II. A Biblical Look At The Role Of Women In The Life Of The Church. The Word of God clearly teaches that Christian women are to be actively involved in the local church. They are part of the body of Christ and as members of that body they are to help it grow “for the edifying of itself in love” (Eph.4:16).

Certain ministries of women are never questioned because they are specifically mentioned in the book of Acts and Epistles. Women such as Dorcas (Acts 9:36), Lydia (Acts 16:15), Phoebe (Roamns 16:2), Euodia and Syntyche (Phil.4:2-3), Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, and Persis (Romans 16:6,12) are examples of women who have devoted themselves to serve in different ways and they are highly commended by the apostle Paul especially those who worked with him in the gospel ministry. We are told in the Scriptures about older women to teach what is good, particularly to younger women (Titus 2:3,4), and we have seen how Timothy was nurtured and taught by his mother and grandmother (2Tim.1:5). In Acts 18:24-28 we are told that Priscilla and her husband Aquila were used to teach Apollos and explained to him “the way of God more accurately.”

The above-quoted texts on the role of women in the gospel ministry is evident that their contribution was substantial and that Paul highly recognized its value. Nonetheless, we do notice, that there are no female elders in the church of the New Testament. Elders were to rule and to labor in the word and doctrine (1Tim.5:17). When Paul wrote to Timothy to instruct him how church affairs should be conducted in the house of God (1Tim.3:15), he stated that women were not to teach men or to have authority over them (1Tim.2:12). Evidently, the useful, necessary, God-given abilities of women were to be exercised within the divine order that God has established in the Holy Scripture. Women were not to be the spiritual leaders of the church as pastors.

III. Scriptures Cited In Support To The Idea Of Female Pastors

Galatians 3:28 says, “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” (NKJV).

Proponents for the idea of ordaining women into the pastorate love to quote this text to support their arguments. They emphasize their “cultural argument” that according to the text the church should avoid gender discrimination by allowing women to be ordained as pastors. Contextual analysis will prove that such conclusion is very far from what is being taught in the biblical text. The immediate context shows that the passage does not speak about leadership within the local church but it does speak on our relationship with God through Christ within the context of salvation through faith in Him. That in so far as salvation is concerned and our being one with Christ by virtue of that spiritual relationship, we are not to discriminate based on gender, social status or race for we are all one in Christ Jesus.

John 20:1-2 – The argument advanced by those who are promoting the idea for ordination of women into the gospel ministry as pastors is that at the resurrection of Christ, the first one to herald the good news of resurrection was a woman in the person of Mary Magdalene. Because of this event, they push their conclusion that it is alright for the church to ordain women as pastors. Evidently, the passage is a narrative and it simply narrates what happened on the resurrection morning and it does not established the norm for the church to ordain women into gospel ministry as pastors. Certainly Christian women should engage and participate in proclaiming the gospel of salvation, however, it does not follow that because they are involved in helping the Great Commission that they should now be ordained to become pastors of the churches of Christ.

Old Testament Characters (Deborah, Meriam, ect.) are being cited as proof that women can now be ordained as pastors in the church. But such conclusion is hermeneutically defective because the above mentioned characters were operating under the Old Covenant economy and they were not pastors but prophetess under the special anointing of the Holy Spirit. Under the New Covenant, the instruction for church leadership and headship is very clear (Eph.4:11; 1Tim.3:1-11; Titus 1:5-10; ITim.2:11-15).

IV. Exegetical Analysis On The Biblical Prohibition of Women Pastors

I Corinthians 14:33-37 –“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (NKJV).

Advocates for the idea of ordaining women to become pastors tried to twist and distort the intended meaning of this text by resorting to cultural argument and redefining terms in the passage to make it appear that women can be ordained as pastors of the churches of Christ. However no amount of human logic can explain away the plain and simple declaration of truth stipulated in the above text. Several points of truth must be observed:

The apostolic injunction is normative in all the churches of the saints (v.33). So what is being taught by the apostle Paul in this passage is not just unique and true in the church of Corinth but also true in all the churches of the saints in all ages. Notice the plural form of “all the churches” or “churches” in the text which explicitly taught that the application of this apostolic injunction is universal.

The prohibition of women to speak in the church bears apostolic authority under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (v.34). The role of the women here is to be submissive and not to be in authoritative teaching office of the church as pastor/teacher. The word “silent” in the original language does not mean absolute silence to the extent that women cannot utter any word or participate in the ministry of the church. But it means to be in submissive quietness of the heart in the church.

Aside from asserting his authority as an inspired apostle, Paul claimed that his teachings on this matter are “the commandments of the Lord” (v.37). Hence, it cannot just be ignored or modified by redefining terms in the text or pushing cultural arguments to promote ordination of women to the pastorate. This command of God on this matter must be strictly observed and obeyed in all the churches of the saints.

ITimothy 2:11-15 “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control” (NKJV).

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