by Dr. Thomas M. Kehn
Perhaps surprising to some, my unequivocal answer to this question must be a resounding “No!” Undoubtedly, I anticipate there will be some strong reactions and objections to such a response, especially from those of a more traditional and fundamentalist persuasion. Nonetheless, I truly believe that embracing women’s spiritual giftedness by enabling them to participate in meaningful roles is essential to the well being of the church today. The above question is worthy of further review and reflection for the following two pertinent reasons: 1.) The historical precedent for, and multiple examples of, women in the Bible who actively served in speaking, leading and teaching roles; 2.) The spiritual significance and eternal impact on society which women have had in the past and can have in the present and in the future.
A Different Perspective
Today among Pastors, amateur theologians and serious students of the Bible, there are some strong views and varying perspectives regarding what the Bible says about a woman’s participation in speaking, leading and teaching roles in the church. Case in point, John McArthur, a popular author, pastor and Bible teacher, recently posted the following statement on his church’s Facebook webpage: “Women Pastors and women Preachers are the most obvious evidence of churches rebelling against the Bible.” 1
Seminary Professor an author, Scott McKnight, offers an entirely different perspective. He declares, “I’m for women in the ministry…Anyone who thinks it is wrong for a woman to teach in a church can be consistent with that point of view only if they refuse to read and learn from women’s scholars. This means not reading their books less they become teachers. Some people think it pedantic…I don’t, and I stand by it until someone can convince me that reading to learn is different from listening to learn.”
McKnight also disclosed, “When I was a professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School from 1983 to 1995, the debate about women in church ministries was one of the hot topics. In writing about women in church ministries, I want to emphasize that I am not talking only about senior pastors and elders and preaching and teaching from pulpits on Sunday mornings, but about anything God calls women to do…Some announce that those who differ with the traditional view are on the slippery slope into theological liberalism.” 2
A Necessary Distinction
From the outset, a clear distinction should be made between what constitutes God’s Sovereign dictates in contrast to what may merely comprise someone’s opinions or convictions. It should go without saying, that an individual’s own views, regardless of how devoted and Godly the person may be, cannot and must not be seen as on equal footing with emphatic, “Thus saith the Lord” statements from the Bible which provide a clear and direct command from God. In light of this distinction, I humbly request that the reader maintain an open mind and seriously consider the legitimacy of supporting meaningful roles for women in the church today rather than indiscriminately falling back on traditional predetermined conclusions.
A Surprising Comment
The Apostle Paul made several comments in some of his letters to churches which have led to a litany of confusing or controversial interpretations and applications regarding women’s roles in the church. The two passages in question are given in 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. Each will be presented and discussed separately.
When Paul wrote to Timothy, his young missionary protégé, he made some rather startling comments such as, “I do not allow women to teach men or have authority over them.” It is my contention that in this verse, Paul was expressing his own personal conviction rather than giving an eternal mandate from God. Below I will provide some examples to support this thesis.
In his letter to the neophyte believers in the church at Corinth, Greece, Paul addressed a variety of issues including marriage, divorce and singleness. In his letter, Paul delineated between sharing a direct command from the Lord and sharing what amounts to his own opinions on the subject.
“To the married I give this (not I, but the Lord): a wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.” 1 Corinthians 7:10-13 NIV
A Noteworthy Observation
In the above passage, Paul makes a clear distinction between what God has commanded (not I, but the Lord) and what is his own conviction (I, not the Lord). Even so, one should note that the word must is used in reference to both of the statements. Paul, previously in this letter, had shared that he thought a committed Christian ought to remain single rather than get married. Paul openly declares that he is sharing his own conviction and not a direct command from God. Even so, he emphatically purposed that believers should, like him, remain single. “I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God” (1 Cor. 7:6-7 NIV). At the end of the chapter, Paul reiterates once more that he is simply declaring his own personal views. “In my opinion it would be better for her (a virgin) to stay single.” 1 Cor. 7:40 NLT
In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, Paul challenged him (1:2-3) to continue on with the work which he had started in Ephesus on his 2nd missionary journey and where Timothy had co-served with him over a period of two years (Acts 19:8-10). In his letter, Paul shared his thoughts on how a women should be modest in their dress and actions (1 Timothy 3:9-12). In this passage, Paul used the following disclaimers and personal admissions by stating, “I want… women should… and I don’t allow.…” There is no indication in this passage that Paul statements were actual commands from the Lord like the ones he had expressed to the Corinthians regarding the serious matter of divorce.
