..for they are not permitted to speak (1)

By Amie May

The law of God was perfect. Mankind's interpretation of it was flawed. Jesus fulfilled that law in Truth. He knew the righteous interpretation. Things that humanity had perceived to be literal, they applied that way. Those things however, were symbolic of the spiritual reality unveiled by the Words of Jesus. Many things are still commonly understood to be literal, when there is a spiritual understanding that can be applied.

1 Timothy 2
11 Let a woman learn in silence, in all subjection.
12 And I do not allow a woman to teach nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived has come to be in transgression;
15 but she will be kept safe through the childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with sensibleness.

1 Cor 14
34 ¶ Let your women be silent in the assemblies, for it is not allowed to them to speak, but to be in subjection, as also the Law says.
35 But if they desire to learn anything, let them question their husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in an assembly.

A wooden-literal interpretation of these scri ptures would condemn any woman from speaking within the assembly, from teaching men, or exercising authority over a man. They would have had to remain silent because they were the ones deceived, they were the ones therefore in transgression, and not to mention, they were made second. If they had any questions, they could save it for their husbands. If this literal interpretation were wholly accurate, then we would be left with some broad biblical contradictions.

The Plot Thickens

In Luke 8, verses 1-3 we find Jesus traveling in every city and village, preaching and announcing the Gospel. Accompanying him where the "usual twelve", and also women who had been healed. Mary Magdalene is names as one of them, as well as Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's curator, Susanna, and "many others". All of them gave their possessions in support of his ministry.

Certainly women contributing and following along would not be seen in modern society as shocking or unexpected.

In Mark 7, a Greek woman is recorded to have reasoned with Jesus. Her daughter had an unclean spirit and she fell at his feet and asked him to cast out the demon from her daughter. Jesus replied "First allow the children to be satisfied, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs". It was clear to them all that he was speaking of Israel, for he had come for Israel (Matthew 15:24), and Gentiles would hear the news second (Romans 1:16, Romans 10:17).

She courageously continued with her plea saying "Yes Lord; for even the dogs under the table eat from the crumbs of the children." Rather than treating her as second class, rebuking her, casting her aside, or just ignoring her words, Jesus then told her that because of "this word", the demon had gone out from her daughter.

In Luke 7:36-50 Jesus is dining at a Pharisee's house. Grateful for her forgivenss, she began to wash Christ's feet with tears, wiping them with her hair and put sweet smelling ointment on them. The Pharisee "spoke within himself" and thought that if Jesus was a prophet, that he knew who this woman was, he most certainly wouldn't be allowing what he was allowing. He was doubting that Jesus spoke God-given words, and was doubting it "within himself". Jesus answered him (I love that part - Jesus answering a thought!) and tells him a story:

"There were two debtors to a certain creditor: the one owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. But they not having a thing to pay, he freely forgave both. Then which of them do you say will love him most?"

The Pharisee rightly answers "the one whom he freely forgave the most". Jesus continues in seemingly comparing the Pharisee to the debtor who owed less, and the woman to the debtor who owed more. He spoke on the woman's behalf proclaiming that she had been demonstrating greater love from the time that he walked in and the Pharisee had not taken any such action. Jesus then confirms to the already thankful woman, that her "sins are forgiven". She had faith in God's love.

Jesus apparently visited the home of Mary and Martha often and taught and ate with women as well as men. When he was arrested, women remained firm - even accompanying him to the foot of the cross- while the majority of his male disciples are recorded to have fled. Women were said to have been the first witnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus, chief among them, Mary Magdalene.

Women and the Gospel

After the death of Jesus, women continued to play prominent roles in the early movement. According to Karen L. King, Professor of New Testament Studies and the History of Ancient Christianity at Harvard University in the Divinity school, some scholars have even suggested that the majority of Christians in the first century may have been women.

In Paul's letter to the Romans, Chapter 16 verse 1, Phoebe is commended as a "Diakonos", commonly translated "servant" in this scripture. When referring to men, it is typically translated "Minister" or "Deacon" (you can find examples of such in Ephesians 6:21 and 1 Timothy 3:12).

He goes on to greet Prisca, Junia, Julia, and Nereus' sister, who worked and traveled as missionaries in pairs with their husbands or brothers. He tells us that Prisca and her husband risked their lives to save his. He praises Junia as a prominent apostle, who had been imprisoned for her labor. Mary and Persis are commended for their hard work.

In many translations, Junia is given a male name because she is called "Apostle". Common names in place of "Junia" are "Julius" and "Junias".

Of the approximate 29 of the co-workers in spreading the Gospel singled out and specifically greeted by Paul in Romans 16, 10 were women.

Philippians 4:2-3 reads "I entreat Euodias, and I entreat Syntyche, to mind the same thing in the Lord. And I also ask you, true yoke-fellow, help those who struggled along with me and with Clement in the gospel, and the rest, fellow-workers with me, whose names are in the Book of Life."

The KJV reads "help those women which laboured with me in the gospel" acknowledging that the "those" in the above instance is referring to the women, Euodia and Syntyche.

The churches of old met in homes for the most part. Contributing to the need to meet in more private places, was the fact that Christianity was not legal in the Roman world of that day. Women played key roles within the home so it would not be surprising to see them take leadership roles in house churches.

1 Cor 16:19 reads in part "Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, with the assembly in their house".

Acts 16: 13-16 reads "And on the day of the sabbaths, we went outside the city beside a river, where it was customary for prayer to be made. And sitting down, we spoke to the women who came together there. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one reverencing God, listened, whose heart the Lord opened thoroughly to pay attention to the things being spoken by Paul. And as she and her household were baptized, she entreated Paul, saying, If you have judged me to be believing in the Lord, entering into my house, remain. And she strongly urged us."

Joel 2:28-32 foretells of a day in which women would prophesy, and Acts 2 speaks of its fulfillment.

Acts 2
16 But this is that which has been spoken by the prophet Joel,
17 "And it shall be" in the last days, God says, "I will pour from My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy;" "and your young men shall see visions," "and your old men shall dream dreams;"
18 "and also I will pour out My Spirit on My slaves and slave women in those days," and they shall prophesy.

According to Romans 12:6,7 propesy was a gift of the Holy Spirit and according to 1 Cor 14:1, it was a preferential gift.

In Acts 21: 8, 9, Philip the evangelist is said to have four virgin daughters who prophesied and in 1 Corinthians 11, there are rules in place for those women who did pray and did prophesy.

As prophets, women's roles would have included not only public speech, but preaching, teaching, leading prayer, and perhaps even performing the breaking of the bread.

Interesting the seeming contradiction between some words and actions, is it not?