What Can Women Do in the Church?

Transcription

1 What Can Women Do in the Church? Lessons on Submitted Questions Gallup Church of Christ Sunday, December 7, 2014 (AM & PM Services) Sermon by Jeff Foster Do you have a QUESTION about the Bible, God, faith or life? Please submit them to me, and I will present a sermon to answer your question. Today s Question: What is the role of women in the church? Or asked another way, What can women do in the church? This is a BIG topic... and to adequately answer this question will require some time. I m going to take two lessons to do it... this morning and tonight. 1 The Bible speaks of many women whose service to God and His people was both IMPORTANT and PUBLIC. First, we remember fondly the names of so many women who serve us as great examples of faith... women like Hagar... Tamar... Rahab... Ruth... Hannah... Esther... and Mary... Dorcas... Lydia... and Priscilla. The devotion of these women to God and to their families and communities serves to teach ALL of us what true faith and obedience to God is about. These women often lived their faith in the shadows... they were not at all public in the way they lived... they often lived in the shadows, and in quiet and unassuming ways served God. 1 They are much like certain men who were faithful, yet not overly noteworthy... men who were not public leaders. I think of men like Caleb... Obadiah... Mordecai... Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego... and Andrew... Philip... Barnabas... and others whose faith and service was a lot less visible but NO LESS important than that of Moses... David... Daniel... Peter... and Paul. But there are certain woman who stand out... whose service to God was quite PUBLIC. In the Old Testament MIRIAM helped Moses and Aaron lead the people of Israel during the Exodus;... DEBORAH served as a judge over Israel;... and HULDAH (a woman whose name has largely become forgotten to us) was a prophet who guided King Josiah in his spiritual reforms. Women were prominent in serving and helping JESUS during his ministry.

2 Luke 8.1-3: Jesus traveled from one town and village to another, preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out of here); Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod s steward... Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions. These verses paint a scenario that is nothing short of revolutionary for the time. In Jesus day certain rabbis (or teachers) would attract disciples (or students)... but almost always these students would be men. That Jesus attracted (and accepted) women as His students was amazing... He was breaking with the norms of society. And the fact that these women were traveling with Him and His male disciples is also quite amazing... it would have been unheard of in His day. And these women were an odd collection of women... some had been healed of illness (by Jesus)... and some of these women had had evil spirits driven from them (by Jesus)... probably indicating that these women had been ostracized (to some degree) by society... in other words, they were not social butterflies... but, then, these women are listed together with a woman like Joanna, the wife of Chuza, [who was] Herod s steward... this woman was wealthy, well-connected... and she stands in great contrast on the social scale with Mary Magdalene, whose life before finding Jesus must have been very difficult. Yet, both followed Jesus. These women took an active part in Jesus ministry... and their participation illustrates the LIBERATING effect of the Gospel of Christ. Jesus Christ shatters the normal conventions of society and gives people who were once relegated to the edges of society... women, minorities, the poor, the enslaved... and brings them in close and gives them status and equality with all others. This is why Paul is able to say in Galatians , For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. [And] there is no [longer] Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you ARE ALL ONE in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ s then you are [all] Abraham s seed [and all] heirs of the promise. 2 This equality of status is certainly seen on Resurrection Sunday... the day Jesus came forth from the tomb alive. Do you remember? It was WOMEN who first proclaimed the GOSPEL on that day. The women were the first to discover and the first to proclaim, Jesus lives! We often call the sermon of Peter in Acts 2 the first Gospel sermon... but this is not correct, the women on Resurrection Sunday preached the first Gospel sermon, declaring, Jesus lives! And theirs might also be the shortest sermon ever preached!

3 So, the Bible clearly speaks of many women whose service to God and His people was both IMPORTANT and PUBLIC. 2 And, in the early history of the church women were active in many ways. Women PROPHESIED. Prophecy is a word from God given to a person who then shares that word with another. A prophet is a person who speaks for God. a. In Acts we read that Philip the evangelist (the man who had baptized the Ethiopian eunuch many years earlier) had four virgin (or, unmarried) daughters WHO PROPHESIED. We re not told WHERE they prophesied... or WHAT they prophesied... or HOW OFTEN they prophesied. It could have been a one-time thing, or it could have been often... perhaps it was done in public (in the assembly the church), but maybe it was given in private... we simply don t know. We re just told that they prophesied... they shared a word (or words) from God. b. And this fits with what was predicted by Peter as he quoted from the prophet Joel in Acts , saying, And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your DAUGHTERS will prophesy.... I will even pour out My Spirit on My male and FEMALE slaves in those days, and they will prophesy. 3 This prophesy of Joel quoted by Peter describes the pouring of God s Spirit on Christians, especially as the church comes into existence after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. And periodically through the Book of Acts we see these moments of discovery and confirmation as people are able to speak prophetically. c. I believe that the daughters of Philip prophesied much in the way the prophet Agabus prophesied to Paul in the following verses (Acts ). He spoke a word of warning to Paul and his companions about what lay in store if they continued on to Jerusalem. The prophecy was OCCASIONAL... it was for the moment... BUT given as the church in that place was gathered together. And perhaps that was the case with the daughters of Philip. In other words, they were not REGULARLY prophesying to the gathered church... when then spoke out it was for a specific reason... to warn Paul (or to caution him from God). Their act of prophesying was not a regular thing.

