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[Bob Pickle]

Women Preachers?

Does the Bible forbid women to take part in religious services as teachers or preachers? M. W.

1 Cor. 14:34, 35 and 1 Tim. 2:12, 13 are generally used to support such a contention, but rightly understood these verses only forbid the inconvenient asking of questions and any feminine attempt to usurp authority over a man as a teacher. Says the learned Methodist commentator Adam Clarke, "All that the apostle opposes here is their questioning, finding fault, disputing in the Christian church, as the Jewish men were permitted to do in their synagogues, (Luke 2: 46) together with attempts to usurp authority over men by setting up their judgment in opposition to them; for the apostle has reference to acts of disobedience and arrogance, of which no woman would be guilty who was under the influence of the Spirit of God." Other texts make it evident that women have always played a prominent part in church affairs including teaching and preaching. Compare the following texts: Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17; Rom. 16:1, 3, 4, 12; Acts 21:9; Phil. 4:3; Acts 1:14; 2:1, 4; Luke 2:37, 38; Judges 4:4-10, etc.