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Let Your Women Keep Silence!

PART 3

Table of Contents
PART 1
IN THE BEGINNING
THE OLD TESTAMENT VIEW OF WOMEN
HAS GOD EVER EMPOWERED WOMEN?
A PROPHETESS IN ISREAL

PART 2
DEBORAH ARISES IN ISREAL!
THE UNHERALDED PROPHETESS
THE WOMAN WHO CHANGED HITORY
MORE OF GOD’S LEADING LADIES

PART 3
THE ROLES WOMEN PLAY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
MARY’S EXEMPLARY ROLE
A WOMAN SPEAKS OUT
THE ACID TEST-CHRIST’S ATTITUDE TOWARD WOMEN
THE PENTECOST EXPERIENCE—NOT FOR MEN ONLY!
I SUFFER NOT A WOMAN!

PART 4
ROMANS 16—WHY SO MANY WOMEN?
DID WOMEN PROPHECY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?
ARE THERE SEPARATE GIFTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN?
THE ISSUE OF SUBMISSION

PART 5
THE DIFFICULT WORDS OF PAUL
1 CORINTHIANS 14:34-35—WHAT DID PAUL REALLY MEAN?
I TIMOTHY 2:11-15—MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!
THE FINAL ANALYSIS

THE ROLES WOMEN PLAY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

As the New Testament opens, a gap of nearly 400 years exists between the last canonical Hebrew writings and the birth of the Messiah and onset of His ministry. The setting, of course, is first-century Palestine, including Judea, Galilee, and Samaria.

By the time the New Testament begins, the role of women in Jewish life found itself relegated to a lower status than had historically been the case. The Hellenization of the Jews was, to a great extent, responsible for this negative change. Rabbinic customs and conventions had sprung up bountifully over the past several hundred years, affecting almost every facet of Jewish life. Women found themselves forced into a second and sometimes even a third-class existence.

Still, in spite of the changing nature of women’s roles at that time, the New Testament presents enough of a picture of how Godly women functioned to allow solid conclusions to be drawn about how the Almighty views this issue. And one of the very first characters we encounter provides us with strong evidence that God’s role for women of faith indeed had not changed.

MARY’S EXEMPLARY ROLE

Mary and, to a lesser extent, Elisabeth are the first two women that appear in the New Testament record. What is interesting here is that Yahweh chose to have His Son born in a more or less conventional fashion, indeed strictly as a human being. This, of course, required the choosing of a human father and mother, and of the two, the mother being by far the most important selection. With regard to Mary and Joseph, it is not difficult to conclude that Mary plays a much more significant role in the life of Yahshua than does Joseph.

First, Zacharias, the wife of Elisabeth and a Levite serving in the Temple, received an angelic visitation during which he is told about a son that God will grant to he and his wife, even though they are old in years. This, of course, refers to John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah.

Then, Mary also has an angel appear to her, revealing the coming birth of the One who would become the Savior of the world. At first, Mary was taken aback, especially since she and Joseph were only betrothed, meaning that they had not yet consummated their marriage. When the angel explained the nature of this event and how she would conceive through the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary immediately yielded herself, saying:

“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word” (Lk. 1:38).

Although it is unfortunate that Mary has been so esteemed that she has become an object of worship for millions upon millions of people throughout the world, it goes without saying that she was a very, very special individual. She was not, of course, perfect, but she did exhibit traits of character that were outstanding. Humility and its subsequent partner, submission or yieldedness, were both prominent characteristics of Mary. There are few, if any, aspects of the human disposition that God appreciates more than He does genuine humility. Nothing will open the door between a person and the Almighty more surely and more quickly than true humility. This quality Mary possessed in spades!

Can you imagine just what caliber of person it would take to be chosen to bear the Son of God, to be able to believe that this could be, and to exhibit authentic humility throughout the entire event? Here are the words of the angel who visited Mary:

“Hail, you that are highly favored, the Lord is with you: blessed are you among women...Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God” (Lk. 1:28, 30).

Since these words came from the angel Gabriel, we can rest assured that they were not lightly spoken. When he says that Mary is blessed, he means that the Eternal Himself has spoken well of her, and that He has invoked a benediction upon her. Mary’s song of praise, beginning in Luke 1:46, demonstrates more amply than anyone else’s words what kind of person she really was at heart. Here is what she said:

“And Mary said, My soul does magnify the Lord, and my spirit does rejoice in God my Savior. For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed (should read: shall bless me). For He that is mighty has done to me great things; and holy is His name. And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation. He has showed strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy; as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever” (Lk. 1:46-56).

Mary continued to be the central character in the Messiah’s young life. This statement in no way is intended to denigrate or belittle Joseph. It is that we know so little about this man, and so much more is revealed of Mary. Undoubtedly Joseph was a most righteous man, or he would have never even attracted a woman such as Mary.

When the birth of Yahshua occurred, shepherds in the fields came to see what had happened, and then began to spread the news abroad. I consider it quite interesting and equally as telling that Mary reacted decidedly differently than most of the other people around her. Note the following from Luke 2:

“And when they (the shepherds) had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But MARY KEPT all these things, and PONDERED THEM in her heart” (Lk. 2:17-19).

After the requisite forty days had elapsed, Mary and Joseph took their son up to the Temple that they might offer the prescribed sacrifice according to the Torah. While there, they encountered an old man, very devout, named Simeon, who was under the influence of the Holy Spirit. When he saw the child, he immediately took him in his arms and blessed him and uttered a prophecy concerning him. Note carefully, however, to whom he directed his comments:

“And Simeon blessed them, and said unto MARY HIS MOTHER, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through your own soul also) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Lk. 2:34-35).

