ON WOMEN PREACHERS: An Open Letter

Dear Brother: About two weeks ago, you asked me to write an answer to the arguments advanced in the Dake Bible concerning women preachers. I have not be able to answer until now as I am struggling every day to keep abreast with my duties here.

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 writes in defense of his ecclesiology.

So, First, Dake presents his arguments for women preachers in his essay "Eight Reasons for Women Preachers." In the article, he first states "In the Gospels we read of several women messengers who proclaimed ‘good news.’ He then 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 Jesus has risen, and being an Apostle. Certainly God used women, but not in a preaching or teaching capacity for then they would not be in subjection to man.

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?" Note that she does not usurp her position as a woman, but like Deborah, asks the men for their evaluation. She does not command them so as to "reprove, rebuke or exhort." This is also true of Mary Magdalene in John 20:16-18 who told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had spoken these things unto her.

Second, Dake asserts Joel 2:25-31 teaches God promised that He would pour out His Spirit upon women and they would prophesy—- to prophesy means to ‘speak to men to edification, exhortation and comfort. (I Cor. 14:4) Prophesying is for the Church and the general public." (I Cor. 12:1-3l; 14:1-6,12, 24-26, 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. See Acts 2:1-47 for 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 Hews 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. (See: John 14:21, 23; 15:15)

But when Dake applies prophesying in this context to mean women should "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 Tim. 2:11,12) Now one rule is the science of interpretation: a person must not take a questionable passage and cloud the meaning of one which is not in question. You go from known to the unknown, or to put it another way, you interpret the questionable in the light of what is not questionable. To do otherwise is to interpret our view into the text."

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. Ill true Christians are ‘priests’ and ‘ministers’ of our God."

In light of Paul’s prohibiting women to teach, or to usurp authority over men, Joel 2 has to 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 forbids women to teach men, and tells them to be silent and in subjection to men. This is part of the punishment God has meted out upon Eve and to her sex because of women’s part in the sin 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) My brother, do you know any woman preacher who is meek and who studies to be quiet, and who is in subjection to her husband? Philip’s daughters were prophetesses in that they spoke as those who had been born again in whom the Spirit of God dwelt.

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

In the New Testament there are five words that are translated "servant." Each one has a particular meaning. The word "diakonos" is one, and several things need to be mentioned here.

1. There are only two offices in the Church: bishops (or pastors) and deacons. As an office in the Church there are no women deacons. Check I Timothy 3:8-13 and see how all requirements for the office are applied to men only.
2. The Fact that Phoebe is called a "deaconess" means simply that she labored in the Lord, not preaching or teaching men, but is doing good works. This is the reason Paul says of her that 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 shortly be said of "laboring in the Lord."

Fifth, Dake then proceeds to Philippians 4 and to Euodias and Syntyche whom he calls "leaders of the Church at Philippi."

The one question I would pose would be "What does Dake mean by ‘leaders of the Church at Philippi?’" Does he mean they were prominent members of the Church? There is no question that they were, but if he means as I presume he does that they were involved in teaching and preaching I would answer that the only way God would be able to allow a woman to teach or to usurp authority over man is to violate His own Word.

Sixth, Dake next declares that women prophesied in the Church (I Cor. 11:4,5), and that Scripture used to condemn women preachers does not refer to preaching but to creating a disturbance in the church. They are allowed to preach "as long as they keep their place and do not usurp authority over man."

Note first that it is impossible to preach without exercising authority when even the angels give audience. Who would want a messenger, in this case a preacher, who had no authority? And how can a woman preacher be in subjection to her husband when she preaches? And, if men are present, how can she preach and not usurp authority of them?

Note again, the word "prophesy" in the New Testament simply means to speak with the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. It simply means that in the New Testament, all believers are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Note third, unless women can preach and still maintain their silence they are not permitted to speak. (I Cor. 14:34; I Tim. 2:11,12)

Seventh, Dake again mentions that the gifts of the Spirit including the gift of prophecy are for all members of the body of Christ: men and women. (I have already given the meaning of "prophesy" in the New Testament)

Eighth, Dake gives as his final argument the fact that women were used of God in the Old Testament as prophetesses.

In the case of Miriam, the sister of Moses, Dake is correct when he says "All the women went out after her." (Exodus 15:20) Note that men had too much self-respect to follow the leadership of a woman.

In the case of Deborah, note first that she was of such a pious nature, that she was renowned as one in whom the Spirit of God implanted wisdom. She was not a domineering woman. She was far from being militant in attitude for she exhorted Barak saying, "Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying ‘Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali, and of the children of Zebulun?’" (Judges 4:6) Note again, Deborah is meek and mild, and exhorts Barak instead of dictating to him the Word of the Lord.

Second, do you know any woman preacher who is meek and mild, and obedient to her husband, and whose children are living in the fear of the Lord? If so, she still cannot be the "husband of one wife."

Third, Isaiah wrote, "As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them." (Is. 3:12) You be the judge: according to this verse, is it the will of God that women should rule over the people? Deborah was consulted as was Huldah (II Kings 22:14) because they were saintly women --not pant wearing haters of men.

When Dake teaches that Mary went into Juda carrying the Good News he strays dangerously for the person to whom Mary went was to her Aunt Elizabeth. She did not go "door-to-door" preaching the Gospel.

Certainly as Dake says "The Law made provision for women to make sacrifices, attend feasts, and make vows"; after all, they are not excluded from worship or left out of salvation, but this did not allow them to enter the priesthood.

Finally, Dake notes that God used a rod, an ass, a ram’s horn, an ox goad, a nail, etc. He concludes by saying, "Is it not possible then that He can use a woman?"

Certainly He does use women, but in what sense? Will God violate His Word? Will He alter the curse placed upon women when He said "Thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee"? God used Peter to raise Dorcas from the dead because she was full of good works and almsdeeds." "The widow stood by him weeping and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made." God does use women, but when a woman wants to violate nature and to dominate men she is in rebellion to God.

This brings me to the second part of this dissertation which is to give a brief account of the teaching of Scripture on the place God has ordained for women.

Genesis chapter one serves as a Comprehensive account of creation. The second chapter elaborates upon the creation of man. It is here stated that man was created in the image of God, while woman derived her being from man. The Hebrew word for man is "ish", and the Hebrew word for "woman" is "isha" meaning "from man."

In Genesis chapter 3 and in I Timothy 2 we are told the woman was deceived by the serpent in the Garden of Eden. For these two reasons: her place in the order of creation, and her part in being deceived in the Garden, the Apostle Paul wrote "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not (that is, ‘I allow not’) a woman to speak, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." (I Timothy 2:11-14)

Paul did not write this according to his own will --he wrote it by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. His writings agree with the teaching of God’s Word elsewhere, for we read in I Corinthians 14:14 –‘Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak: but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the Law."

Scripture is explicitly clear except to those who want to alter the Word of God: "a bishop...must be the husband of one wife." (I Tim. 3:2)

Charismatics and some Pentecostals will speak disparagingly of the Apostle Paul as if he had a problem with women, but Peter tells us to know this first, that "no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (II Pet. 1:20,21)

It has been proposed that we should not offend "the women" with this issue, but is it better to offend God?

Ecclesiology --The Doctrine of The Church

Tape One -- A. The Nature of the Church

Tape Two -- A. Requirements for a Pastor/Deacon

Tape Three--A. The Means of Grace --Part 1

Eschatology--The Doctrine of Last Things

Tape One -- A. Death

Tape Two -- A. Judgment

Tape Three--A. Heaven

*These two sets of tapes in a binder are offered for $20.