I grew up in the CRC, and am still here, along with my family. I'm married to Daryl, who has a construction business. I had a CPA license for 10 or so years, then I added EX to the front, and MOM to the back, so now I'm an EX CPA, MOM =). I am MOM to Duncan, Ian and Samantha. Our family also owns a raspberry farm, and in the summers we get to work out there together.
Certain people or some per the Greek (not just men) in 1 Tim 1:3 that Paul is encouraging Timothy to instruct because of their false teaching. The singular woman in 2:11 is specifically someone Timothy is to instruct per Paul.
Paul specified 2 men in 1:20 as part of the problem mentioned in 1:3, but there were others (the Greek in 1:3 is gender inclusive) …
Paul switches from plural men and women in 2:8-10 to singular woman and man in 2:11-12 but instead of handing her over to satan like the 2 men, Paul commands Timothy to teach and help her learn in a respectful manner, reiterating the instruction in 1:3.
Paul’s 2:15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control....
has several options that the translations and commentators do not agree on: Paul is referring to Eve as the “she” and all women with his “they”. Paul is referring to women in general with both the “she” and the “they”. Or is Paul specifically referring to the woman and man in v11-12?
There has been no consensus on this verse with pretty crazy variations of interpretation! I have even heard/read that women cannot have pain relief in labor and that women must birth their babies at home based on this verse and as part of the curse (women were NOT cursed, neither was bearing children, only the serpent and the ground were cursed, yet this has been a common reason used against women!
Paul seems to be encouraging marriage and family because Artemis promoted celibacy/virginity, childlessness, forbidding marriage for those who served in her temple.
Thanks for testing this! I will respond later on the passages you refer to.
I am not sure what happened, but I can not find your previous comment / response and don't see an email notice from the network but would love to read your work on women. Here's my email: [email protected]. let me know when you send it so I don't miss it!
I hope to post my response on 1 Cor 11 later this week. Our harvest started last week so I am outside at our farm 10-15 hours a day. I joke that we don't do 9-5, instead we do 5-9 (am-> pm ;)
Here's some of my work on 1 Cor 14. Several years ago I realized that this chapter is actually very inclusive yet ironically it has traditionally been used to exclude women. So as I was reviewing my notes on it, I counted how often Paul uses inclusive language and I got around 35 in this chapter alone. Then I counted how often the 1984 NIV uses male terms in this chapter & that's around 30x with the ESV around 20x, so I updated my info.
1 Corinthians 14
I love this chapter! It is really amazing and I do eagerly desire there to be gatherings today that gives everyone a voice to share what Holy Spirit is putting on their hearts: hymns, scriptures, testimonies, prophecy, encouragement, teachings, praying/speaking in tongues, etc to build up His Kingdom Church, the Bride of Christ...
The Greek in 1 Cor 14 is beautifully and powerfully inclusive, emphasizing a mutual dignity for ALL to participate, until it isn’t, with a jarring exclusion in v34-35 that does not match up with the rest of the context. It should make everyone pause and ask what is going on here?
V2,3,4 (2x),5,13,16 Paul's use of "ho" -> gender inclusive the one, anyone, everyone (not exclusively “he”)
V2,3 anthropos => people (not specifically men)
V5,23,24 (3x),31 (3x) pantes/pas-> ALL prophesy in turn so pantes/pas ALL may be instructed and pantes / pas ALL exhorted… V33 pasais / pas ALL congregations; V26,40 panta/pas ALL things… Strong's Greek: 3956. πᾶς (pas) -- All, every, whole, entire
V6,20,26,39 adelphoi ->brothers and sisters! (Not exclusively brothers)
V17 heteros-> other (non- believer, not specifically male)
V19,29,30 allous-> others (believers)
V21 heteroglossois -> other tongues (not specifically foreign men)
V23 hole-> whole church, entire, complete, all
V26 hekastos -> Everyone/each of you has a hymn, etc…
V27,37,38 tis -> Anyone speaks…
Additional concerns including v33-35.
MODERN TRANSLATION PROBLEM:
1984 NIV is quite the opposite to the Greek and uses around 30 specific male terms in this chapter alone… the ESV is a little bit better with about 20 male references, but still not gender inclusive like the Greek with about 35 words that are inclusive!
Both 1984 NIV and the ESV disingenuously split verse 33 and put a period after the first stmt (SEE BELOW***), then started a new paragraph for the 2nd part to tie it with v34, to imply that the v34 women are to be silent in all churches instead of v33 God’s peace is in all churches… and it seems several online versions of 1984 NIV are revising these verses compared to what is actually in the physical hard copies! BIG RED FLAG on how these verses have been subtly but significantly altered!
34 As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.
35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
36 Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?
33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches.
It makes far more sense in this context that God’s principles of order and peace in v33 is what is in All churches!
TEXTUAL VARIANT PROBLEM:
In addition to the heavily male language dynamic in some modern translations that tend toward a complementarian lens, early manuscripts have a 2 dot notation / distigme next to v34-35 to indicate a textual variant noted by ancient scribes, which is another significant flag to pay attention that something is going on here. Philip Payne has done considerable work on this. Is-1-Cor-14.34-35-Marginal-Comment-or-Quotation.pdf
SEPTUAGINT PROBLEM/ WISDOM OF SIRACH (about 180 BC)
Wives being silent was an expectation to some extent, thanks to Rabbi Joshua ben Sira, author of the Wisdom of Sirach, included in the Septuagint, as well as part of the oral tradition that later ended up written down as the Mishnah. Are V34-36 Paul's possible refutation of ideas that came from sources like Rabbi ben Sira and perpetuated by others familiar with the Sirach & other oral tradition? This is one possibility.
I love the chiastic structure that is presented in this article. Plus it helped me realize there seems to be strong refutations Paul might have wrote regarding women being silent that are not translated. This would make sense with his Greek inclusivity!
INCONSISTENCY PROBLEM: There is inconsistent application both here and in 1 Tim 2:12 by comps. Ie. Some say women can read scripture out loud in a mixed gathering, others disagree.
CONCLUSION: There seem to be several variants on this text, especially v33-36 that have impacted the church for a long, long time! What Paul is sharing here is actually very inclusive, inviting engagement by and input from the priesthood of ALL believers, not exclusively men or allowing passivity from the women whenever they gather!
