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The Role of Women in the Church
Peter Ditzel
One
of our readers asked this question: "What is your position on women teaching
in the church or even speaking in church (e.g. praying, prophecying,
etc.)?" This
question, in one form or another, has been bandied about by churches for a
long time. Churches find it difficult to answer for a couple of reasons. Some
are too influenced with non-biblical concerns (such as contemporary ideas
about the role of women in society). Others are not using sound exegesis
(allowing the Bible to interpret itself) to examine the relevant Scriptures.
There is more to this question than pointing to a couple of Bible verses and
drawing a conclusion that has little to do with the Bible. There are several
Scriptures that must be honestly examined even if it means flying in the face
of political correctness. Of
the pertinent New Testament Scriptures that address this subject, the hardest
to be understood is found in 1 Corinthians 11. But a principle of biblical
interpretation is that unclear Scriptures must be understood in light of
clearer ones. Therefore, we will begin with the clearest. In
his instructions to the church at Corinth, Paul said, "Let your women
keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but
they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they
will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame
for women to speak in the church" (1 Corinthians 14:34-35). Notice that
in this one passage alone, Paul says in three different ways that women are
not to speak in church. First, he says, "Let your women keep silence in
the churches." Second, he says, "it is not permitted unto them to
speak." Third, he says, "it is a shame for women to speak in the
church." This repetition carries great force. I
will occasionally check a passage in the Revised English Bible, not for
literal accuracy, but as a sort of paraphrase/commentary because its modern
language is so direct. Notice verses 34-35 in this version: "As in all
congregations of God's people, women should keep silent at the meeting. They
have no permission to talk, but should keep their place as the law directs.
If there is something they want to know, they can ask their husbands at home.
It is a shocking thing for a woman to talk at the meeting." Who
can argue in the face of such plain language? Well, some will, of course, but
Paul anticipates this in the verses that follow. Going back to the King James
Version, we read, "What? came the word of God
out from you? or came it unto you only? If any man
think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the
things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man
be ignorant, let him be ignorant. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and
forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in
order" (verses 36-40). Paul's
mentioning of prophesying and speaking in tongues brings us to context. The
command that women are to be silent in church is at the end of a number of
commands that Paul gives concerning conducting the public worship decently
and in order. I won't quote all of chapter 14 (you can read it for yourself),
but I will summarize beginning with verse 26. Apparently, the Corinthian
church, unlike the other churches, was allowing anyone, at anytime during the
church service, to do certain things that he then lists. They were
singing—not congregational singing in which all are to sing, but what
is often today called special music. They had "a
doctrine"—were teaching, they were speaking in tongues, they were
bringing a prophetic revelation, they were interpreting tongues, and they
were judging what was spoken (verse 29). In
the verses that follow, Paul gives instructions on how to correct this
chaotic situation. Basically, the remedy is that one person should speak at a
time, not more than three people should be allowed to speak in one service,
and women should be silent. Concerning the women, from this context, we see
that their silence means that they are not to sing in church outside of
congregational singing, they are not to teach, they are not to speak in
tongues, they are not to bring a revelation, they are not to interpret a
tongue, and they are not to judge the speaking. Further, Paul says that if
the women "will learn anything," obviously meaning if they have a
question about something said, "let them ask their husbands at
home" (verse 35). So, the silence of women also means that they are not
to ask questions in church. Now
we must ask, Upon what grounds does Paul base his instruction that women are
to keep silent in church? This is what he says: "They [women] are
commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law" (verse 34). Paul
appeals to the law. But what does he mean by "the law"? There is no
specific Old Testament law that says women are to keep silent. Paul's use of
the word "law" here does not refer to specific commands. He must be
using "law" in the same way that it was often used, to mean the
first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch (see, for example, Matthew
12:5; Luke 16:16; Acts 13:15). In other words, there is something in the
first five books of the Bible that Paul knows backs up his position
concerning women being silent in church. Precisely what Scripture he has in
mind, he reveals in another passage concerning women being silent in church. In
1 Timothy 2:11-12, Paul instructs the young pastor, "Let the woman learn
in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to
usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." The similarity
between this and 1 Corinthians 14 cannot be missed. Women are to learn in
silence with all subjection (the Greek word translated "subjection"
is directly related to the Greek word translated "obedience" in
1 Corinthians 14:34). But to whom are they to be in subjection? 1
Corinthians 14 relates women's obedience to their being silent in church and
learning from their husbands at home. This passage in 1
Timothy relates subjection to learning in silence (we can assume from
1 Corinthians 14 that this means from their husbands at home), not teaching,
and not usurping authority over men. Next, Paul tells us what specifically in
the law supports his position. "For
Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman
being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved
in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with
sobriety" (verses 13-15). As we suspected in discussing 1 Corinthians
14, Paul's citing the law to back up his position is not a reference to a
command, but to a general statement of fact about the Creation found in one
of the first five books of the Old Testament—Genesis. Because
of the creation order—Adam first, and then Eve, and because Adam was
not deceived but Eve was, women are to be silent in church and not exercise
authority over men. In Genesis 2:18-25, we read that Eve was made to be a
helper who was meet (fit) for Adam. Unlike Adam, she
was not made directly from the dust of the ground. She was made from a rib
God took from Adam's side. She was made for Adam, and she was made not
entirely independent from Adam. Paul
next writes of Eve being deceived by the Serpent, Satan. Because the English
does not do a good job of distinguishing some of the words used, I will
explain some of the Greek. "And Adam was not [apatao—deceived or deluded], but
the woman being [exapatao—thoroughly
beguiled or deluded through persuasion] was in the [parabasis—overstepping or act of
going aside]. It
should be pointed out that neither apatao nor its intensive form, exapatao, is the word used to describe Satan's deception upon the entire
world. When the Bible speaks of Satan's deception of the world, the word is planao, which means to cause to wander or go
astray, to be or let oneself be misled, to wander about. Adam and all the world since (including, of course, women) have
been deceived in this way. But Eve was also beguiled (2 Corinthians 11:3). But
why should Eve's being beguiled in the Garden of Eden cause Paul to say that
women should be silent in church? The answer must be that women in general
have a tendency to be more easily duped than men. Because of this tendency,
they are not to be teachers, or preachers, or hold an office (which implies
authority) in church. The Bible does balance things out. The very fact that
Adam was not duped, but sinned against God fully knowing what he was doing,
means that he was more culpable. Adam is more responsible for the sin by
which the world fell than Eve, and, in fact, it is usually called
"Adam's sin." Further,
Paul goes on to say in 1 Timothy 2:15, "Notwithstanding she shall be
saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness
with sobriety." This one sentence says much. Although Bible scholars
have often debated about the meaning of this Scripture, I believe that interpreting
it with 1 Corinthians 11:8-9, 11-12 gives as good or better an understanding
of it as any other: "For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of
the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man
[this corresponds to 1 Timothy 2:13, "For Adam was first formed, then
Eve."].... Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither
the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even
so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God." In other words,
even though Eve was made for Adam and was formed from his rib, men are born
of women. This, I believe, corresponds to "she shall be saved in
childbearing" in 1 Timothy 2:15. And, Paul goes
on to say, everyone is from God. Even though woman is for man and from man,
her husband is not her superior as far as salvation. And God has indicated
this in the physical realm by having men born from women. Nevertheless,
to return to the main subject, we must remember that Paul clearly states that
women are to remain silent in church because of the creation order and
because Eve was deceived. With
this background, it is time to look at 1 Corinthians 11. We will begin with
verse 3: "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is
Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is
God." Here again we see order. God is the head of Christ. Christ is the
head of man. Man is the head of woman. Like it or not, this is what the Holy
Spirit says through Paul. In
verse 4, we read, "Every man praying or prophesying, having his head
covered, dishonoureth his head." Seemingly
clear enough. It is wrong for a man to pray or prophesy with his head
covered. The
problems begin with verse 5: "But every woman that prayeth
or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she
were shaven." Is Paul saying that it is permissible for a woman to say a
prayer or speak a prophecy in church as long as her head is covered? No! How
do we know this? Because it is contrary to the clear Scriptures we have just
examined. Paul, let alone the Holy Spirit, is not schizophrenic. What, then,
can he mean? Several
possibilities have been offered by people examining this passage. Of course,
there is only one right answer. All of this is thoroughly discussed in
another article on this site. I don’t want to repeat myself, so I
suggest that you read The
Head Covering. In short, the article shows from the Bible that praying
and prophesying are simply two activities of public worship that Paul
intended to stand for all. When a man leads in any of these activities, the entire assembly participates,
even if silently. Therefore, women “pray and prophesy” just by
attending public worship, even if they remain silent (which they should). This
is what eighteenth-century Baptist commentator John Gill says of 1
Corinthians 11:5: "Not that a woman was allowed to pray publicly in the
congregation, and much less to preach or explain the word, for these things
were not permitted them: see 1 Corinthians 14:34, but it designs any woman
that joins in public worship with the minister in prayer, and attends on the
hearing of the word preached, or sings the praises of God with the
congregation, as we have seen, the word prophesying signifies, with her head
uncovered." Therefore, according to Gill, Paul is saying that women
should not speak in church and should also have their heads covered because
they participate silently in congregational prayer, by listening to the
preaching, and by participating in congregational singing. So,
women are to be silent in church except for congregational singing. All of
the relevant Scriptures, then, agree. Should women teach in church? No.
