Can Women Teach men and others?

Women and The New Testament

A Walk Through The Scriptures  of Women Who Taught, Lead, and Labored in The Gospel

This is a brief introduction lesson that will explore, explain, and expound on the life, ministry, Status, and positions of women in the New Testament.  

Disclaimer: 

I do not teach that women are 

bishops or priests. 

First off, there a lot of women named among the writings of The Apostle Paul:

Apphia (Philemon. 1:2), 

Chloe (1 Cor. 1:11), 

Claudia (2 Tim. 4:21), 

Euodia (Php. 4:2), 

Julia (Rom. 16:15), 

Junia (Rom. 16:7), 

Lois and Eunice (2 Tim. 1:5), 

Mary (Rom. 16:6), 

Nereus’ sister (Rom. 16:15), 

Nympha (Col. 4:15), 

Persis (Rom. 16:12), 

Phoebe (Rom. 16:1-2), 

Priscilla (Rom. 6:3-5); 1 Cor. 16:19; 2 Tim. 4:19), 

Rufus’ mother (Rom. 16:13), 

Syntyche (Phil. 4:2), 

Tryphena and Tryphosa (Rom. 16:12).  

All were active in some form of ministry, 

and some were even leaders! But before we get there, let's start from the beginning 
of the Church.

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Acts 1:14

Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers crowds of both men and women.

Acts 5:14

But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Acts 8:12

As The Church was being established, there is a mention of ministries within her.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
(Ephesians 4:11-13)

A look at a married couple Priscilla and Aquila

Priscilla/Prisca and Aquila are mentioned six times in the New Testament. At some point they even risked their lives for Paul’s sake (Rom 16:3-5) They are always mentioned together, and, four of those six times, Priscilla’s name is mentioned FIRST. This uncommon order of the wife’s name before her husband’s may be an indication that Priscilla’s ministry ability, or status, was more prominent than her husband Aquila’s. Take a look For Yourself.

There he [Paul] met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them
(Acts 18:2-3, NIV). 

Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila… They arrived at Ephesus, where he [Paul] left them [Priscilla and Aquila]. . . .
(Acts 18:18-19). 

Some translations such as the NIV repeat the names in Acts 18:19 for clarity, but the names are not repeated in the Greek texts.  He [Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the Way of God more accurately (Acts 18:26). 

Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house ( Romans 16:3-5 ). 

The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house ( 1 Corinthians 16:19). 

Greet Priscilla and Aquila . . . (2 Timothy 4:19)

These two were CHURCH LEADERS. 

Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. 

(Rom 16:3-5)

Priscilla, Aquila, and Paul traveled together to Ephesus (Acts 18:18). Paul had confidence in the abilities of both Priscilla and Aquila as church leaders, and he left them in Ephesus to lead a church that met in their house. (1 Cor 16:19). It was while Priscilla and Aquila were leading a church at Ephesus that they met Apollos. Apollos is literally described by Luke as a “man of words”. After all, he was from ALEXANDRIA, its significance is a whole other
topic alone.

Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures.  This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted ONLY with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 

(Acts 18:24-26 (NASB)

WAIT!!!... Did Priscilla, being named first, TEACH such a learned man? Yes she did!

Despite Apollos’ notable credentials, something was lacking in his theology. He was ignorant of Christian baptism. Priscilla and Aquila recognized this lack, and as leaders of the local church, they took Apollos aside and explained to him “the Way of God”, that is, theology, more accurately. “explain” ( ektithēmi ) is the word used. Nevertheless, Priscilla and Aquila did in fact TEACH. Teach in the greek is — didaskō. And Didaskō is the Greek word usually translated as “teach” or “instruct”. BDAG (p.241) defines didaskō as
“(1) to tell someone what to do, tell, instruct; . . .
and (2) to provide instruction in a formal or informal setting , teach.” Apollos is himself described as someone who was speaking and teaching (didaskō) accurately about Jesus (Acts 18:25).

Therefore, the verb “explain” is plural in the Greek indicating that both Priscilla and Aquila were involved. However, the fact that Priscilla’s name is listed first, before her husband’s in Acts 18:26, shows that either

[A]Priscilla had a special status, or, 

[B]was the more active one in giving the explanation. 

This unconventional order of the wife’s name before her husband’s could be that Priscilla’s ministry ability and/or status was more prominent than Aquila’s. In the very next chapter(19), Luke writes about Paul’s three month speaking-ministry in the synagogue at Ephesus. He uses related words to "teach",

of three different verbs in reference to Paul’s speaking about the Kingdom of God: 

(1)  parrēsiazomai -speak boldly or freely, 
(2) dialegomai- discuss or reason and 
(3) peithō -persuade 

In Acts 19:8-9 Luke does not specifically use the word teach- didaskō here, and yet there can be no doubt that during those three months at Ephesus Paul did in fact teach. He taught by freely using reasoning and persuasion.

It is unreasonable to suggest that Paul’s ministry in Acts 19:8-9 did not include teaching simply because Luke did not use the word didaskō. It is equally unreasonable to suggest that Priscilla and Aquila’s explanation to Apollos did not include teaching just because Luke did not use the word  didaskō . Priscilla and Aquila did in fact teach Christian doctrine to Apollos. This becomes clear when you look at the meaning of “explain” ( ektithēmi ) and the circumstances where Luke uses it elsewhere in Acts.

