The Women Of The New Testament, And The Role They Played

Did women rule men in the New Testament Church?

In the definitive history book of our Church, the Book of Acts, one must prove or lose his case when dealing with church "issues." If one cannot remarked even a particular female teacher or leader there, it becomes apparent that current female leadership is being driven by someone else spirit, not God's.

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Roman Catholics want to see Mary elevated in this book. Alas, only one mention of her name, and that in a list with any other disciples.

Then there is Sister Priscilla. 5 times is her name mentioned in the New Testament, 3 in Acts. Always she is seen with her husband. 3 of the 5 times she is mentioned second, 2 times she is mentioned first. It is nearly amusing to see female-authority advocates swoop down on those 2 lone passages as proof clear that women were to have the ascendancy at times.

This blessed couple, Aquila and Priscilla, or if you must, Priscilla and Aquila, were helpers of the Apostle Paul. We see them taking a personal interest in Preacher Apollos, setting him right on some issues. We see a church in their home. Of how that church operated and of any other activities of theirs or hers, we have no clue. With this scanty evidence it is not likely we should nominate her for the church board. I am sure Aquila learned from his friend Paul that this is simply not acceptable.

We have already run out of history. The godly women of Scripture all submitted to their husbands. The ungodly rebelled and were judged. Women prophesied, but none ruled in Israel or the Church. None were called upon to teach except by Paul who asks older women to teach younger women (Titus 2:4). Women are called to silence in the group assemblies. When they prophesied, it is potential that often this was outside the assembly.

Are there no other female voices to be raised? What of sister Phoebe? A total of 2 verses communicate all we know of her. In I Corinthians 16:1-2, we learn that she served the church, she needed aid in that service, she helped many people, and she helped Paul. To raise this slave of the Lord to church office and leadership is to, once more, ask Paul to contradict Paul! Is it likely that the apostle, having spoken so forcefully about women foremost and teaching, would promote a woman who was doing that very thing? Is there not assistance that is not public, not authoritative?

Was this a widow woman who, like Dorcas served the saints by making clothes for the needy? Was she a woman given to prayer? Was she blessing the orphans of Israel or ministering to the sick? All we know is that she served!

The Greek "diakonos", a term here applied to Sister Phoebe, is translated servant, deacon, minister at discrete times in Paul's writings. Paul and Phoebe are both called "diakonos" . Servant. Paul was not an "official" deacon. Nor was Phoebe.

Oh how we love to make a big deal about our titles! But in fact every one who serves God is a minister of God, a servant. Young and old and male and female are servants of God! Ministers. Slaves, if you will. There is no "prominence" attached to this position. It is a lowly office, like the life that Jesus lived. It is washing stinking feet clothed in a towel. It is a call downward, not upward.

Distinct from this general servanthood is the call for men to be "official" servants, deacons, chosen by the church, as were the original seven of Acts 6. For these men, assistance was not given as they desired, but as the elders needed. These men could be called upon at any time to do jobs that the elders were too busy to perform. Yes, "deacons" could preach and minister in the miraculous, but their calling was to be "on call."

And why do I shift to "men" when I speak of these servants? Because all of the originals were men. Because the qualifications for their assistance involves having a godly wife. The idea of a female being exalted over the church was simply not in the mind of the founding apostles, nor should it be in our mind.

In short, Phoebe, our last applicant for pastor, or teacher, or even deacon, in the Scriptures, will have to be rejected. It seems very clear from Scripture that though women have many phenomenal functions in the Body of Christ, rulership over men is not to be one of them.

The Women Of The New Testament, And The Role They Played

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