I
have been a major supporter of women’s rights to minister in the church for a
very long time. This subject has been a “parking lot” discussion for me because
I know that Jesus Christ came to set people free, not shackle them to cultural
norms from pre-Christian traditions.
Recently
I was in a conversation with someone who brought up a valid point of logic on
the debate of women ministering in the church, or more particularly, within the
five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4:11. We were discussing the interpretation of 1
Corinthians 14:35 and 1 Timothy 2:11ff which seem to forbid women to minister
in the church. He said that those who will not let women minister in the church
must by deduction allow for slavery too. Good point!
Upon
closer examination of these verses, it’s evident that they are not referring to
women in general, but to wives of ministers who were trying to crowd in on
their husband’s place and authority.
And
if they (the wives of the prophets) will learn any thing, let them ask their
husbands (the prophets) at home: for it is a shame for women (the wives of the
prophets) to speak in the church. ~1 Corinthians 14:13
Let
the woman (wife) learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman
(wife) to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. ~1
Timothy 2:11–13
Neither
of these verses were meant for women in general but were specifically
addressing the wives of ordained ministers. They were being admonished for
disrupting their husbands’ messages and being told to discuss them at home
instead. These words were not meant to shackle women or limit their authority
but to address a problem that was occurring at these churches with the
ministers’ wives.
My
friend and I were also discussing the cultural norms of the communities to whom
these instructions were given—communities that were based upon sex and idol
worshiping and that considered women as “property,” rather than as human
beings. We were also discussing the evolving revelation of liberty, beginning
with Christ’s earthly ministry. Churches who forbid women to minster in the
church often say that they are literally interpreting the Scriptures. First of
all, if they were literally interpreting them, they would need to point out
that the context identifies “the women” in these verses as the wives of the
ministers, and not women in general. Second of all, a literal interpretation
would also take into consideration the truth that Christ came to set us free,
not to keep us bound.
My
friend then made the dazzling deduction that the title of this posting is based
upon. He said, “If those who disallow women to minister in the church are
justified by their ‘literal’ interpretation of the Scriptures, then by the same
logic they would have to accept and legitimatize slavery because that culture
also allowed slavery, as shown by the Scriptures that deal with how a servant
(slave) is to act towards his master and vice versa” (Ephesians 6:5–8;
Colossians 3:22–24). In other words, to be logically and deductively consistent,
if women cannot minister in the church then it must also be okay to own slaves.
My
friends, Jesus Christ came to set us free, not to laden us with heavy burdens in
order to justify our flesh. Jesus came to set slaves free and He came to set women free (which, in some cultures, would be
relevant to both). Properly interpreted, there is no restriction on women
ministering in the church. According to Galatians 3:28, in Christ Jesus, there
is neither male of female. We are all set free to serve him regardless of race,
sex, country and/or culture.
He who
the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36).