Even though the main focus for this series is 1 Timothy, I want to add the following for additional big picture context of Paul’s letters to Timothy ministering in Ephesus and the syncretic toxic cocktail of pagan/false beliefs/practices as this hasn’t received much attention over the ages.
This appendix organizes Paul's letter to the Ephesians into 3 parts:
PART 10 APPENDIX FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
FALSE TEACHING IN PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
The theme of spiritual warfare is weaved throughout Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. False teaching is a significant strategy of the enemy to deceive us. False teaching is never merely an intellectual or doctrinal matter—it is one way the enemy attacks in the spiritual battle that believers face. God warns us around 30 times in the NT to not be deceived, including in Ephesians 4:14 and 5:6.
The Ephesian believers (and Timothy) had Paul’s letter to them that included countering the local pagan context and equipping them for this spiritual battle against Artemis and other god/goddess cults, magic/sorcery (the famous Ephesian spells), astrology, and mystery religions in addition to Timothy’s situation. They remembered the riot and burning their magic scrolls (Acts 19:19). Getting the Whole Picture: A Missing Piece of the Women in Office Puzzle | CRC Network
I love how Paul, the brilliant rhetorician and inspired by the Holy Spirit, often repurposes or contrasts terms familiar from Greek/Hellenistic literature (including pagan and Jewish-Hellenistic sources like Philo) to exalt Christ and redirect believers away from pagan beliefs and practices. His letter to the Ephesians is a powerful example of this!
1. Spiritual / Heavenly Places (ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις – “in the heavenly places/realms” – used 5x in Ephesians)
A. Pagan beliefs
In Greco-Roman thought, the “heavenly” realm referred to the divine sphere of gods, celestial bodies (stars, planets), and spiritual forces influencing earthly life. Pagans sought to navigate or influence this realm through various ways including astrology (ie zodiac signs/horoscopes determining future), magic, and mystery rituals. Classic Greek authors like Homer described heavenly gods; Hellenistic sources tied celestial powers to deities and cosmic order. Philo of Alexandria (Jewish-Hellenistic-Platonic) used epouranios for higher spiritual realities and contemplation of divine things, contrasting earthly vs. heavenly existence. In Ephesus, this worldview supported reliance on amulets, spells, and cults to align with or appease heavenly powers.
B. Paul’s counter
Paul locates spiritual realities “in the heavenly places” but focuses on Christ:
Eph 1:3 — God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”
Eph 1:20 — God raised Christ and seated him “in the heavenly places.”
Eph 2:6 — Believers are raised and seated with Christ “in the heavenly places.”
Eph 3:10 — God’s wisdom is made known to rulers/authorities “in the heavenly places” through the church.
Eph 6:12 — Our struggle is against spiritual forces of evil “in the heavenly places.”
Christ is “far above all rule and authority” (1:21). Believers share His position and victory—no need for pagan manipulation of the heavens.
Paganism featured a hierarchy of deities and cosmic powers (archai, exousiai, dynameis, kyriotetes) that influenced life, future, and protection. In Ephesus, this included Artemis (fertility/protection), syncretic worship of Dionysus (wine, ecstasy, debauchery) and Aphrodite (erotic love, sensuality/pleasure). Archaeological evidence from the Terrace Houses (esp. Dwelling Unit 6, home of priest Gaius Flavius Furius Aptus) shows domestic syncretism: Dionysus priesthood combined with Aphrodite worship in elite settings, with spaces for rituals, feasts, and blended cults. Astrology tied human affairs to celestial powers; magic sought to control them.Mystery cults offered secret access to divine power and afterlife benefits. Aphrodite in Ephesos?
B. Paul’s counter
Paul acknowledges these powers but declares Christ’s total supremacy and equips believers to stand strong in God’s mighty power (Eph 6:10):
Eph 1:21 — Christ is “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named.”
Eph 3:10 — The church displays God’s manifold wisdom to these rulers and authorities.
Eph 6:12 — “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
Eph 5:3-20, includes Paul countering Dionysian and Aphroditic influences: reject sexual immorality, impurity, and “debauchery” (asōtia) linked to wine-induced ecstasy (5:18: “Do not get drunk with wine... but be filled with the Spirit” – interesting that alcohol is sometimes called “spirits”), exposing “deeds of darkness” done in secret instead of participating in them. Paul reframes relationships under Christ’s sacrificial (agape) love and mutual submission to one another.
PART 10 APPENDIX FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
FALSE TEACHING IN PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
CONTINUED...
3. Spiritual / Heavenly Practices to Influence the Pagan Spiritual Powers: Mysteries, Magic, Astrology
A. Pagan beliefs
Mystery religions (e.g., Dionysian, Eleusinian, Isis, Cybele) emphasized secret initiations (mysteria), esoteric knowledge, secrecy/silence, and ritual actions under the deity for power, purification, salvation—often involving ecstatic rites, wine, and sensuality. Ephesus was steeped in magic (famous spell- “Ephesian letters”, amulets, for protection/power) and astrology to manipulate future and cosmic forces. These practices blended in domestic and public life, in attempts to influence control over heavenly powers through formulas, rites, and secrecy.
B. Paul’s counter
Paul contrasts and repurposes the language:
Μυστήριον (mysterion): God’s mystery (Eph 1:9; 3:3-9; 5:32; 6:19) is no longer secret or elite but publicly revealed in Christ—the inclusion of Gentiles in one body and Christ’s love for the church. It is open, unifying, and gospel-centered, not hidden rites.
Against magic/astrology: Emphasis on Christ’s supremacy over all powers (1:21; 6:12) and the full armor of God (truth, righteousness, gospel, faith, salvation, Word of God, prayer — Eph 6:10-18) replaces amulets, spells and horoscopes.
Eph 4:17-19; 5:8-12 — Reject pagan “futility,” “darkened understanding,” and “works of darkness”; walk as children of light and expose secret practices.
Eph 5:15-20 — Live wisely in evil days, filled with the Spirit in thankful worship rather than pagan excess.
Hopefully this helps give a more comprehensive "picture” of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Before Timothy confronted specific false teachers, the church already possessed this powerful, positive vision of identity in Christ and victory over the pagan spiritual forces in their culture.
I could expand on each of these sections digging further into Paul's Greek and how ancient Greek authors used this language, but for now, this is a somewhat brief overview to give an expanded picture of Ephesus and the believers spiritual struggles.
