SUBJECT:    Women

QUESTION:  What does the Bible say about women in general and women in Church specifically?

ANSWER: 

The Intercontinental Church of God does not, at present, have a booklet on this subject, but we do have one in our archives that speaks to the subject of women in church.  Following that is the text of a recent sermon on the subject of women and showing that men cannot put women down using the Word of God as their justification.  [See sermon here]

The Role of Women in Christian Fellowship

Is it proper for women to speak up and actively participate in religious discussions during services? Or does God command women to remain silent during services, speaking only after services have finished? What is the will of God the Father and Jesus Christ?

Some believe that women should not speak at all during services. Others feel that women should be able to ask questions, but should not be allowed to make statements or comments. They view this type of active participation by women as "teaching men."

Is it permissible for women to publicly pray or discuss the Scriptures? Is it permissible for women to "teach men"? What does Scripture tell us?

1 Timothy 2:11-12 A Most Difficult Scripture

Perhaps the most important verses used to argue against the active participation of women in spiritual fellowship are found in 1 Timothy 2:11-12: "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."

This passage is usually interpreted and applied in the following manner: During church services, women are to remain silent in the presence of men, thus showing their complete spiritual subjection to God the Father and Jesus Christ. Women, therefore, are not to teach during Sabbath school, nor are they to teach in any manner during the preaching service, for to do so would be usurping authority over the men that are present, and this would be against the will of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

The "usurpation of authority over men" clause is also invoked to prohibit women from having any authority over men in any and all activities, whether during Sabbath services or otherwise. Thus prayer or speech of any fashion in the presence of men is said to be prohibited by Scripture. Teaching men through the medium of writing is prohibited. Actively participating in the planning, organizing, staffing and directing of activities over men is also prohibited, the reasoning goes.

These prohibitions are based on four major assumptions:

   1.That the singular "woman" in these verses means "all women," whether married or not.

   2.That the singular "man" in these verses means "all men,” whether married or not.

   3.That the term "silence" means "absolutely mute."

   4.That the command specifically applies to Sabbath services and church activities of any kind.

Is this understanding of 1 Timothy 2:11-12 consistent with the meaning of other Scriptures? Is it possible that we are applying cultural customs and bias to the Scriptures? Can we prove what is the true meaning of these verses? What is the setting of 1 Timothy 2:11-12? Is it Sabbath fellowship only, or is it family fellowship as well? Is the command here applicable to all women and all men? What does the term "teach" mean? What does it mean for a woman to "usurp authority over the man”?  What does it mean to be silent "with all subjection”?  To whom is the woman to be in subjection, to her husband, or to all men?  What is the real topic under discussion here?

1 Timothy 2:11-12 in Context

Paul was writing to the young evangelist Timothy, who was serving the brethren at Ephesus at the time. The year was c. 66 A.D. The Jewish Wars with Rome had just begun. The subject under discussion in 1 Timothy 2 is the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles (1 Timothy 2:7). Paul therefore reminds Timothy that all Christians (men and women) should pray for kings and all that are in authority, to the end that the gospel might be preached in a setting of peace and tranquility, for God would "have all men saved, and ... come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:1-4). The particular gospel to be preached was that "there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (1 Timothy 2:5-6). This was the reason for Paul's ordination as a preacher, an apostle and teacher of the Gentiles (1Timothy 2:7).

Timothy was therefore to teach that Christian men should "pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." Praying, in other words, that this gospel would go to the Gentiles, in due time, in a proper atmosphere of peace and tranquility (1 Timothy 2:8).

Timothy was to teach Christian women to pray the same thing. Only instead of admonishing the women to pray without "wrath and doubting," the women were to pray thus: "In like manner... in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works" (1 Timothy 2:9-10). The word translated modest is the Greek kosmios and in this context carries the meaning of a Christian woman who is quiet and tranquil in her worship of God; a woman who fulfills the Christian duties which are incumbent upon her; a woman who is sensible, self-controlled and who voluntarily places limitations on her Christian freedom. "The virtue of kosmios, however, is not only the propriety of his [her] dress and demeanor, but of his [her] inner life, unerring and expressing itself in the outward conversation [conduct] (Zodhiates, The Hebrew/Greek Key Study Bible, World Kein, p. 1496).