4 Women TAUGHT others, and they have blessed the church with their WRITINGS. a. In Acts we see that Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos aside, into their home, and explained (or taught) the way of God to him more accurately (or completely). The order of names is significant. Priscilla, the wife, is listed first, and then her husband, Aquila. This suggests, at the least, an equality between Priscilla and Aquila as they taught Apollos... but might suggest that Priscilla took the lead in teaching Apollos. BUT the teaching was not in public... it was in the privacy of their home... and they taught Apollos TOGETHER... Priscilla was not alone in teaching Apollos. b. In Titus Paul says, In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine. They are to TEACH what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and children, to be sensible, pure, good homemakers, and submissive to their husbands, so that God s message will not be slandered. The older women are to teach the younger women. And this teaching goes beyond the Bible... it includes teaching them about life... about how they are be and do in their marriages and families. 4 c. Women can teach in many ways... and one of the most powerful mediums women have taught in the church is through writings. Every Sunday we are blessed with the teachings that some women have made through song. Imagine life in the church without the song A Wonderful Savior... an old and cherished song written by Fanny Crosby, a dear woman of faith who devoted her life to communicating truths about God is song. Anna Warner wrote Jesus Loves Me as a part of a novel she wrote. And we have been blessed with the hymns of Jessie Brown Pounds, Frances Havergal, Carrie Breck, and others. Many of the books I have in my library... books about the Bible and theology... have been written by women. I ve benefitted from their insight and wisdom. d. I, personally, owe so much to the women who have taught me. I think of Mrs. Bolton, who taught the 2 nd grade Bible class at Southside Church of Christ, for so many years. I think of Ruth Joplin, who taught me in the 3 rd and 4 th grades. I think of my grandmother, who taught youth of all ages for much of her 70 years lived as a Christian... she died last October at the age of 89, but in the year of

5 her death, she was still teaching ladies class, when she was able... and she still had World Bible School students she was teaching. And, teaching, isn t always confined to the church assembly... in fact, most Bible teaching is done OUTSIDE of the assembly. There have been a number of Priscilla s in my life... and still are... women who teach me through the example of their lives... and in moments that aren t public... by a word of advice timely spoken, or an insight given as a response or question in a Bible class, or some other word fitly spoken. These occasions of teaching are not given from a church pulpit, but they are NOT ANY LESS VALUABLE to me than sermons preached by men. Phoebe is called a deacon by Paul (Romans 16.1), and he also commends others for working hard in the Lord. a. Romans 16.1: Paul writes, I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant (the Greek, diaconos) of the church in Cenchreae. Diaconos means servant, or one who serves. It is a word that can be used descriptively to describe someone who is servant, or who is characterized by having a spirit that is serving, generous and giving to those in need. It is also a word that Paul uses in 1 Timothy 3.8 and Philippians 1.1 to speak of an officially recognized position in the church... a position we have come to call, deacon... an English word from the Greek diaconos. 5 In Romans 16.1 is Paul simply calling Phoebe a servant... and merely describing her character... or is he saying that she was recognized as a deacon OF the church in Cenchreae? In 1 Timothy 3.12 Paul says, Deacons must be HUSBANDS of one wife, managing their children and their own households competently. So, deacons in the formal sense, were (and are) to be men, at least from Paul s instructions to Timothy at Ephesus, and I don t see any reason why we should dismiss this. But it is clear that Paul thinks highly of Phoebe, and he is not merely complimenting her character... he is saying that her service to and on behalf of the church in Cenchreae was important... (and, in the next verse, Paul elaborates on this... we ll come back to that verse in a moment). b. But, first, notice that Paul commends other women in Romans 16. In v. 3, he mentions Prisca (or Priscilla) as his co-worker in Christ Jesus, and commends her service (together with her husband, Aquila) as benefitting ALL the Gentile churches.

