Ministry Roles of Women in the Church

God’s guidelines for His people have always been under cultural pressure. God’s ways
are not the ways of society corrupted by the sinfulness of egocentric humanity. God’s people
are often struggling by how much culture attempts to inform and influence how God’s word is
interpreted and applied.
One such issue is the regular tension between the roles of men and women. To arrive at
the Biblical perspective for these roles, several terms and concepts affecting this topic must be
identified and defined. Specific to this issue are the terms equality and equity, the roles, gifts
and titles given to the church, and throughout Scripture the use of priest, prophet, king, deacon
and elder/bishop/pastor. Also, the relationship between teaching and authority, and the
Scriptural parallel between the marriage covenant and the covenant between Jesus and the
church must be examined.

Terms
Equity refers to fairness within the scope of judgment and righteousness. The English Standard
Version translates the words "tsedoqah" (2 Sam 8.15), "mishor" (Ps 67.4; Is 11.4), and
"mesharim" (Ps 75.2; 96.10; 98.9; 99.4; Prov 1.3; 2.9) as equity. Each of these words is reserved
in Scripture for speaking to the arenas of justice and righteousness. The word mainly refers to
God's ability and consistency to judge each person fairly according to the standard of God's
righteousness and justice.
Current society is changing the definition of this word to eliminate any kind of diversity
or role stereotyping. The word is no longer reserved for judging in fairness, but now is relating
to all people as being gender neutral and all having the same ability to do whatever they should
please. Societal's definition of equity means everyone is just like everyone else in every way:
there is no gender, no race, no age, and no difference in ability or societal role.

Equality is a reference to sameness. Scripture uses the word to compare two items or persons.
Most notably, it is used to speak to the sameness, exactness, of the Son of God to God the
Father (John 5.18; Phil 2.6).

Roles vs Gifts vs Positional Titles

Roles are ministerial functions God has given each person by way of calling and election
according to their gifts and God's purpose in their life. Ephesians 4.11-12 states these 4-5 roles
are given so that the people of God may be equipped for the mission of God. These roles are
itemized as the apostle (a catalytic missionary), the prophet (a speaker of truth to keep the
church aligned to the principles of God), the evangelist (usually a people person type who is
able to speak the gospel clearly and boldly to whomever), shepherd (one who has a natural
ability to care for others), and teacher (one who is able to clearly relay the principles of
Scripture for others to follow). The shepherd and teacher are sometimes viewed as a connected
role. These roles are not official positions in the church. While the person may be gifted with
complementary gifts to function in their role, they are not necessarily limited to said gifts.

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Spiritual gifts are given to each follower of Christ as a result of their new birth in Christ.
Every believer has at least one gift to practice and perfect, conversely, no one will be given all
of them; although, through the course of life and ministry, each believer will be called upon to
exercise various gifts even though it may not be a strength. For instance, all are given the
responsibility of serving and sharing the gospel although only some are given the gifts of service
and evangelism. (1 Corinthians 12.11-18)
Positions are specific offices that are given to specific places of ministry. Throughout the
old testament and even new testament, the priest was the lead authority in the temple. There
is never a woman mentioned as holding the office of priest. The prophet in the Old Testament
was a person, called of God, to deliver a message from God. The prophet never claimed to be in
spiritual authority over anyone. The authority was the message, not the person. The person is
respected for what they represent, but its not a religious position with any religious authority in
the temple or church. What changes in the New Testament was the command to test the
prophets. Scripture mentions at least one woman recognized as a prophet in the Old Testament
(Huldah) and mentions women with the gift of prophecy (speaking truth) in the New
Testament.
Official New Testament church positions are few in Scripture but are described. The
specific positions are pastor/bishop/elder/overseer and deacon (1 Tim 6.17; 1 Tim 3.2; Titus
1.7; 1 Tim 3.1; Acts 6.).

