Funny story: Jesus rose from the dead and instructed Mary Magdalene to tell the good news to his disciples. But the Eleven sat Mary down and gently explained to her that she was not permitted to preach the gospel, on the grounds that a woman is not permitted to have authority over a man; she must be silent.
Bev, I hope you are not discouraged or deterred from your inquiry! No doubt well-meaning brothers will reply to this comment and explain to us why the clear and unequivocal precedent Jesus set in calling a woman to be the first preacher of the gospel doesn't really mean anything for this discussion (it wasn't technically preaching, she wasn't ordained to office, it wasn't in a church, it was an exception based on extenuating circumstances, etc.). Sometimes the "plain meaning" of the text is more convenient than at other times. All those CRC women who are called by Christ to preach the gospel will have to take a page out of Peter and John's book, and answer, "Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard."
And as you keep striving to see the whole picture, keep this in mind: we have an Enemy who hates the gospel and does not want it preached, anywhere, ever. It would be a clever strategy indeed, to deceive well-meaning people of faith into sincerely believing that half the population can't possibly be authorized to step into a pulpit and proclaim it!
But let's not be outwitted, Bev. Keep up the good work. I admire your tenacity and patience.
Posted in: Getting the Whole Picture: Women and Ministry in 1 Timothy
Funny story: Jesus rose from the dead and instructed Mary Magdalene to tell the good news to his disciples. But the Eleven sat Mary down and gently explained to her that she was not permitted to preach the gospel, on the grounds that a woman is not permitted to have authority over a man; she must be silent.
Bev, I hope you are not discouraged or deterred from your inquiry! No doubt well-meaning brothers will reply to this comment and explain to us why the clear and unequivocal precedent Jesus set in calling a woman to be the first preacher of the gospel doesn't really mean anything for this discussion (it wasn't technically preaching, she wasn't ordained to office, it wasn't in a church, it was an exception based on extenuating circumstances, etc.). Sometimes the "plain meaning" of the text is more convenient than at other times. All those CRC women who are called by Christ to preach the gospel will have to take a page out of Peter and John's book, and answer, "Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard."
And as you keep striving to see the whole picture, keep this in mind: we have an Enemy who hates the gospel and does not want it preached, anywhere, ever. It would be a clever strategy indeed, to deceive well-meaning people of faith into sincerely believing that half the population can't possibly be authorized to step into a pulpit and proclaim it!
But let's not be outwitted, Bev. Keep up the good work. I admire your tenacity and patience.