In order to understand the Biblical view of woman, one must first turn to the Book of Genesis. When God created mankind, He created both "male and female" <Gen. 1:27; 5:2>. Both were created in God's image and both were given the responsibility of exercising authority over God's creation. The man was created before the woman. Because the man needed companionship and a helper, God caused the man to sleep. From him He created a woman, "a helper comparable to him" <Gen. 2:18,20>. Man is incomplete without woman. Because she is called a "helper" does not imply that she is inferior to man. The same Hebrew word translated as helper is used of God in His relationship to Israel <Ps. 33:20; 70:5>.

Jesus allowed women to accompany Him and His disciples on their journeys <Luke 8:1-3>. He talked with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well and led her to a conversion experience <Jn 4>. Jesus did not think it strange that Mary sat at His feet, assuming the role of a disciple; in fact, He suggested to Martha that she should do likewise <Luke 10:38-42>. Although the Jews segregated the women in both Temple and synagogue, the early church did not separate the congregation by sex.

The apostle Paul wrote, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" <Gal. 3:28>.

Some of the finest leaders in Israel were women, in spite of the fact that the culture was male-dominated. Military victories were sometimes won because of the courage of one woman <Judges 4--5; 9:54; Esth. 4:16>. God revealed His Word through PROPHETESSES <Judg. 4:4; II Kings 22:11 20; Luke 2:36; Acts 21:9>. In Judges chapter 4 Deborah is not only a prophetess but also a Judge. God used Priscilla and her husband Aquila to explain "the way of God more accurately" to Apollos the preacher <Acts 18:26>. Documents from early church history referred to Priscilla as "a teacher of teachers". The heroes of faith mentioned in <Hebrews 11> include Sarah <v. 11>, Moses' mother <v. 23> and Rahab the harlot <v. 31>.

Ps 68:11 The Lord giveth the word: The women that publish the tidings are a great host. (ASV) Some translations translate the word women as "those", but the Hebrew is clearly in the feminine gender.

Mic 6:4 I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. (NIV) In this verse God puts Miriam a woman in a place of leadership under Moses.

Rom 16:1-2 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me. (NIV)

The word for servant in the Greek is "diakonos" which has the primary meaning of "a Christian teacher and pastor". Paul himself is the one who ordained her. She preached and taught the Word and took oversight of the church at Cenchrea. Paul seems to indicate here that she is serving as his assistant pastor.

Rom 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. (KJV)

Here Junia, a woman, is saluted by Paul as an apostle and one who was also in prison for preaching the gospel.

In I Cor. 11:5 Paul indicates that it is OK for a woman to pray or prophesy in church if she has her head covered. The word for prophesy in the Greek means to speak forth the Word of God or to preach.

There are many more Scriptures that directly and indirectly show women having positions of authority and ministry in the church. There are however three places in Scripture that seem to restrict or forbid women having a ministry in the church.

Before we look at these Scriptures, I feel it is necessary to look at the spiritual condition of the time in which Paul wrote these letters. There were many false teachings in the churches. There were also many false cults. One of the more prominent ones was "Gnosticism". Gnosticism was a major threat to the early church. It was based on a perversion of Old Testament Scriptures, especially the early chapters of Genesis, which Paul referred to as Jewish fables and old wives' tales. It was marked by mindless ramblings, preoccupations with genealogies, and utter nonsense. It was a religion of rebellion which turned the Scriptures upside down. Gnostics considered the physical world as evil and "knowledge" the key to salvation (escape from the physical world). The God of the Bible was considered to be an inferior "god" because He created the physical world. Eve was worshipped as a goddess because she brought "knowledge" to man. More than that, she is seen as the Mother Goddess who gave birth to Yahweh and Elohim. She is the source of all life who gave birth to Adam. The serpent is also worshipped as the one who gave "knowledge" to Eve and exposed the "lies" of Yahweh.

One of the most influential false religions of western Turkey and Greece was the worship of Artemis (Diana to the Romans) which centered in Ephesus. This part of western Turkey was called "the Land of Mothers" because Motherhood was exalted as the highest good. Women were seen as the source of all truth. Spiritual enlightenment could only come through them. Gnosticism emphasized this concept of "spiritual enlightenment" and "hidden knowledge" which could be learned only from women. It viewed Eve as the source of life rather than God and women as the only ones capable of teaching spiritual truth. But while the concept of motherhood was exalted, actually giving birth was considered to be a terrible sin because it brought another "soul" into the "evil" physical world. Therefore a woman who had children had become "contaminated" by the physical world and therefore lost her "salvation". With this in mind let us look at the Scriptures.

In I Cor. 11:3-16 Paul makes provision for women to minister in the church, but they were to have a covering on their heads to show that they were in submission to their husbands. This would set them apart from those women who might teach that they were superior to men or that man came from woman. In verses 8-12 Paul points out that the woman came out of man and that the woman was created for the man. Neither one is the creator of life but God is the creator of all life.

In I Cor. 14:33-36 Paul is dealing with a situation where some of the women were disrupting the service. Paul states in verse 33 that God is a God of order and peace. They were being very contentious. They were arguing with every thing that was being taught. They would also get up and begin to speak, going on and on, saying nothing that made any sense. The Greek word for "speak" in verse 34 means" to speak on and on about nothing and having no point". Paul is saying that these women must not be permitted to do this. They should be quiet and submit themselves to the Word of God. If they have any questions about what is being taught, let them ask their husbands when they get home. In verse 36 Paul states that the Word of God did not originate from you; meaning from the woman; nor did it come to you only. You women are not the source of spiritual enlightenment.

In I Tim. 2:11-15 Paul again deals with this false teaching of Gnosticism. Verse 11 Paul indicates that the women should assume the role of a disciple. They should learn with a quiet spirit in full submission to the Word of God. In verse 12 the word for "authority over" is "authenteo". It means to claim authorship of or originator of or creator of. What Paul is actually saying here is, I forbid women to teach that they are the originator or creator of man. The word for silence is "hesuchia" which also means quiet submission. Paul is saying here that they should be in quiet submission to the Word of God. In verses 13-14 Paul says that it was Adam that was first created and then Eve. It was Eve that was deceived not Adam, so Eve can not be the source of all spiritual knowledge. In verse 15 Paul deals with the false teaching that women who have children can not be saved. Paul states very clearly that women can be saved in childbearing if they continue in the Fruit of the Spirit. Their salvation is dependent only upon their faith in Jesus Christ and being born again, manifested by the fruit of the spirit in their lives.

The New Testament Church began on the Day of Pentecost with the Apostle Peter quoting from the prophet Joel.

Acts 2:17-18 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: (KJV)

If any one would argue with what I have set forth here let him argue with God. AMEN