Apostle Pauls View On Women In The Church
By Lenore Lindsey Mullican
The interpretation and understanding of Paul's views on women in church leadership has had a profound effect on the expression of God-given gifts by women in the Christian community. Women have been restricted from exercising their spiritual gifts because some of Paul's sayings have been taken out of context and applied to the church as universal instructions.1 This article attempts to examine Paul's views of women in church leadership from a Hebraic perspective of the Jewish culture and thought as reflected in the Bible, the Talmud, and the archaeological record.
The centrality of Paul's view on women must come from a foundational theology expressed in Galatians, one of his earliest writings.2 Paul writes, "…there is neither Jew nor Greek slave nor free, male, and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28). It was not the intention of Paul to set any of the above against one another, but rather to show an equality. In Paul's own ministry, this equality included that of both men and women in leadership roles.
Paul was a Jew who remained strong in his Jewish faith and believed that Jesus was the Messiah. Paul's Damascus Road experience was perceived as a special calling to a specific task, that of being a witness to the Gentiles (Acts 22:2). According to Drister Stendahl,3 as well as Pinchas Lapide,4 this was not a conversion. Paul studied under Rabbi Gamliel, and his writings reflect rabbinic thought form. Therefore, we will begin this study with a review of women leaders in biblical (Old Testament) and rabbinic writings.
Paul's use of "neither male and female" probably alludes, in a typical rabbinic method of interpretation, to Genesis 1:27, which reads: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them." Alluding to Scripture was a method of rabbinic Midrash, which was characteristic of Paul as it was also of Jesus. In the Genesis passage, man and woman are given equal authority over the rest of God's earthly creation as a result of bearing the image of God. Both man and woman "…share equally the God-assigned task of creation rulership without any intimation of role distinctions."5 In the Old Testament Scriptures are such examples as freedom of choice in marriage partners (Genesis 24:58); rights of inheritance (Numbers 27:7,8); and the Proverbs 31 woman, who was an independent businesswoman, as well as being in the position of supervision in her own household, even owning land. There are numerous other examples of women who understood their rights and position as equal to that of men under God. For example, in the Decalogue, both father and mother are to be honored, and striking of father or mother is punishable by death (Exodus 21:15).
Women took an active role in the religious life, certainly in the home, but also in the community. Miriam, Moses' sister, was a prophetess (Exodus 15:20). She was co-leader along with Moses and Aaron (Micah 6:4). The rabbis, in commenting on Numbers 12:15, acknowledged that the Israelites delayed their journey on her account.6 Other prophetesses were Deborah (Judges 4:4), who was also a judge and leader in Israel, and Huldah (2 Kings 22:14, 2 Chronicles 34), through whom the Lord spoke. Six men were sent from King Josiah to receive God's words from Huldah, and this resulted in national revival. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary makes this comment concerning the passage: "…discrimination on the ground of sex was foreign to the spirit of the Old Testament."7
In her study of the role of women in the Old Testament period, Rachel D. Levine writes that woman "…was respected, her personhood was equivalent to that of a man, and she was considered to be a co-worker with the Lord in the creation of new life."8 Gretchen Hull concludes that the variety of women's functions included a single woman leader (Miriam), a resistance leader (Rahab), a good soldier (Jael), and a spiritual, as well as judicial, leader (Deborah), who was also a wife and mother.9
Although the primary role of the Jewish woman in the first century was that of wife and mother, this was considered a position of prestige and honor and "…in no way was she looked upon as being inferior to man."10 In studying rabbinics, it is necessary to realize that the Talmud was written over a wide span of time and reflected varying culture and social situations; therefore, the opinions therein differ.11 There are numerous examples both in literature and in archaeological findings, however, of women in positions of leadership during the first century BCE and the first two centuries CE.
There was a high regard for education, and the mother had the responsibility for the education of both boys and girls in the primary years. Several women were considered scholars, including Ima Shalom (wife of Rabbi Eliezer Ben Hyrcanus, the sister of Rabbi Gamaliel II); and Beruria (wife of Rabbi Meir and daughter of Rabbi Haninah Ben Teradyon), who even contributed important halachic decisions.12 The Talmud says concerning her that she "…studied three hundred laws from three hundred teachers in [one] day."13 Talmud translator Rabbi H. Freedman states:
This is undoubtedly an exaggeration, but it is interesting to note that a woman is cited as an illustration of wide scholarship, thus showing that the Rabbis were by no means averse to women studying as has been commonly supposed.14
Due to her responsibilities, the woman was exempt from positive commands, the observances of which "…depend upon definite point of time."15 The demands of motherhood took precedence over religious observances outside the home; therefore, while permitted religious observances, she was not required to do them, as was the man. This is the context of the benediction recited daily by men: "…a man is obliged to offer three benedictions daily: that He has made me an Israelite, that He has not made me a woman, that He has not made me a boor."16 The underlying motive is that of gratefulness for the privilege of "…having the duty of carrying out the precepts of the law."17 This in no way implied a "degradation of women."18
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NOTES on part I.
