A Case for Biblical Egalitarianism: Part Two
This is Part Two of a brief series of articles (check out Part One), of which I don’t know how many parts there will end up being. Over time I’ve come to realize that this debate and argument is far more nuanced and complex than I ever anticipated, and while there is much more detail I could go into on various passages and other theological concepts and such, I won’t be doing that here (for now). This is a Birdseye view, keep in mind.
Something I’d like to reiterate is that these articles are quite literally walking you readers through my own thought process, questions, observations, and struggles as I developed my own beliefs on what I believe Scripture indicates about women in ministry holding positions of and exercising spiritual authority. The structure of these articles is not strictly academic, I’m not looking to have debates with anyone (I don’t like confrontation), and I have a certain intention behind publishing these thoughts on my blog.
They’re my thoughts and observations. I’m well aware that some of you may not like how I lay them out, or disagree based on presuppositions of the egalitarian position. But, I am showing you how I arrived at my conclusions by starting with Scripture.
Secondly, I am focusing specifically in the realm of women in roles of spiritual authority within the church. I am not going to dive into women in roles of authority in the home and public sector, though my beliefs are still egalitarian in that sense as well.
In continuing this series of articles, I’ll now review some examples of how I see Scripture supporting women in roles of spiritual authority in the New Testament. Some of these examples are strong ones in my argument, some of them are merely interesting or significant in other ways for me.
Women in the New Testament
There are several examples to choose from regarding women holding positions of spiritual authority in the New Testament. Let’s take a look at (1) Jesus and women in the New Testament, (2) Paul and women in the New Testament. I chose these two categories, because they are the most prevalent that I see. As I began researching and reading on this topic within Scripture, I began to see more interesting scenarios of how Jesus and the apostles interacted with women in their lives.
Below I want to look at not only examples of women I believe are in positions of spiritual authority, but also examples of how women in the time of Christ and early Christianity were treated by Jesus and Paul in such a way that was intentionally contrary to the culture of the day.
Jesus and Women in the New Testament
While the women that Jesus interacted with in the New Testament may not be prime examples of women exercising spiritual authority in an overt manner, they are examples of how Jesus went against the normative cultural expectations in regard to women.
The era that Jesus entered the world as the God-man was not a time period or culture that was necessarily friendly towards the female gender. In many ways, outright hostility was shown toward women. Jesus, the Christ, did something unique. He did something different.
He talked to women. He spent time with women. He listened to women. He encouraged others to interact with women. He welcomed women into his circle. He let women learn as students at his feet.
This was incredibly abnormal for the cultural attitudes of the day. Let’s look at a few examples of Jesus’ interactions with women in the New Testament.
The Samaritan Woman
7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”
John 4:7 (ESV)
The Samaritan woman. It’s a well-known story, for many reasons. I love this story for many reasons as well. I’ve always been intrigued by Jesus’ interaction with this woman who is seen by all of his peers, even his immediate closest friends, as a half-breed nuisance.
Samaria was a land located between Jerusalem and Galilee, and often Jews would travel around Samaria rather than through it. Samaritan citizens are products historically of the Assyrian invasion of the northern kingdom of Israel in the year 721 B.C. Assyrians and Israelites, those who were not deported and remained in the land, intermingled and intermarried. The product - Samaritans. They are half-Jewish, and half-Gentile. They are, as seen by many historically, less than.
Yet here we have Jesus, and he decides that he’s going to go through Samaria to get to Galilee, and he stops at Jacob’s well and meets a woman. He talks to this woman, and asks her for a drink of water. Of course, we know that there is a much larger plan in effect here that this Samaritan woman will play a major role in.
In short, this woman comes to have faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. She takes this news, and tells it to her entire community. She becomes a messenger, so to speak.
There is much that could be said about this woman, and many egalitarians have used her and her story in support of their argument in substantial ways.
I don’t know that this is a substantial supporting argument for women exercising spiritual authority. I don’t know that we can see that explicitly in the text.
What do we see? Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman at a well, and the gospel message being expressed to the Samaritan people because of Jesus’ initial conversation with a woman. We don’t know her age. We don’t know her name. We don’t know much about her - but we know she believed and played a major role in others coming to belief.
I think it’s significant, but not vital to my argument.
Women Accompanying Jesus
1 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them [him] out of their means.
Luke 8:1-3 (ESV), brackets mine
Whenever women are named in Scripture, I tend to take notice. Not necessarily because of my biblical interpretation, or because of my research interests - but really because it doesn’t happen often.
Here, we have three women named as disciples of Jesus, who are part of his ministry as well. And, they are part of his ministry in quite a significant way.
Mary called Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Chuza who manages Herod’s household, and Susanna. Mary appears more than once in Scripture, and she seems to have a significant presence among Jesus’ friends. We don’t know much about Susanna. We know that Joanna is the wife of Chuza who manages Herod’s household. These are women of importance.
There are two things I want to point out here:
...and many others... - these three women were not the only women who were walking right alongside Jesus and the disciples. There were others.
...who provided… - these women were apparently wealthy. They were providing out of their means. They were providing for Jesus’ ministry in a monetary way.
