Women Pastors

1 Corinthians 14
34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

 

A very Good Point!

Paul was always very careful to define his personal preferences as an Apostle with that which He recieved as a divine edict...

Mike Sr.

 

Gershom,

If ya read on down, ya find this verse which sheds light on verse 34...

1 Corinthians 14:35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

If you only use one verse, you can easily take that verse out of context. For instance, in verse 35, one could say it means women are not allowed to learn a thing in the church. What are they even going for if they are not allowed to learn at church? But if you put the two verses together, you see what was happening.

It is quite obvious the women were asking their husbands questions or each other and disrupting the services. It has nothing to do with women preaching the true Word of God.

One has to remember, the Church at Corinth was being reproved by Paul in a letter Paul wrote while he was in Ephesus. There were major problems in the Church and Paul was addressing each problem.

 

Thanks for teaching me about context.

Paul is writing in regards to prophecy and tongues. He says let all who speak do so in order that all may learn (one at a time, in order, God is not the author of confusion). The he goes from instructing the prophets and those speaking in tongues to the instructions for women. Do not speak. It is not permitted for them to speak. Now, it could have been that they were causing a disruption for whatever reason, but the truth of the matter stands. Women are not permitted to speak. "For it is a shame for women to speak in the church." If it is a shame to speak by asking questions, it is a shame to stand and preach/teach.

 

Then Anna the prophetess was in shame? The Bible does not teach so. And she evidently taught or preached in the temple.

 

Luke 2:36 - 38 shows us

1. Anna was a prophetess
2. Anna did not depart from the temple. (She stayed there)
3. She spoke of the Messiah to all that looked for redemption in Israel.

Anna preached in the temple.

Prophesying is not the same as pastoring. All pastors can preach, but not all preachers can pastor.

 

SFIC,

I think we are on the same page...

The Bible says Anna *was* a Prophetess...

This is an (official) "Office"...

Not, just some spirit-Filled woman walking up and giving a Prophesy...

And, yes, just because she spoke forth the truth of God doesn;t mean she had authority over men...

Though, I bet if she ever Prophesied in her 'Office' men would recognize it as the Voice of God...

Though, there is no record of that happening with Anna...

Deborah was a Judge over Israel and a Prophetess

Judges 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

-and- she Judged MEN...

Judges 4:6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

So, with the Age of Grace granting *more* freedoms in Christ not less...

And, with the Historical record of God using Women as Judges and Prophets...

If would seem to lend credence that most of our 'Absolutes' in doctrine concerning women are in fact based on Paul's Personal Preferences and not an Edict from God...

Mike Sr.