Because of the restrictions God placed upon women concerning the role they can not have in the church, some have mistakenly erred (especially the feminists) in thinking that the denial of leadership means that they are second-rate citizens in the kingdom and inferior in quality to men. Rebecca Merrill Groothuis states such a conclusion in her 1997 book, Good News For Women: A Biblical Picture of Gender Equality (published by Baker):
It stands to reason that anyone who is deemed permanently unfit to occupy the superior position must be inherently incapable of performing that function satisfactorily, and certainly someone who is inferior should occupy only the inferior or subordinate position (53-54).
This complaint has already been answered previously with the observation that the Father is the head of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Must we conclude that the latter two are “permanently unfit to occupy the superior position”? Also, there are many men who, although they can lead in a number of ways, cannot serve as elders. Must we conclude that they are “permanently unfit”? To be unqualified is not the same as being unfit.
Besides, the Scriptures do not say that women cannot lead in prayer, teach, or exercise other forms of leadership. The restriction is that they cannot do so over men (1 Tim. 2:8-14). Apparently, some have taken this one restriction to mean that women have no rights and no value in the kingdom, that they must sit around in docile solitude, ever rehearsing and practicing their doormat routine. This is just as erroneous a concept as the one in which women lead over men.
The argument is ccasionally made that women were not put in leadership roles because doing so would have violated the customs of the time. When did Jesus ever worry about the customs of His day if they stood in the way of the truth? According to the customs of Jesus’ day, He should not have healed on the Sabbath day, but He did because it was not a sin. This action of His angered His enemies so much that they wanted to kill Him (John 5:17-18). He also ate with unwashed hands, thus violating the custom of ceremonial cleansing (Matt. 15:2, 11, 17-20). He also denounced their practice of circumventing the honoring of their fathers and mothers by means of a technicality (Matt. 15:3-9) and the distinction between swearing by the temple and swearing by the gold in the temple (Matt. 23:16-17).
Jesus also talked to a Samaritan woman in public, which constituted a double cultural violation (John 4:9, 27). The first was that Jews had no dealings with Samaritans, and the second was that a Jewish man would have no public conversation with a woman. No wonder the apostles marveled at this when they returned with food for Jesus to eat.
Had it been God’s will that He should choose women to be apostles, they would have been numbered among the twelve, regardless of society’s feelings. After all, in a world in which the gospel message called for people to give up their love of sin, how much easier would it have been for them to give up their perceptions of male leadership and embrace female preachers?
Jesus transgressed the conventional customs by speaking with the Samaritan woman; He did not hesitate to praise the faith another woman–one from Syro-Phoenicia. Although He sometimes observed that His disciples possessed little faith, to her He said, “O woman, great is your faith!” (Matt. 15:28). He also commented upon the faith of the woman with the flow of blood, telling her that her faith had made her well (Luke 8:48).
At the house of a Pharisee Jesus astounded the guests by allowing a woman (who was a sinner) to wash His feet with her tears, dry them with her hair, and anoint His feet with oil (Luke 7:36-39). Those present failed to see the faith, repentance, and love she expressed toward Jesus; to make it clear to them, Jesus publicly proclaimed that her sins were forgiven (Luke 7:48-50).
Not only did the twelve travel with Jesus, but so did “certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities” (Luke 8:2); some of these provided support for Him from their substance (Luke 8:3). How easy it would have been to appoint some of these faithful, committed women as apostles, if the role of leadership was open to both genders.
Jesus could have condemned the woman taken in adultery and cast the first stone, but instead He rescued her from a hypocritical mob and told her to “sin no more” (John 8:3-11). And what about the tribute Jesus paid to Mary, who anointed His body for death? He promised that “wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” (Matt. 26:13; John 12:3-8).
After His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene–even before visiting with any of His apostles (Mark 9:1). None of these occasions or compliments can be reconciled with the charge that women are “unfit” and “inferior” because they do not have positions of leadership.
Paul was not a woman-hater any more than the Lord was. He spoke highly of Priscilla, Phoebe, Lydia, “Mary, who labored much for us” (Rom. 16:6), and others. He gently reminded Euodia and Syntyche to be of the same mind (Phil. 4:2) after he had dealt with, in this short letter, the pressing need both for unity and the proper frame of mind (Phil. 1:27; 2:2-8; 4:8).
