Automatic Transcript Generated
Speaker 1
So Rita is asking, can women be pastors today? Are elders only supposed to be met? Thanks. Well, my friend Rita, of course I get this question, and it’s a tough one because the thing with the Bible is there’s things that are very explicit in the Bible and then there’s things that are not super explicit either. And so, you know, I guess the words pastor and the words elder, what we say today is a pastor. And what the Bible said is a pastor. The only time you see the word pastor, I think isn’t actually an Old Testament, I’m sorry.
Speaker 2
And I think it was using language shepherd, right, because pastor means more like shepherd.
Speaker 1
Exactly, shepherd. But then it’s like, well, if that’s shepherd, does that mean overseer, which also means bishop. So it’s a little bit confusing as to what a pastor, what does that role actually mean? Just because there’s not a super clear cut definition of pastor today. Because back then it was apostles and then they had bishops and they had deacons. And so as far as that was the church structure back then. However, the church structure has kind of changed over the last few centuries, especially as they’ve seen Protestant churches, because in Catholic churches they have priests, which you don’t see that in the New Testament. That priest is a term that’s only used in the Old Testament. And as far as the priesthood that was ordained in the Old Testament, that’s from the sons of Aaron and that was specific to men only, that is pretty clear. You see that in the book of Exodus, like chapter 28, verse one, that’s kind of when it started is when God is calling Moses to build a sanctuary and he wants priests to work in the sanctuary. And it says, Take you Aaron, your brother, and his sons with him from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me a priest and Aaron’s sons, and so he lists his son.
Speaker 1
So basically it was a priesthood specific to men and specific to men only. Now that priesthood has been done away with, and as we know from the book of Hebrews, the only priesthood that remains is the priesthood of Jesus, who ministers in the sanctuary in heaven. And you see that in Hebrews, chapter eight, verses one and two, very clearly that Jesus is the high priest in the sanctuary in heaven. Now, as far as church leadership on earth, did Jesus call women to a pastorship? Well, we don’t see that, but we do see twelve disciples and twelve apostles that were specific to men. But again, our church structure has changed. As far as cannabis be a pastor, that’s not for me to say. I would say because I don’t feel like the Bible is super clear in either direction as far as that role. But does the Bible have some guidance? Yes, I think the Bible does have some guidance, but again, I think it should be prayerfully considered in this regard. So as far as the role of an elder, in First Peter, chapter five, peter talks about being an elder. He says the elders peter five, verse one.
Speaker 1
He says the elders who are among you I exhort I, who am a fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ and a particular taker of that glory of the glory that will be revealed. Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers not by compulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly. Nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, which of course is Jesus, you will receive the glory, the crown of glory that does not fade away. So here we do see basically Peter saying, I’m myself an elder because I’m older than you and my role is a little bit different now. And he’s basically to advise those who are also trying to oversee the members of the church. And so this one isn’t specific to men or women exactly. But we do see, however, in first Timothy Chapter three, a little bit more guidance in that direction as far as male or female kind of that you see in one Timothy Chapter three, verses one through seven, and it says, this is a faithful thing if a man desires the position of a bishop, which is also the word for bishop means overseer.
Speaker 1
And so that’s the same word he’s saying as far as being an elder. He says he desires a good work. The bishop must then be blameless the husband of one wife, temperate, sober minded, of good behavior, hospitable to teach, not given to why, not violent, not greedy for money. Same thing kind of that not greedy for money is a very important key here. But gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetousness, one who rolls over his house well, and so on and so forth. Basically, you see till verse seven, different attributes of what a bishop is supposed to be. So we do see that that does appear to be, you know, a role specific to men, because it’s saying a man who desires that he needs to be the husband of one wife. Could somebody argue, well, couldn’t it be in today’s language like a woman with married to only one husband? I don’t know. The Bible doesn’t say that, so I wouldn’t say that. But as far as women doing leadership in the church, I do think that that’s definitely something that we do see in the Bible. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I also don’t think there’s anything wrong with a woman teaching, like we’ve said in a previous one about can women teach in church.
Speaker 1
And you look throughout the whole Bible, from Old Testament to New Testament, starting with Miriam, the sister Moses, she was a prophetess, and a prophet is anybody who speaks on behalf of God. And you do see many, many female prophets throughout the Old Testament. Like, there was Deborah, who was a prophetess and a judge. Like I said, Miriam, you see Anna, who was the prophetess when Jesus was born, who met him in the temple and said, this is the Son of God, basically. So there’s a lot of women having a role where they are able to speak on God’s behalf. They are supposed to be teaching, they are supposed to be speaking God’s word. We see at the woman, at the well, the Samaritan woman, that Jesus came to her, talk to her like she was anybody else. He didn’t look down on her because she was a woman or because she was a Samaritan. And because of her, she evangelized the whole city of Samaria and brought hundreds of people to Jesus. And she did a good work. And Jesus definitely did not condemn her for that. If anything, he commended her because she was speaking the truth to bring people to Jesus.