Rob, thanks for sharing your concerns. This is not a short response.
I compiled a fairly significant list of the textual evidence that false teaching is a significant problem in the early church of Ephesus. That's part of why God warns so many times to not be deceived!
I shared the false teaching list from 1 Timothy in PART 10, and a partial list from Ephesians in the above comments. The Ephesians list in the comments is not complete but are some of the ones I found reading through Ephesians to give a general idea for an overall context of Ephesus. Addressing false teaching from pagan sources, compared to truth is throughout Paul's letter to Timothy and to the Ephesians (& other letters). I might post a list from 2 Timothy as well at some point.
I'm working on digging into more Greek words Paul used along with very slowly (taking me years and I'm only about a third of the way through it) reading Dr. Arnold Clinton's Powers of Darkness (1992). Powers of Darkness: Principalities & Powers in Paul's Letters: Arnold, Clinton E.: 9780830813360: Amazon.com: Books I am on p 72 right now under the heading of Jewish Magic: BOQ The occult sciences crossed all religious boundaries and borrowed from all religions. EOQ This is not tenuous, it is pervasive.
That's the syncretic toxic milieu in Ephesus!
It is an amazing and fascinating study of how Paul (inspired by the Spirit) uses and repurposes Greek language for that cultural context of Ephesus and Asia Minor.
Paul does not need to specifically name Artemis. Artemis, etal., is included in Paul's "myths and endless geneaologies" in 1 Tim 1:3. Timothy knew what Paul meant. Artemis was not alone, so Paul was being very inclusive and including the other 40-50+ deities in Ephesus as well, plus others in surrounding communities. No need to name them. In today's culture if I say "sports teams", I don't need to specifically name the Seahawks or Huskies, or whoever, most people know the names of various sports teams. (GETTING THE WHOLE PICTURE: PART 1 & 2)
Paul and Timothy are not just dealing with Artemis and the pagan deities, although that is a significant influence in Ephesus that has historically not received much attention for the cultural context. There were also Jewish genealogies of spiritual angelic beings (based on Nephilim in Gen 6) in various Jewish writings (ie Tobit, 1 Enoch) that were getting more attention and interest in the 2 centuries before Jesus. I am barely scratching the surface on this influence! The early gnostics were also part of the problem in Paul's time, that exploded in the 2nd Cent AD. Paul was brilliant at using language that had significant meaning in not only the pagan context, but also the Jewish.
Paul specifically switches from plural women in 2:9-10 to a singular woman in 2:11-12. That's an intentional Spirit inspired shift that often gets switched back to women when 2:11-12 is being discussed. (PART 3 Continuing to Piece Together the Whole Picture for Women | CRC Network )
and you are right on authentein being a hapax, yet the entire limitation of women in teaching or leading men heavily leans on that one super rare hapax being translated as general authority, which didn't start until about 500 years ago! Before that, authentein primarily had a negative connotation when used in human relationships, both male and female. That is why I addressed authentein, its history before Paul, after Paul, and the dramatic shift of meaning over the ages more extensively than I originally intended in PARTs 4-9.
It is ironic that about those who are open to women serving as pastors, elders, etc., it's been said they are caving to modern culture (and that could be the case for some). Yet when we go back to the ancient context/culture of Paul's time, that gets discredited as well. It is also ironic that another stmt made is that egals have a low view of Scripture (and that also might be the case for some), yet when we do word studies of the ancient Greek that Paul used, it also gets discredited. God's truth will stand up to both the original context and the original language!
God warns us about traditions of man / elders that nullify His word (Matt 15, Mark 7). Sadly, we are not immune!
Here are some heartbreaking examples of faulty views that continued / God allowed for a long, long time over the ages:
It took centuries for the value of women to generally be viewed equally as men. The primary historic view of women being inferior is one of those traditions that has only started shifting away from that belief in the last 100 years or so, only in some nations, and still is not the case for billions of people in the world. A significant portion of the world still views women as inferior or even as animals or worse. My heart breaks that this has been allowed for so long because of all the harm women suffered and still suffer under this false belief, yet it's on us, not God! He warned / warns us!
Thanks to Rabbi Joshua ben Sira (author of Septuagint's Wisdom of Sirach / Ecclesiasticus), women were considered the sole source of sin (along with a few other misogynist things he writes about women). Jerome perpetuated this view in the Latin Vulgate by leaving out that Adam was "with her" in Gen 3:6, so the blame for sin was placed entirely on Eve for centuries. The RSV also left it out, which influenced translations in other languages, including Hindi which perpetuates this inferior view of women. I think that this view still being perpetuated in places around the world is appalling! I address Joshua ben Sirach and his influence in the early church via the Septuagint, along with Jerome's omission in Gen 3:6, more in one of the Created Order PARTs coming up.
It took centuries to correct some of the Catholic traditions, such as penance/indulgences perpetuated by Jerome's translation of metanoia as paentientia. Or that if children died before being baptized, they were going to hell forever. HEARTBREAKING~ or that Scripture could only be in Latin, denying believers from having God's word in languages they understood. People DIED so we can read it in our native languages. Again, deeply wrong for centuries!
What about Malachi 2:16 and "God hates divorce"? The ESV has corrected it after centuries and God only knows how much harm caused to women in treacherous / abusive marriages that were told by leaders in the Church to stay married no matter what...
ESV: “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless***.”
NKJV: “For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence,” says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously***.”
Somewhere over the ages the very important Great Commission was lost, so when Justinian von Welz rediscovered it and was deeply convicted to follow it in the latter 1600s, he was considered by the church to be an agent of satan and when William Carey presented it in the latter 1700s (after being inspired by Zinzendorf & the Moravians who were inspired by Justinian), he was told by one of the leaders he was presenting it to, to sit down, God can save the heathens without William's help.
Some pretty important principles that got messed up or missed somehow for a long, long time. Those are just a few I can think of off the top of my head right now.
The "Enlightenment" is one of the significant influences that impacted how the pagan, occultic, demonic influences Paul and Timothy were dealing with are downplayed / dismissed in modern times. I believe that is an example of caving to modern culture. We are immersed in our Western culture that says evil spirits do not exist and there is no spiritual realm, just physical and rational. Some/many? theologians concur with that, while ironically, the New Age influence brought a bit of a shift back to recognizing the spiritual realm over the last 30 -40 years.