It is most interesting that the last we read about Joseph himself is when Christ was twelve years of age and speaking with the rabbis during the Passover season, as recorded in Luke 2:41-52. There has been much speculation through the years that Joseph most likely died sometime shortly after this particular occasion. Mary, however, lived on and continued to be very close to her firstborn son, was intimately involved in His ministry, and was standing faithfully by Him as He hung from the tree on Golgotha. After the resurrection, she is seen with the apostles and other disciples in the upper room (Acts 1:14), was one of the 120 who gathered together at Pentecost in 30 A.D., and who spoke in tongues and witnessed to the crowds in Jerusalem (Acts 2). Tradition has it that she continued to play a significant role in the early spreading of the gospel, giving and serving as she had all of her exemplary life.

A WOMAN SPEAKS OUT!

Going back to when Mary and Joseph were in the Temple, after they had encountered Simeon, there was another individual who was on the scene. Her name was Anna. We are given just enough information to know that she was a very special servant of the Almighty. Here is what Luke records of her:

“And there was one Anna, a PROPHETESS, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher...she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, who departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spoke of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Lk. 2:36-38).

Should we by now be surprised to discover that certain women were known in Israel as prophetesses? Hardly, since we have already covered a number of Old Testament examples, we see, as the New Testament begins, that God is still empowering women of His choice with the spirit or gift of prophecy.

I have come across many individuals over the years who have claimed to be a prophet. My best sense is that absolutely none of them actually were. I am always wary of the person who tells me that he is a prophet. In the Bible, a prophet or prophetess were KNOWN as such by the people. They could testify on his or her behalf if any question of credibility were to arise. In Anna’s case, you will see clearly that Luke himself was well aware that she was a prophetess. He knew where she spent her time and how she spent her time. She wasn’t running around the countryside claiming to be somebody!

And note carefully what Anna did after her encounter with Mary, Joseph & the baby Yahshua. It is said that “she spoke of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem!” Now I ask you, is that proper behavior for a woman? Would such a thing be tolerated in the churches of God today? Why it sounds as though Anna actually started preaching the gospel to any and all that would hear her! It may well be that she indeed was the first person to do so in the New Testament era! Whatever the case may be, one thing is an absolute certainty–ANNA DID NOT KEEP SILENCE!! And neither should any other saint, man or woman, in whom the Almighty has placed the spirit or gift of prophecy. To prophesy can mean to predict, but it also can be defined to speak under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I would submit to you that Anna did both, and that the people of Jerusalem and probably elsewhere knew precisely who she was and what she was.

THE ACID TEST–CHRIST’S ATTITUDE TOWARD WOMEN

Although most people might tend to think first of the apostle Paul when discussing the issue of women’s role, we really need to first take a look at the gospel accounts, for here we will see clearly how the Messiah Himself viewed women, and whether or not His perspective clashed with that of the Jews of His day. We will also learn how He treated women, and in turn what kind of relationship women had in His life and ministry. If our personal opinion on the subject at hand doesn’t jibe with our Savior’s position, then something obviously is wrong with our thinking, and is in need of being changed. You must be your own judge in this matter.

In first-century Judaism, women were relegated to a place somewhere between second-class citizens and outright non-persons! Equality or equal rights for women had become a virtually foreign concept among the Jews. This fact is exceedingly important with respect to this discussion, because it will greatly enhance our understanding of the Messiah’s dealings with women. Therefore, we will commence this section of our study by comparing Yahshua’s approach to and treatment of women with that of the existing rabbinic practices of the first century.

Incredibly, the Jewish religious authorities taught that a man should not salute a woman, not even his own wife, in a public place. In the Talmud, we read the statement of Rabbi Eliezer that “It is better that the words of the Law should be burned, than that they should be given to a woman.” The same rabbi, writing in the Mishnah, adds the following directive: “If a man gives his daughter a knowledge of the Law, it is as though he taught her lechery.” And Rabbi Judah’s famous prayer contained the following words: “Blessed be You for not having made me a Gentile, a woman, or an ignoramus (Tosephta Berakoth, 7, 18).

These and numerous other passages that could easily be cited paint a very clear picture of the diminution of women and their roles among first century Jews. We know that the Messiah was a full-fledged Jewish male, that He was completely Torah-observant, and that, when even rabbinic teaching did not conflict with the Scriptures, He submitted Himself to its obedience. Well, what about the official Jewish religious stand on women? Did the rabbis really base their contentions on the Torah, or were they part of the added traditions, of which there were an innumerable multitude? The answer becomes quite plain when we consider just how our Savior dealt with women in His own ministry.

First of all, as a general overview statement of this issue, we will come to see that the Messiah had specific major differences with the scribes and Pharisees with regard to a woman’s place. For instance, few, if any, women were permitted to receive rabbinic instruction and become disciples. This was reserved strictly for men. Yahshua’s approach was completely different, in that He taught men and women alike, with absolutely no distinction whatsoever made between the two genders. We even see Mary, on one occasion, literally sitting at His feet as He teaches, and when rebuked by her greatly encumbered sister Martha for not helping with the housework, the Messiah is plain-spoken in His response, saying:

“Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be take away from her” (Lk. 10:41-42).

