Should Women Preach?
Similar questions might be:
Should women be pastors?
Should women be priests?
Should women be reverends?
Should women be ministers? etc.
Whatever your church calls the person who teaches and preaches to mixed assemblies of people is what we are addressing in this article.
I know that this a hotly debated topic in some circles. But let’s be clear–this is not a matter of men vs. women. Some men think women should be allowed to preach, and some women think they should not be allowed to preach. This is not a matter of sexism or male chauvinism, but it is a matter of biblical interpretation.
We shouldn’t be concerned with people’s opinions. You shouldn’t be concerned about my opinion! Instead, we should care what the Bible says about women preachers.
This article will explore the two main New Testament texts that address this issue, and then consider four exceptions or objections to them.
The first passage is found in 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
“11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 2 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.” (1 Timothy 2:11–12 | ESV)
The second passage is 1 Corinthians 14:33b-34.
“33b As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.” (1 Corinthians 14:33–35 | ESV)
At face value, both of those verses seem to be saying that women should not preach to or teach men, especially in the assembly:
“I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.”
“The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak.”
Objection #1: Paul was Addressing a Local Cultural Problem
Paul gave these instructions because women were looked down on in that culture. They were second-class citizens with no authority or voice of their own. They were never given the chance to shine. Paul did not want to make waves, instead keeping the status quo until the culture advanced. Today, we live in a different culture where women are valued and they should be allowed to preach.
Answer:
Paul wrote to Timothy in Ephesus and to the church in Corinth. Both cities were full of Pagan temples to various gods. In many of these pagan religions, women were often priestesses and leaders. There was no real cultural objection to women leading, teaching, prophesying, etc. in religious contexts.
The argument that Paul was just trying to keep the status quo doesn’t hold water.
So why does God not allow them to teach or have authority over men? Let’s go back to 1 Timothy:
“11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet” (1 Timothy 2:11,12 | ESV).
What was the reason Paul taught that women cannot teach or exercise authority over a man?
“13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.” (1 Timothy 2:13–14 | ESV)
These are two reasons why women are not permitted to teach or to exercise authority over a man; neither one of them have to do with Greco-Roman culture. Instead, they have to do with the order of creation and the fall of mankind.
Objection #2: Women Were Uneducated at the Time
Women were oppressed and not allowed to learn like men were. They were largely uneducated and because of that they shouldn’t have been teaching or exercising authority. Today, women have the same access to education as men do. In fact, they often are smarter and know their Bibles better than men. Therefore, women should be allowed to preach in church.
Answer:
If women were so uneducated, why did God command older women to teach the younger women? Wouldn’t that be like the blind leading the blind?
Women followed and were taught by Jesus, and women labored with Paul. Women had abundant opportunities to learn the Gospel. Some were also endowed with the miraculous gift of prophecy.
They were smart, educated by the Holy Spirit, and valued in the church. There is no reason from an educational standpoint that some women couldn’t teach or exercise authority over a man.
Instead, the reason God gave was,
“13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor” (1 Timothy 2:13–14 | ESV).
It had nothing to do with education.
Objection #3: There were Female Prophets
Women were given the gift of prophecy, therefore they should preach to the whole church. In 1 Corinthians 11:5, we see women who were prophesying, and in Acts 21:8-9, Philip the evangelist had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
Answer:
The question is, who did they prophecy to? The text doesn’t tell us. But, in the context of 1 Corinthians 11 and Acts 21, there is no indication that these women were preaching or prophesying publicly to the whole congregation.
In fact, just a few chapters later, in 1 Corinthians 14 the Bible says that they should “keep silent in the churches.”
In this context, Paul is addressing 3 groups of people and telling them to be silent:
#1 Women
“33b As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church” (1 Corinthians 14:33–35 | ESV).
#2 Those who wanted to speak in tongues but had no one to interpret for them:
“27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.” (1 Corinthians 14:27–28 | ESV)
#3 Those who had to wait their turn to prophesy:
“29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:29–33 | ESV).
These groups of people who were to keep silent included men as well! But when God addresses the women, it is to women in general.
“33b As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church” (1 Corinthians 14:33–35 | ESV).
Why is it shameful? Because she is uneducated? Because she is oppressed by men? No, because:
“Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor” (1 Timothy 2:11–14 | ESV).
Objection #4: Priscilla taught Apollos
Priscilla taught Apollos, therefore women should be allowed to preach.
Answer:
Let’s see what the Bible says,
“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” (Acts 18:24–26 | ESV).
First of, all this says nothing about Priscilla preaching to the congregation. This was done privately. There were only 3 people involved: Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos.
Second, the text doesn’t even say she taught him anything. It says, “they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” She is named first, which many scholars say indicates that she was more prominent. Let me give you a possible scenario:
Priscilla and Aquila hear Apollos preach.
Aquila says to Priscilla, “We need to explained the way of God more accurately to Apollos. Would you invite him over to dinner?”
Priscilla invites him and hosts a dinner.
She introduces Apollos to her husband. So far, she is the more prominent figure.
During dinner, Mr. Reserved Aquila explaines the way of the Lord more accurately.
Thus “they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”
Is that how it happened? I have no idea. Neither do those who say that Pricilla taught Apollos. What we do know is that after Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
To use this verse to try and prove women can preach is a gross misuse of scripture.
So, should women preach in our public assemblies? No, the Bible clearly teaches that women are not to teach or have authority over a man and that they are to remain silent in the church.