However, the authorities, rulers, powers and principalities, etal in the heavenly realms are very real to Paul and Timothy, the people of Ephesus and Asia Minor and pretty much everyone in Paul's day. This understanding was common and pervasive.
Paul states 4x in 1 Cor 10:20-21 that the pagan gods/ idols are demonic. He does not care about their names or hierarchy of respective rank and order. He lumps them all together as demons, powers of darkness, "myths and endless genealogia", deceiving spirits, spiritual forces of evil, etc.
Does this make many of us Reformed uncomfortable? Probably! I also have Clinton Arnold's 1989 book on Power and Magic: The Concept of power in Ephesians that I haven't started yet... I think I will flip through it a bit for now...
The next few PARTs are on created order (1 Tim 2:13-14) and I will be sharing more on the order of Christ's Church at some point as well...
I have a cousin and his wife that serve as elders together as a couple. I hope to get some input from them as an example of being sent together. (Will & Shirley, thinking of you!!)
Paul emphasizes mutuality so many times! He gives us around 40 of the 59 "one another" commands. "Sent together" reminds me of the Eph 5:21 command to submit to (share burdens & responsibilities with) one another.
[8] They therefore decided to send as an ambassador to the commons Agrippa Menenius, an eloquent man and dear to the plebeians as being one of themselves by birth.3 On being admitted to the camp he is said merely to have related the following apologue, in the quaint and uncouth [p. 325] style of that age: [9] In the days when man's members4 did not all agree amongst themselves, as is now the case, but had each its own ideas and a voice of its own, the other parts thought it unfair that they should have the worry and the trouble and the labour of providing everything for the belly, while the belly remained quietly in their midst with nothing to do but to enjoy the good things which they bestowed upon it; they therefore conspired together that the hands should carry no food to the mouth, nor the mouth accept anything that was given it, nor the teeth grind up what they received. [10] While they sought in this angry spirit to starve the belly into submission, the members themselves and the whole body were reduced to the utmost weakness. [11] Hence it had become clear that even the belly had no idle task to perform, and was no more nourished than it nourished the rest, by giving out to all parts of the body that by which we live and thrive, when it has been divided equally amongst the veins and is enriched with digested food —that is, the blood. [12] Drawing a parallel from this to show how like was the internal dissension of the bodily members to the anger of the plebs against the Fathers, he prevailed upon the minds of his hearers.5
I appreciate your thoughtful response / reflection, Tricia, thanks for sharing! I thought about it for a bit as I had pondered this post a bit after reading it yesterday, and think the Bible gives space for "both / and" with discernment (discernment is a huge discussion on its own) recognizing that Jesus calls us to serve (servantship?).
Influence can be tricky and deceptive, so we need to always test. God warns us so many times, do not be deceived, by empty words, persuasive words, any means. Yet, Paul also tells us multiple times to follow his example (actions) and to imitate Christ. Words apart from actions are empty. We need to speak truth, and do what is right, leading by example, practice what you preach, and be open to correction.
Empowering in the Family of God (along with being empowered by Holy Spirit: Made Wholeheartedly Willing and Ready | CRC Network) gives agency to others, equipping others to maturity, giving resources and encouragement to help them discern and choose what is true and right and act accordingly. Helping others flourish and thrive in their callings and identity as part of God's family!
Character is a key part as well. Too often gifting, charisma, has been elevated over character in positions of power and influence. This can lead to harmful cults and cult-like behavior because of the charismatic influence of an individual.
Discernment is a piece that has been missing to some debatable extent, but very needed so we don't end up deceived by cults, false teachers and traditions of man that nullify God's word! Responsible stewardship encourages and is open to having whatever one says /does /writes be tested and open to correction. And that includes testing aspects of our reformed tradition.
If I'm wrong, I want to know. Iron sharpens iron. Let's keep wrestling, praying, pondering, processing!
Tricia, thanks for addressing various abuses in the Church, especially the harm to women and children.
"Namely there remains a preference to interpret the Word of God through the lens of cultural social norms around aggressive authority and passive submission, rather than the lens of sacrificial authority and mutual submission".
Yes, sacrificial authority is serving others as Christ humbled Himself and came to serve (Philippians 2), and mutual submission is cooperating*** together!
There has been some harmful theology on authority and submission (Greek hupotasso). Eph 5 has been distorted by traditionally emphasizing wife submit to husband as head (as authority) instead of emphasizing the agape love (5 agapes in v25-33) of husbands/Christ and using the lens of v21 mutual submission to one another (aka cooperation***), to include sharing burdens and responsibilities together as husband and wife. (Unfortunately, a number of translations, incl NIV, add a heading between v21 and v22, separating the mutual submission from the rest of the chapter).
In addition to that, traditionally the military meaning/context has been almost exclusively used to translate the Greek hupotasso as a hierarchical "submit" or "subject" instead of the NON- military (other relationships like marriage, family, Family of God) meaning/context: A Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating***, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden". Hupotasso Meaning - Greek Lexicon | New Testament (NAS) | Bible Study Tools
The non-military (relational) understanding of hupotasso has been almost completely lost over the ages.
Thank you! I really appreciate the update on language for ministry leaders!
There are better ways than Robert's, and one is to pray together with the help of the Spirit.
There is a stat that the divorce rate for couples who consistently pray together drops from 1 in 2-3 marriages to one in TEN THOUSAND! This indicates the unity the Spirit brings when we pray together, not just as couples, but as brothers and sisters in the Lord when we serve together. Jesus shows up when 2 or 3 gather together. If He, the Creator of Universe can show up for a small group, how much more should we be willing to gather even if it is only 2 or 3.
Posted in: Getting the Whole Picture, Part 11: Paul's Correction of the Created Order
Thanks for asking!
Paul gives us several clues:
Certain people or some per the Greek (not just men) in 1 Tim 1:3 that Paul is encouraging Timothy to instruct because of their false teaching. The singular woman in 2:11 is specifically someone Timothy is to instruct per Paul.
Paul specified 2 men in 1:20 as part of the problem mentioned in 1:3, but there were others (the Greek in 1:3 is gender inclusive) …
1 Timothy 1:3 As I urged you on my departure to Macedonia, you should stay on at Ephesus to instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines (use this link for parallel translations)
Paul switches from plural men and women in 2:8-10 to singular woman and man in 2:11-12 but instead of handing her over to satan like the 2 men, Paul commands Timothy to teach and help her learn in a respectful manner, reiterating the instruction in 1:3.
