the issue of women serving as pastors/preachers. As a result, it is
very important to not see this issue as men versus women. There are
women who believe women should not serve as pastors and that the Bible
places restrictions on the ministry of women, and there are men who
believe women can serve as preachers and that there are no
restrictions on women in ministry. This is not an issue of chauvinism
or discrimination. It is an issue of biblical interpretation.
The Word of God proclaims, "A woman should learn in quietness and full
submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over
a man; she must be silent" (1 Timothy 2:11–12). In the church, God
assigns different roles to men and women. This is a result of the way
mankind was created and the way in which sin entered the world (1
Timothy 2:13–14). God, through the apostle Paul, restricts women from
serving in roles of teaching and/or having spiritual authority over
men. This precludes women from serving as pastors over men, which
definitely includes preaching to them, teaching them publicly, and
exercising spiritual authority over them.
There are many objections to this view of women in pastoral ministry.
A common one is that Paul restricts women from teaching because in the
first century, women were typically uneducated. However, 1 Timothy
2:11–14 nowhere mentions educational status. If education were a
qualification for ministry, then the majority of Jesus' disciples
would not have been qualified. A second common objection is that Paul
only restricted the women of Ephesus from teaching men (1 Timothy was
written to Timothy, the pastor of the church in Ephesus). Ephesus was
known for its temple to Artemis, and women were the authorities in
that branch of paganism—therefore, the theory goes, Paul was only
reacting against the female-led customs of the Ephesian idolaters, and
the church needed to be different. However, the book of 1 Timothy
nowhere mentions Artemis, nor does Paul mention the standard practice
of Artemis worshipers as a reason for the restrictions in 1 Timothy
2:11–12.
A third objection is that Paul is only referring to husbands and
wives, not men and women in general. The Greek words for "woman" and
"man" in 1 Timothy 2 could refer to husbands and wives; however, the
basic meaning of the words is broader than that. Further, the same
Greek words are used in verses 8–10. Are only husbands to lift up holy
hands in prayer without anger and disputing (verse 8)? Are only wives
to dress modestly, have good deeds, and worship God (verses 9–10)? Of
course not. Verses 8–10 clearly refer to all men and women, not just
husbands and wives. There is nothing in the context that would
indicate a narrowing to husbands and wives in verses 11–14.
Yet another objection to this interpretation of women in pastoral
ministry is in relation to women who held positions of leadership in
the Bible, specifically Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Old
Testament. It is true that these women were chosen by God for special
service to Him and that they stand as models of faith, courage, and,
yes, leadership. However, the authority of women in the Old Testament
is not relevant to the issue of pastors in the church. The New
Testament Epistles present a new paradigm for God's people—the church,
the body of Christ—and that paradigm involves an authority structure
unique to the church, not for the nation of Israel or any other Old
Testament entity.
Similar arguments are made using Priscilla and Phoebe in the New
Testament. In Acts 18, Priscilla and Aquila are presented as faithful
ministers for Christ. Priscilla's name is mentioned first, perhaps
indicating that she was more prominent in ministry than her husband.
Did Priscilla and her husband teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to
Apollos? Yes, in their home they "explained to him the way of God more
adequately" (Acts 18:26). Does the Bible ever say that Priscilla
pastored a church or taught publicly or became the spiritual leader of
a congregation of saints? No. As far as we know, Priscilla was not
involved in ministry activity in contradiction to 1 Timothy 2:11–14.
In Romans 16:1, Phoebe is called a "deacon" (or "servant") in the
church and is highly commended by Paul. But, as with Priscilla, there
is nothing in Scripture to indicate that Phoebe was a pastor or a
teacher of men in the church. "Able to teach" is given as a
qualification for elders, but not for deacons (1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus
1:6–9).
The structure of 1 Timothy 2:11–14 makes the reason why women cannot
be pastors perfectly clear. Verse 13 begins with "for," giving the
"cause" of Paul's statement in verses 11–12. Why should women not
teach or have authority over men? Because "Adam was created first,
then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was
deceived" (verses 13–14). God created Adam first and then created Eve
to be a "helper" for Adam. The order of creation has universal
application in the family (Ephesians 5:22–33) and in the church.
The fact that Eve was deceived is also given in 1 Timothy 2:14 as a
reason for women not serving as pastors or having spiritual authority
over men. This does not mean that women are gullible or that they are
all more easily deceived than men. If all women are more easily
deceived, why would they be allowed to teach children (who are easily
deceived) and other women (who are supposedly more easily deceived)?
The text simply says that women are not to teach men or have spiritual
authority over men because Eve was deceived. God has chosen to give
men the primary teaching authority in the church.
Many women excel in gifts of hospitality, mercy, teaching, evangelism,
and helps. Much of the ministry of the local church depends on women.
Women in the church are not restricted from public praying or
prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5), only from having spiritual teaching
authority over men. The Bible nowhere restricts women from exercising
the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12). Women, just as much
as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of
the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), and to proclaim the gospel to the lost
(Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).
God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual
teaching authority in the church. This is not because men are
necessarily better teachers or because women are inferior or less
intelligent (which is not the case). It is simply the way God designed
the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual
leadership—in their lives and through their words. Women are to take a
less authoritative role. Women are encouraged to teach other women
(Titus 2:3–5). The Bible also does not restrict women from teaching
children. The only activity women are restricted from is teaching or
having spiritual authority over men. This precludes women from serving
as pastors to men. This does not make women less important, by any
means, but rather gives them a ministry focus more in agreement with
God's plan and His gifting of them.
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