The topic 'Women in Ministry' has created quite a lot of conflict in the Body of Christ. The question is: should women minister at all or even worse to men? For years I have heard people argue on this matter. Many voice their opinions, however it is rare that I find those that can justify all scriptures that are brought to the table, whether they are for or against it.

Does the Lord permit women to minister?

The only way we can answer this question is to examine the scriptures, in light of all other scriptures. We must first agree that the bible does not contradict itself and it is the final authority in this discussion.

A. 1Co 14:34-35
34 Let your women keep silence in the churches:for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home:for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

The scripture says here plainly, let the woman keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak. When we examine how plain this scripture speaks, it is hard to get around it. It would be safe for us to assume that a woman ought not to teach, if we do not examine the scripture to its full extent. Let us look at the same scripture once more and I will highlight the most important part of that script.

1Co 14:34-35
34 Let your women keep silence in the churches:for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home:for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

It is the law that teaches that a woman ought to keep silent and ought not to teach, however the church is not under the law. It is not my desire to speak much on this matter, let us return to the scripture that it may do the talking.

1Co 14:34-36
34 Let your women keep silence in the churches:for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home:for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

Verse 36 is so important for us to understand this scripture. Before we go any further let us first understand something about Paul's writings. When Paul wrote, especially in the books of Romans and Corinthians, he would often respond to statements/questions that were asked of him prior to his letter. He would answer many of these statements in his letters by first writing them, then responding to them.

The statement mentioned by the elders of the Corinthian church is found in verses 34 and 35, however Paul's response was found in verse 36. His response was What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? 

In response to the statement that women ought to stay silent in the churches Paul said, "What came the word out from you?" He simply responding by asking his elders the question, did the Word of God come out from you men only? Were not there women who ministered the gospel unto men and they received the testimony of the Lord?

Jn 20:15-18
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father:but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Here we see that one of the first preachers of the gospel was a woman - Mary. The word of God came out from her unto the brethren. Therefore Paul was reminding the saints that the Word of God was not only preached by men, but also by women, to men and women.

...or came it unto you only? 

The second part of verse 36 asks, if the Word of God came only to men. Didn't Jesus die for the entire world, that they may be saved? The entire world includes women. Women need to be saved just as men do. The Word of God is sent to both men and women.

Act 1:12-14
12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. 
13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Act 2:1-4

1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
...
Act 2:17

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

There were women amongst the brethren at the day of Pentecostal. They received the Holy Ghost, and many spoke in tongues. Even Joel foresaw the salvation of women, prophesying that daughters would prophesy. My question however is where will these daughters prophesy? The answer is in the church. It is the Holy Ghost that validates a man/woman in ministry and He is the one that gives the Word. Therefore if a woman prophesies it is the Lord that does it through her.

B. 1Ti 2:11-13

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. 

Here we see again the scripture saying that a woman ought to be silent, however let us examine this scripture as well. It says a woman should never teach nor usurp authority over a man, implying that a woman can never be in a position of authority that would place her over a man. However Paul explains this scripture by going to Adam and Eve. He says that Adam was formed then Eve after, we know that Eve was formed from Adam, and the two were one flesh. However an unmarried woman who has the Holy Ghost is not one flesh with any man, neither is she made from the man she was born of the Spirit.

The Greek word used here is 'guné' which is directly interpreted into woman/wife and the Greek word used for man is anér which means man/husband. This would explain why Paul made mention of Adam and Eve, because these two were married. The instruction therefore is: 

11 Let the [wife] learn in silence with all subjection. 
12 But I suffer not a [wife] to teach, nor to usurp authority over the [husband], but to be in silence. 
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve

Paul is speaking of a marriage here. The wife ought not to usurp authority over the man. It is the man who is the head of the home and the final authority. The man is to the woman as Christ is to the church.

C. 1Co 11:3
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.

Once again the words used here are anér and guné, which means husband and wife respectively. The scripture above is also speaking of marriage. The head of the man is Christ and the head of the wife is the man.

We ought to really consider these scriptures in light of the implications if we should interpret them according to what they appear to be. Jenny is a woman in the church. Her parents died when she was young and she is yet to be married. She is now 50 years old, and still without husband. If the scripture above meant that every man in the church is over every woman in the church, it means therefore that the woman, even though she is indebted to no man, should be a slave to every man in the church. Every man would have authority to command her to do whatever he pleases. He would also have authority over her decisions, despite his age.

Jane (wife) on the other hand is married to Tom (husband). If we are to apply the same principle to Jane, it would therefore mean that Tom would have to share equally his authority over Jane with every other man in the church. Jane would also be forced to obey the commands of every man in the church. It also means that Jane (as well as Jenny) are under the authority of other married men in the church.

This is confusion and abuse. These doctrines were created to give men control in the church, rather than Christ. It was never the intent of God that a man control the church. THIS IS IDOLATRY OF THE MAN. The man is worshipped above the woman, and his gender is exalted above the Christ in the woman.

Consider this scripture:

1Co 12:20-25
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee:nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 
24 For our comely parts have no need:but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

The man cannot say to the woman I have no need of you. However God has tempered the body, giving more abundant honour upon the woman. The woman was rejected as a teacher in the law, but in Christ she is honoured as a minister. God has placed an anointing upon the woman that the Body would not have any schism. She was rejected, so now she is highly anointed. No, this scripture is not only speaking of women; youth and gentiles are also included, nevertheless so is the woman.

Col 3:10-11
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free:but Christ is all, and in all.

Gal 3:27-28
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female:for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

The new man is Christ Jesus, that every Son of God has put on (See Salvation Series). Therefore it does not matter if you are a male or a female after the flesh, it is Christ Jesus the son of God who is in that flesh. Therefore Christ is making use of a female body. The female body does not lessen His ministry, but He is powerful wherever He is found. This is why there is no race, class, nationality, or gender in Christ, because we all have put him on.

Rom 7:4
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Romans 7 even lets us know that every soul that is saved is married to Christ (See Married to Christ blog post, for deeper explanation). Our souls are clothed in a body in which Jesus' spirit dwells. The scripture calls that body "him". The soul has no gender, and since Christ is in the flesh (even if it is a female flesh) it is still classified as "him". I think now we will realize why we both the male and female are called sons of God. This is because whether male or female, all are Christ.

The following is just a list of female ministers of the gospel

Junia - an apostle (Rom 16:7)
Phebe - a minister unto many (Rom 16:1-2)
The Elect Lady - the entire book of 2 John is dedicated to this female minister of the gospel (2 John 1)
Priscilla - helper of Paul in Christ. (Rom 16:3)
Mary Magdalene - (Jn 20:17-18)

Phi 4:3
And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

Rom 16:6
Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.

among many more...


His Apostle
Kareem Flowers

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