DOES THE BIBLE FORBID A WOMAN FROM TEACHING OR RULING A CHURCH CONGREGATION?
By Ezekiel Kimosop
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Before the turn of the 21st Century this question was not even remotely contemplated in the church because traditionally churches across all denominations were unquestioningly led by men.
Today the dimensions have changed such that even among orthordox or conservative churches such as Anglicans and Presbyterians women have been admitted into ordained Ministry.
The Charismatics and Pentecostals led the way on female ordination and this finally opened the floodgates we see today where female bishops are a common feature in the contemporary church.
Some conservative Evangelical/Baptist churches have however been cautious on female ordination while others have flatly rejected the clamour for "reforms" to this end.
I am aware that the issue of female ordination is still quite a divisive one, pitting the so called "Liberals" against the "Conservative" traditions.
I intend to approach my answer to the above question purely on what I can discern from the teaching of Scripture.
I do not intend to defend or dismiss a particular church tradition or leadership model or to prejudice any gender or group. Instead I seek to champion a healthy biblical conversation on this controversial issue so that we may learn important insights from Scripture. The word of God is always the source of all truth and Christian practices should rest on its principles.
One cardinal rule of Scripture interpretation is to examine the passage context in order to draw the meaning that the author intended for his readers. We believe that God spoke through the apostles and inspired their writings through the Holy Spirit. Every passage of scripture is to be read in context and its meaning understood and applied by the church.
It is my hope that this exposition will shed some light on this topic.
INTRODUCTORY PASSAGE
The passage of context lies in 1Timothy 2:1-15 where Paul was giving instructions regarding order in a church worship.
He first outlines the features of congregational prayer (1Tim 2:1-5) saying that prayer was required for all men generally and specifically for those in authority (1Tim 2:2).
He underscores the centrality of Christ as the mediator [High Priest] between man and God.
The ultimate purpose of prayer is to connect or reconcile sinful man to a holy God (1Tim 2:3-6). Paul identifies that this mediation resonates with his calling as an apostle to the Gentile ministry (1Tim 2:7). Notice the several offices that Paul occupied as preacher, apostle and teacher.
We may consider the opening statement of 1 Timothy 2:1-7 [more specifically verse 7] as Paul's justification for the powerful teaching he was about to make.
We may also consider it as Paul's defense of his apostolic authority that some had doubted or disparaged such that the mention of two heretics in the concluding passage of 1Tim 1:19-20 is instructive.
It appears that Hymenaeus and Alexander taught that the resurrection had already taken place (2Tim 2:17). Alexander [if he was the same man mentioned in both scriptures] had resisted Paul's ministry (2Tim 4:14). Both were excommunicated under Paul's apostolic instructions.
BIBLICAL ANALYSIS OF THE PASSAGE
Let us begin with the passage that holds the crux of the debate - 1 Timothy 2:8-15.
1Timothy 2:12 states (NKJV) "And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence." The NAB translation is similar to the NKJV but concludes with an emphatic "....she must be quiet."
The Young Literal Translation (YLT), one of the most respected old literal translations contextualizes the teaching to a marriage setting saying "and a woman I do not suffer [permit] to teach or to rule a husband, but to be in quietness."
There are two manifest outcomes from the interpretion of this scripture.
It is either that Paul was not permitting women believers to teach church congregations or that married women should not teach if the husband was present with her in church.
The other interpretion is to hold that Paul was addressing a specific issue that only concerned the Ephesians. This interpretation is acceptable to the liberal thinkers who believe that the instructions were of local application
Now back to our passage of context...
The next part of the Scripture passage provides specific guidelines on worship in the church (1Tim 2:8-12).
This is consistent with Paul's various instructions on church leadership which he later outlines in greater detail in 1Tim 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-7.
By raising holy hands, men (believers) are to worship God with purity of hearts and in faith (1Tim 2:9). The word "everywhere" suggests that all congregations in Ephesus and all churches in Paul's oversight were possibly implied.