Unlike the rabbinical parables, which pointedly avoided even mentioning a woman, the Savior often told stories relating to the life of women. In the same vein, it was common for the rabbis and teachers of the Law to verbally abuse women in public, and hold them up as bad examples. The Messiah scrupulously shunned such a wretched practice, actually commending certain women on occasions.

In addition, Yahshua broke with the Pharisees and Sadducees of His day with regard to women by allowing them to travel in His entourage wherever He went throughout Judea, Samaria, or the Galilee. The rabbis and other devout Jews frowned upon men and women traveling together in such a manner.

The Messiah not only spoke freely, pleasantly, and positively to women, He also healed them, which automatically brought Him into contact with those who were sick and, in a few instances, those who were dead, and certainly some of these were women. Such conduct flew in the face of rabbinic dogma, which prohibited a man to touch a woman in public. He was also kindly dispositioned toward children, consenting for the women to bring them near him and treating them with respect. Again, the rabbinic attitude toward women with children ran from indifferent to intolerant.

Another interesting point is that Yahshua allowed women to serve Him. At first thought, this might not appear to be that contentious an issue, and under many circumstances it would not be, such as in a family household situation. The catch, however, is that the rabbis themselves strongly disapproved of women serving them personally, even at the table, so they would have held the Messiah in contempt for such permissiveness.

Then there is the occasion when the Savior was traveling through Samaria, and met a woman drawing water at a well. The story is quite familiar, but you should be interested to know that a rabbi would never have done such things as have an extended encounter with a woman, or speak at length to a woman in public, or allow her to give him a drink of water, and above all considerations, for any such things to be done in the presence of a Samaritan would have been utterly anathema! Even the women in question herself told Yahshua:

“How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, who am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” (Jn. 4:9).

In fact, the hatred of Jews for Samaritans was so bitter that the rabbis taught that a Samaritan woman was considered a perpetual menstruant, perhaps as vile a term as one could imagine applying to another human being! Even Christ’s own disciples were taken aback by His openness and willingness to engage this woman in conversation, for we read in John 4:27:

“And upon this came His disciples, and marveled that He talked with this woman: yet no man said, What are you seeking, or Why are you talking with her?”

Of course, He not only talked to her, He talked to her of the deepest type of spiritual knowledge, He identified Himself to her as the Messiah, and He permitted her to go throughout the town spreading the good news of what had happened to her. She, in other words, became a preacher of the gospel!

In another instance, Yahshua was being questioned by the Pharisees, by far the dominant Jewish religious party of that day. The issue being discussed was that of divorce. The Pharisees first asked Yahshua:

“Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? This they said to tempt Him” (Mk. 10:2).

The way the Pharisees phrased this question was typical, because the religious Jews of the first-century only permitted men to divorce their wives, not the other way around. In fact, it had gotten to the point where a Jewish man could put away his wife for almost any cause, some of them outright ludicrous, and certainly not what Yahweh had in mind. So the Messiah strongly corrected this erroneous thinking, telling them that it was because of the hardness of their hearts that Moses gave them this right, but that from the beginning it was not intended to be.

Later, when He and His disciples were alone, they asked about the same matter. Please note carefully the Savior’s full reply to them:

“Whosoever shall put away his wife (except for fornication), and marry another, commits adultery against her. And if a WOMAN SHALL PUT AWAY HER HUSBAND, and be married to another, she commits adultery” (Mk. 10:11-12).

Not only did Yahshua correct the Pharisees with regard to their attitude toward divorce in general, according to the rest of His response, He definitely opposed the male only aspect of divorce as well, teaching that it is a two-way street, an action that can be initiated by either party involved, but only for the right and sound Scriptural reasons.

Although men were certainly prominent in the Messiah’s ministry, it goes virtually without saying that many women were as well. It seems that they were present in many, if not a majority of the instances of which we have record in the New Testament. It may well be that certain women were actually the closest personal friends that Yahshua had during His stay on earth. This would especially be true of the family that included Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus.

A final comparison between the Messiah and the prevailing rabbinical teaching with respect to women has to do with being a witness. The rabbis generally would not take the word of a woman and thus did not allow them to be considered as witnesses to events or documents or in a court of law. And surely, in this regard, we do not need much of a reminder that when our Savior was in Gethsemane on the night of His arrest, at the most critical point in His entire life, the male apostles, whom He brought along to be witnesses of this event, all fell asleep while He suffered alone the most traumatic of human experiences. His plaintive question to them was: “Could you not watch with me even one hour?”

And yet on the other hand, as the Messiah was hanging on the tree, His lifeblood pouring out on the ground, who stood round the cross as His final comforters and witnesses of His death for all mankind?

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene” (Jn. 19:25).

Indeed, all the male disciples save John had gone into hiding, afraid for their lives. As it was written, “Smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered” (Zech. 13:7).

In addition, it is very interesting and telling that the first person to whom the Savior appeared after His resurrection was a woman–Mary Magdalene. When she fell at His feet and clung to Him, He instructed her to go and tell the others (mostly men) of what she had seen. Thus Mary became the first official witness of Christ’s resurrection, perhaps the single most important event in all of history!!

The fact of the matter is that the Messiah was NOT like the Jewish religious, political, and cultural leaders of His day. Yes, He was a true Jew, but He was the Son of God first and foremost, and He did that which was right, fair, and good. Yahshua came to set the captives free, and in first-century Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, women were, to a great extent, imprisoned by men whose thinking had been shaped for thousands of years by the fateful choice made in the Garden of Eden! The Savior’s appearance on the world scene meant that the tree of life, rejected by Adam and Eve, was being restored.