Shamefacedness is the Greek aidios and has the meaning of a modesty which has an innate moral repugnance to a dishonorable act; i.e., a reverence for the good as good. Aidios is used only here in 1Timothy 2:9 and in Hebrews 12:28.

Sobriety in the Greek is sophrosune and has the meaning of soundness of mind, sanity or self-control. Thus it means placing voluntary limitations on one's spiritual freedom of thought and behavior. "The truth is that in Christianity women became free and equal to their husbands. Nevertheless, there was always a danger that they might take this freedom beyond the limitations that God had placed when He appointed man as head over woman in the marital relationship"

(Ibid.).

The Christian Marital Relationship and the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Sophrosune gives us an important clue to the context of Paul's statements in 1 Timothy 2:11-12. The fact that Paul is indeed referring to the marriage relationship is revealed by the words "woman" and "man." When Paul stated, "Let the woman learn ..." he was actually commenting on the Christian role of the wife. "Woman" is translated from the Greek gune (wife), and "man" is translated from the Greek andros (husband). When used with anthropos (man or mankind), gune may mean women in general. But when used with andros, it can only mean "wife" and must be translated so. Paul is not discussing here the general relationship of women to men, but the specific relationship of wives to husbands.

The real question here is: what are the proper roles of the converted husband and the converted wife in relationship to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ? Paul addresses this question in verses 11-15 of 1 Timothy 2. The context reveals Paul's answer: the natural order is not to be disturbed in the preaching of the gospel. This natural order, ordained by God, is the role of the husband as head of the wife. Thus Paul argues: "For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety" (1 Timothy 2:13-15).

The role of childbearing was biologically reserved for the wife from the very beginning. The role of fathering and leadership in the family was reserved for the husband from the very beginning. Paul argues that this is so for the sake of the children. Thus when husbands and wives are interacting at home, in an assembly, or anywhere else, the position of the husband as the natural head of the family should not be undermined! For, as Paul argues, this natural relationship is in accordance with God's ordained order in creation.

Does this mean that the wife must be mute in services, or in public in general, when her husband is present or when any man is present? Not at all! The Greek text does not support or warrant such a conclusion. In 1 Timothy 2:11 Paul does not argue that wives are not to learn, but only that they should "learn (manthano) in silence, with all subjection." Learn what?  Be in subjection to whom? In absolute silence?

The word translated "learn" here is the Greek verb manthano and grammatically must answer to the Greek verb didasko, to teach. In the simple aorist tense, manthano means to learn anything.  But in this context, manthano refers to the wife learning the facts of God's plan of salvation. This wonderful plan of salvation includes women in general and wives in particular! The phrase "Let the woman learn" in the Greek is in the present imperative. Thus Paul is commanding here that wives be continually and repeatedly taught the plan of salvation by their husbands!

What does Paul mean then, when he commands that this learning be done in "silence" and in "subjection?" The Greek word translated "silence" is hesuchia and refers to tranquillity of spirit or a state of being undisturbed. Thus Paul is not requiring Christian wives to remain absolutely silent, but to speak with calmness and self-control. "One must bear in mind here that during the era of time when Paul was writing, it was usually men who were the ones to receive an education. If this word meant 'complete silence,' women would never have the opportunity to ask questions or increase her [their] knowledge of the Scriptures. Simply speaking, the wife ought to be displaying a tranquil spirit in her attempt to learn" (Zodhiates, The Hebrew/Greek Key Study Bible, World Kein, p. 1497). Paul is encouraging, indeed commanding, that wives speak up, ask questions, learn of God's plan of salvation, but that they do so in a manner that does not undermine the husband's position as head of the family.

