FellowshipHall SS Class

Roleof Women in Church

RobertC. Newman 4/14/91

 

Introduction

 

An emotionaland devisive problem – collision between:

            --recent cultural changes toward feminism

            --traditional bibli­cal inter­pre­ta­tion

 

Two dangers we should seek to avoid:

            (1)being moved from biblical position by culture

            (2)holding to traditional view if not biblical

           

 

My Position:

 

I hold thatthe traditional biblical interpretation re/ the role of women in the church isbasically biblical, namely:

 

Thatthe role of women in the church is basically the same as that of men, with twoexceptions:

            --women are not to rule over (adult) men

            --women are not to teach (adult) men

 

 

Primary Passage:  1 Timothy 2:11-12

 

"Let awoman quietly receive instruction with entire submis­siveness.  But I do not allow a woman to teach orexercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet." (NASB)

 

"A womanshould learn in quietness and full submission.  I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over aman; she must be silent." (NIV)

 

Context: Paul's instructions (chs 2-3) to hisassociate Timothy (who was apparently in charge in the church at Ephesus) re­gardingthe proper functioning of the church (3:14-15):

 

                        Prayer(2:1-10)

                                    objectsof (1-7)

                                    men'sconduct in (8)

                                    women'sconduct in (9-10)

                        Authorityand Office (2:11-3:13)

                                    restrictionson women (2:11-15)

                                    qualificationsfor overseer/elder (3:1-7)

                                    qualificationsfor deacon/deaconess? (3:8-13)

                        ApostolicAuthority of These Instructions (3:14-16)

 

Content: Paul limits the authority of women overmen in the area of teaching and ruling, using the paired opposites"learn/teach" and "submission/authority"

 

PaulŐs Argumentation:  Genesis 2 and 3

 

In 1 Tim 2:13-14,Paul gives two biblical arguments for his position of vv 11-12, one fromcreation, the other from the fall:

 

"Adam was formed first, thenEve."

 

This argumenthas been commonly ridiculed by more radical feminist interpreters, as thoughmankind should then be subject to the fish, birds and animals, since they werecreated before Adam & Eve.

 

If there isanything to biblical Xy, it is foolish to argue with an apostle whom Godinspired to write much of the NT.

 

Paul, thoughwriting to a trusted associate, surely intended to give Timothy material whichhe could pass on to Xns in Ephesus and by which later Xns elsewhere could learnhow they too "should conduct themselves in the church of God."  We should thus try to understand hisargu­ment.  It appears to becondensed, as are many of the argu­ments of Jesus and the rabbis.

 

Paul issummarizing Genesis 2, the closeup picture of human creation, in which theaccount of Genesis 1 (which might otherwise have been understood to indicatethe creation of man and woman was simultaneous) is expanded to show that Adamwas created earlier. 

 

Paul's point,I suggest, is not that merely being creat­ed earlier implies greaterauthority.  Rather, note what tran­spiresbetween Adam's creation (2:7) and Eve's (2:21-23):

 

            Adamis commissioned to care for the garden and he is warned about eating from theforbidden tree (2:15-17);

 

            Adamnames the animals and God allows his names to stand, so that Adam has authorityover the animals under God (2:18-20).

 

Since none ofthe animals were suitable to be Adam's helper, Eve is created (2:21-23) fromAdam's side rather than as a totally separate creation, probably so as to beincluded within the commis­sion/c­ove­nant given to Adam.  That this was done after, rather than before, the commission was given and animalsnamed implies that Eve is subordinate to Adam in authority, being in a sensehis descendant.

 

Paul thusargues that in creation, before the fall, the Adam/Eve relation includes anauthority structure that is generalizable to later generations and to churchauthority.

 

"Adam not deceived but womanwas."

 

Paul herepicks up on Eve's admission – "the serpent de­ceived me" –given at God's inquest in Gen 3:8-13.

 

            Asabove, I suspect Paul is making use of the whole context:

 

                        --Eve apparently didn't ask Adam's advice before eating, though he seems to havebeen nearby (3:6, "with her").

                        --Adam listened to Eve's advice (3:17) and ate, though he was not deceived by theserpent.

 

Thus Evetaught Adam (by word and deed) and Adam learned from her.  Eve took the initiative rather thanleaving it to Adam.

 

Paul thusargues that in the fall, the creation-ordained authority structure was violatedby Eve's action, and that the effects of this violation continue even in thechurch to this day.