An excellent example of Christ’s life-changing effect with respect to women can be found in a passage from His Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5. Here He makes a statement that, upon consideration, was really quite liberating. Beginning in verse 27, we read:

“You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matt. 5:27-28).

Do you see the point He is making? He is telling the men in His audience that, even though they may know the commandment that prohibits outright adultery, they still are guilty of lusting after a woman in their hearts. In other words, Yahshua is saying that men have no right to treat women as mere sexual objects, and that they are just as guilty in the spirit of things as if they had committed the physical act of adultery. Before the Savior arrived, women generally received their identity through their subordination to men. Such inequality, however, was to have no part in the ministry of Christ, nor in the Church that He would establish. In Christ, a person’s identity or significance is not based upon one’s gender, but on the willingness to respond to God as Yahshua responds.

In Mark 14, we read of another incident that portrays the striking difference between Yahshua’s attitude toward women and that of His fellow countrymen. He is dining at the home of Simon the leper, a resident of Bethany, and while He is eating, an unnamed women approaches Him, opens an alabaster box full of costly ointment, and proceeds to pour it on His head in a form of anointing. The disciples and others gathered there become indignant over such an act being performed, and especially done by a woman. The Messiah, however, takes up for her and praises her for what she has done.

To fully appreciate what transpired in this case, we have to understand how utterly unconventional this episode was in first-century Jewish society. In fact, it just wasn’t done! No self-respecting woman would dare to do such a thing in public, and if indeed it did occur, the woman involved would not only have been reprimanded, but driven from the house and probably beaten! For Yahshua to have accepted this act from a woman speaks volumes with regard to His attitude toward the opposite sex.

It is interesting that none of the men who were present seemed to grasp at all what was taking place. All they could do was react negatively–the way they had been rigorously trained to do all of their lives. But the woman–she understood. Note the beautiful words of Christ at the conclusion of this story:

“Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has wrought a good work on Me...She has done what she could: she is come beforehand to anoint My body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her” (Mk. 14:6-9).

Perhaps the most impressive situation regarding Yahshua and the status of women is found in the 13th chapter of Luke. Understanding the prevailing customs of the time, this is a poignant, powerful, and compelling story. Beginning in verse 10, we read the following:

“And He was TEACHING in one of the synagogues ON THE SABBATH. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift herself up. And when Jesus saw her, He CALLED HER UNTO HIM, and SAID UNTO HER, Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity. And He LAID HIS HANDS ON HER; and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the congregation answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day...The Lord answered him, and said, You hypocrite, do not each of you on the Sabbath loose His ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM, whom Satan has bound lo these eighteen years be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? And when He had said these things, all His adversaries were ashamed; and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him” (Lk. 13:10-17).

There are precisely five ways in which the Messiah broke with Jewish convention with respect to women in this short episode. I have underscored each of them in the above passage. First of all, He interrupted the teaching session on the Sabbath because of a woman. This period of time was considered sacrosanct to the pious Jews, and for it to be intruded upon due to a woman was an egregious violation.

Secondly, He transgressed the culture by recognizing this woman and calling her forth. You see, she would have been in the back of the synagogue as usual, for that is the area to which the women were relegated, and they were expected to stay put! Next, He spoke to this woman. As stated in an earlier portion of this study, no self-respecting Jewish man would speak to a woman in public, but the Savior apparently didn’t think very much of this ridiculous regulation!

Then, of all things, He laid His hands on her before all the men who were sitting up front so that they could see precisely what He was doing. A strict Jew of the first century would not even look at a woman in public, much less touch her. Such an act would be anathema! Finally, Yahshua affirmed the woman’s worth in society. He said in essence, “You men never fail to water your animals on the Sabbath; and here is one worth far more than any animal, and you don’t think she should be set free of this infirmity on this day?” Then He confirmed everything by calling her a DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM, a very specific statement with a most significant meaning—indicating that she and all women of all time have the same opportunity for acceptance by Yahweh and eternal salvation through the Messiah, as any man who ever lived!

This was our Savior in living action–standing up for what was right, and withstanding what was wrong. And I submit to you that it is precisely the way we ought to comport ourselves today! Considering the facts that we have covered thus far, it is absolutely safe to conclude that the Messiah unquestionably saw all human beings, male and female, as equals. Since He taught men and women together, and since He allowed both men and women to accompany Him on His journeys, and since He permitted both men and women to participate in all the various aspects of His life, we can rest assured that He was preparing both men and women to become fruitful disciples of His, and to work together in spreading the gospel throughout the world.

In no instance throughout the gospel accounts does the Savior put restrictions upon women. He approached all people openly and treated them all fairly. He taught men and women, and did so, not in the Jewish manner, where they were segregated, but always together. Women were often in His company, not only His close female friends and companions, but also even women of ill repute. When the religious authorities hauled a woman before him who had been caught in the act of adultery, claiming that she should be stoned, not only did Yahshua act to spare her life, He also forgave her sins.

Some will always raise the argument that the original twelve apostles were men. This, of course, is obviously correct, but should not be explained on the basis that, in Christ’s eyes, women were inferior and unable to serve. Doesn’t it make far more sense that, given the often difficult circumstances of the kind of life the Twelve would be called upon to live, that, all other things being equal, men would be the likely choice for this kind of labor? The answer is almost too obvious to consider further.