6 In v. 6, Paul says, Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you. In v. 12, Paul says, Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard in the Lord. In v. 15, Paul commends Julia and the unnamed sister of Nereus. c. In Philippians Paul names Euodia and Syntyche. These women, apparently, had a falling out, and Paul was encouraging them (and the church) to be reconciled. But, Paul also says of these ladies: these women... have contended for the gospel at my side. And he calls them co-workers whose names are in the book of life. A side note... in v. 3 Paul speaks to a person he calls, my true partner. Is Paul speaking to an unnamed person, or to the church as a whole? It s a little unclear. Some have speculated that Paul is speaking to his WIFE... who, if that is true, was living in Philippi while Paul was imprisoned in Rome. And, if so, she is a wife that Paul came to have later in life... (because 1 Corinthians 7 and 1 Corinthians 9 seems to suggest that, at that point, Paul was unmarried... or, at the least, that is he had a wife, she had either deserted him or was not with him... but Philippians was written later, and maybe Paul had then married). Women were BENEFACTORS of the church. 6 a. Return a moment to Romans Paul is speaking of Phoebe, and he adds, So you should welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help. For indeed she has been a benefactor of many and of me also. Paul says that Phoebe has been a benefactor of many. He uses the Greek word, prostatis, which can mean patron (or one who financially endows a person or endeavor), a guardian/protector, or leader, ruler, or president. It is a word that certainly speaks of someone of importance, or someone who is in a position of leadership. It speaks of someone who is MUCH MORE than a financial contributor. Paul says that the church in Cenchreae should ENTRUST to Phoebe whatever she might need to do her work for the Lord. We re not told the exact nature of this work, but in v. 1 Paul describes her as a servant... a diaconos. In other words, Phoebe wasn t merely sitting silently in a pew every Sunday! She was active in her service to God and the church. She was a leader among those who were gathered in Christ s name in Cenchreae. b. Lydia was another such woman. You remember Lydia. Paul met her in Philippi. Acts introduces Lydia as a dealer in purple cloth... hint: she was wealthy and a businesswoman... and as someone who worshiped God... so,

7 she was either Jewish (and v. 13 suggests this, because she was among some women who had come to pray on the Sabbath), or she was a proselyte believe, a God-fearer, someone like Cornelius, who was a Gentile believer in the God of Israel. On that Sabbath, Lydia was introduced to Paul and heard him preach about Jesus... and she became baptized... becoming a disciple of Jesus. In Acts it is said that the newly formed church in Philippi was meeting in Lydia s house. We don t know how long this arrangement lasted (this is the last we hear of Lydia in the Bible), but in this way, opening her home to the church, she was a benefactor of the church... she made her resources available to the church. Priscilla, and her husband, Aquila, were like Lydia. Romans 16.5 says that they, too, hosted the church in their home. Women did GOOD works. a. The name of Dorcas is treasured in the history of Christianity. We read about her in Acts 9.36, where it says, In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. She was always doing good works and acts of charity. 7 This passage goes on to speak of her death. The disciples in Joppa sent for Peter, and he came, and by the power of God raised Dorcas back to life. When Peter first arrived at the place were Dorcas s body was laid, [some] widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them (v. 39). Dorcas had helped so many... and her good works and acts of charity she was proclaiming (or preaching) the Gospel. Preaching doesn t always involve words that are spoken... indeed the most powerful sermons preached are those of action, not speech... those fittingly described as good works and acts of charity. b. I imagine that if we were able to look back over the history of Christianity and observe how the countless Christians throughout the centuries have come to faith a great many... and perhaps MOST... came to faith because of the example of a woman like Dorcas... perhaps it was because of the caring love and selfless devotion of a mother or grandmother or neighbor. When it comes down to it, I don t know that there have been that many who have been won to Christ solely through the words of an eloquent preacher standing behind a pulpit. The church... and our world... needs women like Dorcas!

