Overview
In Genesis 1:26-28, God made man as male and female in His image. Both man and woman had a direct relationship with God, and each shared jointly the responsibility of having dominion over the created order. In Galatians 3:28, Paul wrote that “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” In the new creation, we are still all equal.
There are no cases in Jesus’ teaching or actions that he condones women being in submission. Quite to the contrary, there are a host of illustrations that set Jesus against his Jewish context. Jesus had women disciples; Jewish rabbis did not have women disciples. He talked with women in public; rabbis did not approve of speaking to women in public. He touched women; rabbis would condemn that. He had friendships with many women like Mary and Martha; women travelled with him; some wealthy women supported him and his disciples in their ministry and were identified with him. The first time Jesus confessed his Messiahship was to a gentile woman. Women were standing by the cross, and women were also the first witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus.
In the early church, there are many examples where women were, in fact, engaged in significant ministries in the church. For example, 1 Corinthians 11 and Acts 21:9 demonstrate that women prayed and prophesied in the early church. Women shared in the leadership roles within the early church. Paul mentions his good friend Phoebe in Romans 16, who is called “a deacon” and a “helper” in the church – words that imply a leadership position. Other texts that speak of women sharing in roles are 1 Timothy 3, 1 Timothy 5 and Titus 2.
There are two main views on the roles of men and women, which in Christian circles are referred to as egalitarian and complementarian.
The complementarian view stresses submission and dependence. In the church context, this means a woman’s role is to be in submission to her husband, with the males taking all leadership roles and performing duties. This view, perhaps the more common in the Christadelphian church, is based in understanding the relationship of God to Christ to man to woman – these are based on passages in Paul’s letters in 1 Corinthians 11, 1 Timothy 2 and Ephesians 5.
The egalitarian view argues that there is no Scriptural reason for women not to share in leadership and to fully participate in the church. This view still takes the above texts seriously, but it does not begin and end with them. It points out that if we come into those passages from a wider understanding of the positions of men and women before God, we can come to a radically different conclusion.
So then, how are we meant to reconcile this with Paul’s other writings - in these passages, where women are not to speak (I Corinthians 14) or to teach (I Timothy 2)?
The egalitarian view states that it is important to acknowledge the principle of context – namely, that a text must be treated within its author, audience and time. From this perspective, one can understand these two passages in the context of Paul’s dealing with specific problems in the church at the time.
In I Corinthians 14:33-40, Paul is concerned with orderly worship. The principle is that all things are to be done “decently and in order.” It seems that the church was in disarray– people were speaking in tongues with interpretation and preaching without waiting for each other. One of the issues seems to have been married women interrupting the service by asking questions. The church seating was likely divided, as many synagogues still are today – with the men and women sitting on different sides of the room. You can imagine women calling across to their husbands or somehow interrupting the service by asking questions! We cannot be certain that this was the background; the historical evidence is unclear. But whatever the background, Paul was dealing with the question of order; he was not laying down a law for the church until the end of time.
In I Timothy 2:11-14, there would be no point in saying women should not teach unless they were doing it. In the context, certain women were clearly teaching heretical things. There was no secular or religious education for women in the ancient world. The synagogue did not permit women to study the Torah. This put women in a very vulnerable situation where they could gain little understanding of the scriptures from which to draw their understanding. Many of these women fell back on local superstition (worship of Artemis). In response to this situation, Paul suggests that women should not teach in the church.
Thus, Paul is addressing specific issues in specific churches at specific times. These passages are not necessarily laws for the rest of time to separate men and women in the exercise of their spiritual gifts in the church. Today, women have, in general society, in the church, and in theological institutions, the same opportunities to study and to develop their teaching gifts as men.
Paul teaches that in the new community of God’s people, all believers have been reconciled with God and each other. All stand equal before God without distinction or race or gender. The comments Paul makes concerning the role of women in the church do not deal with the question of serving in official capacities in the church. Instead the issue is a link between ministry and decorum which disrupted worship at that time.
The church should acknowledge that God has given gifts to all and discern these irrespective of gender. Men and women together should function in the church in the joyful knowledge that they are fully reconciled and equal as believers in Christ and as members of his body.
The Bible Says
Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 5:5 Submit to one another.
Romans 16:1-16 Paul mentions many women who serve in the church.
Colossians 3:10-11 Christ is in all.
1 Peter 4:10-11 Use our gifts for God “as stewards of God’s grace”.
Galatians 5:1 and 3:28-29 We have freedom from the old law.
1 Timothy 2:11-15 I suffer not a woman to teach (AV).
1 Corinthians 14: 34-40 All things should be done decently and in order.
1 Peter 3:1-8 Instructions to godly living for men and women.
Discussion Points
What does Genesis 3:16 mean to you? God tells Eve: “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” Was this a curse that God placed on women? Or was it a prophecy of the way women would be treated? Has it been superseded by Jesus?
Consider Jesus’ interactions with women (e.g. woman at the well in John 4, woman caught in adultery in John 8, with Mary and Martha in John 11). What appears to be his attitude?
Is there significance in John 20 for Jesus appearing to Mary after his resurrection and commissioning her to tell the world, when women were not regarded by the Jews as reliable witnesses?
In Acts, churches were in the homes of Christian citizens. How do you think a house church would have been conducted? Can you find any comments about how they worshipped?
Review the two short passages 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-40. Construct the argument in your own words and then add a justification for the limitation of the roles of women in the church.
Consider the argument that restrictions in the involvement of women in teaching as being about roles established by God, and nothing to do with equality. Review the passage in question 5 again. Construct the argument in your own words and then add a justification for there being no distinction between the roles of men and women in the church. Consider what you would say to women who may believe that they are “second-rate citizens” of the kingdom of God.
In many churches where there is a hierarchy, most roles are filled by men. Can you find any evidence of this pattern in the first-century church? Which functions could be carried out by both men and women?
Are there functions in church services which could be carried out by men and women? Consider church services you have attended.
Additional Sources
Complementary roles approach:
AACE paper 11 (2012) Principles Concerning the Roles of Brothers and Sisters. Available online at https://aace.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/11-Complementary-Roles.pdf
Byrnes, Colin (2011) God Christ Man Woman, Christadelphian Scripture Study Service.
Hyndman, Rob (ed.) (2002) The Way of Life, Bethel Publications, Beechworth. Ch.64.
Egalitarian roles approach:
Hurley, James (1985) Man and Woman in Biblical Perspective, Intervarsity Press UK. *
Jones, Robin (2013) One Father, One Teacher, One Head: Women in worship. Available online at https://alsowritten.wordpress.com/2018/10/18/one-father-one-teacher-one-head-women-in-worship/
Kroeger Richard and Catherine (1994) I Suffer Not a Woman, Baker Book House, Michigan. A close study of 1 Timothy 2:11-15. *
McHaffie, Averil and Ian (2010) All One in Christ Jesus. Available online at http://welivebythespirit.org/All_One_In_Christ_Jesus/All_One_In_Christ_Jesus.pdf
God and Gender. Available online at http://www.christadelphia.net/dbb10.html
ACSSU. Senior Sunday School Lessons Book 3 (Kindle Locations 1014-1020). Australian Christadelphian Sunday School Union. Kindle Edition.
Here's the link to the free Kindle Edition of this book: Senior Sunday School Lessons Book 3.