When the seventy were sent out, we are not told whether there were women involved in this endeavor or not. But we certainly do know for a fact that women comprised a percentage of the 120 disciples that actually formed the foundation of the early New Testament church, for we read in Acts 1:14:

“These (the Twelve) all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the WOMEN, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren.”

This, of course, also means that these very same women and perhaps even others, along with the men, were present on the Day of Pentecost, 30 A.D., when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the 120 disciples in Jerusalem, which leads us directly into the next part of our study.

THE PENTECOST EXPERIENCE—NOT FOR MEN ONLY!

All Bible students immediately recognize the second chapter of Acts as containing the famous incident that occurred on Pentecost day in 30 A.D. The Messiah had instructed the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were empowered by the promised Holy Spirit. The story is very familiar.

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance...Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” (Acts 2:1-8).

The introduction to this chapter is very important, because those who were filled that day with the Spirit, and who spoke in other languages the wonderful works of God, included both men and WOMEN! They were standing side-by-side preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God in foreign languages under the divine power of the Spirit. Naturally, all of the Jews gathered for the holyday in Jerusalem were astonished. They began to question one another as to what this amazing spectacle might be. The apostle Peter, however, no longer the fearful man who denied His Master three times, rose up and said:

“You men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: for these are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on My servants and on My HANDMAIDENS I will pour out in those days of My Spirit, and they shall PROPHESY” (Acts 2:14-18).

We cannot afford to gloss over these words. We must allow ourselves to receive the full impact of what Peter is saying in this passage. A great wind rushes in, and cloven tongues of fire rest over the heads of the 120 male and female disciples gathered in Jerusalem. They begin to speak the truth of God in other languages, and not just any tongues, but precisely those of the various nationalities that had come to Jerusalem for Pentecost. The people are amazed, and Peter tells them exactly what they are witnessing–that this incredible sight and sound display is the beginning of the fulfillment of a prophecy recorded in the book of Joel, in which the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon both men and women, and they shall prophesy, see visions, and dream dreams.

Do we believe that this event transpired as recorded in Acts 2? If so, then pray tell why weren’t these WOMEN KEEPING SILENCE???? Why weren’t they being reprimanded, embarrassed, put down, and run out of the place? Look at the circumstances–it was a Sabbath day, indeed a high Sabbath, an annual holyday, one of the three great pilgrimage festivals of the year. This was as sacred and important a moment as any first-century Jew could have experienced, and yet Yahweh chose to pour out His Spirit upon both men and women, and have them NOT BE QUIET, BUT SPEAK!! Such a thing would have been forbidden to women by the male-dominated religious leaders, but God approved of it! And who are we to follow–God or man?

Of course, I can hear someone saying, Well, that was a one-time event, and nothing that we might do should be based on it. Oh really? Well, I beg to differ. Peter went back into the Hebrew Scriptures and cited a prophetic passage from the book of Joel. That prophecy is designated for the last days. If Peter was intending to say that this prophecy had its beginning on that auspicious day of Pentecost, then when should we expect its fulfillment? According to Joel, it will transpire “before the great and terrible day of the Lord come” (Joel 2:31).

What if Peter was actually telling the people that the so-called last days were beginning at that very time, and that they would continue until the time of Christ’s Second Coming? That, in fact, is what it would appear he is contending. If this is so, then the fact that both men and women were directly involved in what took place takes on powerful significance for we believers today, and certainly ought to greatly affect how we view the role of women in the assemblies.

The Scriptures tell us that 3,000 souls were baptized that day of Pentecost, as a result of the powerfully inspired preaching of Peter, and the prophesying of the disciples. This was the beginning of a great spiritual movement, the greatest in the history of this world. Think about this fact for a moment–The greatest spiritual movement in history, and the Almighty chose men and WOMEN to first be trained by the Messiah, and then work side-by-side with each other, filled with the very same Spirit, and doing the very same thing–SPEAKING THE TRUTH OF GOD AND LEADING OTHERS TO SALVATION!!

This is how the so-called New Testament Church got its start, and what a start it was!! Yahshua paved the way in showing both men and women who He was, who they were, and what He had in store for them to say and do. He treated both men and women equally, and took special pains to break down the male-dominated societal restrictions imposed upon women. In reality, HE SET WOMEN FREE! He said, in essence, “Woman, thou art loosed!” Therefore, I would say to all of us, THOSE WHOM GOD HAS SET FREE, MAN MUST BE CERTAIN NEVER TO IMPRISON!! To do so is tantamount to doing the devil’s work!

The primitive Church operated in a different manner than most churches today. Nowadays, the religions that claim to come from the Bible have formed great corporate institutions, and things function according to humanly devised rules, regulations, and restrictions. In the beginning, the true Assembly of saints operated by the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit!! The classifying of believers into ranks and categories, the notion that one is greater than and above another, the idea that there is a clergy caste and a laity, were never a part of what Yahshua the Messiah taught and the work He began upon this earth! Those things have all been added by men as the pristine religion of the original saints was corrupted into big business and mass control.

The Eternal proclaims in the Scriptures, “I am YHWH, I CHANGE NOT.” From the beginning it is written that He made them male and female. Indeed, when Adam and Eve chose to reject the way of salvation in favor of working out their own fate, God did place mankind under a curse, but that is not the way it all began, and it is not the way He intends that it will end. We need to stop considering the sin in the Garden to have been some sort of fall from grace, as it were, leaving God with having to come up with Plan B!! He knew what He wanted before He ever set His hand to create anything in the universe, and He will not be denied His purposes and plans.

