9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But woman will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.{2tim2:9-14}
Apostle Paul talks about the position of women in the body of Christ being the Church. I believe that Apostle Paul If I dare say is being a male chauvinist in his approach towards women within the body of Christ that is the Church.
Not being a feminist and taking these verses from their cultural point of view it is said that these women used to take great pains in their outward appearance.
This is the year 2011 and women in this age too take great pains in their outward appearance going to the gym, make-up, plastic surgery and like me braces as a teenager and now a yo yo dieter still trying to get the slender frame of my youth but I just got to tell myself “ Lady you are approaching middle age you ain’t no 16 anymore” If my Jewish sisters took such pains that Apostle Paul noticed 2000 years ago how much more now.
What Apostle Paul tried to say is let your personality and your inward spirit take pre-eminence. Not all women are quite and contrite, you got all sorts of women now as it was 2000 years back.
Apostle Paul seems to contradict himself when he says “ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male nor female for we are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28)
Therefore the rhetorical question is Why did apostle Paul state so vehemently the proper way for women to dress, behave and the give them a lower role than the men in church? Fascinating what is actually going on this immensely brilliant, most radically called, transformed and saved Apostle’s mind?
Now I think in this context one should use the Holy Spirit discretion and direction in understanding in this scripture and the context of this scripture in the cultural point of view 2000 years back.
I vehemently oppose taking scripture out of context and building intellectual castles of theology based on that particular scripture.
I am now looking at this context of scripture from a scriptural point of view if you my dear brother or sister are brethren you are going to be very happy with what I am going to say.:)
Why did God create woman out of man. God could have created women first we are more attractive, more complex and can also give birth to new life. But God created MAN first.
Now let us go back to our bible study God used a number of women in scripture like the prophetess Deborah, The prophetess Anna now this will blow your socks away God even used a prostitute Rahab whose name was mentioned in the lineage of Jesus but Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit. Now we read 1tim 2:14 which portrays woman as fickle minded and naïve. But I believe the contrary that God ahs bestowed man and woman with equal amount of intelligence. When we read in Genesis 3:6 That the woman took the fruit and ate it and gave some to her husband Adam who was right beside her, he could have prevented her and this led to the fall of mankind.
Man and woman differ emotionally, psychologically, physiologically and emotionally because of their constitution and the way they are made.
If we take into account Paul’s previous letters ( Dear brethren sister and brother this is the part you will agree with me whole heartedly) Women ought to be submissive to the man that is her husband but man don’t get too happy you got to love your wife as Christ loves the church..
In a marriage covenant man is the head of the woman. Why is the male figure the head? Because God ordained it that way and we know this through the word of God the bible.
Now if we take the five fold ministry into account there are certain gifts bestowed on men and certain gifts universally.
I believe the gift of the apostle and pastor are specifically for men. Jesus our good Shepard and pastor was a man to guide and Shepard the flock. Logically speaking Jesus came in the form of a Shepard or pastor to guide the flock the lost of Israel. Therefore the pastor should be a man to guide the and equip the flock, the congregation.
Now let us take the ministry of the apostle the sent one, the one who plants churches Jesus chose 12 apostles not one was a woman. Jesus had women disciples but no women apostles. The gift of the apostle is specifically for the men.
Now coming back to our present time 21st centaury women now consider themselves equal to men in all respects but Christian women need to show the world that we are not equal in all respects once a Christian woman marries her head is her husband.
Now the church the bride of Christ is looked as feminine awaiting her heavenly bridegroom.
In conclusion I would like to say God did not create woman out of a man’s head to Lord it over him. God did not create woman out of a man’s foot for him to make her his doormat and trample on her but God created woman out of man’s rib close to his heart to love her and cherish her as Christ loved the church
Application
Thank you God for making me a woman
Bibliography
The Bible
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