8 How does Paul introduce Junia in Romans 16.7? He calls her an APOSTLE. Return again to Romans 16. In v. 7, Paul writes, Greet Andronicus and Julia, my fellow countrymen and fellow prisoners. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were also in Christ before me. What is Paul saying? Junia is a woman; of that, there is no doubt. It is a female name. Perhaps she is the wife of Andronicus; that would seem most natural from the way Paul couples their names. Paul says of them, They are outstanding AMONG the APOSTLES. Is Paul naming Junia an APOSTLE... in the sense that he was an Apostle and in a sense that the Twelve were Apostles? That would be quite amazing, if he were, and would make Junia the only woman we know of to have that distinction. In Acts Peter gives the qualifications of the one who was to be selected as an Apostle to replace Judas the Betrayer. He says, Therefore, from among the MEN who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us beginning from the baptism of John until the day He was taken up from us from among these, it is necessary that one become a witness with us of His resurrection. 8 Here, Peter speaks of two qualifications: (1) a MAN, not a woman (and, remember, there were several women who had followed Jesus from the very beginning of his ministry, and who had remained faithful and near to Jesus when the men had run in fear and despair); and (2) a man who had been with Jesus from the beginning of his ministry through to the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. From these two qualifications, it would seem that Junia was not eligible to be an Apostle. Of course, an exception was made for Paul, who became an Apostle by the personal call of Jesus. And, Paul, while a man, did not meet the second qualification for Apostleship listed by Peter. Although, it should be noted that Paul, while an Apostle, was not one of the Twelve... and the qualifications listed by Peter in Acts 1 concern an appointment to the Twelve in place of Judas. The term apostle is like the term deacon, in the sense that it is a normal word, a descriptive word, meaning, one who is sent, or, one who is given a task, or, one who represents another. Jesus uses the term to speak of his Apostles... certain men, men officially appointed... men with the title Apostle... and Paul comes to have this title, as well. BUT the term can also be a description attributed to someone and NOT a title given to that person. In other words, an apostle was someone who had been sent out... we might call that person a missionary. Perhaps Andronicus and Junia were missionaries... and Paul, in Romans 16.7, is

9 commending them as such. And, it would seem, that in their work as missionaries they had run afoul of the law and had ended up imprisoned. After all, Paul calls them my fellow prisoners. Of course, Paul, in saying Andronicus and Junia are outstanding among the apostles, may simply be saying that this married couple was well known to the apostles, and not that the two were apostles, themselves. They were Christians of long-standing... Paul says, and they were also in Christ before me. Therefore, this couple could therefore be from the Jerusalem church, originally, and with the apostles there. WIDOWS had a special place in the early church. Paul, in 1 Timothy , makes provision for an order of WIDOWS, to be supported by the church while they performed certain tasks for the church. In this passage, Paul speaks of three different classifications of widows. a. First, there was the widow who was in GENUINE need (v. 3). She was woman who was bereft of her husband, and other family, and who had no adequate means of support. Paul writes, The real widow, left all alone, has put her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers (v. 5). 9 The church should generously help such widows. b. Second, there was the widow who had surviving family members... children or grandchildren. Paul teaches that families are to care for their own widows, saying, Now if anyone does not provide for his own relatives, and especially for his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (v. 8). c. Third, there was the widow who is placed on the official support list of the church (vv. 9-10). This is a woman who has been bereft of her husband, is at least 60 years old, has been the wife of one husband, and is well known for good works. To be put on the official support list identified particular widows who would never remarry, who were in need of regular financial support from the church, and who would pledge themselves to serving the church in various ways. Essentially, these widows became paid employees of the church. It wasn t charity given to them, these widows were paid for services rendered. Just speculation on my part... but perhaps Phoebe was one of these listed widows. This might explain how Paul describes her in Romans He is commending her to the church at Rome... as someone who had just moved from Cenchreae/Corinth?

10 3 Certain New Testament passages suggest that men and women have different ROLES when it comes to the communal assemblies of the CHURCH... in other words, at the times we come together as a body (or, congregation) to worship... AND in regards to the LEADERSHIP of the church. 1 Corinthians 14.33b-35: As in all the churches of the saints, the women should be SILENT in the CHURCHES, for they are not permitted to SPEAK, but should be SUBMISSIVE, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is DISGRACEFUL for a woman to speak in the CHURCH MEETING. a. This statement comes from a larger context where Paul is discussing the need for ORDER and HUMILITY from ALL Christians as they come to worship together. The chapter begins with Paul talking about the spiritual gifts of prophecy and speaking and tongues that some Christians had, and he presents some guidelines as to when and how these gifts are to be expressed (or, shared) in the assembly. b. Beginning with v. 26 Paul focuses on the assembly as a whole and the proper and improper conduct that is be allowed as the church gathers to worship. He says in v. 26, How is it then, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, another language, or an interpretation. All things must be done for edification (or, for the benefit of all present). 10 c. Paul describes various forms of PUBLIC SPEECH in the congregation as it gathers to worship, namely singing, tongue speaking, prophesying, teaching (or, preaching), and prayer. These involved one or more people speaking to the assembly as the others listened. Paul doesn t say if the speaker STOOD to address the audience, but that seems most natural... especially if it were like the Jewish synagogue, where a person stood to read from God s Word... but SAT DOWN to teach. I imagine in the early churches, this was the case. There wasn t a pulpit like we are accustomed... many early churches met in homes, or in the catacombs... or some other informal spot. And it was somewhat different than how we conduct our services today... I imagine that the worship of the early church was less regimented than the way we conduct our services, today, and more laid back... there wasn t a formal order or structure to worship as we usually have today... members rose and shared with the church as they were moved by the Spirit to do so... and I doubt their worship assemblies were bound by the clock. Today, if we go past an hour in our assemblies, people get antsy... and some get up and leave... but not so in the early church. Do you remember the service at Troas in Acts it lasted well into the night. Worship continued as long as anyone had something to share and contribute.