With the coming of Messiah, the gate back into the Garden and to the tree of life has been opened. Yahweh is going to achieve precisely what He had in mind from the start. Yahshua paved the way to the tree of life for all human beings, each according to their own calling and the element of divine timing. While He walked the earth, He set the pace for you and me. We should look at His life, consider His words, think about His actions, because we need to be comporting ourselves precisely as He did.

With respect to the role of women, there are two choices, either remain in bondage, or accept the liberty which Christ has provided. His view of women and His treatment of women was absolutely perfect. Nothing that human beings might devise at some later time in history had the right to alter what He put in place.

With respect to the Church which He founded, it was based on Him, therefore, it looked like Him, and sounded like Him, and acted like Him. That is precisely why we see the Pentecost event being shared by male and female disciples together. Do we suppose that when the Spirit was poured out on that great occasion, and one of the women began prophesying, that Peter commanded her to KEEP SILENCE????

Yes, it is true that God doesn’t change. He is, after all, perfect, and when one is in such a state, change is the last thing needed or desired. We humans, however, we change, usually from bad to worse, but indeed we change. We not only change within, we also change things that are without. What the Almighty and His Son put in place at the time of Pentecost, in time became inadequate for certain men whose whole purpose for existence was to gain power, control, recognition, and, above all other things, money! As we move on through the New Testament era, we will begin to observe some of those changes, as well as the apostolic resistence to such perversion of the faith.

Now we must confront the one individual credited by most people with changing the Christian perspective on women, and that person was the apostle Paul. Was the great apostle to the Gentiles really a male chauvinist? Did he place a restriction on women that the Savior did not? Was He unfair to women, subjugating them to a lower echelon? All of these questions and many others we shall attempt to answer in the remaining portion of this discussion.

I SUFFER NOT A WOMAN!

It is, of course, not possible to cover the subject of women’s roles in the assemblies without dealing head-on with the teaching of the apostle Paul. His writings form the basis for the attitude many professing Christians have in this regard. As to whether or not the correct understanding of what He wrote is present is another matter entirely.

Paul came on the scene fairly early after the ascension of the Messiah and the events of Pentecost, within at least several short years or so. He was not one of the original apostles, nor was he an eyewitness to the Messiah. Rather Paul or Saul, as he was first known, was a strict Pharisaical Jew, possibly even a member of the Sanhedrin, but if not, then close to those who were, and one who indeed did their bidding, especially when it came to dealing with this new sect of the Jews claiming that one Yahshua was the promised Messiah Himself. Saul reacted to this fledgling movement just like most of the religious Jews of his day–he adamantly opposed it, and actively pursued its members, stalking them down, hauling them off to court and prison, even participating in their murder.

A seemingly most unlikely prospect to become God’s chosen apostle to the Gentiles, Saul was miraculously struck blind on the Damascus Road, and experienced his life-changing encounter with the risen Messiah. Almost immediately after his baptism and the regaining of his sight, he commenced to preach the gospel in the local synagogues in and around the area of Damascus. In the beginning of his ministry, it appears that his zeal got him into trouble almost everywhere he preached. Whether in Damascus or Jerusalem, Paul seemed to always cause a controversy. In fact, upon his escape and removal from Jerusalem, it is recorded in Acts 9 that:

“Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified: and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, were multiplied” (Acts 9:31).

Although having been introduced to the Jerusalem apostles and brethren, Paul labored in relative obscurity for a number of years in the areas of Cilicia and Syria. We do find that Paul and his companion Barnabas were sent by the assembly in Antioch to Jerusalem around 44 A.D., for the purpose of taking relief supplies to the brethren in Judea. This was around the time the apostle James was murdered by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 11:25-12:2). After the pair had completed their mission, they returned to Antioch, taking with them John Mark.

At this point in time, Paul had not yet begun what would become his famous missionary journeys. Sometime around 46 A.D., however, he and Barnabus were commissioned by the Holy Spirit to begin preaching the gospel in Asia Minor, and in Acts 13:4, we see them sailing away from Antioch, along with Mark.

They enjoyed difficult, but resounding success, establishing churches in several cities of southern Galatia. Upon their return to Antioch, however, a furor arose among some of the Jews over the issue of Gentile circumcision and the law of Moses being requirements for salvation. Paul and Barnabus, therefore, went to Jerusalem to meet with the entire church there and resolve the conflict. Then they returned to Antioch and began making plans for a second missionary journey. A strong difference of opinion between the two men caused them to separate, and Paul selected a young man named Timothy to accompany him on the journey.

It was around the year 50 A.D. that Paul and his company crossed over into Macedonia and came to the city of Philippi, and it is in this capital city that the book of Acts first mentions a woman by name that is connected to the ministry of Paul. And that woman was Lydia.

Apparently having no Jewish synagogue available in Philippi, Paul and his entourage gathered by the edge of a river on the Sabbath day. The Greek in this case is slightly different for the word rendered Sabbath. This variant appears three times in the New Testament, once during the ministry of the Messiah in Luke 4:16, and earlier in Paul’s first missionary journey as recorded in Acts 13:14. In each of these cases, the actual rendering should be day of sabbaths or day of weeks, an apparent indicator that these three occasions were not weekly Sabbaths, but rather the annual holyday of Pentecost. Anciently, this festival was known as the Feast of Weeks, due to the seven week count involved in calculating the specific day on the calendar.