Should women preach in church? No. Should women pray aloud in church? No.
Should women sing without the rest of the congregation in church? No. Should
women be ordained to an office in church? No. But
isn't this outdated, something only for the times and society in which Paul
wrote? Absolutely no! There is nothing different about the Scriptures we have
just examined that would make us believe that they are limited to the time
and society in which Paul wrote. Say that these passages of God's Word do not
apply to us today, and you have torn open a hole in your armor that will
allow Satan to destroy the entire Word of God, and you! Some
other questions may come to mind. 1) Should women teach children in Sunday
school? 2) What about women teaching or preaching to other women? 3) What
about women being ordained to the office of deaconess? 4) If women are to be
silent in church (which seems rather passive), what active role are they to
have? 1)
Should women teach children in Sunday school? The question is premised on the
assumption that there should be such a thing as a Sunday school for children.
The Bible gives no sanction to Sunday schools. It says that children are to
be taught by their parents (see our article "Should
You Be Homeschooling?" for the relevant Scriptures). Fathers and
mothers (when they are both Christians) should work together in determining
what this teaching should be. A role for the church, in this regard, is in
imparting to parents a good understanding of Scripture, teaching them to be
good parents, and helping them know how to teach. Families should attend
church services together. 2)
What about women teaching or preaching to other women? Paul instructs Titus
to "speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.... The aged women
likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much
wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be
sober [sober minded], to love their husbands, to love their children, to be
discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that
the word of God be not blasphemed" (Titus 2:1, 3-5). Here is a direct
command that the older women, by their example and instruction, teach younger
women. Therefore, we see that women can be teachers of other women. This is not
something done in church as part of the church service, and preaching has
nothing to do with it. Older women are to be teachers, but not preachers.
They are to teach younger women to behave according to the list in Titus
2:4-5; that is, to be good wives and mothers. 3)
What about women being ordained to the office of deaconess? In Acts 6, we
read of Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas being set apart to the physical
service of the church by the laying on of hands (Acts 6:1-6). These were all
men. There is never a mention of women being set apart to an office. Yes, the
Greek word diakonos
is used in reference to women who gave physical service to the church (diakonos is
translated "servant" in the King James Version in Romans 16:1, for
example). But diakonos
merely means servant, and it does not have to refer to the special office we
call deacon. To settle the matter, in 1 Timothy 3:12, Paul, writing of who
can be considered for special offices in the church, says, "Let the
deacons be the husbands of one wife." Women cannot be the husbands of
one wife. While there are many biblical examples of women serving in the
church, there is no indication that they ever held a church office. 4)
If women are to be silent in church (which seems rather passive), what active
role are they to have? We have already seen in this article one active role
that older women are to have: they are to teach younger women to love their
husbands and children, obey their husbands, be chaste, be keepers at home,
etc. We see another active role in the example of the women who followed
Jesus (see, for example, Luke 8:1-3), and in the examples of Phebe (see Romans 16:1-2), Dorcas
(see Acts 9:36), and other women in the New Testament. They served the
physical needs of the church. At
this point, we should re-examine 1 Timothy 2.
Earlier, we looked at verses 11-15 as they concerned women being silent and
not teaching. But we should look at the verses that come before these. Paul
begins the chapter by saying that the church should pray for all kinds of
people, even for kings and others in authority. Then, in verse 8, he writes,
"I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands,
without wrath and doubting." “Men” here comes from a Greek
word that specifically means males. The verses that follow then give
instructions concerning the women. "In
like manner also, that women adorn themselves in
modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but
(which becometh women professing godliness) with
good works" (verses 9-10). The "in like manner also" is
important. Paul's previous instruction that the men pray publicly is an
instruction in public worship. When he says, "in like manner also,"
he means that he is going to give further instruction in public worship.
Therefore, a way that women are to worship God is to dress modestly. They are
also to be modest and self-controlled, and, instead of adorning themselves
with elaborate hairstyles and jewelry and clothing, to adorn themselves with
good works. And, Paul continues with the thought, they are to learn in
silence and not teach. Since
our reason for attending worship services is to worship God, these are important
instructions. Women are to worship by modest dress and behavior and learning
in silence. Of course, this is at opposite ends of the universe from the
feminist-originated assumptions that now influence practice in so many
churches. But the Bible, and not contemporary society, is to be our authority
for belief and practice. Therefore, we must stand for what the Bible says is
right, worship God according to the instructions He gives us in the Bible,
and act to realign our churches to biblical standards (or, failing that, find
churches that are already faithful to the Bible). To
return to the original question, Are women to teach or speak in church? No,
because God does not want women to worship Him in that way. Copyright © 2004 - 2006 wordofhisgrace.org Last
revised 2006-06-29 |
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