 

 

Continuation of Disabilities

 

The cursesgiven as a result of the fall in Gen 3:14-19 continue to this day, though somemitigation has occurred though modern technology, spread of Xy:

 

            Allhumans:                 death

                        Man:               resistanceof soil

                        Woman:          difficultchildbirth

 

Thedivisiveness of the authority matter in marriage ("the battle of thesexes") seems to be a part of this curse, as noted by Susan Foh, whocompares the structure of Gen 3:16 to that of 4:7:

 

            "Untoyour husband shall be your desire, and he shall exer­cise dominion over you."(3:16)

 

            "Untoyou [Cain] is its [sin's] desire, and you should have dominion over it."(4;7)

 

Thisphenomenon, though often characterized as unfair, is a feature of numerousother biblical situations, in which the sin of an ancestor is visited upon his/herdescendants:

 

            Reuben- loses firstborn status to Joseph and family priest­hood to Levi as resultof his incest (Gen 49).

 

            Eli- family eventually loses high priesthood as result of his failure todiscipline sons (1 Sam 2:27-36).

 

            Saul- does not pass kingship to sons (1 Sam 15).

 

I suggest thedisallowing of women to serve as leaders over men continues to some futuretime, probably the millen­nium or eternal state, since the other curses ofGen 3 end at these times.

 

Agreement with Biblical Practice:

 

That this is notjust a peculiar interpretation of isolated passages, note that the data of OTand NT practice does not support the idea of equal opportunity for men andwomen in positions of teaching/authority over men.

 

New Testament Practice

 

            NoApostles Women

                        Jesuscertainly had women who helped in his ministry, but none of the 12 were women.

                        Womencertainly were eyewitnesses of his resurrection, but none listed in Paul's list,and apparently not believed by the men.

                        Broaderuse of "apostle" might include Junia, Rom 16:7 (unless this isJunias, a poss nickname for Junianus); even with feminine name, this may mean"outstanding in opinion of apostles."

 

            NoScripture Writers Women

                        (notwriter of Hebrews, who uses masculine to refer to self in Heb 11:32)

 

            ClearlyWomen Prophesied: Anna, daughters of Philip, etc.

                        Someargument whether this authoritative or not, teaching or not; I think it is, butthis is a matter of God's charismatic initiative, not a regular office (seebelow for OT distinction).

 

            NoSpecific Indication of Change from OT Situation

                        Mainsuggestion is Gal 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neitherslave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in ChristJesus."

                        Butcontext is sonship & inheritance, not office

                                    inOT, Gentiles, slaves, females not normally heirs, but in Christ this is changed.

 


Old Testament Practice

 

            RegularOffices: standard arrangements for succession

                        Nopriests women

                        NoLevites women

                        Nokings women (except Athaliah, 2 Kings 11, an usurper)

           

            CharismaticOffices: chosen by God's Spirit

                        Severalprophets:

                                    Miriam:listed as leading Israel with her brothers (Mic 6:4); as prophet (Ex 15:20)leading women in dancing and tambourine playing.

                                    Deborahalso called prophet (Jdg 4:4)

                                    Isaiah'swife (Isa 8:3)

                                    Unnamedfalse prophets (Ezk 13:17-23)

                                    Huldah:sought for consultation rather than speaking in public (2 Kings 22:14ff)

                                    Noadiah(Neh 6:14)

                        Onejudge:

                                    Deborah:clearly leading and being consulted in public, but in a context where men not doingwhat they should (Jud 4-5).

                        NoScripture writers appear to be women

                                    butimportant utterances are recorded:

                                                Miriam(Ex 15:20): singing Moses' song

                                                Deborah(Jud 5): own song

                                                Hannah(1 Sam 2): ditto

                                    similarlyin NT w/ Mary (Luke 1)

 

 

Conclusions

 

For virtuallyevery command in Scripture, situations are recorded in which it has not beenfollowed, either by way of violation or by way of exception:  e.g.

 

                        Humansacrifice:

                                    forbiddenin general (Deut 12:31)

                                    commandedin case of Abraham and Isaac (Gen 22)

                                    appcarried out for Jephthah and daughter (Jdg 10)

 

                        EatingShowbread:

                                    forbiddento non-priests (Lev 24:5-9)

                                    eatenby David et al (1 Sam 21:1-6)

                                    approvedby Jesus (Mark 2:25-27)

 

It is notunreasonable to see the exceptions under OT and NT practice above in thislight.

 

It appearsthat our suggestion re/ Paul's teaching on the role of women in teaching men orhaving authority over them fits the tenor of Scripture better than the claimthat there should be no such distinction does.