The topic of women serving as pastors is arguably the most contentious one in the church today. Therefore, it's critical to avoid viewing this as a male/female issue. Some women think that women shouldn't be pastors and that the Bible forbids women from serving in ministry, while some men think that women can be pastors and that there are no limitations on women in ministry. This has nothing to do with discrimination or chauvinism. It has to do with how the Bible is interpreted.
"A woman should learn in quiet and full submission," declares the Bible. According to 1 Timothy 2:11–12, "I do not allow a woman to teach or have authority over a man; she must be silent." God gives men and women distinct duties in the church. This is a consequence of how sin entered the world and how humans were created (1 Timothy 2:13–14). Through the apostle Paul, God forbids women from holding positions of teaching or spiritual leadership over males. Since pastoring undoubtedly entails preaching, public teaching, and wielding spiritual power, this prohibits women from holding the position more frequently than men.
But Artemis is never mentioned in the book of 1 Timothy, and Paul doesn't cite Artemis worshippers' common behavior as justification for the limitations in 1 Timothy 2:11–12.
All men and women, not only spouses and wives, are explicitly mentioned in verses 8–10. Nothing in the context suggests that verses 11–14 are being limited to husbands and wives.
Another argument against this view of women in pastoral ministry makes reference to biblical women in leadership roles, particularly the Old Testament figures Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah. Indeed, these women are examples of faith, bravery, and yes, leadership, and they were selected by God for unique service to Him. However, the question of church pastors has nothing to do with the power of women in the Old Testament.
A new paradigm for God's people—the church, the body of Christ—is presented in the New Testament Epistles. This paradigm includes an authority structure that is specific to the church and not for the country of Israel or any other Old Testament organization.
In the church, Phoebe is referred to as a "deacon" (or "servant") in Romans 16:1, and Paul gives her high praise. However, just like with Priscilla, there is no evidence in the Bible that Phoebe served as a pastor or a male instructor in the church.
Elders must be "able to teach," but deacons are exempt (1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus 1:6–9).
The structure of 1 Timothy 2:11–14 makes it very evident why women are not allowed to serve as pastors. The word "for," which opens verse 13, provides the "cause" of Paul's assertion in verses 11–12. Why shouldn't women be able to teach or lead men? Because Adam came into the world before Eve. Furthermore, the woman was the one who was tricked, not Adam (verses 13–14). After creating Adam, God made Eve to serve as Adam's "assistant." In both the church and the family, the order of creation is universally applicable (Ephesians 5:22–33).
Another explanation for why women are not allowed to hold positions as pastors or have spiritual leadership over males is that Eve was duped (1 Timothy 2:14). This does not imply that all women are more susceptible to deception than males or that they are credulous. Why would they be permitted to instruct infants, who are also susceptible to deception, and other women, who are also allegedly more susceptible to deception, if all women are more susceptible to deception? The passage just states that because Eve was duped, women are forbidden to instruct males or have spiritual authority over them. The primary teaching authority in the church has been delegated to men by God.
A lot of women are very good in teaching, evangelism, hospitality, mercy, and helping/serving.
Only men are permitted to hold positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church, according to God's decree. This does not mean that women are less intellectual or that men are better teachers.
"A woman should learn in quiet and full submission," declares the Bible. According to 1 Timothy 2:11–12, "I do not allow a woman to teach or have authority over a man; she must be silent." God gives men and women distinct duties in the church. This is a consequence of how sin entered the world and how humans were created (1 Timothy 2:13–14). Through the apostle Paul, God forbids women from holding positions of teaching or spiritual leadership over males. Since pastoring undoubtedly entails preaching, public teaching, and wielding spiritual power, this prohibits women from holding the position more frequently than men.
This perspective on women in pastoral service is subject to numerous criticisms.
