Should Women Preach and Teach Men?

Timothy was the leader who oversaw the churches in Ephesus. He had problems with certain women who were arrogant and domineering. In his letter Paul discussed how Timothy should deal with this problem.

I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to remain quiet. 1 Tim 2:12 CSB17

There is no other verse in the whole Bible that forbids women to teach or reprove a man.

The word ''allow'' here is a translation from EPITREPEO. This word is found several times in the New Testament, but it does not indicate a law or commandment of God.

Here are some examples.

Another follower said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."  Mt 8:21 NIRV

Another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house." Lk 9:61 CSB17

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. Jn 19:38 NKJ

But Paul said, "I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people." Acts 21:39 NKJ

If PERMITTED or FORBIDDEN is referring to a law or commandment of God, we find another word in the original Greek text.
EXESTI:

There he saw a man who had a shriveled hand, and in order to accuse him they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" Mt 12:10 CSB17

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!" Mt 12:2 NKJ

Then Pilate said to them, "You take Him and judge Him according to your law." Therefore the Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death," Jn 18:31 NKJ

The difference between EPITREPEO and EXESTI is dramatic and very important.

When a teacher allows a student to go to the toilet during a lesson, that is EPITREPEO: (I do not allow the woman to teach or to rule over the man...)

If a man is not allowed to marry his sister because it is against the law, then the Greek word EXESTI would be used.

Smith Wigglesworth was an English evangelist. Through his ministry countless people came to faith in Jesus and many were healed.

He was a boy from a poor family, and he had to work from an early age. He never went to school and his wife taught him to read. It was only through his wife’s teaching that he was able to read the bible.

His wife was also a preacher who brought many souls into God's Kingdom.

The mighty house church movement in China is terribly persecuted, but the Christians are not going under. Many pastors are arrested and tortured, but when a male leader is taken away, often a woman takes over the leadership.

More than 75% of the pastors in this movement are now women, and God is multiplying His people.

The first man with God in the garden was Adam the man. The first man with Jesus in the garden after the resurrection was Mary Magdalene, a woman with a past but chosen to proclaim a new beginning for the human race.

When Mary Magdalene announced to the apostles that Jesus had risen, they did not believe.

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. Mk 16:14 NKJ

Saved though Bearinng Children??

But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. 1 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

Does this mean that women can only be saved if they bear children?

God forbid! Then all virgins would be damned!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 

not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

Or should we believe, as some people apparently think, that women have no ministry other bringing up children?

That is easy to prove wrong.

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,

and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. Luke 2:36-37 (NIV)

So what has salvation to do with having babies?

Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control. 1 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)

In our time in western countries, childbirth is not as dangerous as in poor countries or in former times. In bible days, many women died giving birth.

In the original Greek text we see the word SOZO.

In the New Testament this word refers to salvation from God's judgement, but also being saved from death or being delivered from sickness.

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 (NKJV)

The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" Matthew 8:25 (NIV)

Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment. Matthew 9:22 (NIV)

Paul wants to encourage women to expect deliverance from trauma and death in childbirth.

Jesus and the World Religions.

Only in the Bible will you find an almighty God who loves you from the heart.

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16 (NIV)

The God in the Qur'an is the creator and judge, but in the Islamic scriptures there is no Father God.
 

And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. Lk 12:29-30 (NIV)

Only in the Bible do you find an almighty God who loves absolutely every human being.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)

This is good, and it pleases God our Saviour,
who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim 2:3-4 CSB17 

 

Only in the Bible do you find an almighty God who loves his enemies.

Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing." And they divided his clothes and cast lots. Lk 23:34 CSB17

This is how Jesus prayed when he was dying in agony on the cross.

For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. Rom 5:10 CSB17

Only in the Bible do we find an eternal almighty Father God, who sacrifices his eternal Son to pay for all our sins so that we can have eternal life through repentance and faith.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23 CSB17

Loving Humility, Not Cruel Humiliation

Paul describes himself as a slave but also as an apostle.

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God-- Romans 1:1 (NIV)
He had surrendered his life completely to the will of God, subordinating himself like a slave, but God had entrusted him with a high office. 

God wants us to humble ourselves before Him, but not because He wants to humiliate us. If you are always putting yourself down, you don’t understand God's love.

If your family, your boss or your church leader keeps putting you down, it is not from God.


I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. 
Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. Jn 15:15 (NIV)

 
In many English translations we read the word SERVANT but in the original Greek text the word is DOULOS, which means SLAVE.

