Can Women Teach In Church?

This question always comes up when it comes to the rights of women. Why? Because if women can’t speak in church, then it is taking their right to speak freely away.

There is a view about Christianity that women must shut up and not speak in church and at home, the man rules over her, and she MUST obey. This worldview is not true and unbiblical. Not only in the New Testament do we see that women are free and are able to speak, but we also see this in the Old Testament.

In the old testament, we see God use a group of people bringing forward his son Jesus in the New Testament. This group of people was known as the Israelites. We know God gave these people a law to follow and keep holy. They were to obey them.

What the majority of people forget is that these laws are holy and the standard of who God is and what He has put into place.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Much of the reason men think they can dominate their wives is because women were made second after Adam was created.

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Women in pagan nations around Israel did not value women, so God clarified how to treat his creation.

A woman's characteristics are apparent and different from a man's. Some examples are Hearing and seeing things differently and processing information; even at birth, the female starts to grow the corpus callosum as early as 26 weeks, men have more muscle mass, fat is stored in different locations than men, women show more emotions, etc. These are scientifically proven facts about women and men. But these facts are just facts, no matter how you feel. With this being said, there are Biblical facts on how God views both genders and their roles in society, households, and the Church.

Ephesians 5:21-33 “Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ...”

Ephesians 5:21-33 tells what a wife should do and what the husband should also do. Looking closer at this verse, we can see the structure of the family, and it can also be compared to the structure of the church. So, let’s ask this question then, can women be pastors? Can they hold any sort of position in the church?

In 1 Timothy 2:11-12, Women are told to “learn in quietness and full submission.” Seems harsh, right? What about “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” Seems harsh, right? Why is it set up this way? 1 Timothy 2:13-14 makes it clear.

1 Timothy 2:13-14 “For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.”

Many people will claim this is the structure because women were not educated back then, which is false. Women were educated by every means. Under the authority of God and His law, Women were to be treated with respect and educated. Sadly, due to corruption in the synagogues and priests who abused the word of God to gain riches, power, and influence.

Jesus describes their corruption in the New Testament over and over. Not only Jesus but also the apostles. As Christians, we are called to expose evil. To take the word and distort it to match your needs and wants is not only wrong but an abomination and worthy of death. Sadly, in today’s world, the church does precisely that, corrupts the word by putting its own opinions and needs before Christ. To say Christianity teaches to dominate the wife or women overall and look at scripture and see that God commands the exact opposite. Who is in the wrong? Will you continue to say Christianity is a lie, or will you then jump to another problem with Christianity since you were wrong on one of your arguments?

The problem is not so much if women can teach but if they can be the head of the Church. Women in scripture have been in positions of authority regarding teaching. Women have also been used as examples of faith, courage, and leadership. In Acts 18, we see an example of a woman presenting the gospel to Apollos. They were not pastors, but they did teach and minister. 1 Timothy 2:11-12 is one of the verses taken entirely out of context. It’s made clear for women to learn in quietness, but it doesn’t say she can’t take what she has learned and teach it to others. But how can she teach it if she can’t be the head of the church? Great question. Through ministry work. In verse 14, we are told why women shouldn’t have spiritual authority over men. Women can teach but not be the spiritual authority over the church. Women are also not restricted from praying in church or in public. They are not restricted to prophesying either.

The only thing the women can’t do is be the spiritual head and authority of the church.

Mentions of women in the bible:

Eve: Adam’s Wife
Sarah: Abrahams Wife
Rebekah: Wife of Isaac
Rachel: Wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph
Leah: Wife of Jacob through deceit and mother of Judah
Jochebed: Mother of Moses
Miriam: The sister of Moses
Deborah: Female judge before the first king of Israel
Delilah: Bad influence on Samson
Ruth: Ancestor of David and Jesus Christ
Hannah: Mother of Samuel
Bathsheba: Mother of Solomon
Jezebel: Queen of Israel
Esther: Persian Queen who protected the line of Jesus Christ
Mary: The chosen mother of Jesus Christ
Elizabeth: Mother of John the Baptist
Martha: Sister of Lazarus and Mary
Mary of Bethany: Sister of Martha, hosted Jesus and His apostles in her home
Mary Magdalene: A disciple of Jesus, a loyal follower even after the death of Jesus Christ
Pricilla and Aquila: Faithful ministers for Christ