I received the following question: “What does the Bible say about women in the pulpit? I thought scripture said that women are not to be in position of teaching above a man. If this is accurate, then why are so many women now preaching?”
Before you react to my answer, go back to the Scriptures and read the texts again.
The Bible does not speak of pulpits. It does speak of elders. 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5 speak of the requirements of elders, two of which are the husband of one wife and someone who rules his own household well. There are no examples of women elders in the Scripture. We came to the conclusion that there should not be women elders because of this teaching and each of the examples.
Teaching is another thing. All elders must be apt to teach. However, that is not the same thing as saying all teachers are to be elders. Teaching is not a gift that is relegated to men only.
What about women teaching men? Let's look at three places where the New Testament touches on this.
In 1 Corinthians 11, we find that a woman may pray and prophesy in a public meeting as long as she does not dishonor her head (her husband). Men are not heads of women; a husband is the head of his wife.
1 Corinthians 14 is speaking about order in the church: "If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.... But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.... For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints" (1 Cor. 14:27, 30-31, 33). Verses 34-35 are not a prohibition against women teaching; they are a prohibition against women chattering during the service. “Wait until you get home and ask your husband.” The tongue speaker should keep quiet. The prophet should keep quiet. The women should keep quiet. This is a requirement for order.
1 Timothy 2 is again speaking of wives and husbands, not men and women. The word for "man" in Greek is the same word as the word for "husband." The word for woman is the same as the word for wife. Verse 12 would be better translated, “a wife should learn in quietness and full submission (to her husband).” A woman should not be in full submission to men, only to her husband. Verse 12: “I do not permit a wife to teach or to have authority over her husband.” This now agrees with other Scriptures. It is still strong, but is not an isolated text with no other parallel in the Bible as it would be if it were speaking of women being in submission to men. Women are not to be in submission to men. They are to be in submission to their husbands.
Adam was the first man, but in this context he was the only man and the first husband. Wives will be saved through childbearing, not women saved by childbearing.
The common theme in these three texts is the submission of the wife to her husband. She is not to exercise authority or teach her husband.
Why are there women preachers? There are two ditches to fall in here. We can react to those who say that since women may not be elders, therefore they may not teach; or we can react the other way and say, “Since women may teach, they may be elders.” The correct answer is: They may not be elders; however, if they have a) the gift of teaching, b) their teaching is sound, and c) they are in submission to their husbands, then they may teach anyone who wants to be taught. That does not make a woman an elder. The church has used these texts as hammers on a subject that the texts are not teaching about.
I think that we can assume that Priscilla was in submission to her husband. “He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained the way of God more adequately” (Acts 18:26). From the early years of our marriage, Bessie and I modeled our lives together after Priscilla and Aquila. Bessie has taught me very much, but she has not exercised authority over me.
There are probably several cultural explanations for why we have women pastors. 1) Men do not want to preach. 2) Pressure from the feminists in the world and in the church. 3) Pressure from men who have bought into political correctness. These are not adequate reasons for having women pastors.
There are and have been women who of godly character who are wise and eloquent. They should not be church elders, but they may and should teach. To name a few, Amy Carmichael, Elisabeth Elliott, Corrie ten Boom, and Irene Webster-Smith. Three of these women did not have husbands. If someone wants to insist (apart from the Scriptures) that these women should not teach men, then let them make the prohibition to the men, that they may not be in the audience, not to the women that they should not teach.
Before you react to my answer, go back to the Scriptures and read the texts again.
The Bible does not speak of pulpits. It does speak of elders. 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5 speak of the requirements of elders, two of which are the husband of one wife and someone who rules his own household well. There are no examples of women elders in the Scripture. We came to the conclusion that there should not be women elders because of this teaching and each of the examples.
Teaching is another thing. All elders must be apt to teach. However, that is not the same thing as saying all teachers are to be elders. Teaching is not a gift that is relegated to men only.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. (1 Cor. 12:27-31)If teaching is for men only, so are the other gifts. It sounds like the gifts are divided up throughout the one body of Christ, and the body includes women.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Rom. 12:3-8)
What about women teaching men? Let's look at three places where the New Testament touches on this.
Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophecies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophecies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. (1 Cor. 11:3-6).It looks as if each of the texts refers to what is happening in a church meeting.
Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. (1 Cor. 14:34-35)
I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (1 Tim. 2:8-15)
In 1 Corinthians 11, we find that a woman may pray and prophesy in a public meeting as long as she does not dishonor her head (her husband). Men are not heads of women; a husband is the head of his wife.
1 Corinthians 14 is speaking about order in the church: "If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.... But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.... For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints" (1 Cor. 14:27, 30-31, 33). Verses 34-35 are not a prohibition against women teaching; they are a prohibition against women chattering during the service. “Wait until you get home and ask your husband.” The tongue speaker should keep quiet. The prophet should keep quiet. The women should keep quiet. This is a requirement for order.
1 Timothy 2 is again speaking of wives and husbands, not men and women. The word for "man" in Greek is the same word as the word for "husband." The word for woman is the same as the word for wife. Verse 12 would be better translated, “a wife should learn in quietness and full submission (to her husband).” A woman should not be in full submission to men, only to her husband. Verse 12: “I do not permit a wife to teach or to have authority over her husband.” This now agrees with other Scriptures. It is still strong, but is not an isolated text with no other parallel in the Bible as it would be if it were speaking of women being in submission to men. Women are not to be in submission to men. They are to be in submission to their husbands.
Adam was the first man, but in this context he was the only man and the first husband. Wives will be saved through childbearing, not women saved by childbearing.
The common theme in these three texts is the submission of the wife to her husband. She is not to exercise authority or teach her husband.
Why are there women preachers? There are two ditches to fall in here. We can react to those who say that since women may not be elders, therefore they may not teach; or we can react the other way and say, “Since women may teach, they may be elders.” The correct answer is: They may not be elders; however, if they have a) the gift of teaching, b) their teaching is sound, and c) they are in submission to their husbands, then they may teach anyone who wants to be taught. That does not make a woman an elder. The church has used these texts as hammers on a subject that the texts are not teaching about.
I think that we can assume that Priscilla was in submission to her husband. “He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained the way of God more adequately” (Acts 18:26). From the early years of our marriage, Bessie and I modeled our lives together after Priscilla and Aquila. Bessie has taught me very much, but she has not exercised authority over me.
There are probably several cultural explanations for why we have women pastors. 1) Men do not want to preach. 2) Pressure from the feminists in the world and in the church. 3) Pressure from men who have bought into political correctness. These are not adequate reasons for having women pastors.
There are and have been women who of godly character who are wise and eloquent. They should not be church elders, but they may and should teach. To name a few, Amy Carmichael, Elisabeth Elliott, Corrie ten Boom, and Irene Webster-Smith. Three of these women did not have husbands. If someone wants to insist (apart from the Scriptures) that these women should not teach men, then let them make the prohibition to the men, that they may not be in the audience, not to the women that they should not teach.
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