Saving Faith
Here you will find all the important information about God and the Christian faith.
Women in Leadership
1 Elders
2 The roles of men and women
3 Why women shouldn't lead and teach
4 Women's meetings and children's groups
5 What about Deborah, Miriam, Phoebe, Junia etc.?
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1 - Elders
1st Timothy 3,1-7
1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of GOD? 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Titus 1,5-9
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 6 if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of GOD; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
According to GOD's will, every Christian community should have elders or church leaders as overseers. The duties of an elder primarily include teaching and instructing the believers in GOD's Word and guiding them to a holy and godly lifestyle. To become an elder, a person must fulfill certain requirements clearly stated in the New Testament. Among other things, it states that an elder should be husband of one wife; i.e., he should be faithful to his wife. This formulation makes it clear that the office of elder is intended exclusively for believing men. This is also supported by the use of the pronoun he, as well as the requirement that an elder should rule his household well. This task, in turn, is reserved only for men, since according to GOD's will, the man is to be the head of the wife.
Wives of elders are not considered elders, even if they may support their husbands with advice and action in their capacity as heads. Accordingly, the wife of an elder does not possess the authority of an elder. No reason is given why the qualifications for elders would apply only to a specific congregation or only in a certain culture; especially since Paul repeats the same requirements in Titus. They are therefore universally valid. In this respect, GOD recognizes only men as elders. Women, however, are not intended for this role (not even in exceptional cases). Violation of these requirements constitutes a disregard for the church order set by GOD. Feminism, which is increasingly spreading in more and more societies and emphasizes the role of women in leadership positions, is also a direct rebellion against GOD'S order of creation and therefore has no place in a Christian assembly.
Acts 2,15-18
15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, GOD says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
The prophet Joel foretold that in the last days GOD would pour out His Spirit on all flesh, that is, men and women. However, this does not mean that men and women have the same authority. Nor does it negate GOD's order for His church, which designates only brothers as teachers and leaders of the congregation. Rather, men and women are to serve with the gifts they have received within the framework established by GOD.
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2 - The roles of men and women
Genesis 2,21-23
21 And the Lord GOD caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the Lord GOD had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Adam and Eve were the first people GOD created. First, GOD created man, then woman. This reveals the natural order of creation, that, according to GOD's will, man should be the head of woman. While Adam was created by GOD from the dust of the earth, GOD formed Eve from Adam's rib. The Bible says that, according to GOD's will, woman should be the helper of man. As such, a woman stands at her husband's side, not above him. Furthermore, it was man to whom GOD gave the privilege of naming the animals in the Garden of Eden. In Hebrew, human (Hebrew: adam) and man mean the same thing. Therefore, these two terms are often used synonymously.
Men and women are fundamentally equal before GOD, and their respective services are of equal importance to the church. Nevertheless, according to GOD's will, women should submit to their husbands in everything. This makes men neither better nor more valuable than women. Rather, GOD assigns roles and authority in the church according to the natural gender-specific gifts and strengths of men and women. This does not mean that there are no women who are theoretically capable of teaching or leading. Nevertheless, according to GOD's will, men should serve as leaders and women in support roles. GOD expects us to humbly acknowledge His ordinances, even if they deviate from our personal ideas and ambitions. GOD knows us humans best and therefore knows how men and women tick. In this way, GOD wants to ensure harmonious and peaceful coexistence. This, in turn, should contribute to the optimal building up of the church. The roles and services for women in the church include:
→ pray 2nd Corinthians 11,3
→ prophecy 2nd Corinthians 11,3
→ instruct/guide younger women Titus 2,4-5
→ Giving birth and raising children 1st Timothy 2,15
→ provide practical service / provide support / take care of food supplies Proverbs 1,8 / Proverbs 6,20 / Proverbs 31,10-31
→ Exercise spiritual gifts; except teaching/leading 1st Corinthians 12
→ share the gospel Acts 18,26
Genesis 3,16
16 Unto the woman He (GOD) said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
1st Corinthians 11,3
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is GOD.