If you dedicate yourself to God’s will fully, like a faithful and willing slave, but love and trust God like a beloved son or daughter, Jesus will embrace you and treasure you as a dear friend.

Leaders Must Encourage Initiative

It was Easter Sunday and the large church was filled. Suddenly a man dramatically stood up, stopped breathing and collapsed. The pastors did nothing. But a young man instantly came to the rescue. He had been trained as a paramedic, and he took the initiative.

The young paramedic quickly and expertly performed the necessary first aide. Six men carried the stricken man to the back of the church. 

A doctor from the congregation came and helped the young paramedic while they waited for the ambulance.

What happened?

In an emergency, the large leadership team and staff of the church were slow to react and therefore ineffective. The real leader was the young man who simply reacted to the need at hand. He did not wait for authorisation, but he took the initiative.

This story comes from an excellent book by Max DePree. “Leadership is an Art.” The author calls the spontaneous initiative of the young paramedic “Roving Leadership”.

The church also had hierarchical leadership. 

Hierarchical leaders must encourage and make room for initiative. Roving leaders must be celebrated. In fact, many hierarchical leaders frown on initiative. They micromanage their organisations and do not allow roving leadership to function at all.

In the New Testament, we see how believers took major initiatives as they were led by the Holy Spirit. 

 

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 

Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.  Acts 11:19-20 (NIV)
 

These unnamed believers took a new initiative. They made disciples of non Jews and planted the first non-Jewish church. 

 

They were not appointed by the church leaders in Jerusalem. They just did what Jesus had said and as the Holy Spirit led them.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Mt 28:19 (NIV)

This new church was planted in Antioch. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard about it, they sent Barnabas to check on the new mission.

When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. Acts 11:23 (NIV) 

Leaders need to be careful. When something new happens, check it out. Not everything new is from God. 

On the other hand, we need to be ready for surprises. If we look at the ministry of Jesus in the Gospels, we see Him healing blind men in strange ways. In one case, He makes mud by spitting in dirt and anointing the man’s eyes. In another case, He spits in the man’s eyes.

If we demand all ministry to follow conventional procedures, we will restrict the moving of the Holy Spirit.

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8 (NIV)

Hope in Dark Places

When you're overwhelmed with problems, when the way ahead looks hopeless, when your thoughts go in dark circles, then it is time expect something new from God.

God was your Creator when you were conceived. God was there at your birth.

In your helpless dependence, you experienced a mother’s love, that special love that stirred your hunger for a heavenly love.

Then you learned to stand on your own feet and walk.

You went to school, perhaps studied and then got a job, but never forget that you are from God and your life was prepared by God.

No matter how strong and clever you have become, you need to know that your power and success was only possible through God's loving care.

Human strength and material things don’t last for ever.

You may experience painful setbacks. You lose your job. Your marriage fails. Your children go astray and break your heart. You grow old and your strength fails.

You come to a place where you cannot manage your life with your limited health and strength.

How do you react then?
Many become depressed, pessimistic, resigned. Maybe this is you.

If you have not been in these dark places, your time may yet come. 
But if life knocks you down, do you have to stay down forever?

Recently I was very down. I went into a dark place, until it occurred to me that God still has plans for me that I can not think of myself.

I have come so far with God’s amazing help. It was not my own strength or ability that brought me this far.

God has led me so far, and will he not take care of me when I grow old?

God has always rescued me with beautiful surprises from impossible situations. If Jesus rescued me before, will he change His mind when I am old?
 
When Jesus called Peter to leave his job as a fisherman, Peter had to follow a new path, a path that looks very insecure to our natural minds.

Does the way ahead of you look uncertain?

God sees where you are, and he sees the path that lies before you. Nothing is uncertain for God.

God has prepared a bridge that leads from your past to your future.
Would a good engineer design a bridge that leads from one bank to another, or a bridge that does not quite reach the other bank?

 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.
 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. Isa 55:8-9 NKJ

We need God's loving care. You need to get God's thoughts. You have a Bible, but the Bible is a big book. To reach your destination you need not only a good map, but also a reliable guide.

Jesus did not leave his disciples on earth without help.
We have the best of all guides and mentors, the Holy Spirit.

`Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' Jer 33:3 NKJ

Just as the Holy Spirit was to the prophets in the Old Testament, even so he is our wonderful comforter and guide today. He is the great encourager. He wants to give you new hope.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Jer 29:11 NKJ

You need the peace of God!