Regarding Deacons
The word deacon is the same word used for "servant" in greek. Therefore, when reading
throughout the NT, careful distinction must be made when the word is being used to describe
the person's function as a servant or the person's position as a deacon. The places where
deacon refers to an office is Phil 1.1; 1 Tim 3.8, 3.12). The other more than 20 times the word is
used, it describes the function of service as in Rom 13.4. Paul, in Romans 16.1-2, mentions
Phoebe as a servant of the church in Cenchreae. There is no clear indication that Phoebe does
or does not hold a title as deacon. Because a deacon is not a position of spiritual authority, it
becomes a lesser issue if the title is there or not. According to 1 Timothy 3.8-12, the office of
deacon requires spiritual maturity and character, but it's not a position of authority. If 1
Timothy 3.11 is interpreted to apply to women deacons who are wives, it is then of great
interest to note that no similar instruction is given for “women elders”.

Regarding Elders/Pastors
Very simply, Scripture is extremely clear that God ordained the leadership of husbands
in the home (1 Cor 11.3, 7-10; Eph 5.22-23). As Christ's relationship with the church is so closely
likened to the marriage relationship between one man and one woman (Eph 5.24-27), Scripture
clearly identifies God's ordaining of the leadership of qualified and called men in the church.
In the New Testament, the words elder, overseer and pastor are interchangeable in
describing the office or position of those who are responsible for the fundamental spiritual
authority in the church. The key passages regarding the description of this office are 1 Timothy
3.1-7 and Titus 1.5-9. Both passages assume that only men will hold the office. This is addressed
in 1 Timothy 2.12 which is a passage that is quite debated.

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A Study of 1 Timothy 2.8-15

There are several items to be considered to properly interpret this verse: the context,
the popular definition of the Greek words employed. The grammatical makeup of the text and
the context of the passage within Timothy, within the writings of Paul and within Scripture as a
whole.
There is one Greek textbook that is used in at least 85% of evangelical classrooms for
teaching the Biblical Greek language: Basics of Biblical Greek by William Mounce. Whereas
other viewpoints will be analyzed for reference, Mounce will be given preference since “he
wrote the book.”

Geographical Context: A Historical Sketch of Ephesus

Timothy was in Ephesus when Paul wrote his first letter to him. Therefore, an
understanding of the cultural setting in which Timothy found himself is vital for a healthy
understanding of Paul’s exhortation to him regarding the role of women.
Ephesus is located on the west coast of modern Turkey, founded by Greek pioneers
during the era of the Israelite judges. It boasted of a natural harbor for overseas trade and well
suited for inland passages and trade.
Ephesus always found itself under foreign domination never adopting any egalitarian
democratic ideology that would necessitate the inclusion of women in public offices. At the
time of Paul, Roman culture dominated the political climate. Ephesus became one of the largest
and most prominent cities in the Roman empire with its population approximating 100,000
people.
In its governance, there are no women who are known to have filled places of
leadership during the 1st century, nor any known civic groups composed of women. Women did
occupy some public roles, but the leadership was exclusively male.
Even in religion, even though the larger religion was to Artemis and other Greek
goddesses as well as some of the other Greek pantheoln, the religious authorities were
decidedly male. Artemis Ephesia was referred to as the twin sister of Apollo and the guardian of
maidenhood and chastity. She watched over childhood being the midwife of birth and grower
of mortals, the giver of fruit. She was a huntress. There is no evidence she had anything to do
with fertility rather academic games were held in her honor. Being under Greco-Roman
influence, Ephesus had its share of pagan worship of fertility goddesses, but said worship did
not translate into societal status, rights or power for women into the society. Within the scarce
first century records, there is mention of a few women filling some of the religious offices as
priestesses. These offices appear to have been held by daughters and wives of wealthy families
in Ephesus under the general oversight of male municipal authorities. It was considered an
honor to hold the offices but had no correlation with being a sign of social status or political
feminist rights.
There is evidence that women had access to education and were among the few that
would have had an upper class education even a few highly accomplished in letters and poetry.
In summary, the Ephesian society was normal and fairly male dominated where women
had no public office because they did not care to, not because they couldn’t. Nothing suggests
that it had any issues with denigration of women nor feminism clamoring for women’s rights. In

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other words, there is nothing out of the ordinary in the Ephesian culture in regard to women’s
social standing that would prompt a special counsel from Paul.
So, in regard to the scope of Pauline exhortations regarding the role of women in the
church, “the role of women in first-century Ephesus was not sufficiently peculiar to suggest that
Paul intended to curtail the role of women in the Ephesian church, but not elsewhere.”1

The Text
1 Timothy 2-3 are a solid unit. The end of chapter three refers to the household of God. The
social context is the church gathered and Paul’s instructions are limited to that context. Paul is
talking about the “man-woman” relationship and not a “husband-wife” relationship.
1 Timothy 2.8 – Paul just defined the scope of prayer and now addresses the attitude of those
who engage in prayer. Men are to be men of prayer rather than contentious. Paul is concerned
with the heart attitude. A man focused on a total dependency on the Lord will relate to others
with a godly perspective. The men were doing a lousy job keeping unity in the church.
Paul is not implying that only men should pray because he addresses women in prayer
within the church in 1 Cor 11.5.