11 And, here, in 1 Corinthians 14 Paul is offering some guidelines to make these services orderly. It wasn t to a free-for-all. d. And in these guidelines, Paul says, As in all the churches of the saints, the women should be SILENT in the CHURCHES, for they are not permitted to SPEAK, but should be SUBMISSIVE, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is DISGRACEFUL for a woman to speak in the CHURCH MEETING. (vv. 33b-35). WHY are women to be silent? WHEN are women to be silent? WHAT does this silence involve? 1) We have to understand Paul s instruction in the context of what he has just said. This command to women to be silent is not the first command to be silent in this passage. In v. 28 Paul says that if somebody was gifted to speak in tongues, but no interpreter was present in the assembly at that moment, then the tongue speaker should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God. In vv Paul talks about those gifted with prophecy. He says that only two or three should speak in any given assembly, and that while one is speaking the others should remain silent. 2) The silence ordered of the tongue speaker without an interpreter and of those with a word of prophecy while another is speaking is NOT a silence that lasts for the entire assembly... it is merely a silence that is specific to the occasion... and for the purpose of preserving order in the assembly. 11 3) The silence ordered of women in vv involves, it seems, the PUBLIC types of speech Paul lists in v. 26, [the bringing of] a psalm/hymn, teaching, revelation, tongue speaking, and interpretation. These are all SOLO acts of speaking... where one person is addressing the gathered assembly. These do NOT include all speaking that is made in the assembly. There are times in the assembly where one person is speaking, and it would seem that Paul is limiting this type of speech to men. BUT, there are also times in the assembly when the church speaks in unison... we sing together... we may recite Scripture together... we can say the Amen. As we speak together, men AND women speak together. 4) The command for women to be silent is CONFINED to the assembly, when the WHOLE CHURCH has gathered for worship. In 1 Corinthians Paul makes provision for women to pray and offer words of prophesy in other settings. (Note: a transition is made by Paul in 11.17, when he says,... because when you come together. )

12 It is perfectly acceptable for a woman to offer prayer when with her family, when among friends, and other settings. And a woman can teach in settings outside of the gathered assembly of the church. e. In Paul adds, And if they (women, specifically, wives) want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands (or, fathers) at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church meeting. With this instruction Paul is referring to a specific problem in the church at Corinth. 1) Near Corinth was a temple where people would go and inquire from the priests various forms of information. The priests there were basically functioning fortune-tellers (or psychics) and people would go to them asking about marriage, children, careers, the future, etc. 2) In the church at Corinth, it seems, worshipers began to ask those gifted with prophecy these same types of questions... in the worship assembly. The women were especially involved in this. And, so, Paul tells them to ask such questions at home, and of their husbands. Worship, and the spiritual gift of prophecy, had a much different purpose than addressing these mundane and personal questions. 3) I do NOT believe that Paul intended to silence the legitimate questions that women might have... even in the assembly Timothy : A woman should learn in SILENCE with full SUBMISSION. I do not allow a woman to SPEAK or to have AUTHORITY (rather, dominion ) over a man; instead, she is to be SILENT. In this passage, Paul instructs women to be silent in the church, or rather in the assembly of the church, and further, he commands that women are not to TEACH or have AUTHORITY over a man... in the church. The context of this passage, like 1 Corinthians 14, is the assembled church... the occasions when the congregation comes together for the purpose of worship. This is made clear in 1 Timothy 2.8 when Paul writes, I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray. The phrase every place is a reference to every place of assembly, or every meeting place... it is terminology borrowed from the synagogue. a. In the assemblies of the church it is the men who are to pray... and more specifically, to LEAD the congregation in prayer. b. Women were/are to assemble dressed modestly... and with decency.

