Women in ministry, once again. Possibly much of our disagreement about women in general and in ministry in particular has more to do with our interpretations of Scripture than anything else.
For instance, Ephesians 5:22–6:5 was recently cited as a basis for a God-given hierarchy. This is not what that passage is about. This whole passage is about mutual, two-way submission and is tied back into 5:21. What follows in 5:22 through 6:5 are examples of mutual, two-way submission. Wives are to submit to their parents.
Fathers are to submit to their children. Slaves are to submit to their masters. Masters are to submit to their slaves. And please read submit as “voluntarily yielding in love.”
First Timothy 2:9-15 was mentioned in the same letter. What Paul commands in this passage is that women learn. Of course they were not to teach, at least not until they had learned. What that passage says about “authority over men” probably is better translated “should not domineer men.” And I agree, women should not domineer men. Neither should men domineer women.
As far as Genesis 3:16 goes, it is not the plan of God. It is the result of sin entering the human race. And Christ died for mankind (womankind too) to restore both man and woman to God’s intended plan. A woman can’t be a minister? Only men say that. God has not.
Howard Van Culpepper
Huntsville, Ala.
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