Paul’s 2:15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control....
has several options that the translations and commentators do not agree on: Paul is referring to Eve as the “she” and all women with his “they”. Paul is referring to women in general with both the “she” and the “they”. Or is Paul specifically referring to the woman and man in v11-12?
There has been no consensus on this verse with pretty crazy variations of interpretation! I have even heard/read that women cannot have pain relief in labor and that women must birth their babies at home based on this verse and as part of the curse (women were NOT cursed, neither was bearing children, only the serpent and the ground were cursed, yet this has been a common reason used against women!
1 Timothy 2:15 Commentaries: But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint. (use this link for commentaries, you can also access the parallel translations through this link as well)
Paul seems to be encouraging marriage and family because Artemis promoted celibacy/virginity, childlessness, forbidding marriage for those who served in her temple.
Posted in: Getting the Whole Picture, Part 11: Paul's Correction of the Created Order
Thanks for testing this! I will respond later on the passages you refer to.
I am not sure what happened, but I can not find your previous comment / response and don't see an email notice from the network but would love to read your work on women. Here's my email: [email protected]. let me know when you send it so I don't miss it!
Much appreciated!
Posted in: Getting the Whole Picture, Part 11: Paul's Correction of the Created Order
Thanks. made it to page 50 so far...
I hope to post my response on 1 Cor 11 later this week. Our harvest started last week so I am outside at our farm 10-15 hours a day. I joke that we don't do 9-5, instead we do 5-9 (am-> pm ;)
Here's some of my work on 1 Cor 14. Several years ago I realized that this chapter is actually very inclusive yet ironically it has traditionally been used to exclude women. So as I was reviewing my notes on it, I counted how often Paul uses inclusive language and I got around 35 in this chapter alone. Then I counted how often the 1984 NIV uses male terms in this chapter & that's around 30x with the ESV around 20x, so I updated my info.
1 Corinthians 14
I love this chapter! It is really amazing and I do eagerly desire there to be gatherings today that gives everyone a voice to share what Holy Spirit is putting on their hearts: hymns, scriptures, testimonies, prophecy, encouragement, teachings, praying/speaking in tongues, etc to build up His Kingdom Church, the Bride of Christ...
The Greek in 1 Cor 14 is beautifully and powerfully inclusive, emphasizing a mutual dignity for ALL to participate, until it isn’t, with a jarring exclusion in v34-35 that does not match up with the rest of the context. It should make everyone pause and ask what is going on here?
V2,3,4 (2x),5,13,16 Paul's use of "ho" -> gender inclusive the one, anyone, everyone (not exclusively “he”)
V2,3 anthropos => people (not specifically men)
V5,23,24 (3x),31 (3x) pantes/pas-> ALL prophesy in turn so pantes/pas ALL may be instructed and pantes / pas ALL exhorted… V33 pasais / pas ALL congregations; V26,40 panta/pas ALL things… Strong's Greek: 3956. πᾶς (pas) -- All, every, whole, entire
V6,20,26,39 adelphoi ->brothers and sisters! (Not exclusively brothers)
V17 heteros-> other (non- believer, not specifically male)
V19,29,30 allous-> others (believers)
V21 heteroglossois -> other tongues (not specifically foreign men)
V23 hole-> whole church, entire, complete, all
V26 hekastos -> Everyone/each of you has a hymn, etc…
V27,37,38 tis -> Anyone speaks…
Additional concerns including v33-35.
MODERN TRANSLATION PROBLEM:
1984 NIV is quite the opposite to the Greek and uses around 30 specific male terms in this chapter alone… the ESV is a little bit better with about 20 male references, but still not gender inclusive like the Greek with about 35 words that are inclusive!
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace--as in all the churches of the saints.
Both 1984 NIV and the ESV disingenuously split verse 33 and put a period after the first stmt (SEE BELOW***), then started a new paragraph for the 2nd part to tie it with v34, to imply that the v34 women are to be silent in all churches instead of v33 God’s peace is in all churches… and it seems several online versions of 1984 NIV are revising these verses compared to what is actually in the physical hard copies! BIG RED FLAG on how these verses have been subtly but significantly altered!
***1984 NIV online version: NIV 1984: 1st Corinthians | Christ Unite (COMPARE TO YOUR PHYSICAL COPY! This online version adds v33b to v 34)
33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
34 As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.
35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
36 Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?
***1 Corinthians 14:33–35 — English Standard Version (ESV)
33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches.
It makes far more sense in this context that God’s principles of order and peace in v33 is what is in All churches!
TEXTUAL VARIANT PROBLEM:
In addition to the heavily male language dynamic in some modern translations that tend toward a complementarian lens, early manuscripts have a 2 dot notation / distigme next to v34-35 to indicate a textual variant noted by ancient scribes, which is another significant flag to pay attention that something is going on here. Philip Payne has done considerable work on this. Is-1-Cor-14.34-35-Marginal-Comment-or-Quotation.pdf
SEPTUAGINT PROBLEM/ WISDOM OF SIRACH (about 180 BC)
“A silent wife is a gift from the Lord, and nothing is so precious as her self-discipline.” (Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 26:14
Sirach 25:20 — “Like a sandy hill to aged feet is a garrulous [talkative] wife to a quiet husband.” (She is burdensome and irritating.)
Wives being silent was an expectation to some extent, thanks to Rabbi Joshua ben Sira, author of the Wisdom of Sirach, included in the Septuagint, as well as part of the oral tradition that later ended up written down as the Mishnah. Are V34-36 Paul's possible refutation of ideas that came from sources like Rabbi ben Sira and perpetuated by others familiar with the Sirach & other oral tradition? This is one possibility.
TRANSLATION OMISSION PROBLEM:
Another variant to consider is that Paul’s use of the equivalent refutation of “bunk” is not translated. Paul’s Missing “Double Bunk” in 1 Corinthians 14:36 | Christian Egalitarian Marriage
I love the chiastic structure that is presented in this article. Plus it helped me realize there seems to be strong refutations Paul might have wrote regarding women being silent that are not translated. This would make sense with his Greek inclusivity!
INCONSISTENCY PROBLEM: There is inconsistent application both here and in 1 Tim 2:12 by comps. Ie. Some say women can read scripture out loud in a mixed gathering, others disagree.
