Women in Ministry

(1 Timothy 2:11-15 – Women in Ministry)

Many churches do not permit women to hold ministry positions in the Church, and that is a great wrong. Their reasons for not allowing women in ministry is often traced back to this section of scripture I am looking at today.

In fact this scripture often is used to push women down to be “second class citizens” in the church and that should not be so.

But there are many scriptures that show women in ministry in many ways, and not just the traditional subordinate roles typical of many churches. Women in ministry held leadership roles and exercised various of the ministry gifts given by God. Jesus even admonished the Apostles for failing to listen to the ministry of women after His resurrection.

Women in ministry at the resurrection

The most important doctrine of Christianity is the resurrection. Without the resurrection, there is no Christianity.

We all come to Christ in the hope that we will share in the resurrection and so receive the promises of God to those who have faith.

But who was it that first preached the message of the resurrection (apart from Jesus of course)? It was women. Women in ministry who were the first to witness and preach the truth of the resurrection, as we see in these words.

1 Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Mag’dalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulchre. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (Matthew 28:1-8)

Here we see that the ministry of the resurrection was first given to women who were to go and tell it to the disciples.

But what was the reaction of the disciples? They did not believe the women. So when Jesus appeared to them He upbraided them and admonished them for not listening to those who had first seen, witnessed, and testified to the resurrection.

14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. (Mark 16:14)

It is clear that Jesus had no problem entrusting this central and most critical ministry of bearing testimony to the resurrection to women. He also was upset that the others did not believe their words.

This is a clear indication that there should be women in ministry and they have a role to play in the ministry of Christianity.

Women are equal with men in Christ

We have to understand that God sees no distinction between man and woman in Christ. This is what the scripture says:

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:27-28)

In Christ there is no distinction. Male and female are seen as the same and are equal in Christ.

So, if they are equal, they are certainly equal in the ministry as well. Women in ministry are capable of holding any of the positions that a man can hold and can receive any of the gifts that are given to man because in Christ there is no distinction.

There are many examples of women in ministry who operated gifts of ministry and had positions of leadership in the churches. Here are a few.

Women in ministry as prophets:

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phan’u-el, of the tribe of Asher (Luke 2:36)

Consider also the four daughters of Philip the evangelist;

And he had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. (Acts 21:9)

Women in ministry as teachers:

The scripture under review today says that Paul permitted no woman to teach or have authority OVER a man. Here is what it says:

11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submissiveness. 12 I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over men; she is to keep silent. 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 woman will be saved through bearing children, if she continues in faith and love and holiness, with modesty. (1 Timothy 2:11-15)

However, in practice we see that there were women in ministry who did teach. I have already mentioned those who bore witness to the resurrection of Jesus and were effectively operating as evangelists in that scenario. But there were also examples of others who taught the gospel, as we see in the next verse.

He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aq’uila heard him, they took him and expounded to him the way of God more accurately. (Acts 18:26)

This scripture is quite enlightening in other ways also regarding women in ministry, as it relates to the scripture under review today.

Paul did not permit women to have authority OVER a man, but in this scripture we see the husband and wife team of Aquila and Priscilla working together. Priscilla exercised her ministry in teaching WITH a man but not over the man. This is a different scenario that also fits with the fact that we Christians are meant to be a co-equal brotherhood and a family in God where all are equal.

Women in ministry as evangelists

Let us not forget one of the most powerful messages of evangelism in the Bible that caused many people to come to Christ, and it was done by a woman. You find this in the story of the Samaritan woman at the well in John chapter 4, but note these words:

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” (John 4:39)

Her words were clearly a work of evangelism and many in that city came to Christ as a result of her testimony and preaching.

Women in ministry as Elders

Women in ministry as elders is possibly the most controversial of all of the aspects of this matter. But there were women Elders, although the fact of it has been disguised through poor translation of the original Greek texts.

Consider the following scripture in the second letter of John.

“The elder to the elect lady and her children…” (2 John 1:1)

This appears to be saying that the Elder (John) is addressing this letter to the “elect lady.”

However, there is a mistranslation in these words. The third word “to” in the sentence is not in the Greek, and the removal of that word throws the verse into a completely different light. It should read as:

“The elder the elect lady and her children…” (2 John 1:1)

Reading it now it shows that the elect lady was actually the Elder in that particular church. It indicates strongly that there were women elders in the early church.

And there are other examples of women in different ministries as well: deacons, helpers, and so on.

So, even though Paul’s words seem harsh regarding women in ministry, they are not when we see the abundance of women in the Bible who did do ministry equal to that of men. And if we realise that women worked hand in hand as co-equals with men, as they should be, then it is clear they can and should have an equal share in the ministry as well.

You might also like:

Believe In The Lord
Mary Magdalene
The Woman At The Well Part 1
The Woman At The Well Part 2
The Woman At The Well Part 2
The Resurrection Of Jesus 2
Apostles And Elders
A Letter To The Church
The Whole Counsel Of God
Greeting The Brethren