1 William David Spencer, "The Chaining of the Church," Christian History VII, no. 1 (1988): p. 25.
2 Randy Petersen, "What About Paul?" Christian History VII, no. 1 (1988): p. 27.
3 Krister Stendahl, Paul Among Jews and Gentiles (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1976), p. 7.
4 Pinchas Lapide and Peter Stuhlmacher, Paul: Rabbi and Apostle (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1984), p. 47.
5 G. Bilezikian, Beyond Sex Roles (Grand Rapids Book House, 1985), p. 26.
6 m. Sotah 1:9.
7 The Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), p. 418.
8 Rachel Levine, "The Woman's Role: Part I," Yavo Digest vol. 5, no. 1 (1991): p. 18.
9 Gretchen Gaebelein Hull, Equal to Serve (New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell, 1987), p. 113.
10 A. Cohen, Everyman's Talmud (New York: Schocken Books, 1975), p. 159.
11 "Woman," Encyclopedia Judaica, Corrected Edition. (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972).
12 Rachel D. Levine, "The Woman's Role: Part II," Yavo Digest vol. 5, no. 2 (1991): p. 4.
13 b. Pesahim 62b.
14 H. Freedman, trans., I. Epstein, ed., b. Pesahim 62b. (note).
15 m. Kiddushin 1:7.
16 b. Menahoth 43b.
17 Cohen, p. 159.
18 C.G. Montefiore and H. Loewe, A rabbinic Anthology (New York: Schocken Books, 1974), p. 658.
The interpretation and understanding of Paul's views on women in church leadership has had a profound effect on the expression of God-given gifts by women in the Christian community. Women have been restricted from exercising their spiritual gifts because some of Paul's sayings have been taken out of context and applied to the church as universal instructions.1 This article attempts to examine Paul's views of women in church leadership from a Hebraic perspective of the Jewish culture and thought as reflected in the Bible, the Talmud, and the archaeological record.
The centrality of Paul's view on women must come from a foundational theology expressed in Galatians, one of his earliest writings.2 Paul writes, "…there is neither Jew nor Greek slave nor free, male, and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28). It was not the intention of Paul to set any of the above against one another, but rather to show an equality. In Paul's own ministry, this equality included that of both men and women in leadership roles.
Paul was a Jew who remained strong in his Jewish faith and believed that Jesus was the Messiah. Paul's Damascus Road experience was perceived as a special calling to a specific task, that of being a witness to the Gentiles (Acts 22:2). According to Drister Stendahl,3 as well as Pinchas Lapide,4 this was not a conversion. Paul studied under Rabbi Gamliel, and his writings reflect rabbinic thought form. Therefore, we will begin this study with a review of women leaders in biblical (Old Testament) and rabbinic writings.
Paul's use of "neither male and female" probably alludes, in a typical rabbinic method of interpretation, to Genesis 1:27, which reads: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them." Alluding to Scripture was a method of rabbinic Midrash, which was characteristic of Paul as it was also of Jesus. In the Genesis passage, man and woman are given equal authority over the rest of God's earthly creation as a result of bearing the image of God. Both man and woman "…share equally the God-assigned task of creation rulership without any intimation of role distinctions."5 In the Old Testament Scriptures are such examples as freedom of choice in marriage partners (Genesis 24:58); rights of inheritance (Numbers 27:7,8); and the Proverbs 31 woman, who was an independent businesswoman, as well as being in the position of supervision in her own household, even owning land. There are numerous other examples of women who understood their rights and position as equal to that of men under God. For example, in the Decalogue, both father and mother are to be honored, and striking of father or mother is punishable by death (Exodus 21:15).
Women took an active role in the religious life, certainly in the home, but also in the community. Miriam, Moses' sister, was a prophetess (Exodus 15:20). She was co-leader along with Moses and Aaron (Micah 6:4). The rabbis, in commenting on Numbers 12:15, acknowledged that the Israelites delayed their journey on her account.6 Other prophetesses were Deborah (Judges 4:4), who was also a judge and leader in Israel, and Huldah (2 Kings 22:14, 2 Chronicles 34), through whom the Lord spoke. Six men were sent from King Josiah to receive God's words from Huldah, and this resulted in national revival. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary makes this comment concerning the passage: "…discrimination on the ground of sex was foreign to the spirit of the Old Testament."7
In her study of the role of women in the Old Testament period, Rachel D. Levine writes that woman "…was respected, her personhood was equivalent to that of a man, and she was considered to be a co-worker with the Lord in the creation of new life."8 Gretchen Hull concludes that the variety of women's functions included a single woman leader (Miriam), a resistance leader (Rahab), a good soldier (Jael), and a spiritual, as well as judicial, leader (Deborah), who was also a wife and mother.9
Although the primary role of the Jewish woman in the first century was that of wife and mother, this was considered a position of prestige and honor and "…in no way was she looked upon as being inferior to man."10 In studying rabbinics, it is necessary to realize that the Talmud was written over a wide span of time and reflected varying culture and social situations; therefore, the opinions therein differ.11 There are numerous examples both in literature and in archaeological findings, however, of women in positions of leadership during the first century BCE and the first two centuries CE.