CONCLUSION: There seem to be several variants on this text, especially v33-36 that have impacted the church for a long, long time! What Paul is sharing here is actually very inclusive, inviting engagement by and input from the priesthood of ALL believers, not exclusively men or allowing passivity from the women whenever they gather!
Posted in: Getting the Whole Picture, Part 10: False Teaching in 1 Timothy 2:12
Even though the main focus for this series is 1 Timothy, I want to add the following for additional big picture context of Paul’s letters to Timothy ministering in Ephesus and the syncretic toxic cocktail of pagan/false beliefs/practices as this hasn’t received much attention over the ages.
This appendix organizes Paul's letter to the Ephesians into 3 parts:
Spiritual places, Spiritual powers, Spiritual practices.
Each one will be a separate comment...
PART 10 APPENDIX FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
FALSE TEACHING IN PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
The theme of spiritual warfare is weaved throughout Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. False teaching is a significant strategy of the enemy to deceive us. False teaching is never merely an intellectual or doctrinal matter—it is one way the enemy attacks in the spiritual battle that believers face. God warns us around 30 times in the NT to not be deceived, including in Ephesians 4:14 and 5:6.
The Ephesian believers (and Timothy) had Paul’s letter to them that included countering the local pagan context and equipping them for this spiritual battle against Artemis and other god/goddess cults, magic/sorcery (the famous Ephesian spells), astrology, and mystery religions in addition to Timothy’s situation. They remembered the riot and burning their magic scrolls (Acts 19:19). Getting the Whole Picture: A Missing Piece of the Women in Office Puzzle | CRC Network
I love how Paul, the brilliant rhetorician and inspired by the Holy Spirit, often repurposes or contrasts terms familiar from Greek/Hellenistic literature (including pagan and Jewish-Hellenistic sources like Philo) to exalt Christ and redirect believers away from pagan beliefs and practices. His letter to the Ephesians is a powerful example of this!
1. Spiritual / Heavenly Places (ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις – “in the heavenly places/realms” – used 5x in Ephesians)
A. Pagan beliefs
In Greco-Roman thought, the “heavenly” realm referred to the divine sphere of gods, celestial bodies (stars, planets), and spiritual forces influencing earthly life. Pagans sought to navigate or influence this realm through various ways including astrology (ie zodiac signs/horoscopes determining future), magic, and mystery rituals. Classic Greek authors like Homer described heavenly gods; Hellenistic sources tied celestial powers to deities and cosmic order. Philo of Alexandria (Jewish-Hellenistic-Platonic) used epouranios for higher spiritual realities and contemplation of divine things, contrasting earthly vs. heavenly existence. In Ephesus, this worldview supported reliance on amulets, spells, and cults to align with or appease heavenly powers.
B. Paul’s counter
Paul locates spiritual realities “in the heavenly places” but focuses on Christ:
Christ is “far above all rule and authority” (1:21). Believers share His position and victory—no need for pagan manipulation of the heavens.
TBC -> 2. Spiritual / Heavenly Powers
Posted in: Getting the Whole Picture, Part 10: False Teaching in 1 Timothy 2:12
CONTINUED...
2. Spiritual / Heavenly Powers
A. Pagan beliefs
Paganism featured a hierarchy of deities and cosmic powers (archai, exousiai, dynameis, kyriotetes) that influenced life, future, and protection. In Ephesus, this included Artemis (fertility/protection), syncretic worship of Dionysus (wine, ecstasy, debauchery) and Aphrodite (erotic love, sensuality/pleasure). Archaeological evidence from the Terrace Houses (esp. Dwelling Unit 6, home of priest Gaius Flavius Furius Aptus) shows domestic syncretism: Dionysus priesthood combined with Aphrodite worship in elite settings, with spaces for rituals, feasts, and blended cults. Astrology tied human affairs to celestial powers; magic sought to control them. Mystery cults offered secret access to divine power and afterlife benefits. Aphrodite in Ephesos?
B. Paul’s counter
Paul acknowledges these powers but declares Christ’s total supremacy and equips believers to stand strong in God’s mighty power (Eph 6:10):
Eph 5:3-20, includes Paul countering Dionysian and Aphroditic influences: reject sexual immorality, impurity, and “debauchery” (asōtia) linked to wine-induced ecstasy (5:18: “Do not get drunk with wine... but be filled with the Spirit” – interesting that alcohol is sometimes called “spirits”), exposing “deeds of darkness” done in secret instead of participating in them. Paul reframes relationships under Christ’s sacrificial (agape) love and mutual submission to one another.
TBC... -> 3. Spiritual / Heavenly Practices...
Posted in: Getting the Whole Picture, Part 10: False Teaching in 1 Timothy 2:12
PART 10 APPENDIX FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
FALSE TEACHING IN PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
CONTINUED...
3. Spiritual / Heavenly Practices to Influence the Pagan Spiritual Powers: Mysteries, Magic, Astrology
A. Pagan beliefs
Mystery religions (e.g., Dionysian, Eleusinian, Isis, Cybele) emphasized secret initiations (mysteria), esoteric knowledge, secrecy/silence, and ritual actions under the deity for power, purification, salvation—often involving ecstatic rites, wine, and sensuality. Ephesus was steeped in magic (famous spell- “Ephesian letters”, amulets, for protection/power) and astrology to manipulate future and cosmic forces. These practices blended in domestic and public life, in attempts to influence control over heavenly powers through formulas, rites, and secrecy.
B. Paul’s counter
Paul contrasts and repurposes the language:
Eph 5:15-20 — Live wisely in evil days, filled with the Spirit in thankful worship rather than pagan excess.
Hopefully this helps give a more comprehensive "picture” of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Before Timothy confronted specific false teachers, the church already possessed this powerful, positive vision of identity in Christ and victory over the pagan spiritual forces in their culture.
I could expand on each of these sections digging further into Paul's Greek and how ancient Greek authors used this language, but for now, this is a somewhat brief overview to give an expanded picture of Ephesus and the believers spiritual struggles.
Ephesians 3:10 His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
Posted in: Getting the Whole Picture, Part 10: False Teaching in 1 Timothy 2:12
Rob, thanks for sharing your concerns. This is not a short response.
I compiled a fairly significant list of the textual evidence that false teaching is a significant problem in the early church of Ephesus. That's part of why God warns so many times to not be deceived!