1 Timothy 2.9-10 – Paul’s focal concern is the attitude that leads to poor decorum and dress.
The dress reflects who they are. All the women of the time had braided hair. The problem is not
the hair. The issue is the ostentatiousness of the fashion. They were dressed to highlight their
social class and belittling those who didn’t have the seem to have the financial status. This was
the issue Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians 9-11. The teaching of being “free in Christ” led to
people thinking they were free from restraint and self-discipline, “free from submission to their
husbands,” free to show off. So, they were setting themselves apart and trying to “outdo” each
other in their fashion. The wealthy always tend to go toward having their own set of rules and
Paul intentionally denounces any such behavior.

1 Timothy 2.11 – While some translations say the woman should be “quiet,” the proper
translation is quietness or quietly. Paul uses the cognate of this word in 1 Tim 2.2 where it is
translated a quiet life. This does not mean completely mute and silent. It refers to being humble
and meek. Therefore, women should learn humbly and submissively but they can do this while
sharing thoughts and adding to the learning experience.

1 Timothy 2.12 – “I am not permitting” is not a localized universal declaration. The present
tense used here views actions from the inside, not the outside. As imperfect, it is not
completed. Therefore, what Paul tells Timothy is to be applied everywhere, not just in
Timothy’s location. Paul uses imperative or indicative to make commands. They all carry his
apostolic authority. In 1 Cor 7, Paul gives a preferential opinion (being single), but Paul does not
do this hardly at all. Paul does not shy away from giving directives.
There is a vocabulary of about 5400 words in the New Testament. 500 words compose
70 percent of the New Testament. The words that are mentioned only once are referred to as

1Andreas Kostenberger, Thomas R. Schreiner, Women in the Church (Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI: 2005),
117.

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“hapax legomena” and number about 2000. These words must be evaluated from their use in
extra-biblical literature to get a better sense of the author’s intended meaning desired by his
use of the word.
Paul writes “I do not permit a woman to teach or “authenteo” man. The word
“authenteo” often translated “exercise authority over” is only mentioned once in the whole
New Testament.
Based on lexical word studies and other literature usage, as a transitive verb exerting its
action on the specified object, possible meanings are narrowed down to “to control, to
dominate”, or “to compel, to influence someone/something,” or “assume authority over.”
Teaching and having authority are closely related yet Paul distinguishes between the
two concepts later within the same letter in 1 Timothy 3.2, 4-5 and 5.17. So, the two concepts
should be seen as separate exhortations here and not just a synonymous restating of one issue.
In the context of 1 Timothy 2.12 is the previous verse 11. Paul uses corresponding pairs
of words “learning” then “teaching” and “full submission” then “having authority.” With this in
mind and in looking at all the other instances in the New Testament that fall in similar syntactic
patterns, the best translations of the phrase are either “I do not permit a woman to teach
[error] or to usurp a man’s authority” or “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority
over a man.” According to Kostenberger’s extensive research in looking at similar grammatical
patterns in other Greek literature, the latter, simple literal approach, appears to be the most
likely and best interpretation.
The word teach is the first word in the Greek sentence. It is used in direct contrast to
“learning” in the previous thought.
Paul is saying the woman may not exercise authority in the church (1 Tim 3.15) over
men.
A major issue in this verse is the word “man.” Nowhere in Paul’s writings does Paul say
women have to submit to every man. Paul is abbreviating a thought and Timothy understands
what Paul is saying. Since chapter 2-3 is about leadership, “man” most likely refers to the
elders. The elders are the men who have the spiritual authority in the church to dictate “this is
what the church believes.” This is a leadership issue. The restriction is on women assuming a
formal leadership role within the context of the gathered church.
Just as preaching is an elder function, not a male function, small group leadership are
not exercising spiritual authority over, they are guiding and shepherding a group of people
within the whole church in their spiritual growth. A small group leader is a person who is
sharing an interpretation of the text based on their spiritual experience. A small group leader is
not declaring “this is what the church believes.”

