Can women involve in Christian ministry?
Women in Ministry: Investigating the Trajectories and Conundrums in the Pauline Literature
Introduction
Women in ministry is a debatable subject among various Christian
denominations which stems from their different views or interpretations of
passages that support women in ministry and the passage that seemingly prohibit
women in ministry. The key questions
of this debate are: does the Bible give permission to women to do
ministry? If so, what kind of ministry they can do? What about the passages
that seemingly prohibit women in ministry? Christian responds to these
questions with different perspectives:
·
Egalitarian view: an identical ministry for a women
·
Traditional view: let your women keep silence / No
ministry for a woman
·
A male leadership view: the head of the woman is the
man
·
A ministry with similarities and differences.
This paper is an exploration of biblical passages to find out biblical views on
women in ministry.
1. Texts that seemingly affirm women’s ministry
The early
churches were gathered in
houses. In a city, it could be having different house churches. Those
who were probably from well-to-do families hosted the church. The household leaders were played
often a key leadership role in the church. If a widow is the owner of a house, then she could play a
key role in church structures. The head of the household, by normal
expectations of the society, would exercise some authority over the group and
would have some legal responsibility for it. Spirit played a major role in the structure of the
church. Also, Paul talks about the established church offices. The hierarchy of leadership in
Pauline churches would be: apostles, coworkers of Paul, and local leaders.
a) Prophetesses
Miriam (Ex.15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4), Huldah (2 Kings
22:14; 2 Chron. 34:22 and apparently Isaiah’s wife (Isa. 8:3) were true
prophetesses in the Old Testament. Anna (Luke 2:36) and Philip’s four virgin
daughters (Acts 21:9) were the prophetesses in the New Testament. Paul
acknowledges the fact that women were both involved in praying and prophesying
publically in the early church (1 Cor.11:4-5). Peter’s speech on the day of
Pentecost interprets Joel 2:28-29: “I will pour out my Spirit on all
flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…. even on my male
servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy” (Acts 2:17-18). Craig S. Keener observes that “The New Testament church’s witness (cf.Acts 1:8) is characterized by the Old Testament prophetic mantle (in a general sense), irrespective of class, gender, age or (most surprisingly to the Jerusalem church) race.”[i]
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy” (Acts 2:17-18). Craig S. Keener observes that “The New Testament church’s witness (cf.Acts 1:8) is characterized by the Old Testament prophetic mantle (in a general sense), irrespective of class, gender, age or (most surprisingly to the Jerusalem church) race.”[i]
b) An apostle
Romans 16:7 Greet
Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known
to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.
Junia is a female name. Paul says that she was a well-known
apostle. Withtherintogn opines that “while possibly Junia(s) is a shortened
form of the name Junianus, probably it is a common Roman female name, Junia.
Besides the fact that there is no evidence for the male name Junia(s) in this
form, the patristic evidence (especially from John Chrysostom) supports the
view that a woman named Junia is meant here.”[ii]
John Chrysostom (bishop of Constantinople) said “How great is the devotion
of this woman (Junia) that she should be even counted worthy of the appellation
of apostle.”[iii]
The female name Junia has been attested over 250 times to date in Rome alone. The
early version of the Greek New Testament considered Iounian as feminine. Thus most probably Paul mentions here name
of a female apostle.
c) Women Ministers
Euodia and Syntyche
Philippians 4:2-3
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3
Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by
side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow
workers, whose names are in the book of life
1.
Paul addresses the problem between these two
women in his epistle to the church in Phililli because the problem between them
could be so significant that even could affect the church.
2.
The verb for “struggled together” in v.3 in
Greek is synēthlēsan which is a word that comes
from pagan games or gladiatorial matches and could be translated as “fought
together side by side with.” This is not a passive struggle but an active
sacrifice for the gospel. They are most probably involved in the ministry of
evangelism.
3.
They are ranked alongside Clement and other co-workers of Paul.
Prisca and Aquila
Romans 16:3-5
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4
who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the
churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the
church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to
Christ in Asia.