"Subjection" must also be understood in this context. The Greek word is hupotage and simply means "to place in proper order." Hupotage refers to the natural order that God established between the husband and the wife. Paul simply shows here that in the wife's desire to learn, whether in the family or gathered in Christian fellowship, the proper order requires that she always respect her husband's position as her leader (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:3). As there is complete equality of husband and wife in Christ (Galatians 3:28), Paul is not saying that the wife is inferior to her husband. This is not a matter of superiority and inferiority, as viewed by many today; it is a matter of respecting the God-ordained order in family relationships. Both husband and wife have equal claim and authority over each other (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). Nevertheless, God Himself has ordained that when a man and a woman voluntarily enter into a marriage relationship, the husband is to be the leader (Ephesians 5.22-24), and this role is to be upheld, respected and nurtured for the sake of the children and for the very salvation of the wife (1 Timothy 2:13-15).

Is it Wrong for a Woman to Teach a Man?

The question still remains, what did Paul mean when he commanded, "But I suffer not a woman [a wife] to teach [the plan of salvation to her husband], nor to usurp authority over the man [the husband], but to be in silence [maintain a tranquil spirit]" (1 Timothy 2:12)? It is clear that Paul never intended that a wife remain mute in her relationship with her husband! What kind of marriage would it be if the wife could never speak in her husband's presence? The proper understanding here is contained in the phrases "to teach" and "to usurp authority." The word translated "to teach" is the Greek infinitive didaskein and means in this context "to teach [the plan of salvation; the gospel is the focus of Paul's argument here] continually." The phrase "to usurp authority" (over the husband) is the Greek aude authente in, which literally means to act of oneself, or to dominate. This Scriptural passage makes it clear that a Christian wife should never, in her public or private life, go beyond her God-given position in the marriage and undermine the God-given position of her husband by being the predominant teacher of salvation in the family or church.

For a wife to assume a position of leadership in teaching God's plan of salvation, whether this teaching be in public or in the privacy of the home, would be to overstep her God-given limits and would undermine the God-given position of her husband.

Spiritual knowledge is granted by God to Christian women as well as to Christian men. The revelations and insight that God gives through His Spirit are meant to be shared by all His begotten children so that all may be edified. Christian wives are not excluded from this mutual edification. It is not ungodly for a Christian wife to "teach men," including her own husband, by sharing the spiritual insight and understanding that God has imparted to her, whether in public or in private.  Paul simply states that for her to assume a dominant role in teaching the gospel would be ungodly and would undermine the God-given order of things.

These Scriptures make it very clear that God never intended that a wife continuously pastor, shepherd or minister to a local congregation. To do so would violate the prohibition against teaching her husband continuously!  However, these Scriptures should not be used to forbid a wife to teach men, including her husband, on an intermittent basis, as she is moved by God to do so. If doing so were forbidden by God's law, no marriage would ever survive!

Saved Through the Childbearing

The apostle Peter wrote that some of Paul's words are "hard to be understood." In his first epistle to Timothy, Paul makes a statement that has been widely misunderstood and misrepresented by ministers and teachers, and has consequently brought needless anxiety to many Christian women.

"Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety" (1 Timothy 2:15). In this verse, Paul is not speaking of Christian women being saved by giving birth to children and fulfilling the role of motherhood, as many have been taught. The words "in childbearing" are a mistranslation of the Greek text. A correct translation would read "through the childbearing." (See The Companion Bible) These words are referring to a specific birth by which believing women are saved, as well as men.

Paul is speaking of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Seed of Genesis 3:15. The promise of His birth was first given when Adam and Eve sinned against God and came under the penalty of death. It is through the birth of Jesus Christ, the promised Savior, that all mankind can be saved from the penalty of sin, which is eternal death.

The meaning of 1 Timothy 2:15 becomes clear when we read the verse in its context: "For Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived [he sinned knowingly], but the woman being deceived was in the transgression [she was misled into sin]: notwithstanding she shall be saved through the childbearing, if they continue in faith..." (1Timothy 2:13-15). Paul is declaring that redemption and salvation are freely available to believing women through the birth of Jesus Christ in the flesh. As the Passover Lamb of God, He shed His blood to free all men and women from the condemnation of sin. Nothing we can do in this life could ever earn this redemption. To teach that believing women must bear children in order to obtain God's gift of salvation is contrary to all that is revealed in Scripture. While little ones are a blessing to a home, and rearing them can teach many lessons about patience and love, the bearing of children should not be viewed as essential for the salvation of Christian women. 