Notably, when Jesus talked about marriage, he explicitly taught that, “Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Matthew 19:6). His statement was clearly a reference to God’s plan and purpose for marriage when he first created Adam and Eve (vs. 4-5). Nonetheless, it is a command which people, even in the church, choose not to heed and repeatedly break.
Ironically, in the church today, there appears to be a greater concern over the issue of women leading and preaching in the church, than there is for addressing the more disconcerting and prevailing problem within the church of broken marriages, rampant number of divorces and the subsequent acts of adultery (Matthew 19:9). This travesty is even more apparent when the matter of marriage and divorce is seldom an important consideration when it comes to selecting men who are to lead the church. Jesus chastised the self-proclaimed religious leaders of his day, the Pharisees, for honoring their own man-made laws by treating them as more important than keeping God’s clear commands. Sadly, with respect to women’s limited leadership roles in the church, it seems that both clergy and its members, are arguably close to being guilty of the same.
A Matter of Conviction
The distinctions that Paul made in reference to his convictions, opinions, wishes and wants, stand in stark contrast to the Lord’s outright commands spoken elsewhere in Scripture. Such distinctions should be kept in mind when considering the question of women’s rights and freedoms with regard to their roles in the church.
In Paul’s provocative statement, “I do not allow women to teach men or have authority over them,” there is no clear indication that he is presenting a direct command from God. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary suggests that Paul’s statement was more a matter of him addressing the concern over women trying to usurp the main pastoral role in the church, rather than not allowing them to have any meaningful speaking or teaching roles within the church. This seems likely since the commentary explains, “The remainder of the chapter discusses official relations of women in the church…women are not to assume either leadership or the teaching office in the church.” 3
In this passage, Paul uses the personal pronoun “I,” rather than invoking a declaration coming from the Lord. Since Paul’s statement does not suggest a direct command from God, it certainly can, and should, reopen the door for conversations about what are acceptable roles for women in the church. Once again, Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 2:12 may be just another example of where he expressed his own preferences. This viewpoint is, arguably, more in line in lieu of Paul’s comments in admonishing Christians in Rome to stand up for their own convictions (Romans 14:5, 13-14). However, any one person’s convictions are not to be seen as inclusive for everyone else and are far different from the unbending statutes of God (Psalm 93:5).
This is exactly why Paul stipulated to Timothy and to the Corinthian church that he was providing his own convictions on these various matters. To suggest that Paul’s comments about singleness, women’s modesty in how they dress, the length of hair and, most importantly, their roles in the church are to be considered paramount to the commands God gave to Moses, the statutes given to David, the pronouncements he revealed to his prophets, or the profound directives Jesus proclaimed to his disciples, would at best, be begging the question and presuming Paul’s intentions.
The Apostle Paul made the following remarks when confronting the Roman believers for their divisive attitudes towards each other pertaining to their personal views on eating meat sacrificed to idols or about which was the best day to worship the Lord. Paul wrote: “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master the servant will stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special, does so to the Lord…You then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we all will stand before God’s judgment seat…each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another…make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification… So, whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.” Rom. 14:4-7, 10-13, 19-22
A Consistent Pattern
In the Book of Acts, the Apostle Paul mentions a number of women who were involved in both starting and sustaining his global missionary work. For example, upon arriving in Philippi, Paul elicited the help of Lydia to jump start a ministry to women and eventually begin a church there (Acts 16:13-15). In Ephesus, Priscilla, along with her husband Aquila, served as co-workers with Paul. He commended them for risking their own lives for the Gospel, as well as for teaching Apollo, another evangelist to the Jews, more fully about the message of Christ. Priscilla and Aquila also helped Paul start and co-lead churches in Corinth, Ephesus and Rome while Paul was on his missionary journeys to Asia-minor, Greece and Italy (Acts 18:18-19, 24-26; Romans 16:3-4, 1 Cor. 16:19). He also called Euodia and Syntyche his fellow-workers in the Gospel (Philippians 4:1-2).