You’ll note that I included a slight variation in brackets in the above text. The ESV translation states, “...and many others, who provided for them out of their means.” There is a footnote by the word “them” in the ESV translation, signifying that there are some significant manuscripts which say “him” rather than “them.” Is this significant? I believe so. It’s a bit more specification that alludes to even more significance placed on these women. This is, again, Jesus acting against the normative cultural expectation.
Accepting money from women? That’s certainly unusual in this day and time.
Is this an example of women exercising spiritual authority? Possibly. I don’t see a fully laid out argument for that, but it might be there. I don’t think it’s implausible to consider. But, I don’t know that we have enough concrete detail provided in the text.
Yet, these women were significant enough in Jesus’ ministry and Luke’s historical record to have been named in the text itself. So, I believe it is important to highlight their significance, because the text does.
Mary and Martha
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.
Luke 10:38-39 (ESV)
Mary and Martha are two sisters who live in Bethany, they have a brother named Lazarus, and they appear a few times in the narrative. Interestingly, they appear in all four gospels. There are several passages that I could highlight (the death of Lazarus, the anointing with oil), but I wanted to focus on this one for a reason.
Mary sat at Jesus’ feet like a student, and listened to his teaching.
And he let her.
This is significant in my opinion because I do believe it implies a certain aspect of spiritual authority at play. Jesus, yet again acting against the cultural expectation, respects Mary as a student of the scriptures. One could even argue that in another instance, at the death and resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus engages Mary in discussion about the resurrection of the saints. Is she putting her knowledge and learning to use? Possibly.
More importantly, I think this narrative holds significance not only in Jesus’ day and on the pages of Scripture, but also for us today.
Mary sat at Jesus’ feet like a student, and Jesus let her do so. He didn’t discourage her from learning about these spiritual things. He didn’t tell her that her time would be of better use elsewhere. He taught, and she listened.
I’m always curious to know what Mary did with this knowledge after Jesus’ ascension. Did she teach? Did she have an active role in ministry? She had the training. She was learning much of the same things the apostles were. Of course, with this I can only speculate.
Nonetheless, I think it is important to recognize that Jesus supported Mary learning from him about spiritual matters and the scriptures and theology. He supported her, and said “Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Mary was his student here, and he respected her.
The Women at the Resurrection of Jesus
54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.
Luke 23:54-56 (ESV)
The significance of the women at the resurrection of Jesus cannot be understated. I chose to quote Luke’s gospel here for a reason - consistency with the previous passage concerning the women accompanying Jesus from Galilee. Luke notes that these are the same women who were supporting Jesus financially in his ministry.
Now, Jesus will give them a task that is their greatest thus far.
The women find an empty tomb when they go the next morning to anoint Jesus’ body per Jewish burial customs. Angels tell them that Jesus is not there, and he has risen. The women tell the eleven disciples and others what they have heard and seen, and they are not believed.
Then the resurrected Jesus appears to them on the road to Emmaus, and their lives are changed.
These women take the message, the greatest message of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, and they take it to all the other disciples. Jesus tells them “go,” and they do it.
I think this narrative, in all four gospels, is possibly the most indicative of spiritual authority being exercised by women. There is great significance here, indeed.
Paul and Women in the New Testament
Lydia and the Praying Women
11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Acts 16:11-15 (ESV)
When the Apostle Paul travels to Macedonia on his missionary journey in the book of Acts, he comes to the major city of Philippi. As he and his small team of missionaries come into the city, they venture out on the Sabbath day to the riverside. Apparently, they heard about a group of women. These women are often understood to be “God-fearers,” or those interested in God but not fully understanding of the scriptures yet. One of these women is identified - her name is Lydia, she is from the city of Thyatira, and she is a seller of purple goods.
Several things to note here.
Lydia is named. Again, I always take note when women are named in Scripture. Names are important.
She’s from the city of Thyatira, where Paul would also end up planting a church.
She sells purple goods. This means wealth. Studies have shown that purple was the color of royalty, and it was expensive to sell purple goods due to the difficulty of procuring the dye.
As the story goes, Lydia is converted, and she becomes a significant person in the ministry of the Apostle Paul. Lydia is baptized, “and her household as well...” Not much is known about the family of Lydia, but it seems, according to the pattern of how households are listed in Scripture and elsewhere, Lydia may be named here as the head of her household. At least, in the sense that Paul will work with her specifically. There is some debate about this, of course. But it’s possible.
Either way, Lydia is important. Later in this 16th chapter of Acts, the infantile church body that has formed in Philippi gathers at Lydia’s house. Is it just a convenient location? Or is it a location of significance?
I lean towards it being a location of significance.
Later on, in Paul’s letter to the Philippian church, he names two other significant women.
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Philippians 4:2-3 (ESV)
In this greeting, it appears that Paul is writing of these women as though they are equals to him. I think the language supports this as well, though I’m no expert in the language.
These women - Lydia, Euodia, Syntyche - labored and strived side by side with the Apostle Paul in his ministry.
They clearly hold a place of significance for the Apostle Paul. I believe we could even say that these women potentially held places of spiritual authority in the church to have been so highly regarded.
