I am writing this blog post for Christian women and for Church leaders - who believe that God’s written WORD (Genesis to Revelation) is the INSPIRED, God-BREATHED, INFALLIBLE, and UNCHANGING, and AUTHORITATIVE Word and command and instruction of God. We need to submit to the authority of God’s Word.
Does the Bible permit women to be pastors or to preach? (Pastor/shepherd is a position of leadership and teaching and authority in the Church).
If we don’t think biblically then we will default to thinking culturally; our culture would say that women should be pastors).
An overview of womanhood starts in Genesis 1, where God created man male and female His image. Both male and female are essential to the full revelation of God’s glory. He didn’t just create man. Women have unique, special capacities both physically, mentally, and emotionally that are different from men. And we should celebrate the differences between manhood and womanhood.
Genesis shows the design of men and women and their different roles. We are equal, but have different, divinely-designed roles. After sin, we were also cursed differently - women were cursed with pain in child-bearing, and also cursed in having a desire “contrary to” the husband, and the man ruling over the wife - since the beginning, and as part of the curse, which will not be “fixed” until Jesus returns (otherwise we wouldn’t have pain in childbirth anymore either).
And Peter and Paul in Ephesians and other scriptures show us how to live this out in a godly way -men are to love their wives as Christ loves the Church and we are to submit to our husbands as to the Lord. Patriarchy is a command and a design of God.
Just as in the Spanish, the Word “Pastor” in the Greek of the New Testament also meant “Shepherd”. The commands to “shepherd” the Church were given to the men who would be the teachers, overseers, and deacons/elders in the Church. The reason that women should not be given the title of “Pastor” is because according to the entire counsel of the entire written Word of God (in God’s design, not because of a particular culture) -from Genesis to Revelations, and very specifically, in the written instruction from God, in the inspired Word of God, given through Paul.
God did occasionally use women through history to speak His Word and to lead - which were exceptions that proved the rule. There were no women kings, no lifelong women prophets, and never women priests.
In the New Testament, women did correct/teach men - privately, not in Church. There were no women apostles, teachers, leaders. Women did host meetings/church, they also funded the furtherance of the Gospel, and women can make disciples and are equally saved, equally commanded to make disciples, equally exhibit the real, biblical fruit of the Holy Spirit, etc. But, we are COMMANDED not to teach or have authority over men, and all prescriptive scriptures on who a church leader is to be is ALWAYS a man, a husband. Women have a beautiful and complimentary role in the home, in the world, and in the Church.
As godly women, we need to look to God’s Word for how to live, and for what our role is in the Church. And we need to pray for the men and for the need for godly men to rise up, it is not for us to take their place because we don’t see that there are men to lead. The enemy has used the same lie from the beginning, “did God really say...?” Let’s us not be deceived again!
1 Timothy 2:11-3:13 (Timothy was written to know how to conduct things in the Church)
“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.”
Why?
“For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.”
“Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 14:33-40
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission,”
Why?
“ as the Law also says.” (The law = the written Word of God, the Torah)
“ If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.”
(This was not written by Paul, in his own opinion, as he said it is a command of God - aside from the fact that it is inspired by the Holy Spirit)
The entire letter of 1 Corinthians was written to “ALL the Churches”, and is the Word of God for US today:
1 Corinthians 4:17 (sending Timothy to remind of Paul’s ways that are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church)
1 Corinthians 7:17-20 (in all the churches)
1 Corinthians 11:16 (all Churches)
Titus 1:5-9
This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Titus 2:1-8
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older [mature] women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach [other women, not men] what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
Speaking “woes” to God’s people, having women leaders is likened to having infants as oppressors - a very negative connotation: Isaiah 3:12 “My people— infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your guides mislead you and they have swallowed up the course of your paths.”
Short video explanation:
https://youtu.be/z-PUtuzYzJg
Does the Bible permit women to be pastors or to preach? (Pastor/shepherd is a position of leadership and teaching and authority in the Church).
If we don’t think biblically then we will default to thinking culturally; our culture would say that women should be pastors).
An overview of womanhood starts in Genesis 1, where God created man male and female His image. Both male and female are essential to the full revelation of God’s glory. He didn’t just create man. Women have unique, special capacities both physically, mentally, and emotionally that are different from men. And we should celebrate the differences between manhood and womanhood.
In Genesis we also see that it was the woman who was deceived
Genesis shows the design of men and women and their different roles. We are equal, but have different, divinely-designed roles. After sin, we were also cursed differently - women were cursed with pain in child-bearing, and also cursed in having a desire “contrary to” the husband, and the man ruling over the wife - since the beginning, and as part of the curse, which will not be “fixed” until Jesus returns (otherwise we wouldn’t have pain in childbirth anymore either).
Jesus quoted Genesis as being literal and authoritative by the way
And Peter and Paul in Ephesians and other scriptures show us how to live this out in a godly way -men are to love their wives as Christ loves the Church and we are to submit to our husbands as to the Lord. Patriarchy is a command and a design of God.
Just as in the Spanish, the Word “Pastor” in the Greek of the New Testament also meant “Shepherd”. The commands to “shepherd” the Church were given to the men who would be the teachers, overseers, and deacons/elders in the Church. The reason that women should not be given the title of “Pastor” is because according to the entire counsel of the entire written Word of God (in God’s design, not because of a particular culture) -from Genesis to Revelations, and very specifically, in the written instruction from God, in the inspired Word of God, given through Paul.
God did occasionally use women through history to speak His Word and to lead - which were exceptions that proved the rule. There were no women kings, no lifelong women prophets, and never women priests.
In the New Testament, women did correct/teach men - privately, not in Church. There were no women apostles, teachers, leaders. Women did host meetings/church, they also funded the furtherance of the Gospel, and women can make disciples and are equally saved, equally commanded to make disciples, equally exhibit the real, biblical fruit of the Holy Spirit, etc. But, we are COMMANDED not to teach or have authority over men, and all prescriptive scriptures on who a church leader is to be is ALWAYS a man, a husband. Women have a beautiful and complimentary role in the home, in the world, and in the Church.
As godly women, we need to look to God’s Word for how to live, and for what our role is in the Church. And we need to pray for the men and for the need for godly men to rise up, it is not for us to take their place because we don’t see that there are men to lead. The enemy has used the same lie from the beginning, “did God really say...?” Let’s us not be deceived again!
1 Timothy 2:11-3:13 (Timothy was written to know how to conduct things in the Church)
“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.”
Why?
“For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.”
“Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 14:33-40
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission,”
Why?
“ as the Law also says.” (The law = the written Word of God, the Torah)
“ If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.”
(This was not written by Paul, in his own opinion, as he said it is a command of God - aside from the fact that it is inspired by the Holy Spirit)
The entire letter of 1 Corinthians was written to “ALL the Churches”, and is the Word of God for US today:
1 Corinthians 4:17 (sending Timothy to remind of Paul’s ways that are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church)
1 Corinthians 7:17-20 (in all the churches)
1 Corinthians 11:16 (all Churches)
Titus 1:5-9
This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Titus 2:1-8
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older [mature] women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach [other women, not men] what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
Speaking “woes” to God’s people, having women leaders is likened to having infants as oppressors - a very negative connotation: Isaiah 3:12 “My people— infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your guides mislead you and they have swallowed up the course of your paths.”
https://youtu.be/z-PUtuzYzJg