BIBLE DISCUSSION : Why Did Apostle Paul Restrict Women From Teaching Or Occupying Church Leadership Position In The New Testament Church?

 

NOTE: Do not judge any of the Bible Enthusiast that contributed to this pertinent Bible topic, and do not conclude on this topic of Apostle Paul restricting women from teaching or occupying leadership position in new testament church until you read the conclusion given by the president of B.E.A.N - Bible Enthusiasts Association of Nigeria.

Olayiwola I.D: This topic question has been given several answers that seem harsh or, sometimes, sensical due to the sociocultural beliefs of several Christians nowadays, but for we Bible Enthusiasts, I want to see, and know, where we stand... 

Here is the question: 

Why did Apostle Paul restrict women from teaching or occupying church leadership position in the new testament church?

Secondly, 

Are we to continue this practice... YES or NO?

Before we commence this vital discussion, let's read the letter of Apostle's Paul to Timothy concerning this restriction on women from teaching or occupying leadership position in new testament churches.

1 Timothy 2:11–12

11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

12 But I SUFFER NOT a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

Bro Olu: If you read verse 14, you would find out that it is because of weakness of women, immaturity in leadership but we have gallant women of God these days with Godly ability and maturity to lead the people of God or preach the word.

Bro Etim: Sir, I believe 1 Timothy 2 make it very clear that a woman should learn quietly with submissiveness in the church. Secondly, man is the head of women. Thirdly, it was man that God created in His own image. Fourthly, it was woman that Satan deceived. In summary, for me, women should not be allowed to lead when men are in the meeting, unless they are assigned to carry out a particular function in a meeting .

Olayiwola I.D : are you — Bro Olu — implying that the women in our generation are BETTER of than the ones who lived during the time of Apostle Paul???

Bro Olu: NO but is like Corinthians women are incapable of leading people in their days. More so, we must not continue with such practice...whosoever makes himself or herself available for God will be used by him.

Olayiwola I.D: So, it's a YES — Bro Etim —for you sir. Am I right? Women should not be allowed to teach or lead a church congregation.

Bro Etim: Yes sir, unless the gathering was only for women.

Olayiwola I.D: Bro Olu, can you prove, as you said, that Corinthian women in capable of leading people in church with biblical references, as Paul's letter to Timothy was sent to him while he pastored the church at Ephesus, not in Corinth?

Bro Olu: There is no prove anyway but that is basically what I think. Of course, when men are not available God calls women...Ezek 22:30 - So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

Olayiwola I.D: Sir, do you think the issue has more to do with women's ability to lead or more of gender-based issue? 

Apostle Paul categorically placed emphasis on who should not be lord over... 1 Timthy 2:12 - But i suffer NOT a WOMAN to teach, nor to usurp authority over the MAN, but to be in silence.

... That sounded not like women leading "everyone." Consequently, women's leadership abilities was not the reason as you yourself stated in verse 14 of 1st Timothy 2. Sir, perhaps you meant things involving A NATION and not A CHURCH? This issue, for me, is just for church leadership, and not that of a Nation.

Okay let me drop a poll for everyone to vote so that we can see where the other Bible Enthusiasts in the house stand before we hit the ground running.

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I dropped a poll for the topic question — Why did Apostle Paul restrict women from teaching or occupying church leadership position in the new testament church? — and 60% of those who voted chose YES while 40% went for NO.

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Bro Fredrick : Yes, there are many things that disqualified a woman from teaching or leading church congregation:

1) women are helpers in anything according to God's principle.

2) women are weaker vessels

3) women are nurturing being. Imagine a pregnant woman preaching on the church. After pregnancy she still have to stay up to a year weaning her child, so what time will she use to prepare as a leader of an organization.

4) They care for the things of their husbands on how they may please them and their children.

5) They are emotional beings while men are logical beings.

6) Women are magnetic and attractive beings 

7) They are simple to control, convince, and deceive l.

8) They are domesticated in nature and therefore should man the activities in the house.

9) They are complex being.

10) Woman is the image and glory of a man and was created for man. 

11) A woman was created to be a subject to a man either to father, brother or husband. And that's how they can function effectively according to God's principle.

...etc.

 Sister Promise: Pls sir — Bro Fredrick — remind me of Paul's bible portion on that regard. I just saw this, let me make a little contribution, thanks. 

Bro Stephen: As a matter of fact, Jews didn't count much on women. You would recollect that when Jesus fed the 5000/4000 people, women were not counted. The Bible said 5000/4000 excluding women & Children. 

Do you remember that Jacob gave birth to 13 children but 12 were counted for him, the woman there (Dinah) was not counted. 

Furthermore sir, women were not allowed to study in the Bible days. To Paul, women should learn quietly & submissively. To add more to the problem, Ephesian women were abusing their newly acquired freedom for the fact that they were new converts who didn't have enough knowledge or experience or Christian maturity to teach those who already had extensive scriptural education.

Actually, Paul wasn't referring to all women but mostly newly converted Ephesian women. If not, he wouldn't have praised Phoebe, Priscilla, Mary.. etc for assisting him in the Ministry. 

Romans 16:1 - I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea.

Bro Idowu: God uses any available vessel to honour His name. But because of Jews 'culture or tradition, it was forbidden; however, at this period of winning all nations for CHRIST, everybody must be involved.

More so, two things prompted Paul's exemption of women in leading the church: (1) Pride 

(2) They have a lot of responsibilities vis-à-vis their menstrual periods (assumption sir).

Sister Promise: Sir, you talked based on physical look of things, but that's not what Paul meant. This whole talk is only seen in Ephesian church where the women were new, had problems with their husbands at home which also manifested in the church, and was causing disrespect. That was why Apostle Paul came up with that point so as to calm the situation.

