Women Teachers and Preachers (Part 1)
Recently one of the other local English speaking churches in Bangkok has clarified its position on women in ministry. They don't allow women to be Elders (that includes the office of pastor/preacher) in their church. I think it's worth drawing the distinction for anyone looking for a church in Bangkok. My church (the International Church of Bangkok) believes that men and women can both serve in all facets of church life as called by God. The reason is that's what the Bible teaches. I'm going to do a two part post explaining it.
First what do the gospels teach? I should say upfront. No one ever comes to Jesus and asks, "Is it okay for women to be preachers?" So we have to do a little guess work. We know that it was NOT okay in the culture of the ancient near east. Women were not trusted to do those kinds of things. Women did not have promenient public roles at all. They were not seen or heard.
That's why it is remarkable that each of the four gospels highlights the importance of women in the early church. They are seen with authority and roles which they would not have been given traditionally. Jesus (and the early church in its writing about His life) broke with a lot of discriminatory norms in the way he treated women. Just for example: Jewish genealogies didn't include women, but Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus does: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba (Matt.1). Luke tells the whole story of Jesus' birth from the point of view of Mary. Luke portrays both Mary and her relative Elizabeth with understanding, and highlights Mary’s ready acceptance of God’s will. This contrasts with Zechariah’s skepticism (Lk.1:18-20). Luke tells us that Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit upon seeing Mary and records Mary’s prophetic song of praise. Luke alone tells of the aged prophetess Anna. John's portrayal of women is so sympathetic that some have said their is evidence of an agenda.
In a culture in which women were not counted as full members of a Jewish congregation and were discouraged from studying the law, Jesus taught women along side men! (Matt.14:21; 15:38; etc.). Whereas some rabbis laid down a law that a man should not even speak to a woman in a public place, Jesus shared a drink with the Samaritan woman and spoke to her of the deepest spiritual things (Jn.4:1-30). He similarly revealed Himself to Martha, who declared her faith with the words, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God"(Matt. 11:27).
Luke similarly records Jesus’ acceptance of women – even sinful women. When a woman who was a sinner (prostitute?) lavishly anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair, He accepted her service and commended her love (Lk.7:47). He encouraged Mary to sit at His feet and listen to His teaching, and He declined Martha’s request that He bid her sister help her with the serving, saying: "It’s Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her" (Lk.10:41). Jesus thus affirmed a woman’s right to be a disciple and not to be concerned solely with domestic affairs.
It is true that the twelve disciples were all men, and there is no evidence that any of the seventy, who were sent out two-by-two, were female; but this is hardly surprising in the prevailing social conditions. Nevertheless, some women did leave their homes to follow Jesus: Lk.8:1-3 records how Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward, Susanna, and others ministered to His material needs, while traveling with Him, even to the point of contributing their money to His expenses. Women stood by Jesus at the crucifixion (in contrast to Jesus’ male disciples, who "all forsook Him and fled"(Mk.14:50). There is one other thing to note about the twelve apostles and that’s they were all Jewish. For those who contend that disciples, apostles, evangelists, preachers, teachers, etc. can only be men for Jesus chose only men to be His apostles, then they must also conclude that they must all be Jewish, because He only chose Jewish men!
Women were the first witnesses of the Resurrection, though some of the men were skeptical when they were told of the resurrection by the women. This is very important to note for in Jewish law women could not be witnesses, but Jesus allows women to be His witnesses!
Jesus not only accepted the service of women, but He used them to spread the Gospel: Mary Magdalene was the first witness to the resurrection (Jn.20:17- & Mt.28:10). The Samaritan woman preached the news of Jesus in her village, so that "many Samaritans believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony" (Jn.4:39).
First what do the gospels teach? I should say upfront. No one ever comes to Jesus and asks, "Is it okay for women to be preachers?" So we have to do a little guess work. We know that it was NOT okay in the culture of the ancient near east. Women were not trusted to do those kinds of things. Women did not have promenient public roles at all. They were not seen or heard.
That's why it is remarkable that each of the four gospels highlights the importance of women in the early church. They are seen with authority and roles which they would not have been given traditionally. Jesus (and the early church in its writing about His life) broke with a lot of discriminatory norms in the way he treated women. Just for example: Jewish genealogies didn't include women, but Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus does: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba (Matt.1). Luke tells the whole story of Jesus' birth from the point of view of Mary. Luke portrays both Mary and her relative Elizabeth with understanding, and highlights Mary’s ready acceptance of God’s will. This contrasts with Zechariah’s skepticism (Lk.1:18-20). Luke tells us that Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit upon seeing Mary and records Mary’s prophetic song of praise. Luke alone tells of the aged prophetess Anna. John's portrayal of women is so sympathetic that some have said their is evidence of an agenda.
In a culture in which women were not counted as full members of a Jewish congregation and were discouraged from studying the law, Jesus taught women along side men! (Matt.14:21; 15:38; etc.). Whereas some rabbis laid down a law that a man should not even speak to a woman in a public place, Jesus shared a drink with the Samaritan woman and spoke to her of the deepest spiritual things (Jn.4:1-30). He similarly revealed Himself to Martha, who declared her faith with the words, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God"(Matt. 11:27).
Luke similarly records Jesus’ acceptance of women – even sinful women. When a woman who was a sinner (prostitute?) lavishly anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair, He accepted her service and commended her love (Lk.7:47). He encouraged Mary to sit at His feet and listen to His teaching, and He declined Martha’s request that He bid her sister help her with the serving, saying: "It’s Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her" (Lk.10:41). Jesus thus affirmed a woman’s right to be a disciple and not to be concerned solely with domestic affairs.
It is true that the twelve disciples were all men, and there is no evidence that any of the seventy, who were sent out two-by-two, were female; but this is hardly surprising in the prevailing social conditions. Nevertheless, some women did leave their homes to follow Jesus: Lk.8:1-3 records how Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward, Susanna, and others ministered to His material needs, while traveling with Him, even to the point of contributing their money to His expenses. Women stood by Jesus at the crucifixion (in contrast to Jesus’ male disciples, who "all forsook Him and fled"(Mk.14:50). There is one other thing to note about the twelve apostles and that’s they were all Jewish. For those who contend that disciples, apostles, evangelists, preachers, teachers, etc. can only be men for Jesus chose only men to be His apostles, then they must also conclude that they must all be Jewish, because He only chose Jewish men!
Women were the first witnesses of the Resurrection, though some of the men were skeptical when they were told of the resurrection by the women. This is very important to note for in Jewish law women could not be witnesses, but Jesus allows women to be His witnesses!
Jesus not only accepted the service of women, but He used them to spread the Gospel: Mary Magdalene was the first witness to the resurrection (Jn.20:17- & Mt.28:10). The Samaritan woman preached the news of Jesus in her village, so that "many Samaritans believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony" (Jn.4:39).
