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Last week we asked the question as God’s people where does our authority come from:  Culture or Scripture? 

Our culture is ever changing and the culture of the world in recent history has been consistently changing.  It has become progressive as we progress towards change—this progress is not only significant for our recent history, but “progressive ideals” have always been a part of every major human society in the entirety of the world’s history.  The culture of the world has always been informing humanity and how we live as people—this is why God has given us His word, His ten commandments, the history of working through His people, so that we can live by His truth and His culture which is never changing.

“We should receive the scriptures as though God, in the fullness of His glory and majesty, were in front of us, speaking.”

--John Calvin

  1. God has designed men and women to complement each other to fill certain roles in the Church based on our sex—God works through both men and women!

 

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, so that they will have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’  And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.’”

--Genesis 1:26-27

 

Genesis 2 gives us the greater detail on this day, when God created Adam and Eve. 

  1. Adam is created first and he is given the job of naming animals and cultivating the garden (Gen. 2:7-15).
  2. Adam is then given the command to eat from any tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16-17)—Notice how Adam is given this command and not Eve.
  3. God creates a helper, a woman, made from Adam’s rib, to help him cultivate the garden, to work with him, to be his companion as God states “it is not good for man to be alone.” (Gen. 2:18, 21-23).

 

“And Yahweh God fashioned the rib, which He had taken from the man, into a woman, and He brought her to the man.  Then the man said, ‘This one finally is bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called Woman, Because this one was taken out of Man.’  Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.  And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

-Genesis 2:22-25

 

“To the woman He said, ‘I will greatly multiply Your pain and conception, In pain you will bear children; Your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.’ Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’’

--Genesis 3:16-17

 

Throughout the entire history of God’s people, the Levitical priesthood, and the New Testament Church, God’s design found in Genesis has been upheld throughout the worship of His people.  The Levitical priesthood was made up of men who were called by God to lead His people (includes Noah, Moses, Aaron, Eleazar, Phineus Jonathan son of Gershom etc.)

 

 

 

“Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah and Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and their relatives in the days of Jeshua.”

--Numbers 12:1-7

 

These men would hold the prophetic and priestly duties of God’s people—they would oversee the spiritual needs of the people including corporate worship.  The position of Priest in the OT was restricted to Aaron’s lineage and to men.  The New Testament no longer has “Priests” rather the office of overseer is called “episcopos” (1 Timothy 3:1-7) and “presburetos” (Titus 1:5-9). 

 

It is important to be reminded that God both works with and through both men and women.  God calls both men and women to do His ministry, to spread the gospel around the world and within the church there are certain offices held for men or women to compliment one another, to serve together as we see in God’s design found in the creation history.

 

  1. Women are to go to church to worship God and to not bring attention to themselves, it’s not about you.

 

“Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, with modesty and self-restraint, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly clothing, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women professing godliness.”

--1 Timothy 2:9-10

 

Historians are split on this text.  There were two areas of women that Paul could be referencing here.  Women who spent way too long getting ready to go outside, the elite / wealthy class, where they would show off their status by their jewelry and their clothing—the goal was to show off their wealth and to suppose their elite power of those who had less.


The second group Paul is addressing here were the lower-class prostitutes in Ephesus who would wear braided hair, gold pearls and expensive clothing—they would do this to attract upper class men so they could make more money.  Women apart of different pagan religions (Artemis and Aphrodite) would also wear certain pieces of clothing and hairstyles to reflect their values and what they believed in. 

 

Paul is stating that what you wear on your body reflects your values, how you see yourself and how you show yourself to the world—when entering a place of worship to God one must humble themselves instead of glorifying themselves. 

 

“The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil. For his mouth speaks from the abundance of his heart.”

--Luke 6:45

 

This same value is taught to the women in the church of Corinth when they are instructed to wear head coverings when going to Church for corporate worship.

 

“But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ…For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut short. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut short or her head shaved, let her cover her head.  For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of man.  For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man. For indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake.  Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels…For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman, but all things originate from God.”

--1 Corinthians 11:3, 6-10, 12

 

  1. Women are to sit under the overseer’s authority of the church—qualified men are called to oversee/ pastor the church.

 

“A woman must learn in quietness, in all submission.  But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.  For it was Adam who was first formed, and then Eve.  And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into trespass.”

--1 Timothy 2:11-14

 

“Must Learn”

μανθάνω manthánō, man-than'-o; (In 1 Timothy 2:11 is μανθανέτω present active imperative which means an ongoing action/ not just a one time act).  Women are to “CONTINUALLY learn in quietness, in all submission.

 

“Submission”

ὑποταγή hupŏtagē, hoop-ot-ag-ay'; The act of subjecting, obedience, subjection.

