The Role Of Women in the Church- Part 3

The Role of Women in the Church  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  29:54
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This morning we are continuing a series on the role of women in the church. Specifically, my aim is to teach what the NT has to say about women reading Scripture publically in the church and women praying publically in the church.
Historically, in our circles, this is not something that we have practiced. We have understood the command for women to keep silent in the church as prohibiting ladies both reading Scripture and praying publically in church. And let me say this- I appreciate the concern of people on this topic. It is an indication to me that people in our circles are deeply committed to obeying God’s Word. Your concern for careful obedience to the text is most appreciated!
My question is what does the Bible teach? Are there clear passages in the NT that would help us understand the role of women in the church in regards to public Scripture reading and public prayer?
Part 1- The importance of submission in the local church
Part 2- What God’s Word prohibits women from doing in a local church
Part 3- What God’s Word allows for women in the local church- namely praying and prophesying
1 Corinthians 11:2 ESV
2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.
Begins this section with a word of praise- but not everything they were doing was praiseworthy.
1 Corinthians 11:3 ESV
3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
Issue: Head of a wife is her husband- most translations read, “the head of the woman is man.” The Greek word for woman can be translated as woman or wife depending on the context. I think the better way to translate this is the more general, “the head of the woman is man.” I think one of the major issues that Paul is addressing in this text is that or function or God created roles.
Issue: Meaning of the biblical idea of headship.
Option 1- the idea of source- The source of man is Christ (All things were made by Him), the source of the woman is man (a reference to the creation of Eve), the source of Christ is God (most problematic, easily gets into error, most theological gymnastics to explain biblically).
Option 2- the idea of authority- The authority of man is Christ (Christ is the ultimate authority of man), the authority of the woman is man (is two biblical relationship, the marriage and the church). We have the most problem with this view because of perceived distaste of a woman submitting to the man’s authority in the marriage and in the church. But, this is not the case if we understand biblical submission and authority!
Observation 1- Men you are required to submit to Christ. You don’t get to act in the marriage relationship or in the church anyway you want. You are not the ultimate authority, you are underneath the authority of Christ. So you must act and operate exactly the way Christ wants you to.
Observation 2- Worldly ideas of submission and authority are the exact opposite to biblical ideas.
Mark 10:42–43 ESV
42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,
Mark 10:44–45 ESV
44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Men, we are under the headship or the authority of Christ. We must imitate our Savior and exercise that authority as he did. We must be Christlike as husbands to our wives. And we must be Christlike in our ministry in our local churches.
Observation 3- Acceptance of God given roles with joyful obedience to the Lord is a beautiful thing!
Example of Ephesians 5:22-33 (whole sermon in itself). When you embrace the roles given you by God in the marriage it becomes a beautiful relationship. It becomes a loving relationship.
Wives- what does loving your husband and embracing God’s created roles look like for you?
Ephesians 5:22–24 ESV
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
You express your love for your husband in biblical submission (a gentle and peaceable spirit in acknowledging your husbands leadership / this is something that only happens in a heart redeemed from all lawlessness / this is difficult as a consequence of the curse in Gen 3.16, “Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you”).
Ephesians 5:26–27 ESV
26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
You express your love in a cooperative growth in Christlikeness.
Ephesians 5:33 ESV
33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
You express your love is showing your husband respect and honor.
Husbands- what does loving your wife and embracing God’s creative roles look like for you?
Ephesians 5:25 ESV
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
You express your love for your wife in self-sacrifice for her needs.
Ephesians 5:26–27 ESV
26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
In cooperating together with her to grow in Christlikeness.
Ephesians 5:28–29 ESV
28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,
In protecting her from physical, emotional, and spiritual harm. In providing for her needs.
When both the husband and the wife are joyfully obedient to the Lord in the areas of their assigned roles it becomes a beautiful thing.
1 Corinthians 11:3 ESV
3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
The idea that Paul wants to convey is the importance of submitting to God ordained roles for men and woman.
1 Corinthians 11:4 ESV
4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,
Issue: Head covering- 1). long hair worn up in a bun 2). physical head covering like a shawl.
Important note: “The custom for women in New Testament times was to cover their heads. Not to do so was to ignore the distinction between male and female. It would also seem that head-coverings... showed submission to a visible authority.”
The man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
If a man wears a head-covering, if a man wears a shawl and covers his head like a woman- then he dishonors his head.