This is perhaps another hint to the universality of the application of the teachings of this passage.
WOMEN AND CHURCH WORSHIP
The next address is directed to women. This teaching concludes the passage (1Tim 2:9-12).
Women are instructed on modest or seemly dressing (1Tim 2:9-10). The negations are spelt out in detail. Bible scholars say that temple prostitutes dedicated to the worship of goddess Diana (Greek Artemis) in Ephesus dressed expensively to attract men and there was fear that Christian women should avoid sending confusing signals to men.
This Scripture passage has been cited by some liberal thinkers in support of local application of the teachings of 1 Timothy 2.
The second instruction to Christian women is perhaps the most controversial of all Paul's teachings (1Tim 2:11-12).
Paul instructs that the believing woman should learn in silence or quietness and with all subjection or obedience.
Did he imply that women should never speak in church? Let us keep this question close as we explore the passage.
THE PROHIBITION ON WOMEN
The next verse of 1 Timothy 2:12 carries the famous prohibition on women, apparently forbidding them from teaching or ruling a man but to be in quietness.
Some have tried to circumvent this Scripture by arguing that only Christian husbands were contemplated and that not all male believers were in view.
My view is that it matters less if we translate the Greek word "aner" as "man" or "husband".
The object of this address clearly reveals that believers are in view in either case. The context is a plenary church gathering and not a household Christian fellowship.
This scripture raises a fundamental question.
Did the Holy Spirit intend a local or universal application for this teaching? Was the writer merely addressing an Ephesian problem or was he divinely inspired by God in pronouncing universal regulations for all the churches in all ages?
The answer to this question depends on whether one subscribes to Egalitarian or Complimentarian theological persuation.
Those who argue that a local church context was contemplated by Scripture under this passage say that Paul was simply dealing with some "disorder" in Ephesus and nowhere did God intend that the restrictions should apply to all churches in all ages.
They further argue that the Ephesus problem was similar in some aspects to the "disorder" in Corinth and that the passage centred on housekeeping matters relating only to the churches mentioned.
This hermeneutic has been disputed by conservative Evangelical traditions who insist to that the universal application is the most plausible interpretation of the passage.
In order to deepen our analysis, we shall briefly examine the Corinthian case in order to identify the lines of similarity with the Ephesian case.
THE CORINTHIAN PARALLEL
It is undeniably evident that there are clear parallels in the Corinthian assembly which closely related to the Ephesian experience. Paul's prescriptions in both cases are somewhat similar.
1Cor. 14:34 says "let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law."
There are three important observations arising from the above scripture when read together 1Cor.11:1-16.
First, Paul appeals to the law, indicating that the instruction was legally binding on the church. He proclaims that the man is head over the woman in the same way that Christ is head over the church (1Cor.11:3). This teaching is upheld in several other passages of the Bible (cf. Ephesians 5:22-33).
The second issue relates to Paul's reference to the creation order in 1Cor.11:8-9). This is the same teaching by which Paul concluded our passage of context in 1Tim 2:13 saying "For Adam was formed then Eve".
When Paul speaks of the creation order in both cases, the argument in favor of universal application of both passages finds merit.
Thirdly, Paul goes a step further to appeal to the order of the fall of Adam and Eve saying "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in transgression" (1 Timothy 2:14). In this case, Eve is recognized as having fallen before Adam and on this basis, men are assigned preeminence in ruling church congregations.
This statement appears to further complicate the local application argument! There is little doubt in biblical scholarship that the Fall of Adam was and is universal in scope. This Fall affected all humanity right from Adam!
This is not to suggest that Adam was not in transgression but that God has sovereignly chosen to apply creation and the order of the Fall in laying out the authority structure in the church! This is God's sovereign decision.
The fourth and final issue raised by Paul is found in 1Cor. 11:16 where he argues that it was a universal custom in all churches that women are to be subject to male authority. This teaching no doubt beings into focus the custom in the Gentile churches and possibly contemplates the practice in the Jerusalem Church as well (cf. Acts 15:28-29).
Church traditions are powerful instruments that have guided our Christian practices over the ages. Where a church tradition is consistent with Scripture, my view is that it serves God's higher purposes and should therefore be upheld.
Now back to the Corinthian assembly....
My view is that the teaching on Christian women covering their hair was simply a confirmation of God's order of rule and was evidence of the woman's submission to male spiritual authority. This submission does not in any way prejudice the woman's standing in Christ! It is simply God's design for which He should receive glory.
Finally, It is evident from 1Timothy 3:1-13 that women were excluded from church offices. This restriction is also amplified in Titus 1:6-9.
CONCLUSION
So how do we conclude our analysis on this question?
Let us rephrase our question again...
Does the Bible forbid women from teaching and ruling church congregations?
From our analysis of the relevant Scripture passages, we can conclude this discussion using four key questions as follows:
1) Should women ever rule a church congregation?
My concluding view arising from the study of the Ephesian and Corinthian cases is that God desires that church congregations ought to be ruled by spiritually mature male believers. They should not be novices or recent converts (1Timothy 3:6).
However, if no male believers are available, or those present are unwilling to lead or rule, my view is that mature Christian women may hold brief in the church until such a time that the incapacity is rectified.
These women should disciple men and equip them to lead. This is what some pioneer female missionaries possibly did in Africa and other remote regions.
This is of course an extremely rare situation to arise today but we cannot entirely rule it out.
I would describe it as the Deborah syndrome because Deborah, the only female judge and prophetess in Israel, was compelled to step into leadership momentarily when Barak was reluctant to lead Israel to battle (Judges 4:8-9).
2) Should women ever speak or preach in church congregation?
My view is that since women can prophesy in the same way that men do, there is nothing that prevents a woman from speaking in church or even exercising her spiritual gifts, provided that she does not rule the congregation or usurp spiritual authority.
This interpretation has been accepted by conservative Evangelical traditions as the biblical basis by which women can serve in church ministries.
I believe gifted women and trained women pastors with a calling to should be permitted to preach provided that they publicly submit to male authority.
In that way, a female pastor will be functioning biblically without expressly violating the teaching of Scripture. I consider this approach as a healthy compromise.
I am aware that some conservative teachers would find this accommodative approach unpalatable!
3) Should women be ordained as overseers or bishops?
While each denomination has its set of rules by which they run their churches, my view is that ordaining a woman as bishop or overseer is manifestly unbiblical. This appears to violate several teachings of Scripture such as 1Cor. 11:3, Eph. 5:23; 1Tim 2:12-14; 1 Tim 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-7.
4) Can a woman serve as a church elder?
The Bible explicitly disqualifies women from serving as church elders (Titus 1:6-7; 1Tim 3:1-7). There is however divided opinion on the admission of women into deaconry.
Some churches consider the wives of elders as deaconesses because they minister to elders. On that basis, the wives of pastors and elders are appointed into deaconry. Conservative teachers may find this approach to be manifestly inconsistent with 1 Timothy 3:8-13 which appears to contemplate married male believers.
I have no issue with either interpretion on Deaconry.
CONCLUSION
I wish to conclude by stating that the leadership model outlined in the Scriptures we have cited does not in any way affect women's equal and joint heritage with men in Christ. The Bible teaches that there is neither male nor female but all are one in Christ (Galatians 3:28).
We have simply outlined God's divine order in church congregation leadership which is a distinctly different issue.
I am aware that some will disagree with my conclusion and that's perfectly healthy for biblical discourse.
I wish to clarify that this article is purely based on my discernment of biblical truth. It is neither informed by male chauvinism nor female subjugation nor any bias nor any church traditions to which I am affiliated in ministry.
I have exclusively used the Scriptures in drawing the conclusions in this article. This is my personal opinion.
I welcome any well argued dissenting opinion articles on this topic. I also welcome any criticism or requests for clarifications from readers.
Shalom
© Ezekiel Kimosop Teaching Series 2019. All Rights Reserved.
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