From old testament days, God used women. For instance, Deborah — men did not go to war until she went with them — Huldah was one of them, another woman was jael, Esther saved the Hebrew nation, Ruth brought about the birth of Christ our Lord, etc

In the new testament, Mary the mother of JESUS, some women disciples like Mary Magdalene, Salome... these women helped Jesus etc Romans 8:14 - for as many as are led by the spirit they are the sons of GOD, this the order for now 

In addition, we are talking about continuity in God's word and work. Anna saw the saviour in Zachariah days; also, Mary saw Jesus after he resurrected. So, whether women are pregnant or weaning their babies in one year is nobody's business, their God who gave them different responsibilities according to gifting will always assists them.

Everyone will work  according to the grace given to him or her. hhhhhm, what I read here about this topic make me think some are not current in faith and in spirit, but may God help us so it will not affect how we treat our wives at home. You are blessed.

Bro Fredrick: If your husband is the head of the church, you are under covering. You can handle one or two functions in the church as instructed by him. That's not what Paul was referring to.

But for a woman to be a general overseer is improper. Leadership demands many sacrifices which are beyond what a woman can effectively offer base on her feminine makeup. 

A man may travel for ministerial work for more than a month and still be providing for the family because it's his responsibility, but a woman may not do that because of her responsibility as a woman and her biological makeup...That was what Apostle Paul meant.  

Children are accountable to women, as women are accountable to men while men are accountable to God...That's the order of the trinity replicated here on Earth as family order.

The bible says the woman was created from the man and through the man. Bless God for his election of grace and thank God for what ever gender you represent and serve faithfully, as that is what is required of us. Thanks for your understanding.

Bro Fredrick: Sister Promise, forget about what people are saying that Corinthians women were corrupt and Ephesians women were disrespecting their husbands. That was not what Paul meant by making that statement because the women of this our generation are more corrupt than the Corinthians, and greater level of disrespect are seen in our generation than the Ephesians.

Even nature forbids a woman to from exercising authority over man because every woman is meant to be subject to a man, not in slavery but in submission. If the statement is wrong the holy Spirit would have rebuke Paul or corrected him through any of the apostles, knowing fully well that the holy Spirit is the author of the bible.

So don't take Paul's word for it, take the holy Spirit word for it.

Conclusion :

Olayiwola I.D: First, i see the reasons those who participated gave. Our reasons are very important. In fact, much more important than our answers. Mind you, if your reason has to do with the TRADITIONS of Israel or Jewish people, forget about your answer, as the word of God must not be mixed with the traditions of men. 

Consequently, answers coming up because women were not counted among men and women not allowed to school then are all emanating from the traditions of Israel (Jewish people) and not from the word of God.

Then, other than the reason stated above, if your answer is YES or NO, you are right. Stay with me... Let me explain.

Let's start with Apostle Paul's reasons...

1 Timothy 2:13-14

For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived , but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Thank God Apostle Paul stated his reasons for not allowing a woman to exercise authority over man. As you read above, he gave two reasons:

1. That Adam was formed first: EQUALITY.

2. That women are easily deceived, as Eve was in the garden of Eden: DECEPTION.

Now...

If your answer is NO to Paul's take on women's restriction on teaching or leading the people of God in church, you are right if your reason is EQUALITY-BASED.

You see... our dear Apostle Paul was wrong on the issue of EQUALITY based on the word of God. 

How did I know? THROUGH THE SAME WORD OF GOD. 

When God created Man and Woman, God did not reveal some certain things. However, later events revealed some hidden things. God cursed woman and said... he shall rule over you (Genesis 3:16). Meaning, even though God created Adam first, the order of creation did not matter to God. He made them EQUAL to each other. 

Just as man was not created before the Sun and other animals, does not mean they are higher than us according to the order of creation. So, the order of creation was not a thing to God.  In fact, had it not been for THE CURSE, it would have been quite difficult to know God made man and woman EQUAL, considering the tradition of the Jewish people. This means that man exercising authority over woman was not God's intention; it was the curse in the garden of Eden.

Invariably, anytime you see man exercising authority over woman, that's the curse of God manifesting in the life of that man over the woman... Just like when you see a woman in labor pain... that is also the curse of God manifesting over the life of that woman. 

As Christians, knowing what Jesus did and how he died — death of the cross (Galatians 3:13) — we will never live to keep manifesting the curse that Jesus had already taken away.

Onward... Paul's reason based on EQUALITY was out of it. In other words, you are right if you say NO to that pertinent Bible question based on your equality reason.

Now... If you choose YES, you are also right if your reason is for DECEPTION.

Let me explain...

For YES, Apostle Paul was right on the reason of DECEPTION. Even the Devil knows this and never joke about it. The Devil doesn't attack men directly. He knew from the days of Adam that it's never easy bringing a man down by attacking him directly. That was why he used a woman to fall...

1️⃣ Adam (first man)

2️⃣ Solomon (wisest man)

3️⃣ Samson (strongest man)

Apostle Paul knew this and felt placing a woman in an authoritative position over a man in the house of God will be putting the church in jeopardy because when the Devil shows up, the whole congregation is in trouble.

Of course, women are easily deceived. Apostle Paul was right on that. This is the reason he never allowed women to be in that position...forget about the fact that Ephesian or Corinthian women were disrespectful. 

Where in the Bible do we even discover the issue of disrespectful Ephesians from???

Moreover, if your answer is YES or NO based on DECEPTION or EQUALITY reason, you are right. And if you decide to place a woman above men in a church, you'd better be prepared for the Devil. Also, if you decide not to use a woman, it doesn't mean you have a gender problem, too... whichever way, you are biblically correct.

If you have addition, contrary opinion, suggestion on this Bible discussion on Apostle Paul's restriction on women from teaching or leading in church, feel free to comment them below.