I shared the false teaching list from 1 Timothy in PART 10, and a partial list from Ephesians in the above comments. The Ephesians list in the comments is not complete but are some of the ones I found reading through Ephesians to give a general idea for an overall context of Ephesus. Addressing false teaching from pagan sources, compared to truth is throughout Paul's letter to Timothy and to the Ephesians (& other letters). I might post a list from 2 Timothy as well at some point.
I'm working on digging into more Greek words Paul used along with very slowly (taking me years and I'm only about a third of the way through it) reading Dr. Arnold Clinton's Powers of Darkness (1992). Powers of Darkness: Principalities & Powers in Paul's Letters: Arnold, Clinton E.: 9780830813360: Amazon.com: Books I am on p 72 right now under the heading of Jewish Magic: BOQ The occult sciences crossed all religious boundaries and borrowed from all religions. EOQ This is not tenuous, it is pervasive.
That's the syncretic toxic milieu in Ephesus!
It is an amazing and fascinating study of how Paul (inspired by the Spirit) uses and repurposes Greek language for that cultural context of Ephesus and Asia Minor.
Paul does not need to specifically name Artemis. Artemis, etal., is included in Paul's "myths and endless geneaologies" in 1 Tim 1:3. Timothy knew what Paul meant. Artemis was not alone, so Paul was being very inclusive and including the other 40-50+ deities in Ephesus as well, plus others in surrounding communities. No need to name them. In today's culture if I say "sports teams", I don't need to specifically name the Seahawks or Huskies, or whoever, most people know the names of various sports teams. (GETTING THE WHOLE PICTURE: PART 1 & 2)
Paul and Timothy are not just dealing with Artemis and the pagan deities, although that is a significant influence in Ephesus that has historically not received much attention for the cultural context. There were also Jewish genealogies of spiritual angelic beings (based on Nephilim in Gen 6) in various Jewish writings (ie Tobit, 1 Enoch) that were getting more attention and interest in the 2 centuries before Jesus. I am barely scratching the surface on this influence! The early gnostics were also part of the problem in Paul's time, that exploded in the 2nd Cent AD. Paul was brilliant at using language that had significant meaning in not only the pagan context, but also the Jewish.
Paul specifically switches from plural women in 2:9-10 to a singular woman in 2:11-12. That's an intentional Spirit inspired shift that often gets switched back to women when 2:11-12 is being discussed. (PART 3 Continuing to Piece Together the Whole Picture for Women | CRC Network )
and you are right on authentein being a hapax, yet the entire limitation of women in teaching or leading men heavily leans on that one super rare hapax being translated as general authority, which didn't start until about 500 years ago! Before that, authentein primarily had a negative connotation when used in human relationships, both male and female. That is why I addressed authentein, its history before Paul, after Paul, and the dramatic shift of meaning over the ages more extensively than I originally intended in PARTs 4-9.
It is ironic that about those who are open to women serving as pastors, elders, etc., it's been said they are caving to modern culture (and that could be the case for some). Yet when we go back to the ancient context/culture of Paul's time, that gets discredited as well. It is also ironic that another stmt made is that egals have a low view of Scripture (and that also might be the case for some), yet when we do word studies of the ancient Greek that Paul used, it also gets discredited. God's truth will stand up to both the original context and the original language!
God warns us about traditions of man / elders that nullify His word (Matt 15, Mark 7). Sadly, we are not immune!
Here are some heartbreaking examples of faulty views that continued / God allowed for a long, long time over the ages:
It took centuries for the value of women to generally be viewed equally as men. The primary historic view of women being inferior is one of those traditions that has only started shifting away from that belief in the last 100 years or so, only in some nations, and still is not the case for billions of people in the world. A significant portion of the world still views women as inferior or even as animals or worse. My heart breaks that this has been allowed for so long because of all the harm women suffered and still suffer under this false belief, yet it's on us, not God! He warned / warns us!
Thanks to Rabbi Joshua ben Sira (author of Septuagint's Wisdom of Sirach / Ecclesiasticus), women were considered the sole source of sin (along with a few other misogynist things he writes about women). Jerome perpetuated this view in the Latin Vulgate by leaving out that Adam was "with her" in Gen 3:6, so the blame for sin was placed entirely on Eve for centuries. The RSV also left it out, which influenced translations in other languages, including Hindi which perpetuates this inferior view of women. I think that this view still being perpetuated in places around the world is appalling! I address Joshua ben Sirach and his influence in the early church via the Septuagint, along with Jerome's omission in Gen 3:6, more in one of the Created Order PARTs coming up.
It took centuries to correct some of the Catholic traditions, such as penance/indulgences perpetuated by Jerome's translation of metanoia as paentientia. Or that if children died before being baptized, they were going to hell forever. HEARTBREAKING~ or that Scripture could only be in Latin, denying believers from having God's word in languages they understood. People DIED so we can read it in our native languages. Again, deeply wrong for centuries!
What about Malachi 2:16 and "God hates divorce"? The ESV has corrected it after centuries and God only knows how much harm caused to women in treacherous / abusive marriages that were told by leaders in the Church to stay married no matter what...
ESV: “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless***.”
NKJV: “For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence,” says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously***.”
Malachi 2:16 "For I hate divorce," says the LORD, the God of Israel. "He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence," says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith. ***
*** Strong's Hebrew: 898. בָּגַד (bagad) -- To act treacherously, to deal deceitfully, to betray
Somewhere over the ages the very important Great Commission was lost, so when Justinian von Welz rediscovered it and was deeply convicted to follow it in the latter 1600s, he was considered by the church to be an agent of satan and when William Carey presented it in the latter 1700s (after being inspired by Zinzendorf & the Moravians who were inspired by Justinian), he was told by one of the leaders he was presenting it to, to sit down, God can save the heathens without William's help.
Some pretty important principles that got messed up or missed somehow for a long, long time. Those are just a few I can think of off the top of my head right now.
The "Enlightenment" is one of the significant influences that impacted how the pagan, occultic, demonic influences Paul and Timothy were dealing with are downplayed / dismissed in modern times. I believe that is an example of caving to modern culture. We are immersed in our Western culture that says evil spirits do not exist and there is no spiritual realm, just physical and rational. Some/many? theologians concur with that, while ironically, the New Age influence brought a bit of a shift back to recognizing the spiritual realm over the last 30 -40 years.