13 Verses 9-10: Paul says, The women are to dress themselves in modest clothing, with decency and in good sense; not with elaborate hairstyles, gold, pearls, or expensive apparel, but with good works, as is proper for women who affirm that they worship God. 1) Standards of dress and modesty have changed over the centuries, and so the particulars that Paul lists are meant to give us an impression of what is acceptable dress, and not the specifics. 2) Also, Paul is addressing these matters first to Timothy, who was ministering to the church at Ephesus. The Temple of Artemis dominated the life and culture of Ephesus. Women of that day, in general, were oppressed and limited in life... but in the worship at the Temple of Artemis they were quite liberated... and the sight of women worshiping at the temple in very gaudy and ostentatious apparel was commonplace. Paul may very well be countering the trend of former worshipers of Artemis bringing this gaudy and ostentatious show into the church. And, in so doing, gives us a principle to follow today... the gathered church is not the place for a fashion show (by either women... OR men)... and, especially, the vulgarities of the world have no place in the church. We should ALL present ourselves with grace, modesty, tastefulness and proper decorum. c. Paul also tells the women, A woman should learn in SILENCE with full SUBMISSION. I do not allow a woman to SPEAK or to have AUTHORITY (rather, dominion ) over a man; instead, she is to be SILENT. 13 This statement is both similar to but different from what Paul told women in 1 Corinthians 14. 1) First, to the prohibition against speaking in the assembly, Paul adds that a woman is not to have authority over a man. The word for have authority is a word that is rather rare. In fact, it is a word that is used NOWHERE else in the New Testament. In the Apocryphal book of 3 Maccabees it is a word that is translated as murder. So, this is not your typical word for authority. It means something akin to a domineering spirit... a woman is not to DOMINATE a man in the church... and perhaps more specifically, and more CRUDELY! she is not to IMMASCULATE a man in the church... in other words, she is to not prevent the man from exercising the spiritual leadership given to him by God. 2) And to explain what he means, Paul says, in vv , For Adam was created first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. But she will be saved through childbearing, if she continues in faith, love, and holiness, with good sense.

14 Paul goes back to the beginning... to the way things were in the Garden... speaking of how it was Eve who first sinned by eating the forbidden fruit. But Paul is not intent on assigning blame... and he is NOT saying that women are spiritually inferior to men. Indeed in Romans 5 Paul assigns the blame for the first sin on Adam, the man, and not Eve, the woman. Here, in 1 Timothy Paul s is different than blame. He says, For Adam was created first, then Eve. He wants us to think back to Genesis 2, BEFORE the serpent came into the Garden to tempt the woman... AND before the woman was even made. 4 The events of Genesis 2 & 3 provide a BASIS for the man assuming spiritual leadership in his FAMILY and the CHURCH. When did God first give His command that the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil NOT be eaten? He gives the command in Genesis , where we read, And the Lord God commanded the MAN, You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die. Notice: God spoke this command to the MAN... the woman was not there... she had not yet been created. 14 How did the woman learn of the command? She obviously had learned of it before the serpent met her in the Garden in Genesis 3. Had God told her after she had been created? Perhaps. But I think it is much more likely that God left the teaching of the command to the man. Adam was expected to teach his wife God s command... thus setting in motion a pattern that was (and is) to be followed throughout the generations of mankind. Genesis 2 establishes the spiritual leadership that God intends men to assume. But sadly, the events of Genesis 3 challenged and assaulted God s intention than man be the spiritual leader of his family. The man was SILENT as the serpent confronted his wife... he allowed her to be misled and to be tempted and to sin. Adam s great sin was not that he merely ate the fruit, but that he remained silent as God s Word... that had entrusted to him... had been attacked and corrupted. Remember what happens next. God comes into the Garden to confront the guilt. Who does He speak to? Does He first address the serpent, the one who introduced the temptation? No, God didn t speak to the serpent first. Did He speak to the woman, the one who first took a bite of the forbidden fruit? No, God didn t speak to her first. He spoke to the man. He spoke to Adam. Why? Was it not because the man s SILENCE was a more grievous (or serious) sin than eating the fruit?