As important as it is to recognize and appreciate the Apostle Paul’s positive attitude and statements about women in ministry, it is even more significant to consider our Lord Jesus Christ’s pattern and priority in using women to further his Kingdom work. His meaningful inclusion of women in ministry, underscores the importance of mistakenly dismissing and diminishing prematurely, the rights and opportunities of women to also use their spiritual gifts, leadership abilities and resources to serve the Lord. In his Gospel, Luke wrote, “Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. The twelve (disciples) were with him, and also some women…Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support Jesus and the other disciples out of their own means” (Luke 8:1-3). In fact, women in both the Old and New Testament, were widely used in carrying out God’s work, plans and purposes. These other notable women included Deborah who were appointed by the LORD to Judge to his wayward chosen people (Judges 4-5); the very successful and admirable woman described in Proverbs 31; Anna, the prophetess who lived year-round in the Temple and spoke to Mary and Joseph about their newborn baby who would provide redemption for the Jewish nation and the whole world (Luke 2:36-38); and lastly, Phillip, an outspoken Evangelist, had four daughters who also prophesied (Acts 21:8-9).
The Apostle Paul was more than willing to speak endearingly of a large number of women who had clearly been instrumental to his work and active in his ministry. He first commends Phoebe for her faithful service for Christ, including taking Paul’s letter to the Romans. He wrote, “I commend to you, our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Caria. Welcome her and the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God‘s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me” (Romans 16:1). Later in the same chapter, Paul intentionally mentions other women who had a significant impact on his life and ministry. These women included Priscilla, whom he described as “my co-worker” (v. 3); Mary, who he exclaimed, “worked hard for your benefit” (v. 6); the mother of Rufus, whom he affectionately said that she “has been a mother to me” (v. 13); and several more prominent women including Tryphena (a Roman Princess) and Tryphosa, her twin sister, whom Paul called “the Lord’s workers” (v. 12).
The website womeninthescriptures.com explains that “Tryphena and Tryphosa, who were mentioned by Paul in his list of faithful Roman Saints in Romans 16, helps illuminate what we know about early Christian women’s participation in the church. In Romans 16 Paul lists the names of ten women, specifying that each of them was involved in working for the service of the Lord…While the exact work women like Tryphena and Tryphosa did for the church is unclear, what is clear is that early Christian women were active and involved in the missionary work of the church. Paul viewed their help as central to the spreading of the gospel and we see that they worked along side men to help build Christ’s church.” 4
What an extraordinary list of women in Paul’s time who sacrificed much in order to help him proclaim the Gospel. I, for one, would cringe at the idea of having to tell these Godly women who were amply described in the Bible, as well as all the other myriads of unpublished women who have faithfully served the Lord in the church and on the mission field down through the years, that they would not be deemed as qualified, or be allowed, to serve in similar speaking and leadership roles in the church today. The spiritual impact these women had on their culture and for the church is inestimable.
A Questionable Suggestion
There are some who would falsely argue that women are spiritually weaker than men since it was Eve who was tempted by the serpent, and so partook of the apple (1 Timothy 2:13-14). It seems to me that Eve has been used as a scapegoat for those who are unwilling to take a more egalitarian stance towards women. Nonetheless, I would ask, which scenario is worse; Eve who was deceived by Satan, the father of lies, or Adam who deliberately disobeyed the command given to him directly by God? I would vote for the latter. Therefore, this argument should not be used as a reason to hinder women from using their spiritual giftedness, leadership skills and unswerving passion to serve in the Lord in a variety of ways as has been so effectively demonstrated by women over the past centuries, and up to the present time, to carry forth God’s Kingdom work.