Paul taught that men and women are one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28). This passage demonstrates that role does not imply inequality or inferiority. Peter recognized the same order of authority in the home that Paul taught, but he also described husbands and wives as “heirs together of the grace of life” (1 Peter 3:7). The New Testament is therefore consistent in this regard. There are no contradictions with respect to headship either in the church or in the home.
One need only look at the Bible to find ways to be a great servant in the kingdom of God. The first way is suggested by 1 Peter 3:1-2, which involves setting a good example for an unbelieving husband. Undoubtedly, many men have been converted by this means. An unblemished life constitutes a powerful sermon, and it can be preached in eloquent silence.
Second, a woman can be a godly influence in her home–not only upon her husband but upon her children. How was Moses able to make the right decisions (Heb. 11:24-26)? Was not the reason that he had been taught by his mother? Even though Timothy’s father was a Greek, his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois were positive influences in his life. Were it not for their faith, there might have been one less gospel preacher (2 Tim. 1:5). Many of life’s valuable lessons have been learned at a tender age from mothers.
Women are certainly free with respect to performing acts of kindness. Dorcas was described as “full of good works and charitable deeds” (Acts 9:36). Some ladies reflect great talent in this area and are appreciated as much as anyone in the church. When Peter arrived, “all the widows stood by him weeping,” her loss was so great to them (Acts 9:39). Women often “take the lead” in thoughtfulness and kindness.
Hospitality is yet another area in which women excel. The Shunemite woman made Elisha’s journey more comfortable (2 Kings 4:8-10). Lydia insisted that Paul and Silas stay in her house (Acts 16:15). Only the women who had practiced hospitality were allowed to be enrolled as those the church would fully support (1 Tim. 5:9-10).
Many women have engaged in personal evangelism–sometimes helping their husbands, sometimes doing it on their own. Aquila and Priscilla were a team that was discussed previously. Today a number of women who are not in the public work force might show interest in a Bible study. There are also single women, including mothers, who stand in need of the gospel. There is the inspiring story of Elizabeth Bernard, who (though legally blind) went to a foreign country and entrenched herself in the mission work there. The woman who so devotes herself to endeavors like these will be rejoicing so much in the harvest of souls that she will not have time to pity herself because she is excluded from the public proclamation of the Word.
Women have proven themselves to be excellent teachers. Not only have they exercised considerable influence in their own homes, but they have edified many other people’s children by virtue of the Bible classes they teach. They can be particularly valuable at teaching younger women the will of God (Titus 2:3-5).
So far we have seen the freedom women have and the possibilities in the realms of evangelism, education, benevolence, and hospitality. Their godly example in the home and in the church is inestimable. Anything we have missed can probably be summed up by saying that she can be a servant. Anyone who aspires to greatness must travel on the pathway of servanthood.
Jesus was speaking to the multitudes and His disciples when He said: “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matt. 23:11). The multitudes included women, and they are not excluded or limited in any form or fashion. Equally generic is Paul’s declaration that “the whole body” is “joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share,” which causes growth in the body (Eph. 4:16).
We are not told of any women in the upper room for the “last supper,” but Jesus took a towel and, by washing their feet, showed His dumbfounded disciples a lesson in love, humility, and service. Certainly no one is forbidden on the basis of gender to practice these great virtues. The New Testament reveals a multitude of opportunities for women to serve. Every congregation of God’s people usually has more work than it can accomplish. Most of these tasks do not involve exercising leadership over men, but they are necessary nevertheless.
Barnabas was known as the Son of Encouragement (Acts 4:36) because he possessed that outstanding quality. Many sisters in the kingdom could rightly be called Daughters of Encouragement for the spiritual boost they have given to young preachers, song leaders, and Bible class teachers. (Some have occasionally given some helpful advice, also).
Society practices this precept all the time in relation to sporting events. The runner is cheered on to victory. In team sports the announcer will sometimes observe, “The crowd is getting into the game,” meaning that, after a period of relative silence, they have begun cheering and trying to pump up the players. In basketball or hockey arenas the female fans do not say, “I am not going to cheer because no women are on the team.” The ladies who attend these events encourage the players as loudly as they can.
In the Lord’s church men have been appointed for leadership roles. Yes, women are excluded from that privilege; so are some men. Those who (for whatever reason) cannot lead, can certainly encourage those who have devoted themselves to those various tasks. In the body of Christ, not everyone gets to be the eyes, the ears, or the tongue. But everyone contributes to the well-being of the body (1 Cor. 12:12-27). Concerning restrictions, whether natural or divine, we may all learn contentment by accepting and doing those things for which we are qualified.