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Women In Ministry – Part 1
(Rev. Barry Johnson and Rev. Rodney Johnson)
Introduction
The question of whether it is proper for a woman to preach or exercise leadership in the church has received much attention in recent years. Some denominations permit and even encourage the unrestricted use of a woman’s gift in all of the offices of the church, while others, based on passages such as First Timothy 2:9-15, First Corinthians 11:2-16 and 14:33-36, consider it unbiblical for a woman to preach or exercise authority over a church congregation that includes men.
In First Timothy 2:12, Paul states “But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.” What is the prevailing thought today about what Paul said? Before you answer, remember the fact that today, 65% of church membership is women. Also, women teach in almost every denomination, sit on the deacon board in some, and on the trustee board in many others.
Each of these represents a leadership position within the church. The fact that most churches have women in leadership positions that require them to be very verbal and lead demonstrates one of three things: (1) We are ignoring what Paul said; or (2) What Paul wrote only addresses a particular group of people or circumstance, or (3) What he said has been mistranslated.
One of the prevailing thoughts is that Paul made this statement to prohibit women from teaching who were not properly trained (instructed in the Word). Another thought is that he was talking to Timothy (and Titus) to keep them from entering into a situation similar to the one in Ephesus where some of the women exercised authority (domineered) over the men. If you consider that Paul often praises the contribution of women in his ministry, recognizing many as fellow laborers with him, then it raises the question – could he have meant that women globally were not permitted to speak or teach God’s Word? Still, some believe that he was responding to his rabbinic training and cultural surroundings of the time when women were not necessarily equal to men.
Rodney, there are two words in this verse that are important to understanding what Paul is writing here First Timothy – “man” and “woman.” These words translated are the same Greek words for “husband” and “wife.” In other texts where Paul uses these two words closely together, they are translated as “husband and wife” not “man and woman.” This means that the verse should have been translated as “I do not permit a wife to teach or exercise authority over her husband” which would make it agree with Paul’s other passages of Scripture.
Now keep this in mind because we will examine this passage in more detail in Part 2 of this study. Having said this, we want to objectively examine the roles of women in both the Old and New Testaments to see exactly how “God” used them and how He viewed their contributions. Please keep in mind that Paul also wrote, “(26) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.” (Galatians 3:26-29)
We will start with the roles women played in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, women walked in the office of both a prophet (prophetess) and a judge. Let’s begin by defining the word prophetess. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word means “a spokesman, a speaker, or a prophet.” The ancient concept of a prophetess was a woman who had the gift of song, like Miriam, which we are going to see in a moment. The latter meaning, which was more in line with that of a prophet, was one who was consulted to receive a word from the Lord. An example is Huldah in Second Kings, which we will also see in a moment. In the New Testament, the Greek word means “to tell beforehand.” Spoken of a female friend of God, one who lives in communion with God and to whom God reveals Himself by His Spirit. We will look at this aspect in Part 2 of this study.
In Part 1, we are going to look at Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and Esther – women who played major roles in the story of Israel. We will close part one with a few verses from Proverbs 31 where Solomon describes a virtuous wife.
Miriam, Prophetess
We first read about Miriam in Exodus 15:20. “Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing.” The first time the word “prophetess” is used is with Miriam, who was Aaron and Moses’ older sister. In this verse, she leads the women of Israel in a prophetic song and dance that recognizes how the Lord had delivered them from Egypt. “And Miriam answered them: ‘Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!’” (Verse 21).
In Numbers 12, Miriam and Aaron are upset with Moses for marrying a woman who was not from one of the tribes of Israel and they accused him of thinking he was the only person God spoke through. Numbers 12:2 records the following, “So they said, ‘Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?’ And the Lord heard it.” We see that Miriam had spoken for the Lord in the past. And she was also considered one of Israel’s leaders. “For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.” (Micah 6:4)
If we only read these verses in Exodus, Numbers, and Micah and nothing else, we see God elevating women to positions of leadership. When God said through Micah, “I sent before thee…” He was saying that Miriam was one of the leaders that he used to bring them out of Egypt. We often talk about Moses in this situation, but God also used Miriam to help him. She was a prophetess and she helped Moses bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt just as Aaron did. A woman in leadership is not an issue for God!