 ---END---

WOMEN, A GLORY TO GOD   (An ICG sermon presented by Chris Cumming, minister in Seattle, Washington 1999)

All through my life, I have been a victim of the ways of this world…we all are.

I have been witness to the evils, to the lies and the false doctrines of this world.  I have had to be subjected to the double standards, the prejudices and stereotypes of this world ruled by Satan.

Some of these stereotypes have even invaded the very Church of God or the minds of some of the members of the church over the years. 

Today I want to discuss the subject of women and how they have been stereotyped as something less than a man.  I want to show how the world has even used the Bible to support these stereotypes and regulate women to the status of second class citizens.

My purpose today will be to break this prejudice against women and show you that…

…THE BIBLE SUPPORTS WOMEN

My message to the world is…If you want to make women second class citizens, that is your choice, but you cannot use the Word of God to prove or support your contentions.

One of the sad things about these false contentions is that some woman accept or believe them.  Let us see how many of these false ideas we can eradicate in the time we have together today.

Now, when I began putting together the material for this sermon from the Word of God, I ended up with a stack of paper over an inch high, scores of pages…way more material than I could even begin to share with you today, so this sermon is an introduction to your further Bible Study.  I will aid you in these studies with Biblical fact sheets in the next couple of weeks.

Let us begin by discussing Bible indications that show the value and status of women in Bible history and clearly in the mind of God who wrote the Bible.

Turn in your Bibles to 1 Samuel 8 and beginning in verse 11

This passage picks up the nation of Israel asking for a king.

1 Samuel 8:11-13

11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

Point:  Samuel tries to talk Israel out of asking for a king.  One of his arguments is that they will lose their daughters to royal service.  Daughters were valued enough to be used in such an argument.

Now to 2 Samuel 1 and verse 26

David lamenting over the dead Jonathan

2 Samuel 1:26

I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

Point:  In this moving account of David’s lament over Jonathan he shows how wonderful the love of women was held to be.  In finding something ‘wonderful’ to base the comparison with the loyalty of Jonathan for David, he can find nothing higher than ‘the love of a woman’.

Next, let us look at 1 Kings 2:19

Here we read that Solomon is established as King after the death of David and another of David’s sons, A-do-ni-jah, felt that he should have the throne.  He thinks he can do this by marrying David’s widow, A-bi-shad.   He asks Bathsheba to go to King Solomon to ask for permission to marry A-bi-shad.

1 King 2:19

Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.

Point:  This incredible passage shows the Value placed by the wisest king of Israel on his mother.

Giving her a throne is not just affection—it is empowerment!

He bows to her, rises to meet her and places her at his right hand!  The same honor that Christ has with God, the Father.

Turn back now to 2 Samuel 20

This section of scripture describes a time when there was rebellion against King David.  First, his son, Absalom attempts to take the throne but is defeated and killed.  Just after that, thinking that David’s forces were weakened, a man by the name Sheba focused rebellion against David.  The men of Israel were with Sheba but the men of Judah were with David…

 Notice verse 13…

2 Samuel 20:13-22

13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-ma'achah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him (Sheba).

15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-ma'achah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

17 And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

19 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?

20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

21 The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

Points:

1. This woman is called wise.

2. She gets a hearing in the middle of battle.

3. She negotiates with the commander of the Army.

4.  He listens.

5.  She appeals to his tradition and to theological values (verse 19---about the city –an inheritance of God)

6.  She calls the city a “mother” of Israel.

7.  She makes a commitment without asking the elders

8.  She succeeds and saves the city.

9.  She averts the dividing of Israel at this point.

Now, let’s look at another very sharp lady; turn to 1 Samuel 19:11

Saul is seeking to kill David.  Reading in the Living Bible here…

1 Samuel 19:11-17

11 Saul sent troops to watch David's house and kill him when he came out in the morning. "If you don't get away tonight," Michal warned him, "you'll be dead by morning."