 

Paul is answering an important question about the church service:  What is one of the main functions of the church service?  To learn from the church’s main authority, God’s Holy Word.  If we look at 1 Timothy 3:1; the overseeing leader, the overseer or elder(s) of the church are to be men who are qualified for the position.

 

“It is a trustworthy saying:  If any man aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.”

--1 Timothy 3:1

 

Women are able to join the church service and learn under the authority of the pastor who is exhorting the true authority of the church:  God’s Holy Word.  Adam, was supposed to teach Eve God’s commands but obviously he did a poor job because the snake tricked Eve into eating the forbidden truth.

 

“What is the outcome then, brothers? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has a translation. Let all things be done for edification…for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.  The women are to keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. But if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.”

--1 Corinthians 14:26,33-35

 

These churches have two different contexts, but they are given the same message to keep a certain order in the corporate church service—Paul also reminds the church in general of how God gives authority to the church which comes through men who hold the offices of “Overseers/ Elders”.  This is clear has Paul references the headship authority of Adam over Eve (pre-fall and post-fall) and how Paul reminds the church in Corinth of headship of the church which is Christ, through Men whom he has called to lead men and woman as the authority of the church.

 

“Authority” in 1 Timothy 2:11 (Present Active Infinitive attached to the Present Active Imperative of “Must Learn.”) This is an ongoing action that must continue to happen for the church. 

 

αὐθεντέω authentéō, ow-then-teh'-o; to govern, one who with his own hands kills another or himself

exercise dominion over one, an absolute master

 

What is Paul saying?  In the corporate worship setting where the church overseers exercise authority in preaching in teaching women must always learn in this setting under the leadership and authority of God’s word from the elders/overseers who are men—this is a command for the church in Ephesus and it is a command for God’s church through the ages. (Ezra, the priest, and the Levites preach the authoritative law of God which is essential for God’s people in Nehemiah 8). 

 

“And when they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.  These all with one accord were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers…Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

--Acts 1:13-14, 21-22

 

  1. Women are an essential part of God’s church, of God’s plan, of God’s ministry in this broken world.

 

There is a difference between a spiritual “gift” and a church “office.”  We must be careful not to blend the two together.  Priscilla and Aquilla were a travelling ministry couple and they were instrumental in the leadership of the church in both Ephesus and Corinth.  They take Apollos, a young Jewish preacher who preached the baptism of John and Christ, and teach him the important truths of the death and resurrection of Christ (Acts 18:26)—just because Priscilla has the gift of teaching and knowledge of God’s gospel does not mean she is qualified to hold the office of overseer or deacon. 

 

Women in leadership throughout the history of the church.

  1. Miriam is the older sister of Moses and led God’s people in worship/ hymns with the tambourine (Ex. 15:20-21)
  2. Deborah was the only woman who was a judge of Israel. She prophesies that Naphtali (Barak) would lead a revolt against Sisera.  She was called “The Mother of Israel.”
  3. Huldah was a prophetess called on by King Josiah to help interpret the law (2 Kings 22:14)
  4. Anna was a prophetess who recognized Jesus as Messiah at His dedication in the temple (Luke 2:36-38)
  5. Pheobe was a servant (Diakonos) who represented the church in Cenchrea who brought Paul’s letters to the church in Rome (Romans 16:1-2) and Junia who was known by the apostles because of her faith and imprisonment for her faith (Romans 16:16).
  6. Mary Magdalene is one of the eye witnesses (alongside of other woman) to find the empty grave of Jesus Christ and she reports it back to the disciples, the woman at the well is ministered to by Jesus and becomes a missionary of the gospel after her life is changed (John 4).

 

“And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into trespass.  But she will be saved through the bearing of children, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with self-restraint.”

--1 Timothy 2:15

 

Remember, the influence of Artemis and false teaching in this church was causing women to not get married, to focus on themselves, and to stop having kids—all of this goes against God’s design in the garden of Eden.  Paul is reminding the women in this church of their value in the eyes of God.  Women can literally give life, to become sanctified in Christ through the church, through the leadership of strong men who follow God, stand for his truth and have fruits of the Spirit.   

 

This relationship also benefits men—as men become sanctified through Christ, through the studying and teaching of God’s word from the pulpit and through working together with women in the church as they lead in other areas of the church and men will also learn from that working relationship.  One of the most important / sacred occupations in this world is being a mother, is embracing your sex as a female and operating within God’s design of womanhood—the world needs women.  The world needs mothers.  And the world needs men—we need to work together as the church in God’s church in the way God has called the church to operate.  This will please God.

 

“A Church that is godly will look foolish to the world.  A church that is worldly will look foolish to God.  Take your pick.”

--Nick White