The role of women in the church!

Can Women Preach and Hold Ecclesiastical Positions?

“Woman in her greatest perfection was made to serve and obey man.” John Knox (150-1572)Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation, and founder of the Presbyterian denomination in Scotland

“Woman must neither begin nor complete anything without man: where he is, there she must be, and bend before him as before a master, whom she shall fear and to whom she shall be subject and obedient.” - Martin Luther – German priest and professor of theology who initiated the Protestant Reformation with treaty on Justification by Faith

“Take up a stick and beat her, not in rage, but out of charity and concern for her soul, so that the beating will rebound to your merit and her good.” - Friar Cherubino in His Rules of Marriage - On what a medieval husband should do if his wife does not obey his verbal correction

Women who preach or teach in church are operating out of a Jezebel spirit.

Women are believed to be: Inferior to men, second-class citizens Objects for sensual gratification alone Weak; incapable of real strength The personal property of men, the equivalent of

cattle Personal servants, whose only purpose is to meet

the needs of their masters Domestic slaves, to be used as desired – Prostitution Objects to be passed around until finished with, and

then discarded Deserving of abuse, subhuman

(taken from Myles’ Book: Understanding the Purpose and Power of Women)

A woman’s place is in the home – ONLY! “What is the difference whether it is in a wife or a mother; it is still Eve

the temptress that we must be aware of in any woman… I fail to see what use women can be to man, if one excludes the function of bearing children.” St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

A woman is suppose to be silent in church learning only from the men. “Out of respect to the congregation, a woman should not herself read in

the law. It is a shame for a woman to let her voice be heard among men. The voice of a woman is filthy nakedness.” From the Jewish Talmud

God himself gave man license to rule over women!

“…Woman is defective and misbegotten, for the active power in the male seed tends to the production of a perfect likeness in the masculine sex, while production of woman comes from defect in the active force.” – Thomas Aquinas-Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus

A woman cannot hold any position in the church where she occupies a position of authority over a man.

“We don’t believe there’s a place for women elders in the church. When the apostle Paul said that a woman should not “teach or exercise authority over a man” (1 Timothy 2:12), he did not follow that statement with a cultural argument. Rather he went all the way back to creation to show that women weren’t intended to dominate men. The reasons he gave are that the woman was created after the man, and that she was deceived when acting independently of his leadership.” California Pastor and Author John MacArthur

Women cannot preach or teach in a church. “The woman taught once, and ruined all. On this

account…let her not teach.. The whole female race transgressed…Let her not, however, grieve. God hath given her no small consolation, that of childbearing.” –Early Church Father John Chrysostom 400 A.D.

“No wickedness comes anywhere near the wickedness of a woman…Sin began with a woman and thanks to her all must die.” – From the Apocrypha

Women are placed in a subordinate position because of Eve’s fall and because we have her nature. Women are easily deceived.

“Do you not know that you are each an Eve? The sentence of God on this sex of yours lives in this age; the guilt must of necessity live too. You are the Devil’s gateway; You are the unsealer of that forbidden tree; you the first deserter of the divine law; you are she who persuaded him whom the devil was not valiant enough to attack. On account of your desert-that is, death-even the Son of God had to die.” – Tertullian (AD 155-220) Father of Latin Christianity, Christian Apologist, Prolific Christian Author in Latin

The Holy Bible - NKJ 10 Lies the Church Tells Women – J. Lee Grady: Award winning researcher and

journalist. Ordained minister and editor of Charisma Magazine. Director of the Mordecai Project: an international ministry that confronts abuse of women and challenges in the church.

From Bondage to Blessing: The Redemption, Restoration and Release of Gods Women – Dee Alei – Ordained minister, pastor and counselor. Involved in apostolic work with her husband in northeast England.

Abuse and Religion: When Praying Isn’t Enough by Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite God’s Word to Women by Dr. Katherine Bushnell (1856-1946) brilliant scholar and

passionate advocate for the oppressed. Medical doctor who battled prostitution in India. Studied the scriptures in its original languages of Hebrew and Greek.

Understanding the Purpose and Power of Woman – Dr. Myles Munroe, international motivational speaker, best-selling author, lecturer and pastor. Founder and President of Bahamas Faith Ministries International

The Woman Question by Kenneth Hagin Sr. – Founder of Rhema Bible Training Center, Pastor and Teacher of Faith

Paul Women and Wives: Marriage and Women in Ministry in the Letters of Paul by Dr. Craig S. Keener – Associate Professor of New Testament , Hood Seminary in Salisbury, NC

FreedomMinistries.com Browns, Driver and Briggs Hebrew and Greek Lexicon Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New and Old Testament Words

Miriam - She is referred to as a prophetess: Ex 15:20-21 Micah 6:4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you

from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

Deborah – Judges 5: Among the judges of Israel, the only one who also held title of prophet other than Samuel. Judges 4:4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time.

Huldah – After 50 years of paganism and spiritual adultery in Israel, King Josiah assumed the throne and rediscovered the book of the Law, which had been hidden in the temple. When he heard it, he repented and called for Huldah, the prophetess who had remained faithful to God. 2 Kings 22:14

The Samaritan Woman - John 4:39-41 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word.