12 So she helped him get down to the ground through a window.

13 Then she took an idol and put it in his bed, and covered it with blankets, with its head on a pillow of goat's hair.

14 When the soldiers came to arrest David and take him to Saul, she told them he was sick and couldn't get out of bed.

15 Saul said to bring him in his bed, then, so that he could kill him.

16 But when they came to carry him out, they discovered that it was only an idol!

17 "Why have you deceived me and let my enemy escape?" Saul demanded of Michal. "I had to," Michal replied. "He threatened to kill me if I didn't help him."

Point:  This story shows the cunning of Michal. 

1. She advises David on a course of action.

2. She assists him in the escape.

3.  She implements a rather clever deception that fools the King’s men.

4.  She even comes up with an explanation that saves her own life.

Clearly we can see that women are valuable in the sight of God and have played key parts in the history and plan of God.

Now I want to look at some specific stereotypes or laments of women regarding the Bible and show how they are in error.

ONE:   “God is  ALWAYS portrayed as a male—women have no way of identifying with Him.”

Not true.  There are instances where God and Jesus use female images of themselves.

1. God is said to have a womb and give birth in Job 31

2. God portrays Himself as a mother in Isaiah 66

Turn to Isaiah 66 and verse 12

This is about the New Heavens and New Earth.  In Isaiah 65:17 it says…

For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Then in Isaiah 66:12  (where I asked you to turn)

12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

3. God portrays Himself as a young wife in Malachi 2:13-16

4. Jesus portrays the Father, in His redemptive search and rescue mission as a woman in search of a lost coin in Luke 15:8

5. Jesus portrays himself as a “mother hen” in Matthew 23:37.  Turn there.

Matthew 23:37

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

TWO: “The Bible teaches that women had NO access to God—except through the male”

Incredible as it sounds very respectable individuals and churches have maintained this claim and attitude but they are very wrong.

Here are 4 Before the Levitical priesthood…

1) God and Hagar have a dialog in the desert. Gen 21

2) God listens to Leah’s and Rachel’s prayers. Gen 29-30

3) Rachel inquired of the Lord, and He answered her. Gen 25

4) God spoke directly to females. Gen 16:7 and in Gen 21 go there please..

Genesis 21:14-19  --Where Abraham sends Hagar off into the wilderness with Ishmael.

14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.

Now under the Levitical priesthood…

1. God heard Hannah’s special prayer. 1 Samuel 1

2. Deborah was a prophetess and spoke for God, getting messages from Him.  Judges 4

3. God had direct interaction with a widow.  (The one Elijah goes to in 1 Kings 17)

4. Hul-dah, as a prophetess, also received direct communications from God.  Turn over to 2 Kings 22:14
 

2 Kings 22:14-16

14 So Hil-ki-ah the priest, and A-hi-kam, and Ach-bor, and Shap-han, and A-sa-hi-ah, went unto Hul-dah the prophetess, the wife of Shall-um the son of Tik-vah, the son of Har-has, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,

16  Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:

(…and it goes on from there)

Obviously she is communicating with God and is speaking to men.

THREE: “Why do men get all the glory in the Bible?  Why are women only minor characters?!”

Actually this statement is untrue on 2 levels.  In the Bible, ONLY God gets the glory and regarding women in just minor roles notice…

Consider just a few of the major events involving "minor" female characters:  (I give these without verses)

1. Zipporah saves Moses' life.

2. Micah saves David's life.

3. Sarah saves Abraham's life twice (by half-lying about her identity)

4. Rebekah deceives Isaac so that GOD'S PLAN gets done in spite of Isaac.

5. Unnamed women are patrons of Elijah and Elisha.

6. Rahab is a major player in the conquest of the gateway-city to Palestine.

7. Jael saves Israel from major oppression.

8. A Wise-woman prevents civil war in Israel.

9.  Lydia is the first convert in Asia Minor, and heads up a house-church there.  Let me add an 10^th here that is closer to home.

Not to take one single thing from Ray Fain, but God used Anita just like Lydia to start up the fellowship group here in Seattle.

     The point is this: God used 'minor' characters to make MAJOR influences on the historical flow.

FOUR:  Women were non-persons back then in the OT---they had NO legal rights in the system at all.”