Probably a dual idea. He brings shame on his own physical head. It is a shame to himself to blur the distinctions between a man and a woman. Dressing like a woman brings himself shame.
And it dishonors his hierarchical head which is Christ. When he wears a shawl he is symbolically putting himself under the authority of a man. But the head of the man is Christ. Thus he does damage to the God ordained idea of headship. He is rebelling against the function God intended for a man.
1 Corinthians 11:5 ESV
5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.
Probably better, every woman who prays and prophesies with her head uncovered.
Again it was shameful for a woman to pray or prophesy with her head uncovered. By doing this she dishonors her head.
She brings dishonor on herself personally. She blurs the distinction between male and female. And in that culture it was a disgrace for a woman to have her head uncovered. Examples of this disgrace- temple prostitutes would have uncovered heads or women who were found to be adulteresses would have uncovered heads. So for a woman in the church of Corinth to go about with her head uncovered, and especially if she got up in front of the church with her head uncovered it would bring dishonor.
It would also bring dishonor to her hierarchical head (man) because to go about with her head uncovered would be to claim that she is equal to him rather than distinct from him in function.
The important note here is that she is distinct in function not essence. Apparently some of the ladies in Corinth were taking the freedom they had in Christ too far. It is true that both male and female are all one in Christ. We are equal in Christ- equal in terms of our essence. There is nothing more superior about men than women. We are one, we are equal- in essence. But, the freedom that we have in Christ does not destroy the function or the roles God designed for us. We are equal in essence, but we have different functions. And to destroy the God intended functions of man and woman brings dishonor.
The different functions of man and woman image the relationship of the Father and Son. To destroy that image of God in the functions of man and woman in the church is shameful.
It is so shameful that it is equal to the disgrace of a woman shaving her head. If a woman willfully removes her head covering, she should also willfully shave her head. But since no woman would willfully shame herself in that culture by shaving her hair, neither should she willfully shame herself by removing her head-covering.
Remember our question!
Are there clear passages in the NT that would help us understand the role of women in the church in regards to public Scripture reading and public prayer?
Paul is not saying that it was improper for women to pray or prophesy in the church. He was saying it was dishonorable for women to pray or prophesy in the church with their head uncovered. So, as long as their heads were covered it was entirely appropriate and practiced in the early NT church for women to pray and prophesy in the public worship service.
Some people think the meeting described in v. 5 is not a church meeting, but a general public meeting. I think the context is pretty clear that we are talking about public church meetings in light of the context of chapter 10 were worship and the Lord’s Supper were discussed and then in v. 17 of chapter 11 is a lengthy discussion about the Lord’s Supper in a public worship setting.
So as long as the women were dressed appropriately they were allowed to pray and prophesy in public church services.
What is prophesying?
The consistent New Testament idea is that a prophecy is an actual message or oracle from God. The word is not used in the New Testament to refer to the interpretation of an oracle by a skilled interpreter. We will touch on this more when we get to I Corinthians 14.
Prophesying was a revelatory gift of the Holy Spirit. It was the Holy Spirit working through people to communicate an actual message or oracle from God. I believe this gift was used to authenticate the message of the apostles while God was transitioning his program away from Israel and to the local church.
Since the purpose of miraculous gifts was to authenticate the apostles during the period when God was shifting His work in the world away from Israel and toward the Church (Heb 2:4; 2 Cor 12:11–13), those gifts stopped when the apostles were gone.
Implications:
1. The closest thing we have now is simply reading the Scriptures. We no longer need the gift of prophesy, because we have everything we need for life and godliness in the Bible.
2. If a woman simply got up and prayed or prophesied in the church she was not violating Paul’s command in I Timothy 2. Simply praying or prophesying, that is speaking a message from God, is not the same as teaching or exerting authority. A woman is not allowed to teach or exert authority over a man in the church. But it is clear that praying or simply communicating a message from God (with no attempt to teach or exert authority) is permissible.
3. As long as a woman is dressed appropriately she is permitted to pray and read Scripture in public worship services.
Questions for next week:
What is appropriate dress for women who desire to pray or read Scripture in Church?
Does that mean that ladies should be wearing head coverings in church?
No- I think we can make that point in the rest of I Corinthians 11- especially v. 10.
How can Paul allow woman to pray and prophesy in church and then command them to be silent only three chapters later in I Corinthians 14:34?
1 Corinthians 14:34 ESV
34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.
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