To begin with, we need to keep two governing principles in mind. Everyone brings with them a lot of baggage and preconceived ideas. For instance, Feminism is not a bad word in itself, especially when we understand biblical feminism. Biblical feminism is simply the emphasis in the Holy Scriptures that women are created equal with men and are due equal honor as the heirs of eternal life and therefore the rights of women are to be given voice and protection, as it fulfills God’s Word in loving our neighbor (Texts).

Two Governing Principles:

• We must obey God’s living Word, regardless of our imperfect understanding, preferences, and personal feelings
• Pragmatism, namely, the ends justify the means, must be rejected

Having said that I wish to address this very important subject in a spirit of love and with a due honoring of my sisters in the Lord. This subject has been totally abused, often communicated in an unbalanced way, and plagued with ignorant perspectives, that have not done truth any favors.

I entreat all to prayerfully consider this subject. It is about being obedient to God’s Word.

Obeying God’s Living Word

1 Samuel 15:22-23 ‘Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.”’

King Saul was commanded by the Lord to destroy all that lives of the nation Amalek (1 Samuel 15:3). King Saul disobeyed God. It is particularly significant to our subject that he thought that his disobedience would be covered up by the act of sacrificing the banned livestock to the Lord. King Saul was taking the initiative to lead in worship, while Samuel was not there, and he justified himself instead of obeying the voice of the Lord.

The Prophet Samuel addressed King Saul’s disobedience as specifically not ‘obeying the voice of the Lord’ and rejecting the word of the Lord.

Regarding our subject, women in the office of the pastorate, which necessarily includes teaching in the corporate assembly, and in leading in the church, the question is: does the Lord command against it?

The answer is yes. Here are the New Testament passages in which God commands against women being pastors, teaching in church, speaking in church, and in having positions of authority in the church.

1 Timothy 2:9-15 ‘Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.’

1 Timothy 3:14-15 ‘I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.’

1 Corinthians 14:34-38 ‘The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church. Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only? If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.’

The key point regarding these commands is that it is about ‘how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God’ and ‘in the churches.’ They are exclusive to what takes place while doing church. The Greek word for ‘Church’ is ἐκκλησία (ekklésia) which means the general assembly. It is regarding any meeting together of the ‘assembly of the people of God,’ whether in homes, fields, or established church buildings, when the general assembly is together. Meetings made exclusively of women and children, rather than households and families, does not apply to this prohibition.

The only way to counter these clear commands of God against women in positions of leadership in the church and in women speaking in church is to either argue that these commands are no longer relevant and/or to argue a pragmatic position in which the benefits outweigh the clear disobedience to God’s Word.

As far as addressing the argument that these commands are no longer relevant, it is particularly 1 Timothy 2:13,14, that stands out. Paul gives the following explanation for why women are commanded to not teach and expressly instructed to remain quiet.

For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

Paul’s answer shows that the teaching cannot be limited to any sort of dispensation, so as to infer that it is no longer relevant, as our creation and subsequent fall into sin has not been in any way annulled. An answer based upon the Order of Creation, in which Adam was created first and then Eve, and secondly, that the woman was deceived, while Adam was not, necessarily prove an ongoing application until there is a new creation and until this fallen world is no more.

As far as how to understand these two answers, consider that firstly, from the beginning, God chose Adam to rule principally, in which Adam named the creatures and even named Eve, with meaning. From the very beginning God intended by way of a creational purpose that Adam would “name” the things of this creation, which is an authoritative role of stating officially the meaning and nature of things, which is characteristic of preaching and teaching. In the second place, first of all understand that Satan could have just as easily deceived Adam, as women are no more prone to deception than men. What is important to understand, is that because Satan’s stratagem to bring about our fall involved Eve’s deception in order for the fall to be complete. In that he must succeed in getting Adam to sin without deception. Satan used Eve only as leverage, in order to bring about Adam’s sin without deception. What is important to see is that we have reaffirmed the principal role given to the male image bearer as The Definer (i.e. one who names) over God’s creation. By Satan’s stratagem of necessarily targeting Adam and not Eve, we have revealed to us Adam’s principal role over creation that was not given to Eve.

Apparent Contradictions

Passages that apparently show women in leadership and ministry in the Old Testament

• Judges 4:4 – Highlights Deborah, a prophetess who judged and led Israel during a critical time.
  • God chose Deborah to do what she did as one-of-a-kind within the nation of Israel, but this does not set a precedent that contradicts the clear New Testament commandment for the church
• 2 Kings 22:14 – Mentions Huldah, a prophetess whose counsel was sought by the king and high priest regarding the Book of the Law
  • Women who have the gift of prophesy may freely do so, except in the corporate body of the assembly of the saints, namely the church
• Proverbs 31:10-31 – Describes the Proverbs 31 Woman as a homemaker, resourceful business owner, real estate investor, and leader who works with strength and wisdom
  • Women, being image bearers, are to exercise leadership and to take the initiative in their homes, in secular society, but not in the church

Passages that apparently show women in leadership and ministry in the New Testament

• Romans 16:1 – Commends Phoebe as a deacon (διάκονος) of the church in Cenchrae.
  • Women may be deacons, but they are not to exercise authority over men, and they are only to do what has been specifically delegated for them to do, by men in the eldership, for the purpose of serving in the capacity of the diaconate
• Romans 16:7 – Recognizes an apostle with the possible female name of ‘Junia,’ as prominent among the apostles
  • I reject that ‘Ἰουνίαν’ (Byzantine Text) is a feminine word. Should be Junias, which is masculine.
  • “…my fellow kinsmen and fellow prisoners….” Paul refers to them as his ‘fellow kinsmen’ (τοὺς συγγενής – compare with Luke 1:36 ἡ συγγενίς). While Paul’s use for ‘kinsmen’ can be translated as male or female, there was a specific word that was definitely feminine, such as Luke 1:36. τοὺς is a masculine accusative plural form of the definite article ὁ, ἡ, τό (meaning “the”), while ἡ is a feminine definite article
  • If there was a female apostle, why didn’t the Lord Jesus have at least one female among His 12 apostles, when women had such a prominent role in His ministry?
• Acts 2:17 – ‘your sons and your daughters shall prophesy’
  • Women who have the gift of prophesy may freely do so, except in the corporate body of the assembly of the saints, namely the church
• Acts 18:26 – Shows Priscilla (along with her husband Aquila) explaining the way of God more accurately to the prominent teacher Apollos
  • Women who have the gift of teaching may freely do so, except in the corporate body of the assembly of the saints, namely the church
• Acts 21:9 – ‘Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.’
  • Women who have the gift of prophesy may freely do so, except in the corporate body of the assembly of the saints, namely the church
• Philippians 4:3 – Acknowledges Euodia and Syntyche as women who labored side-by-side with the Apostle Paul in the gospel.
  • Women who have the gift of ministering or furthering the gospel may freely do so, except in the corporate body of the assembly of the saints, namely the church

‘Because of The Angels’

1 Corinthians 11:10 ‘Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.’

Have you ever wondered what this means? Why refer to angels?

Women are commanded to wear a head covering when prophesying. It is imperative to understand that Paul is not contradicting the prohibition of women speaking in the church in chapter 14, of the same epistle. Paul is commanding women to wear a head covering when they prophesy in their homes or wherever they might be, so long as they remain silent in the corporate assembly of the saints.

What then of Paul’s reference to the angels? Clearly women are not less than men, nor are they incapable of serving, but it is about women submitting themselves to the role that God has determined for them.

It is striking that the role that angels have from God is very similar to the role that God has given to women. ‘Because of the angels’ is about how the angels themselves are occupying a role that involves the same deference to others, only because God has commanded it, not because they are inferior to those whom they serve.

Consider how great the angels are. Spiritual beings made in the image of God, of such a glory that if one were to appear before us, we would be overcome and would be prompted to bow down and worship them (Texts).

The angels were commanded to provide spiritual service to mere mankind, who are clearly less than angels at the present time (Hebrews 2:7,9). Imagine being such a glorious angel and God commands you to render service toward these lesser fleshly beings that God has been pleased to make in His image.

I think, as do others, that this was the very reason for the rebellion in heaven, in which the angels, led by Satan, opposed God’s will for themselves.

Those women who submit to God’s command are like those angels who obey God, while those who reject God’s command to ‘keep silent in the churches’ and to ‘not teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet’ are like those fallen angels. Such disobedient women are following the doctrines of demons.

Dear sisters in the Lord, show your obedience to God’s Word by keeping God’s command to you and do not listen to Satan.

For Those Who Will Not Hear This…

1 Corinthians 14:38 ‘But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.’

Christian, it is your responsibility to hear and obey God’s Word over the authority of any other person (Acts 17:11). Do not submit yourself to those who disobey God’s Word, no matter what their argument is. Even if you believe God speaks to you through such disobedient women, or you just like women preaching over you, it is up to you to repent of this disobedience and to submit even as the angels do to their unique command from God over them.

I have at times been edified by pastors who have since fallen away from the faith. I have often been edified by Christian teachers who have been in significant error. I remember being edified while reading a commentary on Leviticus by a Jewish Rabbi who was not believing in Jesus. Understand, that what is edifying is God’s Word, not mere people. Even a donkey has spoken God’s Word (2 Peter 2:15,16) and ‘even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light’ (2 Corinthians 11:12-15). So, do not use the argument that you should listen to people just because you find them edifying. Do not naively disobey an express command of God simply because it seems good for you to do so and because it is popular among many people (Exodus 23:2).