Phoebe – Roman 16:1, He calls her diakonon, the Greek word for deacon, which in some bibles is translated servant. Back than men such as Stephen and Phillip were considered deacons. Paul’s commending Phoebe to the Roman church is also his way of enduing her with apostolic authority, and he obviously expected the early Christians to follow her instructions. “She was most likely not coming to Rome to organize school luncheons and teach Sunday school.” But to strengthen the church in Rome.

Priscillia – Along with her husband Aquila, this woman was a noted laborer in the early church, and it was this couple who lauched the apostolic ministry of Apollos (Acts 18:24-26) – Many scholars note that Paul always uses Priscillas name first when he refers to them, most likely because she was more spiritually gifted.

Phillips Daughters – Acts 21:9 – Phillip had four daughters who were prophetesses. This term prophetess has the same root word as prophet used in Acts 15:32 to describe Judas and Silas.

Lois and Eunice – Commends these two women for shaping Timothy’s faith – his father was Greek and mother Jewish. – they taught Timothy 1 Timothy 2:12

Rom 16:1-7 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. 2 Welcome her in 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. 3 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus. 4 In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches. 5 Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home. Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ. 6 Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia (FEMALE) , my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did.

Proper biblical exegesis considers the following:Who is the passage originally addressed to?What is the culture of that time?What does the rest of the Bible have to say about that topic?Accuracy in Hebrew and Greek translations.Current Prejudices and common interpretations.

Do you believe the Bible teaches that God put Adam and Eve out of the

garden after they sinned?

Apostles lay doctrinal foundation. Certain commands or laws are backed by God until the fullness of his intentions come into play. EXAMPLES:

Divorce – Matt 19:3-10 The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is

it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" 4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' 5 and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." 7 They said to Him,"Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" 8 He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." 10 His disciples said to Him,"If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."

Slavery Col 3:22-4:1 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh,

not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.

Colossians 4:1 Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Other Examples – Polygamy /Monogamy Grace only extended to the Jews

THE PROBLEM STARTS IN GENESIS!

QUESTION #1: Did God only give man (male species)

authority? How do you know? Why does it say that God created man

in his image in Genesis 1:26-28 and than says he made man again in Genesis 2:7?

QUESTION #2 Did God make Eve a helpmate or

helpmeet for Adam? How do you know?

If you had two children, and one transgressed against you because he/she was deceived, and the other one did it with their eyes wide open? Who would be at greater fault?

Yet women have been accused as being the reason for all sin entering: “No wickedness comes anywhere near the wickedness of a woman…Sin began with a woman and thanks to her all must die.” – From the Apocrypha

Rom 5:12-16 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned — 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

Gen 3:12-16 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return." 20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

IMPORTANT: Look at the curse he put on satan! : 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Who is Satan’s seed? What does this mean? IMPORTANT: . Interpreting this properly.. 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply

thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children;

Since when was conception a curse?

According to Dr. Bushnell The Septuagint – which is the earliest translation of the Hebrew Bible, - it does not read so… Scholars who study the Bible in its original

language like Brown, Briggs and Driver – explain that there is no “I” nor “and” but it reads…”A snare hath increased thy sorrow and thy sighing, in pain thou shalt bring forth children.”

The Brown–Driver–Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (or BDB, ISBN 1-56563-206-0) is a standard reference for Biblical Hebrew. It is organized by (Hebrew) alphabetical order of three letter roots. It is based on the Hebrew-German lexicon of Wilhelm Gesenius, translated by Edward Robinson. The chief editor was Francis Brown, with the co-operation of Samuel Rolles Driver and Charles Augustus Briggs, hence the name Brown-Driver-Briggs. Hendrickson Publishers added the well-known Strong's numbers for Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic words.

It tells us that this is more a consequence of the fall and not of God’s wrath.

It continues with the flow of her seed bruising the serpent’s head – now this has created a problem for her! If we believe God did not curse mankind…than this snare is a

natural product of sin, or an affliction on women by the enemy.

Scholars debate on this point…Dr. Bushnell explains that the enemy heard the judgment against him through woman, and may very well have oppressed women with such torment in child bearing.

What do you think the final statement to Eve means? 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

…and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. This is where man says that the hierarchy of men dominating woman is

established by God. Points to consider:

Is this change a curse on Eve for her being deceived? Or is this a change in their relationship as a result of sin?

Is God establishing the order for marriage here? Is God establishing the order of how all women should relate to all men?

Many interpret your desire shall be for your husband…meaning you will have a tendency to rule over him: - in further studying this we find that the term used in the Hebrew for desire is teshuwqah …which OT:8669 teshuwqah (tesh-oo-kaw'); from OT:7783 in the original sense of stretching out after; a longing:

INTERPRETATIONS: First Interpretation is: That Eve is turning away from God to her husband,

and as a consequence of that defection, Adam will rule over her. Second Interpretation: Women will want to rule men, but men will dominate

their wives. Most Likely Interpretation:

Third Interpretationis: She will(you will long for him or turn to him) but instead of him responding as he once did, he will Lord over you. Notice this is a change that affects MARRIAGE. God did not make them this way, they became this way as result of sin. They became a curse unto themselves – so we see marriages unable to stand today as a result of our fallen nature.

In noticing that the Bible says only Adam was driven out of the garden, there are grounds to believe that Eve turned to follow him.