15 And, who is given the most serious punishment for his sin? It was the man (although, the woman will share in the sentence of death pronounced upon the man... but that death is spoken as punishment to the MAN). There s another interesting tidbit in Genesis 3 that fits into this discussion about a man s leadership in the family and in the church... and how women are to be silent and submissive (rather, more positively stated, to be welcoming and encouraging of the man s leadership role, rather than to be dismissive of it... and, in effect, emasculating the man of his God given role... remember that word have authority in 1 Timothy 2.12). Notice what God says to the woman in Genesis 3.16: Your desire will be for your husband, yet he will dominate you. The translation here is inadequate... the Hebrew conveys the idea of a struggle... and a desire for INDEPENDENCE and SELF- RULE on the part of the woman, rather than a unity of spirit with her husband and a submission to him as the leader of the family... BUT the original language also speaks of how a man will corrupt his leadership from something that is wholesome and humble to something that is domineering and demeaning. These unfortunate developments are what comes from sin in this world and are not what God intended of His creation. One of the arguments that some use today to promote the inclusion of women as preachers in the assemblies of the church is the argument that the Fall of man in Genesis 3 disrupted the relationship of the man and the woman and the EQUALITY that God originally intended for men and women. The argument is that God originally saw men and women WITHOUT DISTINCTION when it came their response to Him in worship... and that sin disrupted this. The argument is that sin led to the inequality of men and women... and Paul, when he gives his teaching in 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2 is simply acknowledging the disparities between the sexes that existed in his day and time... and, in an effort to make Christianity more tenable (or, acceptable) to the masses PERPETUATED the male and female stereotypes that had become so ingrained in society... but, the argument continues, this was meant only temporarily UNTIL such time society EVOLVED past that immature distinction given to the sexes and the roles of men and women... and, then, when that time of enlightened thinking arrived, there would be no distinction of roles between men and women in the church (or, society, as a whole). And there are some (actually, many) who believe that time of enlightenment has come... and, so, the acceptance of women as public preachers... and even in other leadership roles once considered the work of men... is becoming more and more common. 15 BUT... there is a fundamental flaw in this way of thinking. The events of Genesis 2 challenges it! You can t escape the fact that God spoke His command to the man... BEFORE the woman was created. WHY did God do this? He could have waited for the woman to be present... and shared it with the man and woman EQUALLY... but He did not! Shouldn t we see some INTENTIONALITY on God s part in this?

16 The distinctions between the sexes in regards to worship and the teaching of God s laws was NOT consequence of the Fall... it did NOT come into the world because of sin... NO, these distinctions were created by God. That Genesis 1.27 says, And God created them male AND female, is important... and it signifies much more than the ANATOMICAL differences that men and women have. We are different with respect with our ROLES in our worship to God... in our learning and being taught the Word of God... and in the leadership of our families and of God s church. Sin CONFUSED our different roles... it did NOT create them! And, so, returning to 2 Timothy 2, Paul is describing the orderly and God-intended way in which the assemblies of the church are to be. The men are to lead. The men are to be the PUBLIC speakers in the assembly. Now, this positon of leadership does not mean men are more spiritual in nature... they certainly are not... In Christ, there is neither male nor female, Paul says in Galatians 3... and man is not closer to God than woman... and man is not more important than woman... we have an EQUALITY before God. We simply have different ROLES in service to God and His people. a. Men have the unique role of leading the assembled church in worship and nurturing the church spiritually as its pastors and elders and overseers and as its public teachers. 16 b. Women have a unique role... she bears children and she is charged with their nurturing in ways that a man cannot. Everett Ferguson writes, The preservation of male and female distinctions (in church and family) gives to each a distinctive sphere that establishes his or her identity. Women by nature have a role that assures their identity, for men cannot fulfill it. [And] men are given a distinctive role; although it appears arbitrary, it marks a sphere for them, just as women have a sphere of their own. These limitations of women only apply to the assembly of the church. The assembly when the whole church gathers as one people to worship exemplifies the church as the people of God and so reflects God s order of creation. 5 But, with all of this said, I must stress that women do have an IMPORTANT and INDISPENSABLE place in the church. As we ve seen, in the New Testament church many women were PROMINENT and ACTIVE in the ministries of the church. I mentioned earlier Priscilla, Lydia, Dorcas, Phoebe and others.

17 These women, and others, prophesied and taught (in settings outside of the public assembly), they worked to advance the Gospel, they served in various capacities they hosted the church in their homes, they cared for the poor, and they did many other good things in service to the Lord and His people. Today, women can and should be active in virtually every ministry of the church. a. Women can be involved in teaching, especially children and youth, other women and non-christians. But let s not forget the example of Priscilla teaching Apollos, in the company of her husband, Aquila. Apollos was an adult, believing MAN... yet, Priscilla and her husband taught him more fully the will of God. Priscilla was an equal partner in this teaching, and may have even taken the lead... and in no way did her behavior violate the principles offered by Paul in 1 Cor. 14 and 1 Tim. 2. Women can teach men... and, men, it doesn t challenge our authority to learn from a woman. We should all want to learn from those who may know more than we do... no matter who they are. But, there are PROPER settings for this teaching and learning... and the assembly is not one of those settings. And, let me correct a misunderstanding many have had. A boy of the age of 16 or 17 is NOT a man... even if he has been baptized. He is NOT of the MATURITY or in a POSITION to lead in the church... therefore, it is not wrong for a woman MATURE in her faith to teach him. I ve seen many conflicts in the church over the issue of a woman teaching a Bible class for teenagers... but she is teaching BOYS, and not men, and there shouldn t be a conflict over this... especially when the woman may be more apt and qualified to teach that class for teenagers than any man in that congregation. 17 The age of MANHOOD is not an absolute... and we should take this into account. b. Women can be involved in the service ministries of the church, by feeding the poor, helping the needy, caring for the sick, comforting the bereaved, etc.... and there s NO PROHIBITION in Scripture about a woman leading one of these service ministries. I think here of Nancy s mother, Ruby Stahl, who for 25 years led the benevolence ministry of the Luther Church of Christ... operating what was called the Luther Community Service Center. She was is director, and a number of men served under leadership. She led, because she was the best one suited for the job. It was her vision and her passion and her hard work that made that Center possible. Now, she served under an eldership of men and a committee of men, but SHE led that ministry.