It was in this peaceful river setting that Paul was introduced to Lydia, for we read in Acts 16:

“And on the Sabbath (day of weeks) we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we set down, and spoke unto the women who resorted there. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her husband, she besought us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us” (Acts 16:13-15).

This short passage may not be as filled with details concerning Lydia as we might wish, but still there is telling information here. Note carefully that, although married, we know nothing about her husband, not even his name, and this in light of the fact that he too believed and was baptized along with his wife. This, of course, casts no aspersions upon this man, but does accentuate the fact that Lydia was without doubt an outstanding woman. She is the one who urged Paul and his company to stay at her house.

Later in the story, near the end of chapter 16, after Paul and Silas had been beaten and imprisoned by the local officials, and then miraculously released, we read:

“And they came and besought them (Paul, et. al), and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. And they went out of the prison, and entered into the HOUSE OF LYDIA: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed” (Acts. 16:39-40).

The likelihood is great that Lydia’s home became the setting for the first local assembly in Philippi. And, although unspoken, there is good reason to believe that it may well have been Lydia who oversaw the fellowship there, especially in the formative stages. In fact, the very earliest Philippian converts would appear to have been predominantly women, Lydia’s husband being the only males to which any reference is even made.

The point here is not necessarily to claim some high office for Lydia, but rather that, from early on, women played a vital role in the ministry of the apostle Paul and the life of the Gentile assemblies that were established during the first century. Indeed, years later when Paul wrote his epistle to the Philippians, it is interesting and perhaps quite telling that the only individuals he mentioned by name were two women, Euodias and Syntyche, and one man named Clement (Phil. 4:2-3). And note carefully what the apostle says with regard to these three characters:

“And I entreat you also, true yokefellow, help those WOMEN who LABORED WITH ME in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other of my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life” (Phil 4:3).

You will see that Paul makes no distinction among Clement, Euodias, and Syntyche. All of them are considered as those who labored together with Paul in preaching the gospel. The Greek word rendered labored in verse 3 means to wrestle in company with. The wording in the passage clearly indicates that all of these believer, male and female alike, were engaged side-by-side in preaching, teaching, counseling, and watching over the ministerial work that was being accomplished in that part of the world. So, even though Paul was raised as a strict Pharisaical Jew, undoubtedly imbued with the typical prejudices against women, it is obvious that he had overcome these tendencies, choosing to follow the example of the Messiah, becoming fully acceptive of women and the abilities, loyalty, hard work, determination, and courage that they displayed and who willingly contributed to the aid of his work among the Gentiles.

Paul also followed Yahshua in his method of preaching in that he openly taught men and women together and equally. In fact, a careful reading of the book of Acts and the letters of Paul reveal that women played a virtually equal part with men in the ministry that he conducted. They are mentioned often by name, several of which we will discuss in this study, and they are praised by Paul for their faithfulness and their labor in the gospel.

From Philippi, Paul and company came to Thessalonika and then Berea, where it is specifically stated that:

“Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women who were Greeks, and of men, not a few” (Acts 17:12).

The group was forced to stay on the move, due to the constant persecution they received as they journey from city to city. After escaping by sea from Berea, Paul is guided to Athens, the famous Greek metropolis. His impassioned speech on Mars Hill raised all sorts of questions among the superstitious Athenians. It might be safe to say that very little initial success was achieved in this thoroughly pagan city. In fact, only two people are mentioned by name as truly believing Paul’s message, namely Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman name Damaris.

From Athens, Paul next traveled to Corinth in southern Greece. This city would become one of the great centers of early belief and acceptance of Yahshua as Messiah, and the Corinthian Church, having two lengthy letters addressed to it as part of the New Testament record, is undoubtedly the most well known of the fledgling congregations of the first century. It was here that Paul met two particular people, a man and his wife, who would become some of his most intimate and productive fellow-laborers in the gospel. Those two individuals were Priscilla and Aquila.

Aquila was a tentmaker, which just happened to be the apostle Paul’s line of work, so they became close friends, Paul actually staying with Aquila and his wife Priscilla for a period of time. This couple had recently come from Italy, due to the persecution of Jews by the emperor Claudius Caesar.

Unbeknown to Paul when he first entered Corinth, he would spend the next year and a half in this city, for there were many whom God was calling from that area. Eventually, his Jewish opponents made trouble for him, and he sailed from there to Ephesus, accompanied by his two newly found friends. Priscilla Aquila remained in Ephesus, as Paul was bound for Jerusalem. He would rejoin them at a later time.

Ephesus was a lively cosmopolitan city of the ancient Roman world. Here the worship of the cult of Diana was at its height. The famous Temple of Diana was constructed in Ephesus, and became known as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Ephesus was a major port on the Aegean Sea, and became the chief city of all Asia Minor. People from all over the world passed through Ephesus, and so it was no great surprise that a man named Apollos arrived there, a man highly learned in the Scriptures, a very charismatic individual, and an orator of great renown. He wasn’t in town long before he started preaching fervently in the synagogues, attracting large crowds of interested persons.

Naturally Priscilla and Aquila soon became aware of this remarkable man. When they learned, however, that his preaching, though most eloquent, was based solely on the things pertaining to the baptism of John, note what transpired:

“And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him...For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the Scriptures that Yahshua was the Messiah” (Acts 18:26-28).

This short passage in Acts 18 is very telling, especially with respect to the subject of women in the churches. Here is the apostle Paul. He meets a man and wife, whom he soon discovers work together, sort of as a traveling evangelistic team. First they were in Rome, then in other parts of Italy, then in Corinth. Now they are in Ephesus, and we will soon find out that their travels in helping to preach the gospel continued as well.

