Also:
When we start getting hung up on the few passages that seem to limit a woman's role in the church, here are a few things to keep in mind. Entire passages of scripture exist only because a woman told a man about it. No man was around for parts of Hagar's story, Hannah's prayer, Jael's defeat of Sisera, the angels that visited Samson's mom and Mary, Ruth's journey, Esther's courage, and the women who were the first witnesses of the empty tomb; and that is just for starters. That means a woman taught a man who then wrote that down for all believers of all ages to know. How is that essentially different from a woman teaching? The only difference is that there is a literal middle man involved.
Jesus had the 12 disciples, but there were a lot of people who followed him, including women like Mary Magdalene, Salome, and a lot of women named Mary. (Interesting note: Mary means "stubborn"
) Unlike the disciples that ignored Jesus' clear teachings that he was going to die, Mary purposefully anointed Jesus' feet with oil in preparation for his death and burial (John 12:1-8). She ministered to him an a way that the men completely neglected, probably because she is the one who chose to learn at Jesus' feet above all else. Women were present for the crucifixion when the men had fled. Even though their testimony was inadmissible in court, women were the first to witness the resurrection.
The book of Philippians only exists because of a group of faithful women. Paul was intending to go somewhere else when the Holy Spirit told him to go to Asia where he "happened" upon a group of women worshiping by the river because there were not even the 10 men necessary to have a synagogue. It is also interesting to note that Paul's letter to the Philippians is one of the most kindly-worded of his writings, and that church was not subject to rebuke.
There are also several notable women in the early church. Priscilla, along side her husband Aquilla, ministered with Paul who later sent Apollos to learn from them. There was Phoebe the deaconess, Phillip's 4 daughters who prophesied, as well as Chloe, Lydia, Apphia, Nympha, and the mother of John Mark who were all vital for the survival of the early church. We can't forget the much-debated Junia, whose female gender was unquestioned for over a thousand years until someone decided that a woman could not be considered among the apostles.
We have all heard Ephesians 5:22 ad nauseum, but who remembers to include verse 21 which sets the context that we are all to submit (yield our will) to each other? Abraham was commanded by God to "harken" [the word is actually "obey"] to his wife Sarah regarding Hagar. In fact, people in general are called to submission more than women specifically, which is further evidence that the emphasis on feminine submission is more contextual than universal.
We have all heard "sola scriptura," meaning "only scripture." Let's also make it "tota scriptura" to include the whole and complete Word of God.
[feel free to correct my limited Latin]
When we start getting hung up on the few passages that seem to limit a woman's role in the church, here are a few things to keep in mind. Entire passages of scripture exist only because a woman told a man about it. No man was around for parts of Hagar's story, Hannah's prayer, Jael's defeat of Sisera, the angels that visited Samson's mom and Mary, Ruth's journey, Esther's courage, and the women who were the first witnesses of the empty tomb; and that is just for starters. That means a woman taught a man who then wrote that down for all believers of all ages to know. How is that essentially different from a woman teaching? The only difference is that there is a literal middle man involved.
Jesus had the 12 disciples, but there were a lot of people who followed him, including women like Mary Magdalene, Salome, and a lot of women named Mary. (Interesting note: Mary means "stubborn"
) Unlike the disciples that ignored Jesus' clear teachings that he was going to die, Mary purposefully anointed Jesus' feet with oil in preparation for his death and burial (John 12:1-8). She ministered to him an a way that the men completely neglected, probably because she is the one who chose to learn at Jesus' feet above all else. Women were present for the crucifixion when the men had fled. Even though their testimony was inadmissible in court, women were the first to witness the resurrection. The book of Philippians only exists because of a group of faithful women. Paul was intending to go somewhere else when the Holy Spirit told him to go to Asia where he "happened" upon a group of women worshiping by the river because there were not even the 10 men necessary to have a synagogue. It is also interesting to note that Paul's letter to the Philippians is one of the most kindly-worded of his writings, and that church was not subject to rebuke.
There are also several notable women in the early church. Priscilla, along side her husband Aquilla, ministered with Paul who later sent Apollos to learn from them. There was Phoebe the deaconess, Phillip's 4 daughters who prophesied, as well as Chloe, Lydia, Apphia, Nympha, and the mother of John Mark who were all vital for the survival of the early church. We can't forget the much-debated Junia, whose female gender was unquestioned for over a thousand years until someone decided that a woman could not be considered among the apostles.
We have all heard Ephesians 5:22 ad nauseum, but who remembers to include verse 21 which sets the context that we are all to submit (yield our will) to each other? Abraham was commanded by God to "harken" [the word is actually "obey"] to his wife Sarah regarding Hagar. In fact, people in general are called to submission more than women specifically, which is further evidence that the emphasis on feminine submission is more contextual than universal.
We have all heard "sola scriptura," meaning "only scripture." Let's also make it "tota scriptura" to include the whole and complete Word of God.
[feel free to correct my limited Latin]