Ephesians 5,21-23 + 33
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of GOD. 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. (...) 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
1st Peter 3,1-6
1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of GOD of great price. 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in GOD, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
Over time, GOD's order of creation became increasingly perverted and weakened. Immediately after the Fall, GOD showed Adam and Eve the consequences their disobedience would have for them and for humanity: It states that woman would exalt herself above man. Desire (Hebrew: teshuqah) does not refer to sexual desire between man and woman, as the context makes clear. Rather, it is about exercising power, control, and dominance over man, which a woman is not entitled to. At the same time, GOD indicates that the man will rule (Hebrew: maw-shal') over the woman according to His will, i.e., be master over the woman. The Hebrew word will can also be translated as shall. It expresses a request and the natural destiny of the man as head of the woman, as the New Testament also confirms. The same sentence structure can be found in Genesis 4,7, where Cain is asked by GOD to rule (maw-shal') over sin. That the man should be the head of the woman represents a universally valid ordinance; just as Christ is the head of the man and GOD is the head of Christ. As such, it is independent of historical and cultural circumstances. Furthermore, Paul commands that men should love their wives as Christ loves the church. This, too, makes it clear that this is a general commandment, not limited to a specific group of people. The fall of Adam and Eve reveals the dilemma when man and woman reverse their roles: Eve resisted her husband's guidance and thus became an easy target for Satan's cunning. Adam, on the other hand, listened to his wife's voice instead of to GOD. Any religious community in which women teach or rule over men, and where men obey women's voices, acts reprehensibly in two ways.
Titus 2,1-5
1 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of GOD.
Paul gives his coworker Titus instructions on how men and women should behave in the church. The introductory words, as is fitting according to sound doctrine, make it clear that here, as in most cases, universal commandments are at stake, independent of social circumstances. The older women are instructed to teach the younger women what is good. This does not explicitly refer to instruction in the Word. Rather, it is about practically guiding the young women to fulfill their GOD-given roles as wives and homemakers and setting an example for them in this. This includes, among other things, loving there own husband and children (if any) and submitting to their husbands.
Hebrews 13,17
17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
In the Epistle to the Hebrews, believers are urged to follow their spiritual leaders and submit to their instructions. This explicitly excludes leadership for women, as a wife is to submit to her husband in everything. Consequently, she cannot lead any community, as this would mean that a man would have to submit to his wife, which in turn would reverse the roles ordained by GOD. However, with male elders, GOD'S order of creation is preserved.
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3 - Why women shouldn't lead and teach
1st Timothy 2,11-14
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
The ancient Greek word goonay can be translated as both woman and wife. In this case, it refers to all women; not just married ones. In both Semitic and Greco-Roman cultures, women had extremely limited opportunities for education; quite different from today. While men, especially from wealthier families, received an education, women often had no education at all. Therefore, Paul's instruction that women should learn can be considered progress, given the social circumstances of the time. Like all Christians, believing women should learn continuously and undisturbed in order to grow in the knowledge of GOD and His Word. Paul does not fundamentally forbid women from speaking in the congregation—as is common in some churches—but merely from interrupting without being asked, thereby disrupting the meeting. If women don't understand something, Paul recommends that they ask their own husbands at home (1st Corinthians 14,33-35).