These arguments encounter difficulty when confronted with the vast amount of information and legal terminology applied to women—married, unmarried and widowed in the OT.

1. The Levirite law for a brother to marry his brother's widow is called a 'duty to her' (Genesis 38.8)

2. Ze-lop-he-had's daughters brought a legal case before Moses and the elders (Numbers 27)

3.They show up as required joint-agents with husbands in a number of settings (Genesis 26.11; 26.34-35; 1 Samuel 14.1ff)

4.They could buy their freedom (like males) (Exodus 21.2-4)

5.They could be witnesses at the gate, even to capital crimes (Deuteronomy 21.18; 22.15f; 25.5)

6.Widows could initiate property transference transactions at the gate (Deuteronomy 25.5; Ruth 4.7-8)

7.They had access to the king for grievances! (2 Samuel 14 ; 2 Kings 8.5; 1 Kings 3.16)

8. Widows were said to have legal "cases" (Isaiah 1.16-18,23) and are spoken in terms of "justice" (=>rights, Isaiah 10.1)

FIVE:  Doesn’t the Bible teach that God cursed women by making them subject/subordinate to men?

This is just plain not true.  Notice the key verse.

Genesis 3:16

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Do you see a curse here or anywhere in these scriptures specifically against the woman OR man for that matter.  It is only the serpent and the ground that get the curse.  Notice…

Genesis 3:14

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Genesis 3:17

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

See, its the ground and the serpent getting the curse.  Not the woman.  And besides, in this committing of the first sin, who is the one that gets the real responsibility, the woman that knew not and was deceived or the one that knew better and sinned anyway?  Notice the words of Jesus

Luke 12:47-48

47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Now, just what does the Bible say about how sin entered the world…

Romans 5:12

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

So what is Genesis 3:16 talking about then?

Genesis 3:16

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

It’s a prediction of things to come.  The first part is an action by God—causing pain in child birth but the latter half is the prediction that man and woman will struggle with each other for power.

The word for “your desire” and “rule” and the exact set of prepositions and word order occur in Genesis 4:7

Genesis 4:7

If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Or put more simply…But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

So if these forms/structures of the words are identical then Genesis 3:16 gives this prediction.

You women will desire to rule over your husband and at the same time he will struggle diligently to rule over you.

Surely, we have seen this power struggle between men and women throughout the ages.  The point here is this:

These verses cannot be used to subjugate or justify dominance over women.  We learned this in the sermon about the great mystery of Ephesians 5...

Ephesians 5:21-24

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Ephesians 5:31-32

31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

That is the key to this whole subject of women: One flesh.   Each party, male and female ends this great struggle to dominate the other and overcomes the prediction of Genesis 3:16.  With the Spirit of God we each, male and female become like Christ.

This is what Paul is talking about when he states that women keep silent in church in 1 Corinthians And 1 Timothy.  Both those passages are talking about the arguing and contentions that were prevalent in church at the time.

1 Corinthians 14:35

And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

This is speaking to the husband and wife being of one mind…one flesh on the scriptures and not arguing in church.  Verse 40 says…

1 Corinthians 14:40

Let all things be done decently and in order.

Paul was not against women.  Though women were not to preach in public they were often seen conducting personal evangelism even to ministers.

Acts 18:24-26

24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

Now I have to end the sermon here and I have not even had time to speak of the impact of women in the ministry of Jesus Christ.  Never did He ever put a woman in a negative illustration.

Even Pilate’s wife witnessed to her husband telling him during the trial…”Have nothing to do with that just man”  Matthew 27:19

Woman were the first witnesses to the resurrection and in Luke 24 it is women speaking …evangelizing to the men.

Yes, it is a fact that God’s great Word gives great support to women so let us live the Mystery of Ephesians 5 and all be ONE FLESH TOGETHER!!  

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See our other letters on the subject of women:	Listen to our introduction to Letters on Women
	Women ...what will be the role of women in the Kingdom of God as Spirit beings Women: as priests or ministers  ...from the Plain Truth in 1955 Women: in general and in church Women: dress in services  ...does the ICG have a dress code for women? Women in church   ...what does the Bible say about women teaching, preaching and giving opening/closing prayer?