Know the Word

Bill Fiess

Are women inferior to men?
Should a wife submit to her husband?
What about women preachers?

It is worthwhile to note at the outset that God created man and woman on the same day with equal identity. That is, both were made in the image of God (Gen. 1:24-31) and both were given the mandate by God to "be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth" (Gen. 1:28). God also formed woman from man's side ( Hebrew sela = side ; Gen. 2:21-22) as a helper comparable to him (Gen.2:18). The Hebrew word ezer = helper (Gen. 2:18) is a noble word used often in the Bible of God Himself (for example, Ex. 18:4, Deut. 33:7, Ps. 46:1). She was to be a companion just like the man - with intelligence, personality, ethical and moral sensitivity, and spirituality (The Nelson Study Bible). The man and his wife were to become one flesh (Gen. 2:24).

It was because of the fall of man, when sin entered into the world, that the battle of the sexes began (Gen. 3:16); that is, the man would have a perverted desire to subjugate his wife and the woman would have a perverted desire to dominate or control her husband. Instead of harmony in ruling over God's creation with voluntary (mutual) submission (Eph. 5:21), there would often be conflict and rebellion against God's created order. It is only through the new creation in Christ Jesus (II Cor. 5:17, II Peter 1:4) that men and women can begin to fulfill their divinely created roles in the home, in the assembly of Jesus Christ, and in society.

The Role of MEN

The home is the basic unit of society. In Genesis 2:24 we read, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh". Thus marriage and the home were established by God Himself and it was intended to last a lifetime (Matt. 19:6-9, Mal. 2:14-16). The Bible makes it clear that while men and women are inherently equal (Gen. 1:27, I Cor. 11:11-12), the man is to take the leadership role in the home (Eph. 5:22-24, I Pet. 3:1-7, I Cor. 11:3,7-10, Gen. 1:26-27, Gen. 5, Gen. 18:19 etc.). This relates not only to the wife, but to the children as well (Eph. 6:4, Deut. 6:6-8, Prov. 3 etc.). It is therefore incumbent upon the husband that he know thoroughly God's word and thus be properly able to lead his family in the ways of the LORD (Deut. 6:1-9, Josh. 1:7-9, 24:15, Psalms 112, 128, Col. 3:16 etc.).

In the assembly of the Lord Jesus Christ men also are to take the lead. This is not to say that the woman's role in the assembly is unimportant, insignificant, or of lesser value than that of the man. It is simply to follow God's directives for the assembly. Elders, who hold the highest office in the assembly and are responsible to God for teaching in the assembly are to be men, not women (I Tim. 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9). This is based on God's created order and not on current cultural thinking (I Tim. 2:11-15, I Cor. 14:34-35). Elders in the assembly are to model the Christian life (I Pet. 5:3, I Tim. 4:12, 3:1-7) and rule their families with all dignity and control (I Tim. 3:4-5, Titus 1:6). A man who is failing in the family area cannot serve as an elder in the local assembly no matter what other qualities he may have. (For qualities that should characterize Christian men in general, note Titus 2:2,5-8.).

The Role of WOMEN

Women have always had a major role in God's program. For one thing, without them there would be no men! (see I Cor. 11:11 and Gen 3:20). As mentioned previously, woman was created on the same day as man, equal with man, and God gave to both man and woman the mandate to "be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth" which He had created (Gen. 1:26-28). That is, they both were to be His vice-regents on earth having dominion over all creation from that point on. Unfortunately, however, man's sin put a wrinkle in that plan, causing a disruption in man's nature and a disturbance to God's program. Where before there had only been unity in the relationship between man and woman there now would be strife (Gen. 3:16), though not without the potential of victory through the resources which God provided (II Peter 1:4, I John 5:5) .

When Jesus Christ entered the world scene woman were considered little more than chattel or something to be bought and sold. They were considered incapable of learning theological or spiritual truth. For example, the Jewish Talmud (discussions on the Law) stated that it was better to burn the Torah (Law) than to teach it to a woman. Jesus, however, ran completely counter to His culture in the way in which He responded to women. He spent time with women (John 4, Luke 10:38-42 etc.) and ministered with them in His company (Luke 8:1-3). In contrast to other men in His day who would not even allow women to count change in their hands for fear of physical contact, Jesus allowed women to touch Him (Mark 5:25-34, Luke 7:36-50) and He touched them (Luke 13:10-13). Thus Jesus elevated women to a position they had not previously held. He did not exalt them to positions of leadership over men - all of His twelve disciples were men - but He put them on a pedestal to be nourished and cherished as man's indispensable helper (Eph. 5:29).

In the New Testament, therefore, we find women in active roles both in the home and in the assembly. The assemblies were commanded to allow women to learn (I Tim. 2:11) in contrast to the cultural myth a woman was incapable of learning. Women were seen in positions of responsibility and leadership in the New Testament assemblies (Rom 16:1-16, Phil. 4:2-3, I Tim. 3:11 etc.) but never in a way that would usurp authority over a man (I Tim. 2:12, I Cor. 14:34-35). This was based on the fact that God created this role for men and for women (I Tim. 2:13-15). Women were spoken of as having a crucial role in the raising of children (I Tim. 2:15; 5:9-10) and the instruction of other women in the assembly (Titus 2:3-4), but not in the role of elder or pastor in the assembly (I Tim. 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, I Tim. 2: 12-15, I Cor. 14:34-35).