There is a prevalent argument that Paul forbids women from teaching since, in the first century, women were generally illiterate. However, there is no reference of educational rank in 1 Timothy 2:11–14. The vast majority of Jesus' disciples would not have been eligible for ministry if education were a prerequisite. Paul solely forbade the women of Ephesus from instructing men, according to a second frequent criticism (1 Timothy was written to Timothy, the pastor of the church in Ephesus). According to the argument, Paul was only responding to the female-led practices of the Ephesian idolaters, and the church needed to change because Ephesus was famed for its temple to Artemis and women held the reins of power in that branch of paganism.But Artemis is never mentioned in the book of 1 Timothy, and Paul doesn't cite Artemis worshippers' common behavior as justification for the limitations in 1 Timothy 2:11–12.
Paul's reference to husbands and wives, rather than men and women in general, is the third point of contention.
The primary meaning of the Greek terms for "woman" and "man" in 1 Timothy 2 is more expansive than just referring to husbands and wives. Furthermore, verses 8–10 utilize the same Greek terms. Only husbands are allowed to raise their hands in prayer without getting upset or arguing (verse 8). Only spouses are expected to worship God, dress modestly, and perform good deeds (verses 9–10). Obviously not.All men and women, not only spouses and wives, are explicitly mentioned in verses 8–10. Nothing in the context suggests that verses 11–14 are being limited to husbands and wives.
Another argument against this view of women in pastoral ministry makes reference to biblical women in leadership roles, particularly the Old Testament figures Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah. Indeed, these women are examples of faith, bravery, and yes, leadership, and they were selected by God for unique service to Him. However, the question of church pastors has nothing to do with the power of women in the Old Testament.
A new paradigm for God's people—the church, the body of Christ—is presented in the New Testament Epistles. This paradigm includes an authority structure that is specific to the church and not for the country of Israel or any other Old Testament organization.
In the New Testament, Priscilla and Phoebe are used to support similar claims.
Acts 18 portrays Aquila and Priscilla as obedient servants of Christ. The fact that Priscilla's name appears first in verse 18 may indicate to some that she was more well-known in the ministry than her husband. (The specifics of whose name appears first are likely irrelevant because verses 2 and 26 change the sequence from verse 18.)Did Apollos learn about Jesus Christ from Priscilla and her husband?
Indeed, according to Acts 18:26, they "explained to him the way of God more adequately" in their home. Does Priscilla ever appear in the Bible as a pastor, a public teacher, or the spiritual head of a group of saints? No. To the best of our knowledge, Priscilla did not engage in ministry activities, which runs counter to 1 Timothy 2:11–14.In the church, Phoebe is referred to as a "deacon" (or "servant") in Romans 16:1, and Paul gives her high praise. However, just like with Priscilla, there is no evidence in the Bible that Phoebe served as a pastor or a male instructor in the church.
Elders must be "able to teach," but deacons are exempt (1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus 1:6–9).
The structure of 1 Timothy 2:11–14 makes it very evident why women are not allowed to serve as pastors. The word "for," which opens verse 13, provides the "cause" of Paul's assertion in verses 11–12. Why shouldn't women be able to teach or lead men? Because Adam came into the world before Eve. Furthermore, the woman was the one who was tricked, not Adam (verses 13–14). After creating Adam, God made Eve to serve as Adam's "assistant." In both the church and the family, the order of creation is universally applicable (Ephesians 5:22–33).
Another explanation for why women are not allowed to hold positions as pastors or have spiritual leadership over males is that Eve was duped (1 Timothy 2:14). This does not imply that all women are more susceptible to deception than males or that they are credulous. Why would they be permitted to instruct infants, who are also susceptible to deception, and other women, who are also allegedly more susceptible to deception, if all women are more susceptible to deception? The passage just states that because Eve was duped, women are forbidden to instruct males or have spiritual authority over them. The primary teaching authority in the church has been delegated to men by God.
A lot of women are very good in teaching, evangelism, hospitality, mercy, and helping/serving.
Do women have a major role in the local church's ministry?
According to 1 Corinthians 11:5, women in the church are only allowed to teach spirituality to men; they are not prohibited from praying or prophesying in public. There is no prohibition in the Bible against women using the Holy Spirit's abilities (1 Corinthians 12). Women are invited to serve others, show the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), and share the gospel with the unsaved (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15), just like men are.Only men are permitted to hold positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church, according to God's decree. This does not mean that women are less intellectual or that men are better teachers.