Priscilla, with her husband, Aquila was Paul’s fellow worker
(Rom. 16:3). “The term “co-worker” which in its secular usage originally meant
a person who shared the same trade, seems to refer to one who helps Paul in his
missionary work.”[iv]
The phrase “fellow worker” indicates that Priscilla and Aquila were Paul’s
constant ministry companions like Timothy (Rom. 16:21; 1Thess. 3:2), Titus
(2Cor. 8:3), Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25) and others (Philem. 24). This team of
husband and wife made great impact on Gentile churches (v.4). They played an
important role in the churches of Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome. They are involved in a wide range of ministry including hospitality of Paul, church planting, teaching, and preaching (Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19; Acts 18:1-3). They instructed other
ministers and led a house church (Acts 18:26; 1 Cor. 16:19).
Phoebe
Paul commends Phoebe in Rom. 16:1-2 who probably carried
Paul’s letter to Rome: “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the
church at Cenchreae, that you may
welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever
she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as
well.” The Greek word for
“servant” (dia,konon diakonon) is a
term Paul often used for Jesus (Rom. 15:8), his other fellow workers (Eph.
6:21; Col. 1:7, 12) and for Paul himself (2Cor. 11:23; Eph. 3:7). Nowhere in the
New Testament defined what the title deacon means in the church ministry.
However, deacons were responsible for sound doctrines (1 Tim. 3:9) and also they
were probably in charge of the physical needs of the community including food,
shelter, and clothing. Rom. 16.2 and possibly 1 Tim. 3:11
gave this title to women. Paul seemingly recognizes the deacon as a church
officer (1 Tim. 3:8ff). Moreover, she was a patron. A patron in the ancient world was a wealthy sponsor
of a religious group who probably met in her or his home. In ancient inscriptions
as many as 10 percent of the sponsors were women. Paul had no objection to
acknowledging the patroonship of Phoebe. Thus, Phoebe probably was a wealthy
woman and church probably met in her house. It seems that she played a
ministerial leadership role of helping others, probably even teaching.
Mary Thryphaena, Tryphosa and Perisis
Romans 16:6
Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you
Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you
Romans 16:12
12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet
the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.
Mary, Thryphaena, Tryphosa and Perisis “worked hard in Lord”
(16:6,12). The phrase “worked hard in the Lord” implies probably
ministry of evangelism and discipling (cf. 1Cor. 15:10; Gal. 4:11; Phil. 2:16;
Col. 1:29). It shows that Jewish women started to take a religious role in early Christianity.
2. Did Paul prohibit women from doing ministry?
It is clear that both the Old Testament and New Testament give
evidence to support permission for women to do ministry. Paul also speaks about
women who are involved in ministry and he supports women in ministry. However, Paul
also mentions the silence of women in two passages: 1 Cor.14:34-35 and 1 Tim. 2:11-14.
a) Transcultural or Cultural?
Like any other biblical writer, Pauline writings are culture-specific
and language-specific. Paul addresses often specific situations of the local
churches. Keener observes this fact “Paul regularly writes in the language
and figures of speech of his day; he also uses cultural images presupposed in
his day. More to the point, Paul’s letters are full of statements that are
locale-specific and cannot possibly have meaning apart from the local
situation. Sometimes Paul even alludes to matters known only to the local
congregations (see, for example, 2 Thess. 2:5; 1 Cor. 1:16).”[v]
Furthermore, Pauline writings have many universally applicable principles which
we can readily apply to contemporary context. They are transcultural
principles. However, there are cultural specific passages in his writings where
we need to be sensitive to the specific situation before we translate the
principle into our contemporary context. If an interpreter does not consider
situations seriously, then cultural specific motifs might be applied as
transcultural principles; which could be a risk in misinterpreting Paul.
b) 1 Corinthians 14:34-35
34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
The larger
context of this text is Paul’s discussion on disorders caused by “spiritual ones” in
worship in the Corinthian church (chapters 11-14). Interestingly Paul speaks
about at least three kinds of silence in chapter 14: the silence of those who can
speak in tongues if the interpreter is not available (v.28); the silence of prophets to maintain the order of
service (vv.29-30) and silence of women (v.34). Silence and “subject to
oneself” (v.32) have a key relationship.
The word here for “subject to oneself” is used to refer relationship between
husband and wife.
Paul in 1 Cor.11:5 allows women to pray and prophesy and also most seemingly
to sing (1 Cor. 14:15, 26 cf. Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19) in the church. If so, what kind of silence that he
speaking about in 1Cor.14:34? It is very clear that Paul here does not
mean complete silence of the women in the church. More likely, he is addressing a
locale-specific problem - the women who are learning so loudly in the church.