More Than Meets the Eye
At first glance, Paul’s stringent comments about women in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 seem a bit harsh and hard to comprehend, much less rightly interpret. He wrote, “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.” NIV
Is Paul actually then suggesting that women should not say anything in the church? Does that mean women are not allowed to give a public testimony, to pray with, or for, someone while at church? Does it mean they should not read scripture out loud or give announcements during the service? Just what are the rational and practical implications of Paul’s comments? One individual made the absurd notion that it is perfectly fine for a woman to speak in the church, as long as it was in the basement, rather than in the sanctuary. As ridiculous as this may seem to us today, it wasn’t that far back that women in the 19th Century were not allowed to pray or even sing in the church. 5
Catherine Booth, the Co-founder of The Salvation Army, made a sobering and predictive statement in her article which she wrote in 1896. The article was entitled, Female Ministry, or Women’s Right to Preach the Gospel. She wrote, “We fear it will be found, in the great day of account, that a mistaken and unjustifiable application of the passage, “Let your women keep silence in the Churches,” has resulted in more loss to the Church, evil to the world, and dishonor to God.” 6
Sadly, there are those today who are willing to go to great lengths to maintain debatable limitations on what are considered to be acceptable roles for women in the church. This raises another poignant question. Does this “rule” also apply to women serving in a house church or at churches meeting in different settings such as a public school, restaurant, or meeting hall? How far do we go in holding to and implementing a confusing position which may have been misunderstood, misconstrued and mismanaged? Interestingly enough, there are some Bible scholars who purport that 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 was not even a part of the original manuscript written by the Apostle Paul and is not found in the earliest copies of his letter to the Corinthians. Instead, it is argued that like other portions of Scripture found in John 7:53-8:11 and Mark 16:9-20, it was extra-biblical material which later was added by ancient Scribes when making copies. Supposedly, these Scribes, though well-intentioned, made changes to the original text that were not sanctioned by the Apostles or by the early Church Fathers. Craig Keener, in his Bible Background Commentary, explains, “Because the topic changes so abruptly and some manuscripts relocate 14:34-35, many scholars see these verses as an interpolation by a later scribe.” 7 As tempting as such a solution might seem, it is unnecessary, in light of other more viable options.
Without question, there are a number of highly charged words used by Paul in this passage. A helpful and insightful thing to do when seeking to better understand Scripture is to look at the actual original language used in the text; in this case it is the Greek language. Looking more closely at the English equivalent (synonyms) of the two Greek key words for silent and speak, one can arrive at a more suitable meaning to the, seemingly, volatile words used by Paul.
The Greek word for “speak” is laleo which is translated “to talk or utter” and was used primarily of children who tended to talk too much. The idea is somewhat indicative of the old adage, “children are to be seen, not to be heard.” It seems doubtful that such an attitude should also be adopted towards women in general. The Greek word for “silent” is sigao which can be translated as “keep close, hidden, secret, to hush or hold one’s peace.” 8 This word is also used of those who were told to keep silent if they did not have an interpreter for the one speaking in tongues or giving a prophecy without a revelation from God (14:28-30). Things were expected to be kept “orderly” for all in the church, both men and women (14:39)!
In combining the inherent meanings associated with the Greek translations of these two words, one can discover a revealing and plausible reason for Paul’s usage of the words. Besides the issue of a general disorderliness during church gatherings, it appears that the Apostle Paul was also dealing with a growing problem of some women who had become disruptive by talking too much and, very possibly, sharing secrets (gossip) which should best be kept silent, hidden or hushed. These women were told to hold their peace. Why? Because gossip would indeed be “disgraceful” to share, particularly in the church. King Solomon, considered to be the wisest person in the world, stated, “A gossip betrays a confidence; so, avoid a person who talks too much” (Proverbs 20:19). Paul told Timothy that the wife of an elder must “be women of respect, not malicious talkers” (1 Tim. 3:11). He also spoke to Titus of a related issue in church at Crete (1:5). Paul asked Titus to confront older women about being respectful and “not to be slanders” (2:3).
Each of the examples above serve to illustrate the growing social problems which the Apostle Paul had to deal with and rightfully address in order to maintain unity, civility and charity within the church (Philippians 2:1-5).
