CAN WOMEN TEACH IN CHURCH?

IS GOD A RESPECTER OF PERSONS?

HAVE WOMEN TAUGHT IN THE PAST?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ON THIS SUBJECT?

There are several scriptures which appear to be against women talking or teaching in church. There are several scriptures which show that there have been many women of God, who have taught or preached the word of God.

We have judges, prophetesses and women of high regard in the church.

There seems to be a contradiction. Let’s look at the scriptures.

THE VERSES AGAINST WOMEN SPEAKING IN CHURCH:

1Co 14:34  Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says.

1Co 14:35  And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.

According to the commentaries, at the time the above verses were written, the women who attended church, sat together during church services and chattered away to each other. Also some of the women would call out questions to the speaker. This would have been disruptive to the speaker and would have made it hard for others to hear what was being said, so the above verses were necessary for that particular time, and the churches which had the problem. The problem being women were to listen quietly at church, it is not a reference to women teaching the congregation. We do not think the commentaries are inspired however we feel they are helpful on historical issues etc. That is the only reason we site them here.

1Ti 2:9  in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,

Again according to the commentaries, the women were tending to dress like men or over dressing and therefore putting on a show. The emphasis should be on moderation in all things, it seems they were dressing in very expensive clothes, perhaps some of these funds could have been given to the poor. We need to dress in the best we have when we come before God, but not to show up those who have very little.

1Ti 2:12  And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.

This verse gives no mention of church, and so it would indicate that the men should be in authority over the women. The women should not tell them what to do.

It is difficult to imagine that any person would just come up and give a sermon on the sabbath without first having authority to do so. The churches at the time of writing would have had organised meetings with people in charge to do the speaking. I have not read any scriptures which indicate that the churches were disorganised and that just anyone out of the assembly could come up and speak. The speakers would have been given authority to speak before the assembly.

THE VERSES WHICH SHOW WOMEN WHO TEACH:

Miriam was a leader among women.

Exo 15:20  Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

She was also in authority along with Moses and Aaron. Miriam would have had huge responsibilities over the Israelites.

Mic 6:4  For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

Here we see that Deborah judged Israel and she spoke the words of God. This is what a prophet or prophetess does, they speak God’s words not their own.

Jdg 4:4  Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time.

Jdg 4:5  And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

Jdg 4:6  Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun;

Notice again that Huldah the prophetess speaks the words of the Lord. It is interesting to note the people who went to Huldah, they were, Hilkiah the high priest, and Shaphan who was a scribe. Very interesting that these people of high positions went to a woman for the words of God.

2Ki 22:14  So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke with her.

2Ki 22:15  Then she said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me,

The following verse shows that Huldah the prophetess dwelt in the college, therefore she would have been a teacher there.

2Ch 34:22  So Hilkiah and those the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke to her to that effect.

The following women are mentioned in the scriptures as prophetesses.

Neh 6:14  My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.

Isa 8:3  Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me, “Call his name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz;

Luk 2:36  Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;

Luk 2:37  and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

This is a very interesting scripture, we see that Aquila and Priscilla expounded the way of God more perfectly. She taught the word of God.

Act 18:26  So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

Notice that at a time yet ahead of us men and women will prophesy.

Act 2:17  ‘AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAYS GOD, THAT I WILL POUR OUT OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH; YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS.

Notice the next verse is referring to the church members. Men and women in God’s church at the end time will prophesy.

Act 2:18  AND ON MY MENSERVANTS AND ON MY MAIDSERVANTS I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS; AND THEY SHALL PROPHESY.

God is no respecter of persons, and whether male or female, if God wants to use them He will. As we have shown above, many women have been used by God in teaching roles.

There is neither male nor female to God. If a woman is being used by God, why shouldn’t she teach others? If a woman teaches in the church in these end times, it could be a good example to see how the people’s hearts are in relation to this.

If there are ample scriptures showing where women taught both in the Old and New Testament, then why would a woman not be able to teach today?

God will put people in charge of His work as it suites Him, if it is a woman, a man, an old person, a young person, we must respect who ever God selects.