Women’s “Lib” or the Word of God? – Notes/Study Sheet

(I Tim. 2:11-14)

 

Introduction:

   * Many strong, faithful, inspiring Old Testament women – Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, Rachel, Miriam, Deborah, Abigail,

      Ruth, Esther (I Peter 3:5).

   * Many of the same in New Testament. Those who ministered to Jesus, who were faithful, (Lydia, Dorcas, Priscilla, etc)

   *  Jesus often dealt with women and always honorably.

 

1. Basic facts about men and women.

   * Men and women both subject to Christ’s marriage law (Mt. 19:9; I Cor. 7:11).

   * Men and women both dependent on each other (I Cor. 11:11).

   * Men and women equal in salvation (Gal. 3:28).

   * Women guide the household (I Tim. 5:14). Husband still head of wife (Eph. 5:22-23).

  

2. Which place does God intend for women?

   * God’s design – man is head of woman in society, church, and home (I Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:22-24).

            - Why? 1)                                                                    2)

   * Concerning women, Bible teaches:

      1)                                                               2)                                                         3)

   * Woman not inferior to man! Neither God nor Paul is sexist!

 

3. What about “Women’s Lib” and the Bible?

   * Can women serve as elders, deacons, and preachers? 2 approaches:

      1)                                                                                       2)

 

   * The truth: no scriptural authority for women elders, women preachers, or women worship leaders.

   * Women can’t serve as elders because:

   * Women aren’t to hold public preaching ministries:

            - One argument in support is women prophesied. Prophecy is:

 

            - Another argument is:

 

            - Women may teach, but how?

 

   * What about Phoebe Rom. 16:1-2? Diakonos means only “servant” (Mt. 23:11, Jn. 2:5).

   * Euodias and Syntyche? (Phil. 4:2-3) –

   * Junia? (Rom. 16:7) –

   * What about Old Testament prophets?

 

4. What about I Cor. 14:34? - Is in harmony with I Tim. 2  

                                                            I Cor. 14 & I Tim. 2

I Cor. 14

I Tim. 2

“...it is not permitted unto them to speak...” (v. 34)

“I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over the man.” (v. 12)

“let them be in subjection” (v. 34)

“...but to be in quietness” (v. 12)

“if they would learn anything” (v.35)

“Let a woman learn” (v. 11)

“let them ask their husbands at home” (v. 35)

“in quietness with all subjection” (v. 11)

“as also saith the law” (v. 34)

Adam and Eve in creation and sin (v. 14-15)

* I Corinthians 14:34 lends no support to women preachers. Such are not sanctioned anywhere in the Scriptures.

 

5. Men must lead worship in assemblies of mixed sexes.

   * I Tim. 2:8; I Cor. 11:5 –

   * In four major contexts where Paul discusses male-female relationships (I Cor. 11:2-16; 14:33-35; Eph. 5:22-23; I Tim.

      2:8-15), principle of subjection & its application to specifics grounded upon facts of O.T. history, not culture.

 

                                                                                                                                    R.W. McAlister 11/2/08 a.m.