On the other hand, Paul explicitly forbids women from both teaching and leading (rule) in the church. He bases this instruction on the original order of creation (Genesis 2,7 + 20-25). This order clearly shows that GOD first created man so that he might be the head of woman. This order of creation has universal application, both in the family and in the church (1st Corinthians 11,3 / Ephesians 5,22-33 / Titus 2,3-5 / 1st Peter 3,1-6). As a further reason why women should not serve as pastors or have spiritual authority over men, Paul cites the fact that Eve was seduced. Adam, on the other hand, the husband of Eve, was not tempted, but sinned willfully by listening to his wife's voice instead of to GOD and eating the forbidden fruit. Therefore, women should not teach because they are more easily misled, as practice (especially in charismatic circles) repeatedly confirms. Paul's explanation makes it clear that his instructions are neither temporally nor culturally conditioned, as is often claimed, but are derived directly from creation and the Fall. Otherwise, he would have formulated it accordingly. Therefore, the assumption that Paul would permit women to teach and lead in the third chapter of his letter, while explicitly forbidding it in the previous chapter, is untenable. Verse 10 further clarifies that the apostle's instructions in the First and Second Epistles to Timothy have fundamental significance and are valid both then and now. The same is true of 1st Corinthians 11,1-16, where Paul likewise grounds his directive in creation. The fact that Paul writes here in the first person does not mean that he is merely expressing a personal opinion or recommendation, as he does elsewhere (1. Corinthians 7,6 + 10 + 12 + 25 + 40 / 2nd Corinthians 8,10), but rather affirms that this is a general instruction from the Lord, the implementation of which the apostle insists upon.
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4 - Women's meetings and children's groups
"Women's circles", which now exist in many churches, are newfangled phenomena that did not exist in the early days of Christianity and are not intended by GOD. In this way, women evade the authority of men and elders in order to exercise spiritual authority themselves, something they are not entitled to according to the Bible and which, strictly speaking, is an expression of carnal rebellion. The same applies to prayer and mission groups and other ministries which are often led by women. Instead of isolating themselves, all believing women, just like all believing men, should participate in the regular meetings of their congregation. Instead of teaching or leading, women should learn in silence and submit. From a biblical perspective, there is no reason for men and women to meet separately. Even personal matters, which are often cited as an excuse, can be discussed in the presence of the elders and all believers. Christians should see themselves as a family in which everyone is open with one another. In this way, everyone has the opportunity to participate in each other's lives and to serve according to their abilities. When it comes to very urgent intimate matters, some of the sisters may withdraw for a certain period of time. This applies, however, to specific situations, for example, when a woman os a sister is in acute distress. It should therefore not be the norm. When women wish to meet to study GOD's Word, at least one brother responsible for teaching in the congregation should be present to teach the word or to examine what is said and correct it if necessary.
Proverbs 1,8
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
"Children's groups" led by women are also not biblical, even though there is no inherent biblical reason against them. The verse mentioned above, however, refers to the domestic upbringing of children and is therefore unsuitable as a justification. This includes instructing boys and girls in GOD's will until they reach adulthood and guiding them toward a GOD-pleasing life. Nevertheless, the teaching of children and young people within the context of religious gatherings should, whenever possible, remain the responsibility of the brothers, while the sisters can provide practical guidance to the children or otherwise engage with them.
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5 - What about Deborah, Miriam, Phoebe, Junia etc.?
Judges 4,4 f.
4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
2nd Kings 22,14
14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college; and they communed with her.
Luke 2,36 f.
36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served GOD with fastings and prayers night and day.
Deborah was the only female judge among 13 male judges. Miriam, Huldah, and Hannah were the only female prophetesses among dozens of male prophets mentioned in the Bible. Moreover, a prophet is not automatically an elder, rather, he passes on a specific message he hears from GOD. The task of teaching the people, in both the Old and New Testaments, lies with the elders of the congregation. Prophets were rarely entrusted with teaching, as in the case of the prophet Samuel. Miriam was Moses and Aaron's sister and led the women's hymns and dances. She was not the leader of the congregation. The prophetess mentioned in Isaiah most likely refers to the wife of the prophet Isaiah, who may have served the Lord alongside her husband. Athaliah and Jezebel—the two most prominent women during the reign of the kings—can in no way be considered role models for female leaders. Both the kingship and the office of (high) priest were reserved exclusively for men. All of the apostles Jesus personally chose were also men. Likewise, only male elders are mentioned in the New Testament. In contrast, there is not a single example of women as leaders. This continued with the post-apostolic "church fathers" into modern times. All the letters of the New Testament, which served as teaching and instruction to the early Christian communities, were also exclusively written by believing men.