Explain — ektithēmi

Luke is the only New Testament author to use the Greek word ektithēmi . He uses it four times, and only in the book of Acts. There are two basic meanings for the word ektithēmi . In its most literal sense it means to “place outside” or “expose”. In this sense, BDAG (p.310) gives the definition of ektithēmi as “withdraw support or protection from”. Luke uses the word in this sense in Acts 7:21 where he recounts Stephen speaking about the baby Moses who was placed outside and left exposed on the Nile.

Ektithēmi also means “to put forth, declare, explain”. (Perschbacher 1990:131) In this sense, BDAG (p.310) gives the definition of ektithēmi as “to convey information 
by careful elaboration”. 

This sounds a lot like teaching to me. Luke uses the word IN THIS SENSE three times in Acts: of Peter in Acts 11:4 , of Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18:26 , and of Paul in Acts 28:23 It is important to note that there is nothing at all trivial in these three instances where “explain” ( ektithēmi) is used.

“It is well known that the early church attracted an unusual number of high status women . . .”[a] Some of these women, who lived in relatively spacious homes, hosted a congregation that met in their home.[b] As a prominent member of the congregation, the host would have functioned as a leader employing a ministry gift, possibly the pastor-teacher gift. Priscilla and Aquila were active in ministry and hosted a church in their home at Ephesus (1Cor. 16:19) and later at Rome(Rom 16:3-5) where they ministered as pastor-teachers[Leaders]. 
[a] Stark, Rise of Christianity , 107. 
[b] M. Mowczko, The First Century Church and the Ministry of Women (08.10.14)

Euodia and Syntyche

Evangelists. Leaders.

When Paul describes the ministry of Euodia and Syntyche, Paul uses a couple of the same terms he had applied previously to Timothy and Epaphroditus. Paul writes that Euodia and Syntyche had contended together with him “in the Gospel”. Earlier in the letter, Paul had described Timothy as someone who had served with him “in the Gospel” (Phil. 2:22). Furthermore, Paul goes on to refer to Euodia and Syntyche as his “co-workers“. Earlier, Paul had referred to Epaphroditus as his “co-worker” (Phil. 2:25)

The Apostle Paul names Euodia and Syntyche in his letter to the Philippians and, in just two verses, he gives us a glimpse into the value and significance 

of their ministries. 

I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to think the same thing in the Lord. Indeed, I ask you, my true companion [or, yokefellow], to help them—these women who have contended together with me in [the cause of] the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. 

(Philippians 4:2-3)

Women in Macedonia

It was not unusual for women to have leading roles in Philippi. Philippi was the chief city of Macedonia (Acts 16:12) and it has been well documented that Macedonian women enjoyed greater freedoms, rights and powers than many other women of that time. 

“If Macedonia produced perhaps the most competent group of men the world had yet seen, the women were in all respects the men’s counterparts; they played a large part in affairs, received envoys and obtained concessions for them from their husbands, built temples, founded cities, engaged mercenaries, commanded armies, held fortresses, and acted on occasion as regents or even co rulers.”  

W. Tarn and G.T. Griffith in Hellenistic Civilisation, 3rd Edition (London: Methuen, 1952)  98-99; quoted by Ralph Martin (1983:16)

“We can see this [freedom of women] even in the narrative in Acts of Paul’s work in Macedonia. In Philippi, Paul’s first contact was with the meeting for prayer by a riverside, and he spoke to the women gathered there (Acts 16:13). Lydia was obviously a leading figure in Philippi (Acts 16:14).[6] In Thessalonica, many of the chief women were won for Christianity, and the same thing happened at Berea (Acts 17:4 & 12). . . . it is well worth remembering, when we are thinking of the place of women in the early church and of Paul’s attitude to them, that in the Macedonian churches they clearly had a leading place.” 

(William Barclay [1907-1978] )

Early church bishop and theologian, John Chrysostom (c. 349-407), believed that Euodia and Syntyche were leading women in the Philippian church, and he compared them to Phoebe, a woman minister (diakonos) in the church at Cenchrea (Rom. 16:1-2).  In his 13th Homily on Philippians 
he wrote: 

“These women [Euodia and Syntyche] seem to me to be the chief of the Church which was there, and [Paul] commends them to some notable man whom he calls his yokefellow; [Paul] commends them to him, as to a fellow-worker, and fellow-soldier, and brother, and companion, as he does in the Epistle to the Romans, when he says, I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a minister of the church at Cenchrea” (Romans 16:1). 
(Homilies on Philippians, 13)[4], John Chrysostom 
(c. 349-407 AD)

Chrysostom did not see any sign of a quarrel 

in Paul’s plea to Euodia and Syntyche; 

he saw only praise from Paul and wrote: 

“Do you see how great a testimony he [Paul] bears to their virtue?”  

John Chrysostom (c. 349-407 AD) 

(Homilies on Philippians, 13)

In the New Testament text there are many examples of women who were involved in significant gospel ministry, some as leaders. Even though these women—women such as Euodia and Syntyche—are mentioned briefly, they do serve as valid, biblical precedents for women in ministry today. 

If Paul valued the leadership and ministries of certain women, and regarded women as his co-workers, we should be careful not to hinder Godly, gifted and capable women from following their calling to be ministers and servant leaders in the Church today.

Were Euodia and Syntyche leaders in the Philippian Church?

What were House Churches?

Were Women Apostles?

Do women have to be silent in Church?

Do women have to call their men “Lord”?

Were women addressed as “Lord”?

These topics will be covered soon.

Christ is risen...