Male Apostles
Jesus chose male apostles because that was the original plan of God. The Lord forbade any but the male descendants of Aaron to serve as priests in the sanctuary (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 3:3). Miriam, Aaron, and Moses (Exodus 7:1; 5:20) were all prophets, but only the males served as priests. The Old Testament patriarchs were all males, the apostles were all males, the churches in the New Testament, were led by males and the Scripture was written by males under inspiration.
Jesus was obedient to the word of His Father, not the culture of man. Jesus’ interaction with the Gentiles (Luke 7:1–10; Matthew 15:21–28), the Samaritan woman (John 4:4–26), and the “unclean” people He touched and healed (Mark 1:40–45) revealed that he did not abide by the cultural expectations of His time.
Paul, in 1 Corinthians 14:34, clearly taught that women should not serve in the capacity of ministers or elders because doing so would place them in a leadership over men. Ministers are the New Testament equivalent to the Old Testament priests. Ministers and elders lead out in communion, which is the New Testament equivalent of offering a sacrifice—a role that was performed only by men.
The Bible taught the submissiveness of women to men because it was Eve who was beguiled by the evil one (Genesis 3:13; 2 Corinthians 11:3). The apostle wrote, “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Timothy 2:12).
Adam sinned with a full knowledge of the step he was taking. Because of his love for Eve, he voluntarily chose to share the results of transgression with her (Genesis 3:17). The apostle’s second reason for the submissiveness of women to males is that when Eve tried to assert leadership, she was beguiled.
In the church, the Bible teaches that women ought to submit to the authority of men. “The head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11: 3). This does not mean inequality. Christ submitted to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:28), yet He is equal to the Father. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God” (Philippians 2:6).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
