PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU
(REV)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD
(Journalism); BA (Hons) MA, PhD.
THE LIMITATIONS OF WOMEN MINISTRY
IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
INTRODUCTION
(a) God’s
Original Intent for Creating Women
The
Genesis account of creation portrays the purpose of God for creating a help
mate for man. Having created Adam, God said, “It is not good for man to stay
alone, I will make him a helper suitable for him”, (Genesis 2:18). This
scripture shows that God, in all human endeavour wanted the woman to complement
the efforts of man. And, it is worthy of note that after the creation of both
Adam and Eve, God said to both of them, “be fruitful, and multiply and replenish
the earth and subdue it, and have dominion”, (Genesis 1:28). The dominion and
subduing of the dearth at the instance of Divine Command truly would not be
fulfilled without the woman, since it was both the man and woman that were
blessed and commissioned into the cited leadership position. In fact, there is
no restriction or discrimination put forth in the designated human roles,
designed for man and woman. This applies to both natural and spiritual matters.
Furthermore,
despite the fact that most human traditions and cultures play down on women to
a degree of unwarranted humiliation, God’s original plan is that the women and
men be co-regents that would manage the affairs of this world, in both physical
and spiritual matters. In this connection, the researcher, therefore, affirms
that, no tradition is really adequate to hold out a standard for woman-folk,
apart from the Bible and Christianity.
(b) Woman,
Redemption and the infilling of the Spirit
At
the fall of man, the woman inclusive, God did not abandon them, but covered
their nakedness with animal skin. This was a kind of imputation of
righteousness, against man’s self-righteousness, which Adam and Eve exhibited
at the garden, in their attempt to cover their nakedness with leaves from fig
tree. This Divine intervention did not stop until Jesus Christ accomplished His
redemption work on the Cross of Calvary, which both man and woman became
recipients. Apart from the provision of redemption, God knew that man
(including the woman) cannot operate optimally without the Holy Spirit. So, He
planned to give His Holy Spirit to abide with the human being He made. And, in
this provision, He did not leave the woman aside. This, equally, demonstrates
the fact that God wants man and woman to work together in all spheres of human
endeavour. It is important, at this point in time, to cite that God’s intention
to also use with man and woman in spiritual matters was prominently declared in
Old Testament, when He says; “it shall come to pass, that I will pout out my
Spirit upon all flesh, (male and female), and your son and daughters shall
prophesy”.. (Joel 2:28). This solemn prophecy was fulfilled in (acts 2:16-17),
and obviously demonstrates God’s purpose on intent to use both man and woman in
collective efforts of services on earth.
In
the words of Phoebe Otonna (1980:4) remarks that woman is spoken of in the
scripture as the beloved and honoured companion and help mate, and not the
servant of man. She points out that Adam acknowledged this when he said, “this
is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman,
because she was taken out of man”, (Genesis 2:23-24). Otonna, further notes
that women were created as a necessary completion of man, (Genesis 2:1), as she
finally opines that despite the fact that the woman was first in the fall, she
was honoured in the exclusive parentage of the Saviour of mankind, the Lord,
Jesus Christ.
Women in the Old Testament Ministry
The
Bible holds out a clear statistics of great women of God who served the Lord
faithfully, alongside their male counterparts. The contributions of these women
remain a lasting legacy in the history of religion in humanity. These women
were, women of strong faith and dynamism, since we see in the picture of their
lives that God really empowered them with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as He
did on to men. Based on the foregoing, this project cites women like”.
(1)
ANNAH: This woman was a
prophetess. She was always in the altar, serving the Lord with prayer and
fasting, night and day. She was the very woman of God in the temple, at her
time that presented Christ and spoke of Him to all who wanted redemption in
Jerusalem, (Luke 2:36-38).
(2)
HULDER: This woman was
another prophetess of God in the Old Testament. Biblical information indicates
that God’s men with Priests, in recognition of his God-given office went to her
and she prophesized over them, and gave them messages from the Lord, (II Kings
22:14-20).
(3)
MIRIAM: Miriam was a
prophetess and a great singer onto the Lord. This woman was appointed by God to
work in that capacity, (Exodus 15:20-21). This was another woman of God whose
ministry was outstanding before the Lord.
(4)
DEBORAH: She was also a
prophetess, but much more, she was a judge. God raised her up to deliver the
people of Israel from their oppressors, (Judges 4:4). According to Acts
magazine of March/April, 1993, under her leadership, the children of Israel
were delivered from a twenty year occupation by an alien army. Through her
prophetic insight, she was able to lead Israel to victory over their enemies, etc.
Women in the New Testament Ministry
The
New Testament of the Scripture shows that women played active roles in the
preaching of the Gospel. For instance, it was woman who first preached Christ’s
resurrection, (Matthew 28:5-10). Furthermore, because of the commitment of a
woman in the Gospel Ministry, the second epistle of John was addressed to a
woman, referred to the chosen lady, (2 John 1). There are a host of other women
in the New Testament who made invaluable contribution in the Gospel ministry of
the Lord. However, for the purpose of this project, the researcher wishes to
cite women like:
(1)
PRISCILLA: This woman was a
bible teacher. She was one of those who taught Appollos about the baptism of
the Holy Spirit, and made him ready for Paul’s laying on of hands, for the
baptism, (Acts 18:25-26; 19”1-6).