God's will for you is peace.

Peace in Hebrew is SHALOM. That includes safety, healing and complete well-being. This peace comes only from God. 

Herrmann Zaiss was a dedicated evangelist in Germany who was deeply hurt in spite of amazing success. He was full on charismatic. His ministry resulted in numerous conversions and healings, but in 1924 the resistance of the anti-charismatic Christians was much stronger than it is today.

The persecution by other Christians was very hard to take. His wife had a complete nervous breakdown and his marriage failed. His wife was apparently permanently psychotic in a psychiatric institution.

Herrmann Zaiss was a broken man despite his amazing faith.
How is that possible? In the Bible, Elijah became desperate and asked God to let him die.

Herrmann Zaiss could not take it any longer.

He did not want to have anything to do with God anymore. He still believed in God, but he did not want to live as a Christian. God could kill him, he knew that. He told God he could call him back after 20 years if He so willed. That was up to God.

Zaiss became a successful entrepreneur and married again.
In 1944 he was in Solingen and Germany was falling to pieces. In Solingen and elsewhere, allied bombs rained down day and night.

His wife told him that despite everything, he was a man of God. The time had come to re-activate his faith to encourage the suffering people around them.

Exactly twenty years after turning his back on God, he knelt with his wife, and they gave themselves completely to Jesus.

God forgave him and restored his miraculous ministry. His faith was stronger than ever.

One day they heard a bomber attack on Solingen from England was on their way. Herrmann Zaiss took to the streets and ordered the aircraft to return to England. Then they heard that the bombers had actually turned back.

His ministry increased. Hundreds of desperate Germans came to hear his message. Many were converted.

After the war, a businessman provided him with a bomb-damaged building.

People came from near and far, even from Holland. They saw amazing healings. Where despair reigned, new hope rose up.

Among the British occupation forces was a young soldier. His entire Jewish family in Germany had been wiped out by the Nazis. He was accepted as a refugee in England, and now as a British soldier he hated the Germans.

A Canadian officer was Christian and wanted to help the young Jew. He took the tormented you man to one of Herrmann Zaiss’s meetings. The broken-hearted young soldier heard the wonderful message and saw the amazing miracles. He felt the love of God and God gave him a new heart. Instead of blazing hatred, there was now a burning love.

At the same meetings there was an ex SS officer who had adored Hitler. He had been seriously wounded during the last days of the war, and he was cared for in an American hospital. He could not understand the love of American Christians, but Jesus also transformed his heart.

The young Jew and the no longer hate filled Nazi officer became close friends.

"I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," Says the LORD, "And I will heal him." Isaiah 57:19 (NKJV)

The God of Impossible Miracles

Without the love of God, faith does not work. Very often we see contentious debates about biblical teachings. Doctrines are important, but we can cling to beliefs with determination, but without loving and trusting God.

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 

Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb
and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. Mk 16:1–4 NIV

The women wanted to anoint the body of their beloved Jesus. They just loved him. When people are moved by trust in God and pure love, we can see what faith really means.

They show their love for Jesus in a practical way. Real love always moves us to do something.

Love, faith and action are inseparable.
These women took the initiative.

We see no hint in the text that they were following instructions from the apostles. At that time, the apostles were intimidated and confused.

Once I was in a church which was planning a Christmas outreach in a shopping centre. I went to the shops with a young man from the church to pray for the Christmas celebration.

He asked me if I had the permission of the pastor. I was surprised. If you want to pray, do you need the permission of a pastor? Really?

When we are moved by the love of God, we will often take the initiative to bless our families, our neighbours or our colleagues.

But the women had a problem. The entrance of the tomb was blocked by an enormous stone.

But when you are deeply moved by love and trust in God, you can stare impossibilities in the face and not turn back.

One missionary was convinced that God had told him to go to China, but he had no money and no ticket. He obeyed and went to the airport. He was familiar with testimonies where missionaries in similar situations got a ticket from someone at the airport.

He had to go to the toilet and when he left the washroom, he was in China.

There are Christians who believe that God worked amazing miracles in biblical times, but if someone claims to have experienced extraordinary miracles in our own time, they dismiss it as unbiblical or worse.

In the Bible, I read that it is part of God's nature to do the impossible. God's nature is unchanging.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 NIV

“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Malachi 3:6

God’s mercy is part of His eternal character; so too is His supernatural way of working wonders.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 NIV