Deborah, Prophetess and Judge
We have already defined prophetess, so let’s now define the word “judge” before we continue. In the Hebrew, a judge is a much more inclusive term than the modern concept of judging and encompasses all the facets and functions of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. In the Greek, the general meaning refers to those who make a judgment or render an opinion concerning the thoughts of others. A judge is also a leader, ruler, and chief as we see in the Hebrew judges from Joshua to Samuel.
(4) Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5. And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.” (Judges 4:4-5)
Deborah was a prophetess and a judge. As a prophetess, she was known for her relationship with God. As a judge, she was more than just a person who settled disputes; she exercised all of the functions of a governor. She held executive, legislative, and military authority and delivered God’s judgment to the people. What is so remarkable about Deborah’s time as prophetess and judge are the circumstances under which she had to lead the children of Israel. “When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord.” (Judges 4:1)
This was the 4th time that the book of Judges records the children of Israel doing evil in the sight of the Lord. This tells us that Deborah ruled an Israel that was in complete rebellion to the Lord. It’s no wonder that she was both a prophetess and a judge. She spoke for God and she judged as God would have judged. She was so respected that when she gave a military leader the assignment that the Lord had given to her that he would not go to battle without her. “And Barak said to her, ‘If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!’” (Judges 4:8) Deborah, a woman, is the one that the Lord trusted to lead the Israelites to victory over the Canaanites. And, what is most significant is the Lord chooses her to lead Israel during one of its most rebellious times in history.
Barry, Judges 5:7 says, “The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.” The people abandoned all their unfortified towns, as they were not able to protect them – until Deborah came. They had this much respect for her that even their military leaders waited on her guidance. Deborah referred to herself as a “mother” in (over) Israel. She saw all of Israel as her children and longed for all of her children (literal and figurative) to experience peace and security. The Israelites were beaten down by 20 years of slavery. They were too tired and discouraged to fight. They needed someone to inspire them, and the Lord chose Deborah. Had she not been obedient to act on what the Lord told her to do, nothing would have changed. She used the place of trust and authority she had been given as a judge to inspire Barak to raise up an army. Now let’s look at Huldah.
Huldah, Prophetess
In Second Kings we find Huldah, who was also a prophetess. Second Kings 22:14 records, “So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her.” (Second Kings 22:14) Huldah was a prophetess during the reign of Josiah, who had commanded that the house of the Lord, which had been ignored by his predecessors, be repaired. When builders found the Book of the Law and it was read to the king, he rented his clothes because he realized God’s wrath was on the horizon. So he sends the priest and four other servants to go inquire of the Lord for him.
Now I want to read what the King said: “Go you, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.” (Second Kings 22:13)
We do not want you to miss the importance of this. The King sent his priest (a male) to inquire of the Lord and that “male” chose to go to a prophetess (Huldah) versus two other male prophets (Jeremiah and Zephaniah.) Yes, you heard me right; they went to her instead of Jeremiah and Zephaniah for instruction because they recognized her gift as a prophet of God. They could have gone to Jeremiah or Zephaniah, but they chose to go to Huldah for instruction. In verses 15 through 17, she tells them that the Lord was going to bring evil upon Israel. But before moving on, it is important to see the message that the Lord gave to her for King Josiah.
(18) But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, in this manner ye shall speak to him, thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Concerning the words which you have heard – (19) because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,’ says the Lord. (20) ‘Surely, therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place.’ So they brought back word to the king.” (Second Kings 22:18-20)
The Lord told Josiah, through the prophetess Huldah, that his response to what he heard was the “heart response” that the Lord was looking for and, because of that, He would put off the destruction until after the king’s death. This is another example of how important it is to obey the Lord’s commandments. It is also another example of how God spoke His will through a woman for the Children of Israel.
Esther
The women that we have looked at up to this point have had direct spiritual authority from God. So, you may be wondering, why Esther is seen as a leader. Remember what we said earlier? We are looking at women who played a major role in Israel’s story. No woman fits this criterion better than Esther, especially when we understand that, although she was not a prophetess or judge – her authority was not primarily spiritually based, but that her leadership, her authority, came through her position as queen to King Ahasuerus. And, it is through that position that she was able to save countless Jewish lives.
Barry, I love this story. While she was not a prophetess as we have seen with the others, God placed her in a position where she would be able to influence the future of her nation. Her story is recorded in the Bible for a reason.