1 Timothy 2.13-15 – This text gives further clarity to the proper interpretation of Paul’s
command to Timothy. Paul goes on in 1 Timothy 2.13-15 to give the reason for this principle.
The key is the word “formed.” This is not the usual word for “formed.” The one place this word
occurs is Genesis 2. Paul has used this word on purpose. In the creative order, Adam came first.
The issue is not simply because Adam was formed first, he is the boss. Paul is referring to the
whole of the creation narrative. Genesis 2 speaks to man-woman, husband-wife rolls. Eve was
created for, as a helper, someone who was appropriate for Adam. The rolls of Genesis 2 help to
understand the relationships of Ephesus. Much like Jesus saying “my God, my God why have

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you forgotten me” was not just a reference to Psalm 22.1 Jesus is alluding to the whole Psalm.
Paul references the whole of creation by the simple phrase he mentions.
It was Eve’s usurping Adam’s spiritual authority over her that led to Eve being deceived.
Although Adam is credited for the fall, Eve was the one who did all the talking with the snake. It
is important to note the role of man as a spiritual head over the woman is evident and expected
even before the fall. It is clarified as a certainty after the fall, Gen 3.16.
Adam abdicated his role – Ephesians 5. Adam was not deceived. He knew exactly what
was going on. He was to have led Eve and instead allowed Eve to do the leading and he allowed
Eve to be deceived; Biblical equality yet submissive role – ie Father and the eternally begotten
Son in the Trinity; Accepting the male spiritual authority is easy when man behaves in a godly
manner.

1 Timothy 2.15 – Woman is saved by child birth refers to “staying in her lane” or rather doing
those tasks she has been created, gifted and called to do with the Biblical parameters. The
society as a whole was downplaying marriage (1 Timothy 4) and as a result also downplaying
child bearing. So, instead of assuming rolls not intended for them, women are to work out their
salvation, Phil 2.12, within the rolls designed for them. There is nothing further from what the
false teachers were teaching than child bearing. Of course, in the case of Eve, child bearing
leads to Christ. As an example of other ministries women are quite needed for, Paul will go on
and exhort older women to mentor the younger ladies. So, all work out their salvation
according to the Biblical parameters and rolls set for those of the church.

Applying the Text

The scope of the text is the church, strictly spiritual. Bible gives no limitation on women
leading in the marketplace, in fact has examples of women, like Deborah and Esther, in leader
roles.
In an attempt to move the church to become more accommodating to women’s
suffrage and role equality, many have interpreted the text with caveats, either making Paul out
to be a victim of his own male driven society or limiting the scope of the text to its cultural
period or just the Ephesian scenario. Attempts by progressive theologians to pigeon hole the
mandate into solely Ephesian culture or to minimize the scope of the principle are
unconvincing.
In reality, there is very little limitation on what women can do within the body of Christ.
There are many verses written to the church as a whole that exhort and encourage individual
Christians to use their gifts, be disciple-makers and teach one another. Gender is a creation
order reality. God made men and women different with different capabilities and abilities. Men
and women, as disciples of Jesus, should be faithful to exercise their appropriate rolls as guided
by Scripture. There are things, physically/biologically, spiritually, ability, emotionally, etc only
women can do as there are things only men can do, and things anyone might be able to do with
the proper giftedness, calling and opportunity.

Places of Service for Women in the Church

All throughout Scripture are examples of women serving among God's people. In the OT,
there is Huldah the prophetess (2 Ki 22.14-20). Paul speaks positively of women prophesying