Furthermore, the authority of women in the Old Testament is not relevant with regard to the New Testament church of GOD. The letters to Timothy and Titus present the Body of Christ as a new model order for GOD's church. Furthermore, the Mosaic Law is only a shadow of what is perfect. Many laws and commandments were given for a limited time (see the right to divorce, the right to polygamy, the right to revenge, etc.). Therefore, Israel and the Mosaic Law do not serve as a standard for Christians, and examples like Deborah and others do not serve as a model for the church today. In the book of Hosea, we read how GOD commanded the prophet to take a prostitute as his wife. This was not only a sin according to Mosaic Law, but also absolutely socially frowned upon. However, it shows that GOD allows exceptions under certain circumstances without abrogating the rule.
Acts 1,12-14
36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served GOD with fa
The text speaks only of women, who (apart from Mary) are not mentioned by name. Nor are they described as apostles or leaders. It merely states that they persevered in prayer alongside the apostles. At this point, the Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out upon the disciples. In this context, it is crucial not to read anything into a text that is not explicitly stated, simply to support one's own doctrine, as is often done with such texts.
Romans 16,1-7
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me. 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
Philippians 4,2 f.
2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
None of the individuals mentioned here are described as elders or as holding any leadership position within the congregation. The fact that Phoebe, Priscilla (Aquila's wife), Euodia, and Syntyche are described as Paul's co-workers or companions says nothing about how they served the apostle—whether in preaching the gospel, through practical assistance (such as providing food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities), or simply by supporting Paul spiritually in his mission. All of these things are generally permitted for women. However, the assumption that these individuals were spiritual leaders directly contradicts the apostle's instructions (1st Timothy 3,1–7 / Titus 1,5–9).
Deacons (Greek: diakonos) are also to be male according to GOD's will (1st Timothy 3,8-13). The fact that Phoebe is referred to by Paul as a servant, for which the same word (diakonos) is used in Greek, does not change this fact. Rather, it demonstrates that, even with regard to diaconal service, a distinction must be made between leadership roles (for brothers) and administrative tasks (for sisters). That Junia was respected among the apostles does not mean that she herself was one of them, but rather expresses that she demonstrated great devotion in her service to the Lord and the Gospel, for which she was valued among the apostles and by which she served as an example to others. The Bible consistently speaks of 12 apostles. In addition, there is the Apostle Paul, who is also referred to as such. No further apostles are mentioned.
The fact that Apollos was instructed in the Lord's ways by Priscilla and her husband Aquila does not make her a leader, nor does the fact that religious meetings were held in their house. Furthermore, it is clear from the text that this was not a religious meeting and that Apollos was not yet a disciple of the Lord at that time, even though he already showed great zeal for the Word. Therefore, this conversation can be understood as a spiritual or evangelistic exchange with an individual outside the church. Moreover, the text says nothing about who spoke in this instance. The fact that Priscilla's name is mentioned before her husband's name in several places is, in itself, meaningless. Therefore, no interpretation should be read into this passage, especially since Aquila's name is mentioned first in 1st Corinthians 16,19.
2nd John 1,2 f.
1 The elder, To the lady chosen by GOD and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever (...).
The context makes it clear that the recipient of the Second Epistle of John was a single mother. Since she apparently had no husband or was divorced, she was the one in charge of her household. This could be one reason why John addressed her as Lady (Greek: kyria). On the other hand, this could be a common way of addressing a respected woman in society at the time, intended to express courtesy and deference. This is further supported by the fact that John does not refer to the person by name—unlike most of the other female believers mentioned in the New Testament. In any case, the address as Lady has no connection whatsoever to a leadership position within the community, such as the one John holds as an elder (Greek: presbyteros); especially since John does not address her as "my" or "our" Lady. The contents of the letter also reveal that this person had not been a believer for very long, which is why John is instructing them in the will of GOD.