Clothesline #4

Greetings to all on 10 APR 2006

Word for the Day
Androgynous - Having characteristics or nature of both male and female; having traditional male and female roles reversed. [1]

Quote for the Day
To deny women to minister and teach in the church is to deny the clear gifts of God himself. Here we would do well to learn from Peter ... when the Holy Spirit did the unthinkable thing of falling on Gentiles who were uncircumcised and say to the religious, “Who was I that I could withstand God?” If God had never gifted a woman to teach, then of course one might have a case - but such a person would also be living in a radically different culture from ours - or with his or her head in the sand. [2]

Website for the Day
www.ntrf.org
This is the website for New Testament Restoration Forum, a group committed to restoring NT Christianity. Check out some of the articles.

Thought for the Day
Last month we considered the story of Mary and Martha with Jesus and mentioned that he did not rebuke Mary for joining with the men to listen to his teaching. The social norm of that day would not have allowed a woman to sit in on the mens' discussion. And so we find Jesus continuing to give permission to break down cultural, religious and social barriers of his day and, indeed, for the future. [3]

Just as the scheme of redemption runs from the beginning to the end of the Bible, so does that restorative plan apply to bringing all people - women and men - back to the equality that was enjoyed in the Garden. Not the mathematical equality of being identical but equality before each other as well as before God. Not that we are androgynous, but that we are of equal value, co-workers in the kingdom. [GAL 3.28]

One of the earliest hints of equality is the selection of Deborah as a judge. [JUD 4] Some might say that she was the only one; we would reply that it’s amazing that any woman was included in the list of judges at a time when that was strictly the man’s domain. [4] Others could be listed, but time would fail me to tell of Rahab, Ruth and Esther. [with apologies to HEB 11.23]

In the NT we find numerous examples of women listed as associates and supporters of both Jesus and, later, the apostles. Lazarus, Mary and Martha were certainly among Jesus’ closest friends. At the end of Romans, Paul mentions Phoebe and Mary among his co-laborers and supporters. [ROM 16.1-2,6] Tryphaena and Tryphosa (sisters - twins?) are also among the women listed in Paul’s salute. Andronicus and Junia (husband and wife?) were co-workers with Paul and are called prominent among the apostles. [v.7 NRSV] Does that just mean that they were well known by the apostles? Or were they really apostles? [5] Arguments can be made for both cases but, “The Greek preposition en surely has its normal meaning of “in” or “among” as the earliest Greek commentators on this verse, Origen and John Chrysotom, admit.” [6] Witherington also makes an interesting argument that Junia (Latin) is none other than Joanna (Hebrew) of Luke 8.3. She was one of the first disciples (and financial supporters) and was also present at the resurrection. [LUK 23.55 with 24.10] Notice that the men refused to believe the women’s account of what they had witnessed. In those days women were considered “too emotional to be valid witnesses.” [7]

Luke, more than any other NT writer, includes the stories of Christian women who merit becoming part of the story for us all. Tabitha was considered “worthy” of being revived to life by Peter. [9.36 ff] Lydia and her household were hosts to Paul and Silas. [16.11-15] She is depicted as “Paul’s first convert on the mainland of Europe ... and ... Paul visited her again before leaving Philippi [ACT 16.40].” [8] At the beginning of Acts, Peter reminds us of Joel’s prophecy “that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy...” [JOE 2.28] One fulfillment of this is found in the evangelist Philip, who had four daughters who prophesied. [ACT 21.8-9]

Paul twice commends Prisca and Aquila as his co-workers and hosts to the church that met in their house. [ROM 6.3-5 & 1COR 16.19] At the close of Colossians, Nympha and the church in her house are listed. [COL 4.15] Euodia and Syntyche are mentioned as co-workers at the close of Philippians. [PHI 4.2-3] The Greek word sunergos (co-worker) is a term “that he (Paul) usually reserved for apostles.” [9]

In 1 Corinthians, we find Paul addressing the proper decorum to be followed by the women who were gifted to pray and prophesy. [11.2-16] I would contend that the “head covering” restrictions, which seem so odd to us, were sensitive to the culture of that day and were never meant to apply to all women for all time.

Paul goes against the cultural norm when he says that the husband should treat his wife as a co-equal in the kingdom [EPH 5.25] and love his wife as he loves himself. [v.28-33] In this passage Paul is showing the people a better way; proclaiming more than they can handle at the time. Perhaps more than we can handle to this day.

May God Bless
Mike Toole
clw, ed.

NOTE: If interested in studying this; print this page and open your Bible.Next month we will take a brief look at the injunction in 1 Timothy 2 and give some final remarks.

1. Carroll Osburne, Women In The Church, ACU Press, Abilene TX, 2001, p.xv

2. Gordon Fee, The Great Watershed - Intentionality and Particularity/Eternality: 1TIM 2.8-15 as a Test Case, published in God and Spirit: Issues in New Testament Hermeneutics, 1991, p.52-65

3. Michael McClymond, Familiar Stranger, Eerdmans Publ., Grand Rapids MI, 2004, p. 110-111

4. Mike Cope, Highland Church of Christ, Abilene TX, Message delivered on January 16, 2005

5. Read Acts 14.14 and Galatians 1.19 and you will find two other “extra” apostles! Some argue that James could not have been an apostle because he was not a missionary; I would counter that maybe he was the first domestic missionary. Read carefully 1COR 15.5-8. Perhaps the labels “twelve” and “apostles” are not synonymous as we have always believed.

6. Ben Witherington III, Joanna - Apostle of the Lord or Jailbait, Bible Review, vol.xxi, n.2, 2005, p.12

7. ibid. p.14

8. Howard Clark Kee, The Changing Role of Women in the Early Christian World, Theology Today, vol.49, n.2, July 1992, p.234

9. David Cartlidge, Thecla - The Apostle Who Defied Women’s Destiny, Bible Review, vol.xx, n.6, 2004, p.25