Priscilla and Aquila
1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.
Acts 18: 1-3 (ESV)
Paul meets Priscilla and Aquila first in Corinth. He stays with them and works with them. Soon, we will see that they become close friends and co-laborers in the gospel.
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
Acts 18:24-28 (ESV)
At this point, Priscilla and Aquila have come with Paul to Ephesus. Here we read that a Jewish man named Apollos has arrived, but he needed a little bit of refinement in the way of understanding the baptism of the Spirit, and the way of God. So, “they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”
I think this is an example of a woman exercising spiritual authority. Yes, she does so at the side of her husband, and some would argue that this is only supportive of women in married couples being allowed to exercise spiritual authority.
But she does exercise spiritual authority, and I find it difficult to dispute that here.
Phoebe, a Deacon
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.
Romans 16:1-2 (NIV)
In his letter to the Romans, where he is writing to a church in which he has many connections but to whom he has never had a visit in person; the Apostle Paul includes several greetings. One of which is to a woman named Phoebe, who he identifies as a διάκονον (diakonon), or “deacon.”
Please note, I chose to use the 1984 NIV translation because both the ESV and the NASB (my trusted go-to translations) don’t translate this term from the original language justly, in my opinion. They translate it as “servant,” though they do at least allow a footnote for the possible other translation. I believe the text is clear, and per the usage of the term elsewhere both in the canon and outside of the canon, the transliteration of “deacon” is most appropriate here.
Now, generally speaking, deacons in scripture seem to have a primarily non-spiritual function. Initially, this office was instituted to serve a physical need in the church (ministering to widows). But I think it is of note that Phoebe is identified as such in this letter to a group of people who may not be familiar with her. Much in the same way that Paul defended his own apostleship, it is possible that he may be acknowledging Phoebe as a credible leader in some way.
Further supporting this identification of Phoebe as a credible leader with spiritual authority is the use of the term προστάτις (prostatis), a “benefactor” or “patroness” (I prefer “patroness”). Paul encourages the Romans, to whom he is introducing himself and his connections essentially, to welcome Phoebe and give her all the help she may need in her work as she has been “the benefactor of many people, including me.” The term “benefactor” or “patroness” connotes overtones of equality and leadership. Strong’s Concordance defines this term as applied here in Romans as “a woman set over others;” or “a female guardian, protectress, patroness.”
Many scholars additionally believe that Phoebe was responsible for carrying Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, and therefore responsible for relaying the message. But, there is no definitive proof of that fact, though it is highly likely to have occurred.
Regardless, Phoebe held a place of some significance here.
Junia, the Woman Apostle
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
Romans 16:7 (NIV)
Junia is a name that I had never heard of before I started researching and reading about women in ministry. She appears just this once, by name, in the greetings of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. In the above passage, again from the NIV translation which does more justice I think, there are a few things of note.
Junia, a woman. Some scholars, and even very late manuscripts, add a letter to the name to make it masculine - Junias. I do not think there is any support for this in the language, the manuscript evidence, nor the body of historical works to consider outside of Scripture. The name wasn’t masculinized until the thirteenth century, and there is no record of the masculine name in Graeco-Roman history or documentation - only the female name. There just isn’t any support for a male version of this name at this time. Here, in the letter to the Romans, Junia is a woman.
Junia, in prison with Paul. Junia was another co-laborer of Paul it seems, even to the point of being imprisoned. As we know, martyrdom and suffering on behalf of Christ was seen as a great honor. Paul identifying this event of Junia’s imprisonment is significant because it identifies Junia as someone of high regard - someone willing to suffer imprisonment for Christ.
Junia, outstanding among the apostles. Some scholars suggest a translation of the prepositional phrase ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις (en tois apostolois) as “to the Apostles.” I don’t agree with this. I think the language, according to grammatical rules, indicates “in the group of Apostles'' or “among the Apostles.” Again, I’m not an expert in this topic or in the language, so please bear that in mind.
Junia, a believer before Paul. It appears that Junia is recognized as being a mature believer, one who was of the faith before the Apostle Paul himself. Again, I wonder if Paul is giving credibility where it is due? It’s a possible interpretation, in my opinion.
I’d like to emphasize that Junia was an Apostle, as I believe the text indicates. She was held in high regard by Paul, and was a woman of notable faith and leadership among the Apostles.
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These examples and passages and people that I’ve written about are ones that I find significant in the body of Scripture. Is it exhaustive? No, not at all. But, these are the more significant ones that I have paid attention to.
There is much more that I could say about each of these examples, and many other passages and themes and nuances that I could touch on. For now, I’ll keep it simple with these examples that were significant to me in my own journey of developing my beliefs on the topic. More will be discussed soon, of course.
This discussion has opened many doors for conversation to be had in a respectful, meaningful manner. The discussion will continue with a live podcast episode on Bible Banter with Luke Copeland. There also may be more articles from me subsequently from the podcast discussion.
Let’s hope we continue in this respectful attitude as we have thus far.
If you want to dialogue with me personally, feel free to reach out on social media. If you have questions or thoughts about all that I’ve written, please feel free to leave a (respectful) comment below.
Thanks for reading!
-C