Paul changes the subject of the general silence of women in v.34 to them asking
questions to learn (v.35a) and then again back to general silence in v.35b. It is clear that silence and asking
questions to learn are connected. Moreover, he bases women’s silence
regarding questions on the statement in v.35b: “for it is shameful for a woman
to speak in church.”
A few words need to be noticed before we further proceed. In
v.34, the word "speaks" can
refer to an inspired speech (prophetical utterance), uninspired speech
(questions or idle chatter), and an authoritative word of wisdom. The Greek word
aner can refer to man in general or husband in particular and gune, likewise, refers to women in general or wife in particular.
The word submit has no object
here, therefore, it may refer to church principles of order and decorum in
worship service, not generally to husbands.[vi]
Christian prophecy is subjected to “weighing” (1 Cor. 14:29). This opens up
different possible sides of the issue. Women/wives asked questions to or tried
to weigh the prophecy of their own husbands or other men who probably prophets in
the church in such a way as to judge what they were saying. It probably caused disorder in the church. Wives
were singled out in v.37 because they were the source of the problem in the
Corinthian church. Thus, Paul does not prohibit women speaking in church rather
he addresses a specific problem in the Corinthian church. The solution to this
problem is that he reinforced the principle of silence and submission in Christian
worship and encouraged more learning in different context (home).
Now let us look into the passage from a cultural point of
view. Women took important roles and were free to speak in the temple to
Dionysius, Isis, Serapis, and others.[vii]
Women also had the prophetical rank of Sybil in the mystery cults. Corinthians
probably surprised by Paul’s injection of silence of women. However, he is not
drawing any view of Greek religion on women in worship.
In the ancient Mediterranean world, novices were expected to
learn quietly whereas advanced learners were allowed to interrupt public
lectures by asking questions.[viii] Probably the issue here is that women asking
questions in public might be culturally shameful and thus Paul addresses a
cultural propriety. Another possibility is that women who generally had an
inadequate education in the ancient world probably asked unlearned questions
whereas it was expected to raise learned questions in public. The Corinthian church
was a first-generation church where most women were novices, therefore, Paul
suggests them to learn quietly. Paul’s short-range solution to this issue was
to call for an end to the women’s public question and his long-range solution
was that women should learn from their husbands in home.
c) 1 Timothy 2:8-15
8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.
Paul addresses various problems of the church in Ephesus.
Among them, he addresses the problems that men and women involved. Paul addresses
a problem of men in 1Tim.2:8 who may have grumbling among them. Paul addresses
three specific problems of women in this letter: (a) apostasy, backsliding
and the problems that had a sexual nature
involving young women, perhaps young widows (1 Tim. 5:11-16); (b) there were
women who were weak in the faith and guilty of sin (2 Tim. 3:6-7) and (c)
problems of women with respect to worship (1 Tim. 2: 9ff).
The broader context of 1
Timothy 2 is public prayer. Paul exhorts them to pray for authorities, then
addresses problems associated with men and women in public prayer. It seems that the
issue in vv.9-14 is that women who tried to present themselves in outward
adornment and also apparently attempted to teach others rather than learn. Paul
instructed them to be silent. The question is is this a universal rule or
a transcultural motif? This paper already discussed husband-wife team
teaching (Acts 18:26) and women who prophesied (1Cor. 11:4-5) from which people
could learn (1Cor. 14:31). The nature of these epistles and the context of 1
Timothy 2 points out that Paul addresses issues in Ephesus. Moreover, the word
( Hōsautōs adverb) similarly/
likewise/ in just the same way in
v. 9 indicates how vv.9ff integrally connected with Paul’s discussion of public
prayer. Thus, it may not
be a transcultural or universal principle that Paul is discussing in Tim.2 but
it could be a locale-specific problem.
The primary problem
that Ephesian church faced was false teachers(1Tim. 1:3-20; 4:1-7; 6:6-10,
20-21; 2Tim. 2:16-26; 3:5-13) who tried to influence less educated women (2
Tim. 3:6) who were proving to be incapable of learning correctly (2Tim. 3:7). Having
influenced by them, probably some of the widows went house to house in
spreading nonsense (1 Tim. 5:13). The Greek word used in 1 Tim. 5:13 for busybodies
used to refer to those who speak nonsense and it typically refers to those who spread
false and improper teaching in moral and philosophical contexts.[ix]
d) What kind of Silence and submission?
