At the very beginning of our study it was recognised that God created both man and woman to have dominion on the earth (Genesis 1:26-28). This primary order of creation was subsequently refined by the manner of Eve’s creation whereby she became second to Adam in the God-given hierarchy of authority. These foundation principles, the equality of status but difference of function, are developed throughout Scripture as the basis of the roles of man and woman before God. Both are to receive the Word of God and make it the basis of their lives. Both are to ensure that such influence as they can bring to bear on their surroundings is a Divine influence and, in the Spirit of Christ, seek to make the Lord’s will paramount. The woman, however, though encouraged by Scripture to use initiative, is to work out her dominion within the overall framework of male leadership. It is the man who has the ultimate responsibility for controlling the direction of events which are to be, to the best of his understanding, in accordance with God’s ways. In turn, he is to seek and to value the woman’s counsel, remembering always that the phrase “help meet” means a God-given fellow-worker in the task of understanding and implementing the Divine will.
The two prime areas of influence are the two households which occupy most of our time and resources. These are the domestic household and the ecclesia, the household of faith. We shall look at these and consider some of the practical issues that arise from the principles already outlined.
Jesus made no difference between men and women in his teaching and way of life. In the incident of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42) he made it plain that women have an equal place with men at the Master’s feet. More than that, they should be there. Martha was no doubt interested in what Jesus had to say, but it was only one of many things that occupied her mind (v. 41). Mary showed the single-mindedness of a true disciple and Jesus said it would become her salvation. Through the washing of the disciples’ feet (John 13), on the other hand, the Lord demonstrated that the greatest of men should be prepared to undertake humble domestic tasks, and doubtless there were other similar examples not recorded in the Gospels. All this is wholly consistent with our earlier conclusions drawn from Genesis onwards. There is no Scriptural basis for the idea that the man’s sole role at home is to study the Word while the woman’s only function is with domestic tasks, although these are the primary spheres of activity for male and female.
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Author: Michael Lewis
Keywords: Women priests, Women pastors, Women bishops, Women evangelists, Women in the church, Serving women, Women, Feminism, Women to remain silent, Silent in the churches, Women should not teach, Women are not to teach men, Women to be in subjection, Women of prominence, Role of women in the church, Role of woman in the church, Woman's role, Equality of women, Equality of woman, Equality of the sexes, Female bishop, Deaconess, Phoebe, Phoebe deaconess, Female deacon, Femal deaconess, Headcovering, Head covering, Covered head, Covering the head, Women's hair, Family unit, Church office, Household of faith, Household, Head of the house, Usurp, Usurp authority, Usurping authority, Women's role, Women's role in the church
Bible reference(s): 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, 1 Peter 3:1, 1 Timothy 2:11, 1 Timothy 3:1, 1 Peter 3:7, 1 Timothy 2:11, 1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 5:5, Acts 21:9, Colossians 3:18, Ephesians 5:22, Titus 1:5, Titus 2:5
Source: “Man and Woman,” The Testimony, Vol. 60, No. 712, April 1990, pp. 111-18.
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