Description

We’re tackling the big topic of women in leadership and authority structures in the church! This week Jeff and Tyler turn to more of the “tricky passages” in the New Testament - Can women lead men? Should women remain silent? Who can be elders? and more!

We love questions! Any questions you have about this topic, or any bible-related question Email thekindfaith@gmail.com

SHOW NOTES:

[00:12] Introduction

[03:16] 1 Corinthians 14:33-37. Should Women really remain silent?



[21:00] 1 Timothy 2 - can women have ‘authority’?

MORE DETAIL:

[00:12] Introduction

[03:16] 1 Corinthians 14:33-37. How do we deal with this passage and not just write it off? It seems that many churches come up with ways around this passage without taking it head on. This passage seems an “all or nothing” sort of text so what can we make of it?

• Why do some translations split verse 33 differently? Is, “As in all the churches..” a reference to the paragraph before? or is it a heading for the women section in 34?
• We know of many instances where Paul works with women, and just 3 chapters before this in chapter 11 Paul assumes women will be praying and prophesying in the church. Paul can’t mean that women can never speak in front of a man.
• The argument: Paul is quoting back to the Corinthians their bad theology in verses 34-35, to then correct them curtly in verse 36. They have written to Paul their bad theology and Paul is quickly addressing it and then saying “Not! Do you think you can just created ‘Word of God’?”

[21:00] 1 Timothy 2:11-15. “I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority…” ?

• the only command structure in the entire paragraph is the imperative: “Let the women learn”
• ‘submissive and quiet’ is no problem, both are virtues of a good student (“quiet” is what Paul prays for all of us up in 1 Timothy 2:2.
• Authority The only time this particular word shows up in the New Testament. There is a much more normal word for authority - “exousia”; this word - “authentein” has a more domineering, controlling, negative “authority”. Paul is not talking about real authority in this passage. There seems to be something going on in Ephesus, perhaps linked to the Artemis cult which was a very female dominated religion.
• verse 13-15 corrects some theology and centers Paul’s argument around the Artemis cult centered in Ephesus. What does it mean that women can be “saved” through childbearing? What?!

[36:35] 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1-2. “The husband of one wife”… must an elder/ overseer be male?

The sentence in Greek reads, An overseer must be a “One woman man.” The grammar does technically mean a “husband of one wife.” But the emphasis is on the “oneness” rather than the “maleness.” There is no word for a gender neutral statement like, “a person with one spouse.” They would use the male gendered words to refer to a mixed group.

The guys then talk about how both Timothy and Titus uses the word “presbyter” (elder) to refer to both men and women, but it doesn’t always come through in our translations!