Speaker 1
So do you think the Bible says, oh, women can’t speak and teach and bring people to Christ? I don’t think that’s true. I think she brought men and women. So I don’t think there was any problem with a woman speaking on behalf of God as far as telling somebody else the truth, telling somebody else about Jesus, telling somebody else about the Bible. But as far as church leadership and the structure of the church, I think that’s something, again, we need to prayerfully think about, because I’ve never felt the calling to be pastor, and I’m sorry, so I don’t have the calling. But I’ve heard some women who are pastors, who become pastor said they felt that calling. So I can’t judge and look down on somebody and say, oh, that can’t be true because I don’t know, I’m not God. So that’s something I think you need to prayerfully consider between you and the Lord and take the Bible for what it says and make a decision that you feel at peace with between you and God. And so, again, it’s really hard to say a definite this or a definite that, because it’s not a clear cut answer is basically what I would say.
Speaker 1
But I do believe that the Bible does want us all to do the work of ministering, of doing some sort of active part of spreading the gospel. There is definitely important things for women in the church to do. And I’m trying to think, yes, just one last thing. The Apostle Paul, because people go back and forth with him, like, oh, didn’t he say women were supposed to talk in the church? And it’s like, look at the context. It was this these specific women who were not they didn’t know the truth yet. They needed to study in order to be able to share anything, because they weren’t ready to share, they were still learning. They weren’t ready to be somebody who ministered. But yet you look at Philippians, chapter four, and he’s talking about greeting people. And verse three it says, and I urge you also true companion, help these women who labored with me in the Gospel with Clement also it says, and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life. So there’s a work for women to do in the church, there’s a work for women to do in spreading the Gospel, in sharing the truth.
Speaker 1
Absolutely. I don’t think we can deny that in any way, shape or form. Even in biblical times and much more today, where things have been, things have opened up a little bit more and people are a little bit more open minded. I think women definitely have a role to play in sharing the Gospel, and I don’t think we should limit that. But at the same time, I think we still need to make sure we’re looking to whatever God’s plan is for each of our lives. And may God be the one to direct that. Jerry. Wendy. Any other thoughts?
Speaker 2
Yes, that was you always give a great answer on that. And I do have a couple of thoughts to add, and before I do, Sean has a great question. Maybe you could start looking into and prepping your answer to his question while I’ll share my thoughts. Just a couple of additional thoughts about women in ministry. I think what’s really interesting and a lot of people don’t understand is God’s plan is that everybody be involved in ministry. It’s not necessarily supposed to be just small one small groups, not supposed to be just a clergy class. And while maybe God intended Aaron to be the high priest, it wasn’t necessarily supposed to be only Aaron as a priest. And I have proof of this. And this is exodus. Let’s start at chapter 19, verse five. And God says, now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to me above all people, for all the earth is mine. It’s talked about the whole children of Israel. Next verse, verse six. He says, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests. A kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Speaker 2
These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel. So this was God’s original plan for the children of Israel. It wasn’t supposed to be that just the Levites and just Aaron were like the priest people and dealing with the sanctuary. I think the indication was maybe that all the first born would probably go and work in the sanctuary and fill that role from all the tribes and also every person would the whole Jewish nation was to be God’s representatives on earth to help convert all of the surrounding countries and territories, all the nations and bring them back to God. If you look at all the prophecies like Ezekiel, Isaiah, all these people that we like speculating what happened, why we haven’t seen these things happen yet. And they may have very likely been conditional prophecies that God was wanting Israel to fulfill their role and convert the nations. And Israel abysmally bombed that. And it’s not just them. Guess what? God’s Christian church today has all been under the same traps by Satan and has gone through the same path and has done a horrible job also converting the world. And you might say, well, Christianity is a major faith.
Speaker 2
Yeah, it is. But I would say probably most Christians still don’t really know God. They don’t really know the Bible, they don’t really know their faith, they don’t know really love and life and these things. So there’s still so much work to be done and God really needs everybody. It’s all hands on deck and let’s go look what the New Testament says about God’s. New Testament people. We go to first Peter two nine. So first Peter, chapter two, verse nine. And I think he’s touching on the verse we just read from Exodus 19. And Peter says, but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. I mean, this is God’s plan for the New Testament Church. All of us are to be ministers. And again, I’m not talking about necessarily like, how should the structure and hierarchy be? I mean, I agree, Tina, that there are biblical arguments that could be made that maybe certain positions should ideally, God wants men to occupy, but again, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a role for women to be involved in ministry.
Speaker 2
In fact, I think, again, it’s all hands on deck and we should be occupying everybody. And this idea that people go to church, sit in a pew, do nothing, maybe pay some offering and go home and feel like they’ve done their duty, that’s one of these traditions that I feel like has helped corrupt Christianity and turn so many of us lukewarm. Is that biblical? Is that what God really wanted? Go check your Bible, because I think my Bible says we’re all world priests and your baptism is ordination. So that’s why I call it Everybody there. All right, Tina, are you ready for Sean’s question?
Speaker 1
Sure. Thank you for that. I was actually thinking about that verse in First Peter, that we’re all a royal priest and a holy nation. I was thinking about that same one and I was like, so, yeah, we all need to be active and doing something, whatever it is God’s calling you to do, do what God’s calling you to do. Let’s get the work done, let’s go home. Amen.
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In His Service
BibleAsk Team
