Letters    

ON WOMEN PREACHERS: AN ANSWER TO DAKE

Dear A. B.                                                                                                  February 12, 1990

      About two weeks ago, you asked me to write an answer to the arguments advanced in the Dake Bible regarding women preachers. Let me first respond to the arguments that are stated, and then I want to give a forthright account of the teaching of Scripture. Dake, you will remember, is a Pentecostal, and as such he is writing in defense of his ecclesiology.

    First, Dake presents his arguments for women preachers in his essay "Eight Reasons for Women Preachers." In the article, he states "In the Gospels we read of several women messengers who proclaimed `good news'," and then he submits Matthew 28:1-10; Luke 24:9-11; John 4:28-30; and John 20:16-18 as his proofs.

     No one denies God has included women in His covenant of salvation, or that He used them to inform the apostles that the Lord had risen indeed. But, there is a world of difference between telling the apostles that Jesus has risen, and being an apostle. Certainly, God has used women, but not in a preaching, or teaching capacity, for then they would not be in subjection to men.

     In John 4:28-30, the woman at the well went into the city and said, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" She does not usurp her position as a woman, but like Deborah, she asks the men for their evaluation. She does not command them so as to "reprove, rebuke, or exhort" them.

    This is also true of Mary Magdalene, when, according to John 20:16-18, she told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things unto her.

     Second, Dake asserts that Joel 2:28-31 teaches that God promised He would pour out His Spirit upon women, and that they would prophesy. "To prophesy," Dake contends, "means to `speak to men to edification, exhortation, and comfort'" (I Corinthians 14:4). He continues by saying, "Prophesying is for the Church and general public" (I Corinthians 12:1-31; 14:1-6,12,14-16,28-33).

     Regarding Joel 2:28-31, "We are not at a loss about the meaning, nor in doubt what it refers to, and wherein it had its accomplishment," says Matthew Henry, "for the Apostle Peter has given us an infallible explanation of it" (Acts 2:1-47). Peter writes of Pentecost, "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel" (vs. 16).

     The fact that the Spirit of God was poured out upon "all flesh" means "not upon the Jews only, but upon the Gentiles as well." The words, "Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions" (Joel 2:28) simply means God will pour out His Spirit upon men and women, young and old, that all shall know the indwelling of His Spirit who are born again (John 14:21,23; 15:15).

    But when Dake applies prophesying in this context to mean that women would "speak to edification, exhortation, and comfort," he is in error, for the Bible is the best commentator on the Bible, and Paul expressly forbids women to teach, or to usurp authority over men, but rather to learn in silence with all subjection (I Timothy 2:11,12).

     It is a rule in the science of interpretation, that a person must not take a questionable passage to cloud a passage the meaning of which is not in question. The student is to interpret the unknown in light of what is known. To do otherwise is to interpret the text according to our opinion. In their commentary, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown teach rightly when they say, "In the New Testament, `prophesying' is applied to all speaking under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and not merely to foretelling events. All true Christians are `priests' and `ministers' of our God."

      When the Holy Spirit prohibits women to teach, or to usurp authority over men (I Timothy 2:12), Joel chapter 2 must mean that in the New Testament age, our young men and our daughters shall speak having been enlightened by the Holy Spirit—and NOT that women are to preach the gospel, or to otherwise teach men.

     Third, Dake points out that in Acts 21:8-9, Philip the Evangelist had 4 virgin daughters who were prophetesses, but he errs seriously when he says "that is, they were evangelists like their father."

     All preaching entails the element of teaching. Paul, speaking as the Spirit gave him utterance, tells women that they are to be silent, and in subjection to men. This is part of the punishment God has meted out upon Eve and her sex because of woman's part in sin in the Garden of Eden.

      The daughters of Philip were renowned for their piety, their meekness, and quietness "which is in the sight of God of great price" (I Peter 3:4). Brethren, do you know any woman "preacher" who is meek, and who studies to be quiet, and who is in subjection to her husband? The daughters of Philip were prophetesses in that they spoke as those who have been born again, and in whom the Spirit of God dwells.

      Fourth, Dake points out that in Romans 16, a number of women are mentioned as being "servants" of the Lord among whom was Phoebe, Priscilla, and Mary, who were "laborers" in the Lord.

      In the New Testament, there are 5 words that are translated as "servant." Each one has a particular meaning. The word "diakonos" is one of the words. Note, 1.) that there are only two offices in the New Testament Church: they are, bishops (or pastors), and deacons. There is no office in the church for women deacons. The Holy Spirit is very clear in I Timothy 3:8-13, for He gives such requirements for the office as can be applied only to men.

     2.) the fact that Phoebe is called a "deaconess" simply means that she labored in the Lord by doing good works—not by preaching or teaching men which would have been to act contrary to the will of God. This is the reason that Paul says the Church at Rome should receive her as becometh saints "because she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also" (vs. 1). More will be said later about the meaning to "labor in the Lord."

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