(2)
PHOEBE: This woman of God
was a deaconess at the church in Cenchrea, who the Apostle Paul said was a
helper to many, (Romans 16:2). The historian, Eusebius says, she was an
overseer of two churches, and traveled extensively in the ministry.
(3)
PHILIP’S DAUGHTERS
IN PROPHETIC MINISTRY: The Bible gives a clear account of Philip’s four
daughters who were prophetesses. In line with the above, Dr. Luke says, “we
continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemuis, where we greeted the
brothers and stayed with them for a day. Leaving the next day, we reached
Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip, the Evangelist, one of the seven.
He had four unmarried daughters who prophesized, (acts 21:7-8).
Having cited some
women in the New Testament whose works and ministries were outstanding, it
becomes noteworthy to, as well cite some noble roles taken by women in the
ministry of the Lord, which Otonna (1980:22) describes as species distinctions
of women:
(1)
First
at the tomb, (John 20:1)
(2)
Last
at the cross, (Mark 15:47).
(3)
First
to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus, (John 28).
(4)
First
to greet the missionaries, Paul and Silas in Europe, Acts 16:13.
(5)
First
European converts, (Acts 16:14).
Problem
Confronting Women in the Ministry
Women face problems in the ministry owing to
the fact of man-made traditions or misinterpretation of the Bible. According to
the already cited Acts Magazine of March/April, 1993, one of the passages used
to silence women is found in first Corinthians 14:34; 35. In the King James
Version of the Bible, it reads, “let your women keep silent in the churches,
for it is not permitted to them to speak, but they are commanded to be under
obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask
their husbands”. In this connection, the author of the piece in the magazine
under review argues that if this was intended by against any woman opening her
mouth or lending her voice in any way in church service, it would be a clear
contradiction of his instructions in a few chapters previous.
For,
in chapter eleven of the same epistle, Paul gives clear instruction on the mode
and demeanor in which women (and men) should pray and prophesy. After this
instruction as regards to the participation of women in the church service,
does it mean Paul later turned around to revoke what he earlier said? He
certainly did not. Three words as noted keenly by the writer in the above passage
need explanation if we are to understand what Paul was teaching the
Corinthians. These words are; “women”, “speak” and “saith”.
(1)
The
word “women” in the passage is from the Greek word “gune” which means a
wife, and not just female. This, the instructions are specific to wives.
(2)
The
word “speak” in Greek word is “laled”, which means an extended or
random harangue; to boast and call out (to someone across the room, for
example) without proper decorum or respect for others.
(3)
In
contrast to the word “loleo”,
the word “saith” comes from the Greek word “lego”, which means to say forth (an
idea or doctrine) in words usually of systematic or set discourse (--- “as also
saith the law). “Lego” was discouraged.
An expanded translation of the two verses,
then, would read like this, “let the wives abstain from “laleo”, that is,
interrupting the meetings of the church with an extended or random harangue,
full of prideful boasting or calling out to others in a way that is without
proper decorum or respect for others in the church (e.g.); for it is not
permitted unto them to speak (laleo – interrupt) with an extended
or random harangue or calling out to others), but they are commanded to be
under obedience, as also saith (lego-to set forth (an idea or
doctrine) in words of systematic discourse), the law. And, if they desire to
enquire about anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame
for them to speak (laloe) in the church.
In
another letter, Paul wrote, “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor usurp
authority over the man, but to be in silence (I Tim. 2:11-12). In fact, the
word “teach” is the key to understanding this problem passage. The Greek word
is “didaskaleo”,
which means to instruct or teach doctrine. In the light of the above, women
were not authorized to establish the doctrinal standards that were an exclusive
function of the apostolic councils, (see Acts 2:42; 15:1ff).
Conclusion
This project does not seek to settle all the
difficulties of scriptural interpretation of the role of women in the ministry.
However, there are some fundamental principles that are vital to the witness of
the church. The key passage of the scripture, with regards to the exercise of
the gift of preaching is that which describes its initial manifestation in the
church at Pentecost, (Acts 2:1-21). It is obvious that on that day, both men
and women were gathered in prayer, and all, both men and women, received the
Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit, for the public proclamation of the
Gospel, and the evidence was manifested throughout the streets of Jerusalem, as
a means of salvation to many souls.
The
Holy Spirit did not make a mistake or an exception on that day, when He used
women, as well as their male counterparts in public preaching. This was in line
with the prophecy of Joel, which says, “in the last days, I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh, make and female”…, (vs 28), which the Apostle Peter
confirms its fulfillment on that day, (Acts 2:1-21). Therefore, as God
instituted the order in the church at the very beginning, every other teaching
in the Body of Christ, with regards to women ministry should filter into it,
instead of discriminating against women in the church, through the apparent
misinterpretation of Paul’s teaching; since of course, every Christian, male or
female, according Qong Batchelor (2010), is called to minister in some
capacity, but not in every capacity.
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