a "flat no", "some things are acceptable" to a full yes".  For many years, this has been a hot topic because in most denominations, women were delegated to the position of "bench-warmers" when it came to the affairs of worship. In some churches, women were allowed to hold the position of missionaries. Missionaries were equivalent to a preacher, but not equal to a preacher, they were to be ruled over by the preacher and they were allowed to bring 'messages' (sermons) as long as they stayed out of the pulpit area. 

The doctrine of women submission is based upon 1 Timothy 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. As one preacher who said he spoke under the direction of God, "God said it and that's what he meant, no discussion on the matter."  Yet, in todays church culture women are beginning to demand their place as an active member of the church and in many cases co-pastors or church leaders.  

I, (a colloquial expression) grew up in the church during the period of women submission. Women were required to be silent and the church, yet they taught Sunday School and took part in worship service activities. They did everything from the floor and never from the pulpit. They could teach, but they were not allowed to whoop and howl, to do this would be acting like a man. For me as well as many other people this became a lesson in confusion.  Paul had explicitly stated that a woman should be silent in the church or had he?

Another group emerged, where their women were forced to wear head coverings when they entered the sanctuary. It was shameful and unholy for a woman to expose anything that reflected her beauty when in the House of God. For women, even open toe shoes were a 'no no'. Women were subjected to extreme dress codes when entering the church, but this is another discussion.  

1 Timothy 2:9-13  In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

After listening to the discussion by the learned men of the 'Word', on whether or not a woman could preach, I concluded that Paul must have been suffering from a mental breakdown when he wrote to Timothy or there is something in his message we are overlooking. Needless to say, no one was impressed by my supposition that Paul may have suffered a mental breakdown, I was not even asked to defend my position. To read Paul's statement and apply it to the church is another lesson in confusion. 

My reasons for making such a crass statement was that Paul used women in his ministry, and often spoke of them.  Now I am not going to use tunnel vision and quote a 'bucket full of scriptures' to convince you onr way or the other, but I will give you enough evidence to make you want to study this subject so that you will be able to rightly divide the Word of truth. Understanding the Word of God requires that you preform according to 2 Timothy 2:15,  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  Indoctrination has no place in "Understanding the Word of God".   Also, we must remember that to truly understand God Word we must not surgical remove a word or idea from a verse and make it the basis of our dissertation.  Perspective and context is important to understanding the message.  To gain the proper perspective and context, let's look at the "Works" of Paul  and lastly the "Works" of God.  

Phoebe is officially recommended and endorsed in the position of "deacon" or "minister"  by Paul.  The word used is in the masculine form and is the same word used in 1 Cor. 3:5 when the Apostle Paul speaks of himself and of Apollos, and in 1 Tim. 4:6 of Timothy. There are no grounds, then to distinguish between her and the male ministers. She was a minister in the church of Cenchreae. Paul asked the Christians at Rome to welcome her as a minister, which indicates that her ministry extended beyond her own congregation. She is described as being a help to many, therefore, her ministry was fruitful. Paul states that she was of great assistance to him. It is likely that she was carrying Paul's letter to the Romans.  

Prisca or Priscilla (Romans16:3-5) was in ministry along with her husband Aquila. They are called fellow-workers, a term of equality elsewhere used of Paul and Apollos (1Cor. 3:9). When the couple is mentioned in writing, the Priscilla's name is listed first, indicating that she may have been the leader of the two.

Other women mentioned in Romans 16 who served as co-laborers in Paul's ministry were Mary, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, the mother of Rufus, Persis, Julia, and the sister of Nereus. The Acts of the Apostles records the ministries of Dorcas, Lydia, and the four daughters of Phillip who prophesied or preached. The Apostle Paul clearly utilized women's God-given leadership skills and gifts for ministry.   The apostolic church was very relevant to the women in that it gave them unparalleled freedom and released them from centuries of cultural oppression. That is why women were so extensively and intensively involved in the life of the apostolic church. 

With the examples of women who served with Paul in leading the developing churches, why would he say that he did not permit women to teach or have authority over men in 1 Timothy 2? Or, how could the same person who wrote words of gratitude to eight or nine women in his Roman's letter, say so emphatically in the letter to the Corinthian church that women were to be silent in the churches and were not allowed to speak (1 Cor. 14:34)? Either Paul was the victim of a personality disorder or there is more than meets the eye in these several short verses of biblical text.  That is the key to understanding this scripture.

My learned colleague based his sermon upon the fact that Mirian acted under the leadership of Moses and Aaron in the Old Testiment.  Yet, when God appointed judges to lead his children, he chose Deborah.  She ranks among the most famous women of the Hebrew Bible, known to Christians as the Old Testament. Not only known for her wisdom, Deborah was also known for her courage. She even led the Children of Israel during a successful military engagement.  She is the only woman of the Hebrew Bible who gained renown on her own merit, not because of her relationship to a man.   Who was Deborah?

Deborah was one of the rulers of the Israelites prior to the monarchy period that began with Saul (circa 1047 B.C.). These rulers were called "judges," an office that traced back to a time when Moses appointed assistants to help him resolve disputes among the Hebrews (Exodus 18). Their practice was to seek guidance from God through prayer and meditation before making a ruling. Therefore, many of the judges also were considered prophets who spoke "a word from the Lord."

Now why would Paul make a statement that seems to be contradictory to his actions?  Maybe he didn't, maybe it is how we are looking at what he said.  Context is important to understanding what is said in any message.  The answer lies in, Who was talking, Who was he talking to, and what was the issue he was addressing.  

Consider the facts, if there was a particular problem in this church, and this is the way he chose to get things under control. How do we without understanding the problem that was being addressed come to terms with a statement such as this?  Romans 3:11  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  When we consider the lifestyle  of people Paul was addressing the message become clear, but if we apply that same message to the church today we create a confusing situation.  

We should not take an isolated social issue, use a few proof texts and make them say what we wants them to say, disregarding all previous principles, works and moral imperatives that have already been laid down. Psalm 119:160 declares, "The sum of Thy word is truth." As it relates to our issue, all biblical teaching in the Old Testament, the Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles tell of woman's place before and after the Fall. They show how God accepted, released, and anointed women, thereby reaffirming His plan for equality. To isolate and interpret Paul's writings for what they appear to be saying would negate all that the Scriptures have shown and taught previously which we simply do not have the liberty to do.