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within the church (1 Cor 11.5; Acts 21.9). This act of prophesying is the function of teaching.
The teacher is not necessarily a fundamental spiritual authority figure. In these key passages,
Origen2, Calvin3, Meyer4, Warfield5, MacArthur6, and most recently Holmyard7 and Laney8 see a
distinction in forum between first few verses of 1 Cor 11, referring to a private, smaller
assembly and 1 Cor 14 referring to the general church assembly where those who speak do so
in de facto leadership roles since all others must listen. In 1 Cor 11.18, Paul makes a statement
to change the context of his next remarks, "For, in the first place, when you come together as a
church." So, the verses prior to this statement dealt with issues outside of the general
assembly. As Holmyard explains, there are many circumstances outside of the general
assembly, where men, saved and unsaved, might be present, where a woman's prayer and/or
speech is the needed word to or from God. The teacher of a small group is outside the general
assembly of the church is not necessarily exercising spiritual authority over the group. Their
primary task is to lead people to discover the truths in Scripture and encourage obedience. This
is also done under and by permission of the fundamental spiritual authority of the pastor or
group of elders. Teaching is also done by the authority of Jesus Christ who, in Matthew 28.18-
20, authorizes all disciples to make more disciples and teaching is part of that exercise. It is of
course very advisable that one on one mentoring be gender specific, men with men and women
with women, for testimony and safety reasons. But scripturally, there is nothing wrong with
women serving as small group leaders or “teachers” within the smaller group settings of the
church ministry. This would include niche small groups, affinity conferences targeted at specific
groups of people, or leading ministry teams.
Teaching is distinguished from proclamation in the general assembly. Historically, the
pulpit has always been the symbol of authority. So, when the pastor stands at the pulpit and
gives a word from God's word, he is speaking from a recognized position of fundamental
spiritual authority for the hearing of the whole assembly.9 As mentioned before, not just any
man can be the spiritual authority. This role of elder/pastor/overseer is reserved for those
spiritually qualified male individuals God has called and appointed to such a task.

2 Origen, Fragmenta ex commentariis in epistulam i ad Corinthios (in catenis), Greek text published in Claude
Jenkins, "Documents: Origen on I Corinthians. IV," Journal of Theological Studies 10 (1909), p. 41. English
translation from Roger Gryson, The Ministry of Women in the Early Church (Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press,
1976), p. 28.
3 John Calvin, The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, Calvin's Commentaries [translated by John W.

Fraser] (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1960), p. 231.

4 H.A.W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Epistles to the Corinthians. Translated from the Fifth

Edition of the German by Rev. D. Douglas Bannerman. New York: Funk & Wagnals, 1884. page 249. I have further
translated Meyer's Greek and Latin phrases into English. —M.D.M.
5 Benjamin B. Warfield, "Paul on Women Speaking in Church" The Presbyterian, October 30, 1919.

6 John MacArthur Jr., 1 Corinthians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1984), pp.

256-7.
7 Harold R. Holmyard III, "Does 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 Refer to Women Praying and Prophesying in Church?"

Bibliotheca Sacra 154 (October-December 1997) 461-72.

8 J. Carl Laney, "Gender Based Boundaries for Gathered Congregations: An Interpretive History of 1 Corinthians

14:34-35" Journal For Biblical Manhood and Womanhood 7/1 (Spring 2002), pp. 4-13. Online at
http://www.cbmw.org/journal/editions/7-1.pdf
9 See Excursus on 1 Corinthians 11.5. https://www.bible-researcher.com/women-prophesying.html

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This is where the door is opened by progressive interpretation to confusion. Should a

woman stand in the place of fundamental spiritual authority as the main proclaimer and with
the title of pastor, speaking to the general assembly that includes her husband, is she still under
his spiritual authority since he is the spiritual leader of the household? Does her exercising of
her gift of teaching and doing so from a place of spiritual authority usurp his spiritual authority
over her? Paul’s answer is undeniably yes. God is not the author of confusion. According to His
ordination in Scripture, the position of pastor and function of principle proclaimer in the place
of fundamental spiritual authority is to be a spiritually qualified and called man. To avoid
confusion inside and outside the body of Christ, the title of pastor/elder/overseer/bishop,
whether “Senior” or “Associate” or any other form, in the church should be reserved for men.
There are cases where there is not a qualified man able to fill the vacuum of spiritual
leadership in the church. Perhaps the answer to this dilemma is in the attitude of Deborah with
Barack. Summarizing Judges 4.8-9, she said if you’ll lead, I will follow, but if you won’t and I
have to lead then the credit will be a woman's rather than yours. If you have men capable,
called and willing then let them spiritually lead in the roll of church elder, but if not let the lady
who is capable and willing do it and encourage others to follow respectfully. All the while
praying God would raise up a spiritually qualified man who could step into the vacuum.

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