Last week we noted the news report about President Jimmy Carter leaving the Southern Baptists because of their views on the role of women in the home and church.
The singular question I believe we should ask is, "What does Jesus teach us about the role of women in the church?" After all, if we
claim to be His followers, we should follow Him in this regard as well as in all others, shouldn't we?
Women were a central part of Jesus' ministry and the work of the early church as well. Matthew says that many women who followed Jesus and ministered to Him were present at the crucifixion, naming Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph (there were no less than six women named Mary who were disciples), and the mother of James and John, Matthew 27:55-56. Luke says that Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Chuza, Susanna and many other women followed Jesus and contributed to His support out of their private means, Luke 8:1-3.
We read in Acts 12 that when Peter was arrested, many disciples met in the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, to pray. The first convert to Christianity in Europe was Lydia, who then hosted Paul, Silas and their entourage in her home, Acts 16:13-15.
The apostle Paul seemed to be crediting young Timothy's faith to his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois, 2nd Timothy 1:5. He also identified no less than nine women whom he either commended to the church for their work, or esteemed greatly enough to greet as he closed the letter to the church at Rome, Romans 16. This seems all the more significant when we consider that there must have been at least a few men of standing in the church whose names or identities were not mentioned.
In spite of the fact that Jesus and His apostles obviously valued women very highly, neither He nor they ever strayed from God's divine design of male leadership in the kingdom. If I may make a point, consider the many sweeping changes Jesus made. The physical temple became obsolete as was Jerusalem as the holy city and the Aaronic and Levitical priesthoods along with their animal sacrifices. Sabbath keeping became unnecessary and there were no more sacred feasts as they were or holy days. The distinction between Jew and Gentile was done away. Circumcision was no longer the sign of a covenant between God and man. The old Law itself was fulfilled in Christ. It seems that nothing was left untouched by Jesus, except for the original idea of male leadership that goes all the way back to creation.
Why are there no female apostles? Why are there are no sheprrdesses or eldresses (my words) in the church. If all of the above could be changed, why not male leadership as well? Paul and Peter's instructions about women keeping silence in the church and submitting to their husbands as unto Christ (1st Corinthians 14:34-35, 1st Timothy 2:9-15 & 1st Peter 3:1-6) are not of themselves, but inspired of God, and part of Jesus' New Testament.
I say with great respect for President Carter, I have no argument with him leaving the Southern Baptists, but I believe there are better reasons than the ones he chose.
Marty Kessler