Rodney, I agree and I also believe it is prophetic about godly marriages. I know I’m about to get a little ahead of myself. Esther did not have the authority of the king to stop the Jews’ destruction, but because of her willingness to humble herself before God, God was able to show her how to approach the king about Haman’s plans for the Jews. Sometimes husbands fail to realize that God works through their spouses, who provide counsel for the good of the family. And in this case, God worked through Esther for the good of “His family” – Israel.
Barry, I agree 100%! There have many times that God spoke to me through Nikki about things happening in our life/marriage.
In the first three chapters of the book of Esther, we learn that she, her uncle Mordecai, and many Jews were living in captivity. Haman, a descendant of Agag, the king of the Amalekite that the prophet Samuel killed in First Samuel 15, hated the Jews. As one of the king’s counselors, Haman told him that the Jews were his enemies and were planning an uprising against him and that he should kill them before they overtook his kingdom. King Ahasuerus trusted Haman and permitted him to annihilate the Jews. When Mordecai found out about the plan he wrapped himself in sackcloth and sat in front of the king’s gate. Esther sends one of the king’s eunuchs to find out why Mordecai is in mourning.
(7) And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews. (8) He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go into the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.” (Esther 4:7-8)
Esther told her uncle, through the eunuch, that no one can go before the king without being summoned. It is Mordecai’s response that brings out the leader in Esther. (13) And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: ‘Do not think in your heart that you will escaped in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. (14) For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14) Let’s end this part about Esther with her response. (15) Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: (16) ‘Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!’ (17) So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.” (Esther 4:15-17) With this one decision the Lord was able to work through her to deliver the Jewish people. And we know how the story ends. Esther reveals Haman’s plans to wipe out all the Jews and stops the destruction of her people.
Barry, she put her life on the line for her people by going to the king without being summoned. She knew she could be put to death for what she was about to do but she called for the people to fast for three days before she did to bring their attention to God and His will being done. The last verse records that Mordecai did just as Esther had “commanded” him. That is saying something!!! The last few verses we will look at in this lesson come from Proverbs chapter thirty-one.
Proverbs 31
We will conclude part one of this lesson on women in ministry with a few verses from Proverbs 31. We chose verses 13, 15,16, 25 and 26.
Proverbs 31:13, 15-16, 25-26 says the following, (13) She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight….(15) She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens. (16) She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard…..(25) Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. (26) She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”
Some Christian men have a view of women as less than a man. They believe that a wife’s job is to take care of the house because God ordained men to be the “head of the house” whether they function that way or not. In Proverbs 31 Solomon closes his proverbs with a description of a virtuous woman (wife). When you read the description of this woman, you find that not only is she a great wife, but she has freedom and areas of responsibility. She makes independent business decisions and manages time and employees. If Solomon took the time to describe the gifts of this woman and acknowledged them for what they were, would God do less? Would God choose a man with no business sense whatsoever to be a trustee in a Church over a woman who runs her own business just because he is a man? God would not, but men do it all the time because in their thinking a woman cannot be in a leadership position in the Church which places her over a man.
Rodney, what jumped out at me as you were talking about this is that from God’s perspective, a marriage is truly a partnership. God has placed in women skills and abilities that make them uniquely suited for taking care of all aspects of family life. The same cannot be said about husbands. Our primary roles are to protect our wives and children from danger and to provide for them. Does that mean that wives cannot work? Absolutely not! But what it does mean is that the first priority of a godly wife will be her family.
Summary & Prayer
In part one of this lesson, we looked at four women whom God used mightily in the Old Testament. These women are proof that long before Paul ever made the statement that many confuse as meaning women cannot be in ministry or leadership positions in Churches God had been using women in this very manner. These references further demonstrate God’s heart as it pertains to who He will use to get His job done here on earth.
Rodney, when I look at these women, except Miriam, each one had a husband. I point this out for a couple of reasons. The first one is this: the husbands of Deborah and Huldah recognized God’s calling on their lives and did not stand in the way of them exercising the gifts that the Lord had placed upon them. The second thing that comes to mind, especially as I think about how women are viewed today, is this: when Deborah and Huldah operated in their gifts, their husbands obeyed them just like the rest of the nation of Israel. When the Lord spoke through them, it was not their wives speaking to them. It was the person on whom the Lord had placed His anointing who was speaking. And sadly, from what I have seen in the church today, many men do not recognize the anointing that God has placed on some women as they do men.
In part two of this lesson, we will look at women in the New Testament. We want you to keep in mind what was recorded in Joel 2:28-29. He states: (28) It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. (29) Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”
We will be back in a couple of weeks with part two.
