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COMMENTARY: WOMEN IN CHURCH LEADERSHIP
VineLife Network, Inc.

I Timothy 2:12

“But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.''

I. WOMEN AND PENTECOST

It is evident from the New Testament itself that I Timothy 2:12, is not meant as an absolute statement of practice for the entire church. After the ascension of Jesus, the disciples returned to Jerusalem. Luke records that “all these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers'' (Acts 1:14).

We then read, ''When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all in one place… And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (unlearned), as the Spirit gave them utterance'' (Acts 2:1, 4). Presumably, this included the women who also were filled with the Holy Spirit and also spoke in other (unlearned) tongues.

After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit a new situation was created, with women sharing the same spiritual blessings as the men. The resulting situation was so radical, culturally speaking, that Paul, describing this reality, writes: ''For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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).

Through Jesus, the Spirit became the great equalizer, bringing those who were excluded, up to the same level of blessing as was once the exclusive domain of Israelite men. Women were brought into the freedom of Christ, being bearers of the Holy Spirit and receiving the gifts the Spirit bestows.

II. SOME WOMEN WERE IMPRUDENT

Along with the freedom bestowed by the Spirit, there were of course abuses of this newfound freedom with its amazing equality. Women, who before were excluded from active participation in worship, now prayed aloud in the assembly (1 Corinthians 11:5) and were even given the gift of prophecy (Acts 1:17, Joel 2:28, Acts 21:9, 1 Corinthians 11:5). By his own statements in l Corinthians 14, it is clear that for Paul prophecy was not simply the forecasting of the future, but was for the edification of the church. The word of prophecy was to be evaluated by the congregation. The function of prophecy, thus, stands very close to that of teaching and preaching.

With exuberance in this new freedom which was theirs in Christ, some of the women evidently took too much of a leading role, far beyond what their Greek culture would allow. They were giving the church a bad reputation, and their actions were proving to be a hindrance to the advancement of the Gospel. Thus Paul gives the prohibitions about speaking, teaching, or exercising authority. It was instruction based on cultural norms, not on universal spiritual imperatives!

III. EUODIA AND SYNTYCHE, PAUL'S CO-WORKERS AT PHILIPPI

It is important in this regard to note that Paul writes quite differently to the church in Philippi: “I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. And I ask you also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they 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” (Philippians 4:2-3).

Here we have two women, of whom Paul can say ''they have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers.'' By the way he speaks of them it is obvious that they were more than support people for the work of the ministry; they were themselves actively involved in the ministry. Their influence in the church was so great that a disagreement between them threatened its very unity.

Now the question must be asked, “Why did Paul allow these women such a vital role in the ministry? Why did he not instruct them, as he had those in Corinth and Ephesus, to keep silent with all submission?”

The answer is not hard to find. The cultural situation was different! Ephesus and Corinth were Greek cities. Philippi, however, was a Roman Colony, founded and largely inhabited by Roman citizens.

IV. WOMEN IN THE ROMAN WORLD

The position of women in the first century Roman culture was quite different from their counterparts in the Greek and Jewish culture. Although the female was under the authority of the male in the eyes of the law, and was afforded little protection under the law, in practice the situation was quite different. Especially if she came from a wealthy family! The rise of stoic philosophy, with its teaching of the natural equality of all persons, affected the status of all women.

The Roman matron enjoyed a greater degree of freedom than in any ancient culture. She was less secluded and free to occupy a recognized place in society! She was educated! Some even became doctors or lawyers! A woman could participate in business and trade (e.g. Lydia, a woman of Philippi, Thyatira was a seller of purple, a trades woman - a position which would be highly unlikely for a woman to hold in a strictly Greek or Jewish culture). Roman women could attend, and even speak at assemblies. As a result, there was no great stigma attached in a Roman Society to their taking a leading role in the ministry of the church! It was normal!

V. WOMEN IN ROMANS CHAPTER 16

The sixteenth chapter of Romans, with its greetings to several women, could only be possible in a Roman society; thus we see the prominence of Priscilla, a very able teacher, laboring side by side with her husband.

The point I am making is that the Apostle Paul was able and willing to adapt his approach to ministry to fit the cultural distinctiveness of the area in which he was working, because, from the perspective of the New Covenant and the Kingdom, there was the granting of equality in Christ.

VI. RECOGNIZE CULTURAL DISTINCTIVES

Paul's rationale and principle for ministry is stated in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23: “For I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under law I became as one under the law, that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the 1aw... that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.''

He further instructs the Corinthians: ''Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, Just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be Imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:32-11:1).

The principle of Paul's ministry was flexibility in light of the changing cultural situations, without compromising the Gospel. His purpose was to save men and women! This cultural flexibility caused Paul no end of trouble! He was often misunderstood! It finally led to his arrest and eventual imprisonment and death. Was Paul correct in his cultural flexibility, or were the Jews right in wanting to make their culture the norm for all people? That is the question.

Paul's principle of cultural flexibility should be kept in mind today. Just because women may be acceptable leaders in one section of our society does not mean that they would be usable instruments in every section of our society. This can be seen easily as you travel from one region to another. What may be acceptable in Atlanta may not be at all acceptable in Boston. The physical difference between men and women comes into play in some roles!

As you look at the Jewish culture there were differences as to the role of women. At the dedication of Christ in Jerusalem and after the blessing of Simeon, the prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, ''came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Israel” (Luke 2:38).

The role of the prophet or prophetess was to speak or preach to the people of God on His behalf. As you can see, even before the freedom we received through Christ was made evident with the coming of the Holy Spirit, women did deliver the Word of God to both men and women!

The fourteenth chapter of the Book of Romans deals with matters of opinion. There are some things that the Scripture does not give definitive answers on and one is left to ''work out his own salvation with fear and tremblingly.” Verse 4, regarding matters of opinion, asks: ''Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand.''

In conclusion let me state that when the Holy Spirit bestows a gift of teaching on a woman, and the Lord Jesus Christ calls her into the ministry of teaching, she is His servant…, not mans! No one can judge her, for “by her fruit,” she shall be known. If she has faith that Jesus called her, and gave her a message, she would be in sin not to deliver it to whomever Christ has given the message for.

As founder and director of VineLife Network, Inc, I do not speak for any other movement or denomination. Nor do I speak against any other church, movement, or denomination. My spheres of function, placement and government, along with the measure of authority in each of these are wherever the Lord places me, and I speak the word of the Lord in these spheres.

David L. Shirkey