INTRODUCTION –
This is a topic which brings about a lot of discussion. I believe that one reason why this topic brings about some controversy is because many people tend to confuse the roles that women have played and are encouraged to play, with the gifts and positions that women commonly hold and aspire to hold today. I also find that a lot of arguments start with: “God can choose whomever He wants to do whatever He wants!” Even though this statement may have a lot of truth to it, I find it to be a very weak foundation to build one’s argument about women and their role in the church. I liken this to the statement: “God can do anything but fail.” If God can do anything, then why can’t He fail?
The short answer might be that because of what He has said in His word (Holy Bible), we have the promises and assurances that He will not fail! I bring this point out because just like we have those promises and assurances that the Lord will not fail, we also have those same promises and assurances that the Lord will not change. This fact is important because the word of God shows us that the Lord is consistent.
Malachi 3:6A states: “ For I am the LORD, I change not . . .” and 2 Peter 3:4B states:
“. . . for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” The word of God that confirms all we know and believe about God.
I don’t believe it is enough to simply state that “God can use whomever He wants” as a defining statement that it is okay for women to take certain roles in the church. This could almost be considered as some kind of ploy, because not only is it stating the obvious, but some might feel that who can dispute that God can use anyone He chooses? What people need to do is to read what the Lord has said and done in His word, and let the word give confirmation to what we believe.
Let us take note of what the writer of this article about women’s roles in the church has to say about this:
“A woman will fulfill her ministry in the church when she operates in the sphere which God has ordained for her. The primary sphere for the woman which God has ordained is the home.” If there were ever a picture of the fully ‘liberated woman’ it is that drawn for us in Proverbs chapter 31. It is obvious that this woman is given a great deal of latitude and responsibility by her husband, but it is also clear that the central base of operations is the home. This is the sphere which God has appointed for the woman. The home and its related responsibilities are even the central thrust of the ministry of the woman who is more mature and perhaps gifted to teach. We just read the portion of Scripture from Titus 2:4-5 where the older women are to teach the younger women to be good wives and mothers, and housekeepers.
Women played a large part in the ministry of our Lord. Some of His closest friends and faithful followers were women:
Matt. 27:55-56: “55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: 56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.”
Luke 23:49, 55: “ 49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things; 55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.”
They were the last to leave our Lord’s cross and the first to see Him resurrected (Luke 23:55; 24:1). There were women who followed Jesus as He traveled about, and who supported Him and His disciples:
Luke 8:1-3: “ 1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, 2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
“We must also recall what women did not do to minister when they accompanied our Lord. Our Lord did not choose women to be among the 12 apostles. He did not send women to teach, preach or heal. So far as we know He did not invite women to the Lord’s Supper in Matthew 26:20. When the great commission was given in Matthew 28:16-20, it was given to men. In brief, women did minister to our Lord and with our Lord, but never in a capacity of leadership or of authority such as teaching or preaching.”
When it comes to the “liberated woman,” I think that this passage of scripture in the book of Numbers gives much enlightenment about when woman were truly liberated.
Zelophehad’s Daughters
Numbers 27 chapter (NIV)
27 The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward 2 and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord, but he died for his own sin and left no sons. 4 Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”
5 So Moses brought their case before the Lord, 6 and the Lord said to him,7 “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.
8 “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”
For these women to insist that the law be changed because of their circumstance was not only bold and unheard of for a woman to do, but it also prompted the Lord to have Moses establish Laws of Inheritance among the Israelites.
The Laws of Inheritance
The Torah’s listing of the laws of the inheritance are quite brief, a mere four lines (Numbers 27:8-11): “If a man dies with no sons, then his inheritance goes to his daughter(s). If he has no daughter(s), then the inheritance goes to his brothers. If he has no brothers, then the inheritance goes to his father’s brothers. If his father had no brothers, then the inheritance goes to the closest kin of the family, and he will possess it.”
Judaism as a religion is passed down through the matrilineal line (traditionally, one is Jewish if one’s mother is Jewish), however, one’s tribal identity is patrilineal. Upon marriage, the woman’s tribal alliance transfers to her husband’s tribe. For this reason, it was not in the best interest of the tribes for women to inherit land.
Before any inheritance could be distributed to the heirs, the wife of the deceased was apportioned an allowance for her own upkeep or given a lump sum distribution as pledged in her marriage contract. A portion was also set aside for living expenses and dowry for any unwed daughters.
As the agricultural/land based society disappeared, it was common to create a more equitable* distribution between sons and daughters through “debts” — a father would leave a statement indicating that he owed his surviving daughter(s) a specific amount of money to be paid from the estate before the sons divided it.
In our times, the issue of inheritance is complex because one must fulfill both the halachic laws of inheritance and the legal laws of one’s country of residence. It is therefore of great importance to not only prepare a will, but to do so with the assistance of a person knowledgeable in both civil and Torah law.
*The distribution of a double portion to the eldest son is a separate issue.
Now I can hear some of those single or divorced women saying, “But what about me? I’m not married. What can I do?” My answer, in short, is this, do what you see the godly women doing in the New Testament.
In the New Testament we are taught and shown by example that we have an obligation to those who are orphans and widows, to those who are sick and destitute. Although Timothy is instructed to teach the older and younger men, and the older women, he is not told to teach the younger women (Titus 2:1-8).
Conclusion
According to the New Testament women cannot be leaders (THIS TERM HAS TO BE DEFINED BECAUSE THE QUESTION BECOMES: “WHO ARE THE LEADERS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH? WHAT ARE THEIR POSITIONS/ROLES?”) in the church (I believe that the author is talking about the local church and not the Ecclesia), but they can help their husbands lead. Many people may think that it is outdated, they may not like it, and they may not even agree with it, but it is shown in the word of God that women in the church are either married, being prepared for marriage, or widows, and they should concentrate their efforts in the sphere of the home, and they should concentrate in the areas of ministry and service to others. Fulfillment is knowing your assigned role and then doing it to the glory of God. May God raise up godly women who will minister to and through their husbands, young women who will minister to those in need, older women who will minister to younger women, teaching them to be godly women and wives and mothers.
The New Testament Church—The Role of Women
The majority of this work was written by: