(copied straight from the author’s notes, without having changed the design)
‘Let’s start w/the book of Genesis verse 1. Because when a teaching is proved from the old testament up to the new testament, & written many times. It has the strongest proof and evidence that the teaching is applicable up to this time…. Gen.1 teaches us that male & female participate equally in the image of God. “So God created man (humankind/ man & woman) in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male & female created He them (Gen.1:27, Gen.5:1-2). This passage gives no hint of divine creation order. Here, man & woman are fully equal, w/no subordination of one to another. We find that this description of the relationship between man & woman holds throughout the scripture & beyond. No inspired writer-Not Moses, Jesus nor Paul teaches the creation headship of man over woman. Those who oppose of the ordination of women ultimately based their argument on the creation headship of man over woman. Their case, however, Rests on a fundamental misinterpretation of Gen.1-3. Gen.2 reinforces Gen.1- in Gen.2 woman is the climax, the crowning work of creation. SHE IS CREATED FROM A RIB FROM ADAM’s SIDE, TO SHOW THAT SHE IS “TO STAND BY HIS SIDE AS AN EQUAL” (Gen.2:21-22 PP 46). She is Man’s ‘ēzer k’negdô (“w/c means helpmeet for him”, Gen.2:18 KJV) W/c in the original does not denote or subordinate a helper or assistant. Elsewhere in scripture it is most often God Himself who is called ‘ēzer (“helper”) (Exod. 18:4; the phrase ‘ēzer k’negdô in Gen.2 means no less than an equal counterpart, a “partner’ (Gen.2:18,12 NEB). in short, Gen.2 CONTAINS NO CREATION ORDER SUBORDINATING WOMAN TO MAN RESTRICTING HER FROM ENTERING INTO FULL & EQUAL PARTICIPATION W/MAN IN ANY MINISTRY TO WHICH GOD MAY CALL HER. a subjection of Eve to Adam is mentioned in Gen. 3 God says to Eve “your desire shall be to your husband & he shall rule over you (Gen.3:16). BUT IT IS CRUCIAL TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE SUBJECTION OF EVE TO ADAM COMES “AFTER THE FALL”. FURTHERMORE, IT IS LIMITED TO THE HUSBAND-WIFE RELATIONSHIP, & THEREFORE DOES NOT INVOLVE A GENERAL SUBORDINATION OF WOMEN TO MEN. uhm..Paul gave much instructions regarding the relationship between husbands & wives. As can be seen in particular by 1 Tim. 2:14 (see also 1Cor. 14:34& PP 58-59). It is ultimately in light of Gen.3:16 that he indicates the “head of a woman is her husband” (1 Cor.11:3) & calls upon wives to be ”subject in everything to their husbands” (Eph.5:24). Such Passages as 1Cor.11:3-12, 1Cor.14:34-35,& 1 Tim.2:11-13. All concern the issue of THE SUBMISSION OF WIVES TO THEIR HUSBANDS & NOT OF WOMEN TO MEN IN GENERAL. furthermore in 1Tim. 2:13, Paul is not arguing for a creation headship of man over woman AS HAS OFTEN BEEN ASSUMED. Rather, (according to some theologians) he was correcting a false syncretistic theology in Ephesus w/c claimed that woman was created 1st & man fell 1st & therefore, women are superior to men. Because of this false theology, wives were apparently domineering over their husbands in public church meetings. (For a careful analysis of the evidence of these conclusions, see Gordon P. Hugenberger ” Women in Church office: Hermeneutics or Exegesis?) It Is a survey to 1Tim.2:8-15.
PAUL’s COUNSEL TO HUSBANDS & WIVES CANNOT BE EXTENDED TO THE RELATIONSHIP OF MEN & WOMEN IN GENERAL. the apostle himself shows how the marriage relationship applies to the church. HUSBANDS HEADSHIP IN HOME IS NOT EQUATED W/MALE HEADSHIP IN THE CHURCH. RATHER, THE HUSBAND/HEAD OF THE CHURCH IS CHRIST, & ALL THE CHURCH—> INCLUDING MALES ARE HIS “BRIDE”, EQUALLY SUBMISSIVE TO THE HUSBAND/HEAD OF THE CHURCH W/C IS JESUS (Eph.5:21-23).
In the old testament, we see numerous women in leadership roles over men, thus confirming Genesis.
*witness Deborah (Judges 4 & 5) , one of the Judges over the people of Israel-women&men. “….The children of Israel came up to her for judgement” (Judges 4:5b) it didn’t say the women of Israel but it says the “children of Israel” w/c clearly means the PEOPLE OF ISRAEL & THAT INCLUDES MEN 🙂 & God used a female Deborah to lead His men-the Israelites to mount Tabor where the battle between the people of God Israel & Jabin’s Man, Sisera & His troops took place.
*witness the leadership role of Miriam (Exod. 15:20-21)
*Prophetess Huldah (2Kings 22:13-14, 2 Chr. 34:22-23)
*Esther & others. (e.g., Exod.38:8, 1Sam.2:22; 2Kings 8:1-6; Psa. 68:11, Jer. 31:22).
Although in Old testament, Israel there did exist social inequalities for women, reflecting a perversion of the divine ideal set forth in Gen.1, yet nonetheless, THERE ARE NO LEGAL RESTRICTIONS BARRING WOMEN FROM POSITIONS OF INFLUENCE, LEADERSHIP, & AUTHORITY OVER MEN. w/regard to the priesthood, Adam& Eve were appointed priests in the Garden of Eden before the fall, & reconfirmed as such after the Fall. God’s original plan was that all Israel be a “kingdom of priests”(Exod.19:6). Because of Israel’s sin, an alternate plan was given in w/c most men were also excluded–> except for 1 family in 1 tribe in Israel (the Levites) . Yet in the New testament, the Gospel restores God’s original plan-not a few male priests, but once more, the ”priesthood of ALL believers” the word “ALL” do not choose age, lifestyle status, NOR GENDER. It clearly means it’s exclusively for all believers or shall we say for all the children of God (1Pet.2:5,9; Rev.1:6).
Uhm… JESUS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT DID NOT MOVE PRECIPITOUSLY, UPSETTING THE VERY FABRIC OF JEWISH CULTURE. HE HAD WOMEN DISCIPLES BUT HE DID NOT ORDAIN WOMEN AS HIS IMMEDIATE DISCIPLES, JUST AS HE DID NOT ORDAIN GENTILES. BUT HE POINTED THE WAY TOWARD THE EDENIC IDEAL IN HIS REVOLUTIONARY TREATMENT & EXALTATION OF WOMEN (see John 4:7-30, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:1-3, Matt.15:21-28, John 20:1-18…,, etc…)
Paul Emphatically declared: “THERE IS NEITHER JEW NOR GREEK, THERE IS NEITHER SLAVE NOR FREE, THERE IS NEITHER MALE NOR FEMALE: FOR YOU ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS” (Gal.3:28). This is not merely a statement on equal access to salvation among various groups & that verse did not literally state nor literally emphasized there that it means only & merely for salvation (cf. Gal.2:11-15; Eph. 2:14-15). Rather, it means for Everything, God doesn’t look at the age, lifestyle status, nor gender,, He could use any willing heart & IT SPECIFICALLY SINGLES OUT 3 RELATIONSHIPS IN W/C THE JEWS HAD PERVERTED GOD’s ORIGINAL PLAN OF GEN.1 BY MAKING 1 GROUP SUBORDINATE TO ANOTHER:
1.) JEW-GENTILE
2.) SLAVE-MASTER
3.) MALE-FEMALE.
By using the rare new Testament terms “male-female” (arsen-thēly) instead of “husband-wife” (anēi-gunē). Paul establishes a link w/Gen.1:27 & thus shows how the gospel calls us back to the divine ideal,w/c has NO PLACE FOR GENERAL SUBORDINATION OF FEMALES TO MALES. THUS, PAUL’s CHOICE OF TERMINOLOGY UPHOLDS THE EQUALITY OF MEN & WOMEN IN THE CHURCH, “WITHOUT CHANGING THE POSITION OF THE HUSBAND AS THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY”. W/IN THE CULTURAL RESTRAINTS OF HIS DAY, PAUL & THE EARLY CHURCH (LIKE JESUS) DID NOT ACT PRECIPITOUSLY. THE SUBORDINATION OF THE GENTILES WAS DIFFICULT TO ROOT OUT (even Peter.! [Gal.2:11-14]).
SLAVERY WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY ABOLISHED IN THE CHURCH (see Eph.6:5-9; Col.3:22; Philemon 12:1; Tim.6:1).
LIKEWISE WOMEN DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RECIEVE FULL & EQUAL PARTICIPATION W/MEN IN THE MINSTRY OF THE CHURCH.
However, PHOEBE IS MENTIONED AS ”Deacon” (Rom.16:1),
JUNIA WAS A FEMALE APOSTLE (Rom.16:7),
& the Leaders of the church at Philippi were WOMEN (Phil. 4:2-3).
PRISCILLA ASSUMED AN AUTHORITATIVE TEACHING ROLE OVER MEN (Acts 18) ,Taught & Corrected a Man Apollos w/his wrong teaching & expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
& the “ELECT LADY” (2John) MAY WELL HAVE BEEN A PROMINENT CHURCH LEADER W/A CONGREGATION UNDER HER CARE.’
Source: Chillpha Ruth Elmidor Corion (facebook)
crosstheology.wordpress.com 