Women in Ministry in the Bible

We often encounter people who try to say that women can be teachers in the body of Christ which goes against many holy scriptures. To start out, we have copied part of an email from a man defending this erroneous standpoint. By each point (his words are in red) we will show you what scripture teaches after his words and an explanation that has **** by our words.

* Tabitha (Dorcas) initiated an effective benevolence ministry (Acts 9:36). 
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. 

******Dorcas / Tabitah did good works and almsdeeds (in the greek it means: compassionateness that is (as exercised toward the poor).  Defined as mercy, pity, charity, as exhibited in giving alms.

****Nowhere in this verse does it say she was a teacher, she simply did good works and was compassionate, merciful and giving in charity.

****(Studying the Word in context is critical)

* Philip’s four unmarried daughters were recognized prophets (Acts 21:8,9). 
And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
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****It does not say they prophesied while the body gathered.  If that were the case we would need to toss out 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2 where women are to be silent in the body.

**** We must not apply verses to fit our theology but we must just seek the truth of the Word.

Paul singled out two women, Euodia and Syntyche, as “women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers” (Philippians 4:2,3). 


I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
****This does not show that the women were teaching. It simply says they labored with him and worked hard which means they were great helpers, laboring in the gospel, not teaching in the body of Christ. 

Priscilla was another of Paul’s exemplary “fellow workers in Christ Jesus” (Romans 16:3,4). In Romans 16, Paul greets numerous ministry colleagues, a large number of them women. In these greetings, the word Paul uses to speak of the work (kopiao), or labor, of Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, and Persis (Romans 16:6,12) is one he uses extensively for the labor of ministry (1 Corinthians 16:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; 1 Timothy 5:17). 

****Again, nowhere do we see Priscilla teaching, she was a helper and according to Paul, a very good one. 

Phoebe, a leader in the church at Cenchrea, was highly commended to the church at Rome by Paul (Romans 16:1,2). Unfortunately, translation biases have often obscured Phoebe’s position of leadership, calling her a “servant” (NIV, NASB, ESV). Yet Phoebe was diakonos of the church at Cenchrea. Paul regularly used this term for a minister or leader of a congregation and applied it specifically to Jesus Christ, Tychicus, Epaphras, Timothy, and to his own ministry. Depending on the context, diakonos is usually translated “deacon” or “minister.” Though some translators have chosen the word deaconess (e.g., RSV, because Phoebe was female), the Greek diakonos is a masculine noun. Therefore, it seems likely that diakonos was the designation for an official leadership position in the Early Church and the proper translation for Phoebe’s role is “deacon” (TNIV, NLT, NRSV) or “minister.” Moreover, a number of translations reflect similar biases by referring to Phoebe as having been a “great help” (NIV) or “helper” (NASB) of many, including Paul himself (Romans 16:2). The Greek term here is prostatis, better translated by the NRSV as “benefactor” with its overtones of equality and leadership. Junia was identified by Paul as an apostle (Romans 16:7)

I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

*****This is one area that many contend over with the use of the Greek meaning of 'servant'.  She obviously was very hard working in the ministry but it still doesn't mean she was teaching in the body of Christ.

****** Again this would contradict other areas of scripture and that cannot be so. How can we back up these answers?  With these scriptures, read them carefully and then go back and see if women can be teachers in the body of Christ. Here we are instructed that women are to be silent in the body.
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.
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. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)

****Again we are shown that women are to be silent in the body.

 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. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 
(1 Timothy 2:11-14)

****Here we are shown that leaders are to be men:
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. (Titus 1:5-6)

*****Again we are shown men are to be the leaders:
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach (1 Timothy 3:2)

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. (1 Timothy 3:12)

*****Women are great helpers in the body of Christ and nowhere have we ever said or written that women cannot be.  What we teach is exactly what the Word of God teaches: that women are not to teach, nor usurp the authority of men in the body of Christ. They are helpers to the men who are the leaders, and great helpers are the women of old as we see in the scriptures. 

****Many try to twist Galatians 3 the "no male or female" verse to say see we are all the same now. That, in context, is all about salvation NOT biblical leadership in the NT body that God has ordained!

***** We do not deny that woman can play a key role at all but we cannot stretch that to mean they can now take up leadership roles as that is not the case per scripture! Feminism would try to make it so but we are commanded to keep Paul's traditions he handed down, NOT model twisting of truth. 2 Thess 2:15

HERE is an article we did on the topic of women pastors. 


****We hope this helps clear up the false teaching that women were teachers in the body of Christ or that they can be today as scripture shows NO such thing!