There was a high regard for education, and the mother had the responsibility for the education of both boys and girls in the primary years. Several women were considered scholars, including Ima Shalom (wife of Rabbi Eliezer Ben Hyrcanus, the sister of Rabbi Gamaliel II); and Beruria (wife of Rabbi Meir and daughter of Rabbi Haninah Ben Teradyon), who even contributed important halachic decisions.12 The Talmud says concerning her that she "…studied three hundred laws from three hundred teachers in [one] day."13 Talmud translator Rabbi H. Freedman states:
This is undoubtedly an exaggeration, but it is interesting to note that a woman is cited as an illustration of wide scholarship, thus showing that the Rabbis were by no means averse to women studying as has been commonly supposed.14
Due to her responsibilities, the woman was exempt from positive commands, the observances of which "…depend upon definite point of time."15 The demands of motherhood took precedence over religious observances outside the home; therefore, while permitted religious observances, she was not required to do them, as was the man. This is the context of the benediction recited daily by men: "…a man is obliged to offer three benedictions daily: that He has made me an Israelite, that He has not made me a woman, that He has not made me a boor."16 The underlying motive is that of gratefulness for the privilege of "…having the duty of carrying out the precepts of the law."17 This in no way implied a "degradation of women."18
__________________________________
NOTES on part I.
1 William David Spencer, "The Chaining of the Church," Christian History VII, no. 1 (1988): p. 25.
2 Randy Petersen, "What About Paul?" Christian History VII, no. 1 (1988): p. 27.
3 Krister Stendahl, Paul Among Jews and Gentiles (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1976), p. 7.
4 Pinchas Lapide and Peter Stuhlmacher, Paul: Rabbi and Apostle (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1984), p. 47.
5 G. Bilezikian, Beyond Sex Roles (Grand Rapids Book House, 1985), p. 26.
6 m. Sotah 1:9.
7 The Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), p. 418.
8 Rachel Levine, "The Woman's Role: Part I," Yavo Digest vol. 5, no. 1 (1991): p. 18.
9 Gretchen Gaebelein Hull, Equal to Serve (New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell, 1987), p. 113.
10 A. Cohen, Everyman's Talmud (New York: Schocken Books, 1975), p. 159.
11 "Woman," Encyclopedia Judaica, Corrected Edition. (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972).
12 Rachel D. Levine, "The Woman's Role: Part II," Yavo Digest vol. 5, no. 2 (1991): p. 4.
13 b. Pesahim 62b.
14 H. Freedman, trans., I. Epstein, ed., b. Pesahim 62b. (note).
15 m. Kiddushin 1:7.
16 b. Menahoth 43b.
17 Cohen, p. 159.
18 C.G. Montefiore and H. Loewe, A rabbinic Anthology (New York: Schocken Books, 1974), p. 658.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Caral on
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Paul didn't have a conversion??
Paul contined in his jewish faith???
"Probably alludes" trajectory hermeneutics at its finest...
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Permalink Reply by Kingdom Authority Int.Ministries on
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Purely amazing...I will simply continue to pray that the scales be removed from your eyes, those that continue to lack true knowledge, wisdom and understanding into the regards of who God has or has not called. Be blessed.
In His Love & Mine,
Angela
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Permalink Reply by HOPE - Psalm 43:5 on
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Here are a couple of questions for both "sides" to think about
1. Where are the scriptures that show women preaching or teaching IN the synagogue?
2. If there are some, were they preaching or teaching to a audience of men and women?
3. If there are none, yet they were preaching or teaching, where were they doing it and who were their audience?
4. If a man's place is to provide for the home, then why was the Prov 31 woman providing for the home?
5. Who was describing the Prov 31 woman and who was that person giving the description to?
6. Does Prov 31 really apply to all women or to the type of woman that the man in that passage needed...according to the context of that scripture?
7. Do all men have the same ability, social standing as the man in Prov 31? If not, then why is this type of woman a fit for all men?
8. Why do we ignore verses 1-8 in Prov 31 and just focus on the prophecy of the virtuous woman?
9. The person speaking in Prov 31 had a intimate relationship with the person they were talking to. Why is this important?
10. Why do you think that the person speaking in Prov 31 did NOT began talking about a woman but began teaching about a man and how he should/shouldn't be?
11. If man and woman had dominion together in Genesis, what happened to change that?
12. Is the hierachy we see in the NT a punishment to keep divine order?
13. Lastly, was not being alone the only reason man needed a helper "suitable" for him? Gen 2:18-20
14. If not, what did man need help with?
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