However, the authorities, rulers, powers and principalities, etal in the heavenly realms are very real to Paul and Timothy, the people of Ephesus and Asia Minor and pretty much everyone in Paul's day. This understanding was common and pervasive.
Paul states 4x in 1 Cor 10:20-21 that the pagan gods/ idols are demonic. He does not care about their names or hierarchy of respective rank and order. He lumps them all together as demons, powers of darkness, "myths and endless genealogia", deceiving spirits, spiritual forces of evil, etc.
Does this make many of us Reformed uncomfortable? Probably! I also have Clinton Arnold's 1989 book on Power and Magic: The Concept of power in Ephesians that I haven't started yet... I think I will flip through it a bit for now...
The next few PARTs are on created order (1 Tim 2:13-14) and I will be sharing more on the order of Christ's Church at some point as well...
Posted in: Sent Together
Love this theme Sarah!
So many thoughts.
I have a cousin and his wife that serve as elders together as a couple. I hope to get some input from them as an example of being sent together. (Will & Shirley, thinking of you!!)
Paul emphasizes mutuality so many times! He gives us around 40 of the 59 "one another" commands. "Sent together" reminds me of the Eph 5:21 command to submit to (share burdens & responsibilities with) one another.
Paul uses sunergeo for his fellow workers, co-laborers, where we get synergy from! Strong's Greek: 4903. συνεργέω (sunergeó) -- To work together, to cooperate, to assist
Paul, with the help of the Holy Spirit, also repurposes the analogy of the Body from a Roman statesman Agrippa Menenius (around 500 BC). Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 2, chapter 32
[8] They therefore decided to send as an ambassador to the commons Agrippa Menenius, an eloquent man and dear to the plebeians as being one of themselves by birth.3 On being admitted to the camp he is said merely to have related the following apologue, in the quaint and uncouth [p. 325] style of that age: [9] In the days when man's members4 did not all agree amongst themselves, as is now the case, but had each its own ideas and a voice of its own, the other parts thought it unfair that they should have the worry and the trouble and the labour of providing everything for the belly, while the belly remained quietly in their midst with nothing to do but to enjoy the good things which they bestowed upon it; they therefore conspired together that the hands should carry no food to the mouth, nor the mouth accept anything that was given it, nor the teeth grind up what they received. [10] While they sought in this angry spirit to starve the belly into submission, the members themselves and the whole body were reduced to the utmost weakness. [11] Hence it had become clear that even the belly had no idle task to perform, and was no more nourished than it nourished the rest, by giving out to all parts of the body that by which we live and thrive, when it has been divided equally amongst the veins and is enriched with digested food —that is, the blood. [12] Drawing a parallel from this to show how like was the internal dissension of the bodily members to the anger of the plebs against the Fathers, he prevailed upon the minds of his hearers.5
Posted in: Leadership is Influence: You Are More Qualified Than You Think
I appreciate your thoughtful response / reflection, Tricia, thanks for sharing! I thought about it for a bit as I had pondered this post a bit after reading it yesterday, and think the Bible gives space for "both / and" with discernment (discernment is a huge discussion on its own) recognizing that Jesus calls us to serve (servantship?).
Influence can be tricky and deceptive, so we need to always test. God warns us so many times, do not be deceived, by empty words, persuasive words, any means. Yet, Paul also tells us multiple times to follow his example (actions) and to imitate Christ. Words apart from actions are empty. We need to speak truth, and do what is right, leading by example, practice what you preach, and be open to correction.
Empowering in the Family of God (along with being empowered by Holy Spirit: Made Wholeheartedly Willing and Ready | CRC Network) gives agency to others, equipping others to maturity, giving resources and encouragement to help them discern and choose what is true and right and act accordingly. Helping others flourish and thrive in their callings and identity as part of God's family!
Character is a key part as well. Too often gifting, charisma, has been elevated over character in positions of power and influence. This can lead to harmful cults and cult-like behavior because of the charismatic influence of an individual.
Discernment is a piece that has been missing to some debatable extent, but very needed so we don't end up deceived by cults, false teachers and traditions of man that nullify God's word! Responsible stewardship encourages and is open to having whatever one says /does /writes be tested and open to correction. And that includes testing aspects of our reformed tradition.
If I'm wrong, I want to know. Iron sharpens iron. Let's keep wrestling, praying, pondering, processing!
Posted in: Domestic Violence, the Church, and Gospel Good News
Tricia, thanks for addressing various abuses in the Church, especially the harm to women and children.
"Namely there remains a preference to interpret the Word of God through the lens of cultural social norms around aggressive authority and passive submission, rather than the lens of sacrificial authority and mutual submission".
Yes, sacrificial authority is serving others as Christ humbled Himself and came to serve (Philippians 2), and mutual submission is cooperating*** together!
There has been some harmful theology on authority and submission (Greek hupotasso). Eph 5 has been distorted by traditionally emphasizing wife submit to husband as head (as authority) instead of emphasizing the agape love (5 agapes in v25-33) of husbands/Christ and using the lens of v21 mutual submission to one another (aka cooperation***), to include sharing burdens and responsibilities together as husband and wife. (Unfortunately, a number of translations, incl NIV, add a heading between v21 and v22, separating the mutual submission from the rest of the chapter).
In addition to that, traditionally the military meaning/context has been almost exclusively used to translate the Greek hupotasso as a hierarchical "submit" or "subject" instead of the NON- military (other relationships like marriage, family, Family of God) meaning/context: A Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating***, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden". Hupotasso Meaning - Greek Lexicon | New Testament (NAS) | Bible Study Tools
The non-military (relational) understanding of hupotasso has been almost completely lost over the ages.
Posted in: Made Wholeheartedly Willing and Ready
Thanks Mavis for your encouragment, love this powerful prayer!
Posted in: From Deciding to Discerning: Listening to the One in Charge
Thank you! I really appreciate the update on language for ministry leaders!
There are better ways than Robert's, and one is to pray together with the help of the Spirit.
There is a stat that the divorce rate for couples who consistently pray together drops from 1 in 2-3 marriages to one in TEN THOUSAND! This indicates the unity the Spirit brings when we pray together, not just as couples, but as brothers and sisters in the Lord when we serve together. Jesus shows up when 2 or 3 gather together. If He, the Creator of Universe can show up for a small group, how much more should we be willing to gather even if it is only 2 or 3.