Options to Consider
When seeking to come to a viable conclusion pertaining to Paul’s statements on prohibiting women from speaking, or teaching in the church, there are some factors to take to heart and options to consider. One such factor is recognizing both the historical and cultural setting of the passage in question. Once more, Scott McKnight offers an informative perspective. He writes, “The New Testament – all of it – emerges from, and therefore was shaped by, first century Jewish and Greco – Roman culture, including what it said about women…we should read the Bible – as a culturally conditioned revelation of God’s word that needs to be worked out in a modern context.” 2 This means that it is important to remember that the secular culture during Paul’s day, had a low view of women’s place in society and unfortunately, that attitude carried over into the church as well. But as we have seen, this was not Paul’s attitude towards women. As demonstrated by the example of Jesus, Paul also greatly respected the women who served beside him in the work of the kingdom. So then, how do we account for Paul’s seemingly inconsistent comments about putting restrictions on women’s roles in the church? Below are some possible explanations for this apparent discrepancy:
Option 1. Paul was merely echoing the preexisting attitudes towards women that were displayed in the culture and society of his day. This option seems highly unlikely in light of Paul’s positive comments about the women he constantly incorporated into his ministry and how often he thanked them for serving in a variety of leadership roles. Therefore, three other options remain which are worthy of consideration.
Option 2. Paul was primarily addressing specific circumstances connected to the churches of his day. This option seems viable since Paul had to address some very pressing issues in the churches he had started. These enigmatic issues included adultery, incest, misuse of spiritual gifts, questionable worship practices, lack of modesty and more.
Option 3. Paul was simply expressing his personal opinions and relaying his own convictions rather than laying down an over-riding mandate from God for all people and for all time.
Option 4. Misunderstanding Paul’s true intentions in his writings to Timothy and the Corinthian church due to a limited and incomplete knowledge of key words in his discourses, that are more fully revealed in the original languages.
Regardless of the option or combination of options one may prefer, the point is that there are other reasonable, and perhaps probable, alternatives to only accepting a more traditional view of women’s roles in the church. In spite of the popularity and outspokenness of those who want to preserve certain restrictions on a woman’s place in the church, it does not ensure or validate that such views proffered are sound or that their personal convictions should be seen as sacrosanct. To avoid unnecessary personal bias, it is always beneficial to take into consideration one’s preconceived viewpoints which could lead one to indiscriminately ignore other views that could be more accurate and appropriate. What one presumes to be true, may very well be unsupported by the prevailing truths that can be gleaned from a much broader spectrum of Scripture and study of the original languages.
A Personal Conclusion
It could be argued that the views put forth in this article are nothing more than a byproduct of my own personal opinions and convictions. While there is an element of truth to that premise, the same argument could be made about any person’s critique of the options which have been presented. May God give us all the discernment and humility needed to carefully examine our beliefs and not to consider our own opinions and convictions, as valid as they may seem, to be seen as equivalent to God’s all-encompassing and uncompromising commands for the whole church body to accept and follow.
Nonetheless, it is my personal opinion and deep conviction, that women should be free to use their Spiritual gifts, natural talents and leadership skills to help move forward God’s Kingdom work here on earth. Of course, everyone is free to have opinions which differ. However, the right to choose what one will believe, should not be interpreted as a directive for all believers, since they too are seeking to faithfully serve God. May the Lord give us the courage and diligence to change pre-held convictions when deemed necessary and more compatible with the example, teachings and character of Christ.
I Footnotes:
1. John MacArthur’s Resources, Sermons and Articles, Facebook website
2. The Blue Parakeet – Rethinking How to Read the Bible (2008), McKnight, Scott. Zondervan Books
3. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary (1962), Moody Bible Publishers
4. http://www.womeninthescriptures.com
5. Article entitled, Exploring the Biblical Theology of Christian Egalitarianism (2011). Margo Mowczko
6. Essay by Catherine Booth (1896). thegospeltruth.net (online source)
7. The IVP Bible Background Commentary (2014). Keener, Criag S. InterVarsity Press
8. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (2007), Hendrikson Publishers
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