In this context, Paul calls them to learn quietly and
forbids them to teach in such a manner to take authority over man. This Pauline injunction should be understood in context. Silence is an appropriate way to
learn except one has a thorough knowledge of the subject. The word used here
for silence (h`suci,a|) refers to
respectful attention or quiet demeanor. The same word is used in 2:2 to exhort
to have a quiet lifestyle and therefore it refers to a certain attitude, not to complete
muzzling. The focus here, thus, is how one should listen and learn, not whether
or not one may speak in worship.
Besides silence, they are expected to learn in “in full
submission.” This is parallel to “in quietness.” The question is that submission
to whom. In this context of learning, it is logical to assume that it refers to submission to a teacher or to oneself. So, it may refer to a proper attitude
towards teaching in the church. The conjunction and/but (de.) indicate a contrast: learn but not teach. There is no evidence in NT or LXX where the verb “I am not permitting” refers to a perpetual ordinance; rather it refers to temporal limitation;[x] Note that this is not present imperative (Let a woman not teach) which may indicate a universal applicability. Paul, therefore, limits his statement to the then and there of Ephesus. The context is key here. It has been noticed that Paul is dealing specific problem of public worship. It would suggest that whatever Paul meant in v.12, it may not rule out women speaking in worship, women speaking as a deaconess, and the woman teaching their children including male or other women in faith (Tit. 2:3–5; 2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14, 15; cf. Acts 16:1; Acts 18:25, 26).
Scholars suggest that the Greek word for authority (auvqentei/n) means “have authority” and “domineer”
or “usurp authority.”[xi]
Most probably, Paul suggests here that women are not permitted to “rule over”
“master” or “domineer” over men.[xii]
In addition, we need to consider the construction “neither….nor” (v.12). In the New
Testament, this construction is used to pair synonyms, closely related ideas or
antonyms. This construction shows the connection between teaching and
authority. Having said about how women are involved in spreading wrong teaching in
Ephesus, it would fit to suggest that the verse implies that women should not
teach men in a dominating way, not teaching per se. This also may fit well with
the culture of the city of Ephesus which had the temple of Artemis where women were
treated as superior to men.
Paul often uses scriptural analogy and uses scripture in an ad
hoc manner. Here, to support his argument, he brings an analogy between Eve and
deceived women in Ephesus like he made an analogy between Eve and the entire
Corinthian congregation (2 Cor. 11:3). Keener suggests that his argument in 1
Tim. 2 is that “God created men first, women are more easily deceived than men,
and therefore women should not teach men.”[xiii]
The implication here is that “women in Ephesus were deceived like Eve
because they were uneducated, the principle is that the untrained are more
susceptible to deception.” [xiv]
Thus, we can infer that Paul does not deny the ministry of women
here, rather he is restricting unlearned women who try to teach in the church
and exercise authority in a domineering way. It is seemingly an issue in the
Ephesian church and therefore, no need to apply this text transculturally to
deny the role of women in ministry.
d) Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
This is known as the Manga Carta of Freedom. The verse is clear
that one’s standing on Christ is not determined by sexual, social, and ethnic distinctions.
Paul does not have an agenda of obliterating or ignoring such distinctions here and
their relative advantage rather he suggests that such distinctions do not have significance for one’s spiritual status. It is clear that women have equal
status before God as equal members of the body of Christ.
A particular tribe, Levites, was allowed to be priests of God
in the Old Testament. However, the qualification to be a minister in the New Testament
is not gender or race qualification rather it is the call, equipping of the Holy
Spirit and opportunities are necessary for a New Testament ministry. It is
proved in the history of the church that women are called to be missionaries,
apostles, prophetess, teachers, pastors, deaconess, and so on. They also
extraordinary way contributed to the Kingdom of God through their ministry.
Thus, even the empirical data shows that the biblical pattern of ministry of women
is applicable even now.
Conclusion
It is clear in the Bible that women have equal status with
men before God though they may have functional differences. Women are
permitted to do ministry both in the Old Testament and New Testament. We can see women ministered as
prophetesses, deaconesses, patrons, apostles, teachers, and co-labourers of Paul,
probably as evangelists. The two passages that seemingly prohibit women’s
ministry address a locale-specific issue and they are not expected to apply
transculturally.
[i] James R. Beck and Craig L. Blomberg
(Eds), Two Views on Women in Ministry (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 30.
Other Readings (not endorsing):