18 Remember, Paul s instructions about silence and submission in 1 Cor. 14 and 1 Tim. 2 involved the assembly... the gathered worship of the church. As we serve the needs of people, this is most often done OUTSIDE of the assembly. c. Women can help care for our facilities. d. Women should be allowed and ENCOURAGED to voice their opinions and desires. Women have insight and experience that is different than that of men. A church can only BENEFIT from hearing what women have to share... and we lose out when we do not include the voices of women. There is a place for congregational meetings where EVERYONE is invited to speak... both men AND women. That which Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2 does not prohibit these type of assemblies. 6 Finally, it should be noted that when women took on active leadership of God s people in the Old Testament it was during times when men had ABDICATED their responsibility to lead. Deborah was appointed as a judge over Israel only because Barak, a man, refused God. Deborah took the initiative when no man would lead. Huldah, the prophet who instructed King Josiah, lived at a time when many had forgotten God. That the king had to go to her speaks highly of her faithfulness, BUT also serves to castigate the faithlessness of so many men who did not or could not speak out for God. And, we ve already seen how Eve spoke back to the serpent when her husband remained silent. The leadership of men is not something we are to take for granted. It s not an automatic thing. Men must step up to lead. They must prepare themselves. They must be willing to be used by God to lead His people. I remember visiting a church in Buffalo, New York many years ago. Usually, on any given Sunday, the women of that church led the singing, the worded the prayers, they read Scripture, they waited on the Table, and they preached. Why? They weren t doing it to usurp the authority of men... because, sadly, the men who were present REFUSED to lead. What were the women to do? They did the only thing they could... they led, because the men were unwilling. And I applaud them... and I believe that God affirms them in their actions. 18

19 Men, we have a responsibility to lead our families and to lead God s church, but this isn t automatic. We have to be serious about this responsibility... we have to desire it... we have to prepare for it... or God will find someone else to lead His people. Let s go back to Paul s instructions in 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2. Who was he addressing in these letters? He was addressing the church at Corinth... a church that was rather large for its time... and one that Paul had worked with much. It was a mature church... probably with many men who could and would stand to lead. Paul was addressing the church at Ephesus... that is where Timothy is. It, too was a mature church, with men (a plurality of men) able to serve as elders and deacons and who could and would lead the church in its assembled worship. But would Paul s instructions in 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2 have been different if he were addressing the newly formed church at Philippi? The church at Philippi was predominantly women, at first... and it also included the Philippian jailer and his family, newly converted to Christianity in that familiar scene from Acts 16. Who do you think led in the early days of that church s history? Its first members were Lydia and other women who had already been devout followers of God. They had a grounding in God s Word (the Old Testament)... they knew something of worship (in the synagogue)... they knew how to pray. 19 But what did the Philippian jailer know, at first? He was Roman (as all the officials in Philippi were). Could he stand to teach on the Sunday after his conversion? Could he pray? Did he know how to do these things? There had to have been a learning curve. Who led the church at Philippi during that process? Paul and Silas had been run out of town, and it doesn t seem like there would have been other men, there, except for the jailer and his family. I m curious who led that church as it matured and grew in number. I wouldn t be surprised nor offended if it had been Lydia and the other women who were its first members. Let that thought sink in because there are many churches in our world today in a very similar position to that faced by the church at Philippi.

20 In closing... let me thank our women. Ladies, you play such an important role in our church family, and you have so much to contribute to our faith and life together and to our service in Christ s name. Indeed I imagine that in the history of the church women have had a far greater and more positive impact than have men. I ve yet to be a part of a church family where the men outnumber the women... usually, it s been a case where the women have outnumbered the men two to one! So, thank you, for your faith and your love and your example. 20