Some people seem to feel that Paul tends to put a greater emphasis on Priscilla than he does on Aquila. This is deduced from the fact that her name is listed first more often than her husband’s. And, quite frankly, this is most often the meaning of such an order of names in the Bible. In this case, however, there is really no need for us to know which of the two individuals was considered the more prominent. The point is that both the man and the woman were equally engaged in serving the early churches. They dedicated their lives to this task. And this was not a situation where Aquila did all the preaching and teaching, while Priscilla served them tea and biscuits! She was as much a teacher of the truth as was her husband! And, in the case of Apollos, it is expressly stated that both of them took part in expounding the Scriptures to this great man of God.

Anyone who believes that a woman is forbidden by the Almighty to teach had better take the issue up with Him personally, because in the case of Priscilla, she was gifted as a teacher and she actively taught as one. It is quite obvious that Paul thought highly of both her and her husband, for he says in Romans 16:

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila my HELPERS in Christ Jesus: who for my life laid down THEIR OWN NECKS: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also ALL THE CHURCHES OF THE GENTILES. Likewise greet the church that is IN THEIR HOUSE” (Rom. 16:3-5).

The Greek word for helpers in verse 3 is sunergos, and it means co-laborer, companion in labor, laborer together with. It does not mean peon, babysitter, table server, or maid!! When Paul says that Priscilla and Aquila risked their own necks to save his life, this has to be a reference to major involvement in the difficult work in which the apostle himself was engaged. These two believers were willing to host an assembly in their home in Rome, and yet travel across the sea to foreign lands hundreds and hundreds of miles away, preaching and teaching the gospel message to the Gentiles.

Paul considered them fellow laborers, doing the same kind of work. In fact, there is even a sense of equality suggested in the language Paul uses with respect to these two servants, as well as certain others. The apostle saw these brethren as a team of workers, each of them, men and women alike, ready, willing, and able to give up all for the Messiah, even to putting their own lives on the line! Clearly, Paul had no problem with women serving to the maximum in getting the initial groundwork of the kingdom successfully laid.

Although most of the New Testament evidence for women’s roles in the assemblies is found in Paul’s writings, we do have the letter of II John that presents us with an interesting possibility with
regard to our study. Here is how the epistle begins:

“The elder unto the ELECT LADY and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not only I, but also all they that have known the truth” (II Jn. 1).

Who exactly is this elect lady to whom the apostle John writes? Certainly it would be simple enough to conjecture that John is merely addressing an assembly of believers, referring to them collectively as the elect lady and her children. This could possibly have been done to conceal the reality of the recipients were the letter to fall into enemy hands. There are, however, reasonable arguments against such a conclusion.

First of all, since III John is expressly directed to an individual by name, why not take the same special precautions presumed to be the case in the second epistle? Furthermore, the certain wording in this brief letter makes it awkward to think of John referring to a church by the term lady. Notice the following passage:

“I rejoiced greatly that I found of your CHILDREN walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the father. And now I beseech you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we should love one another” (I Jn. 4-5).

Here the apostle first refers to the children of the lady, then begins to give specific instructions to the lady. Since the children obviously comprise the local assembly, how can the lady be the church? Believers are not considered children of the church, but rather the children of their teacher or leader, just the way John himself was with respect to the Messiah. Indeed, Paul uses this same sort of description when he says:

“My little CHILDREN, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Gal. 4:19).

“O you Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged...Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my CHILDREN) be you also enlarged” (II Cor. 6:11, 13).

Even John himself follows this same practice in his third epistle, stating:

“I have no greater joy than to hear that MY CHILDREN walk in the truth” (III Jn. 4).

The statement, therefore, in II John 1 sounds much more like the apostle is addressing a person when he says lady, and the collective church members when he uses the word children. To delve just a little more deeply into this passage, it is very interesting that John actually addresses his second epistle in the Greek to the eklektee kuria. The first word means chosen of God, but it is the second term that is most compelling. Kuria is the feminine form of the word kurios, and means supreme in authority, controller. In the masculine form, it is rendered lord, in the feminine, lady. It would therefore appear that this is indeed an individual person, that she is female in gender, and that she holds a position of leadership in one of the early congregations in Asia Minor to whom John wrote and traveled during his ministry.

As a final example before moving on to an exposition of Romans 16, we have the statement by Paul at the close of I Corinthians. Here we read the following from chapter 16:

“I beseech you, brethren, (you know the house of STEPHANAS, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) that you submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helps with us and labors. I am glad of the coming of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge you them that are such” (I Cor. 16:15-18).

There is no question that the names Fortunatus and Achaicus are male and, of course, applied to men of that time. Stephanas is another matter indeed. Based upon the most careful research, it would appear that this was indeed a feminine name, not masculine as might be easily assumed. It is quite possible that the two men mentioned by Paul were her sons. The point, of course, is that here we have another example of a leading female in the early Church. She and her family and perhaps others who joined with them had, as Paul put it, addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. In this passage, it is apparent that the Corinthian brethren had not been showing respect toward Stephanas and her household. Why, we are not specifically told. Could it be simply because there were some who could not abide a woman serving in a leadership function in the Church? Whatever the reason, Paul corrects the brethren, even going so far as to inform them that Stephanas had brought provisions for him that the Corinthians had failed to provide, thus adding a bit of insult to injury, but mainly to get across his point.

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