Here is the entry of meanings & glosses of kephalē (the Greek word for “head”) copied and pasted from Liddel, Scott & Jones’s Greek-English Lexicon (LSJ).
In this article, I look at every verse where Jesus directly addresses a woman as “woman.” These verses can sound cold and even rude in English. This article was first published in Mutuality magazine.
Here is more from a talk I gave on February 11. In part 2, I look at 1 Timothy 2:12 within its immediate context and within the context of First Timothy.
What was the thing that fell down from heaven and was housed in the temple complex of the Ephesian Artemis? Was it a statue or a sacred stone?
Introduction In the first-century Roman world, every major town had temples and shrines that were often attended by priestesses. Most of these priestesses came from
In part 2, I look at the two texts Troy Martin uses to support his “testicle” idea, at ancient Jewish texts that mention the Watchers, and at what Paul meant by “nature teaches” (1 Cor. 11:14).
With some trepidation, I critique Troy Martin’s idea that peribolaion means testicle in 1 Cor. 11:15 and his idea that Paul thought hair is a conduit of semen.
Here are some first-century Greek texts that use the word kephalē (“head”). They show how the word was used in Paul’s day.
In this post, I discuss Paul’s instructions to husbands in Colossians 3:19. I look at this verse within the broader context of Colossians and I explore what “bitter” means.
Drawing on ancient texts, I give 3 reasons why there should be a consensus on the general sense of “authentein” as bad bossy behaviour.
Paul said in 1 Cor. 11:10 that a woman should have “authority on her head.” Whose authority is it?
Who are the 144,000 in Revelation 7 and 14? What do they symbolise? Are women really excluded from this group?
Mary Magdalene was the herald of Jesus’s resurrection and of his impending ascension. After his resurrection, why did Jesus tell her, “Do not cling to me”?
Is meekness a masculine virtue? How do ancient writers use the Greek word praus (“meek”)? What do ancient writers say about meek warhorses?
Eph. 5:21 is one New Testament verse that encourages mutual submission. 1 Peter 5:5 is another. This post looks at the Greek grammar and vocabulary of 1 Peter 5:5.
The word “manhood” occurs twice in the English Standard Version. Does this word convey what Paul wanted to say in Eph. 4:13? In what other ways does the ESV create a masculine bias.
This short post looks at the verb authenteō (authentein) in 1 Tim. 2:12. My claim is that “to have, exercise, usurp authority” is an inadequate and misleading translation.
1 Coríntios 11:3 é um verso difícil de interpretar, e ocorre no início de uma passagem difícil. Uma coisa é vital, no entanto, devemos ler para encontrar a intenção de Paulo para aqueles que estão “no Senhor”.
The Greek word for “head” rarely, if ever, meant “leader” in works originally written in Greek in Paul’s time. Here are four facts that support this claim.
Here is a close look at the word authentein (translated as ‘to usurp authority’ in 1 Tim. 2:12 KJV). A brief history of how authent- words and their meanings developed is included.
Here’s a paper I presented back in 2015 and which is included in the book “The Gender Conversation.”
In 1 Timothy 3:2 and in 2 Timothy 2:24 is a rare Greek word, didaktikos. This word is usually translated as “able to teach” but it may mean “teachable.”
The Hebrew word teshuqah is usually translated as “desire” in Gen. 3:16: “your desire will be for your husband.” What does this mean?
What did Peter mean when he said a wife is a “weaker vessel”? This article considers how “weak” is used of women in ancient documents.
Here are some free online Greek texts, tools and resources that I have found useful.
What did Paul mean by “A wife/ husband does not have authority of her /his body” in 1 Cor. 7:4? This verse has been terribly misunderstood by some.
In Part 5, I look at 1 Timothy 3:8-13, concerning male and female deacons in the Ephesian church, and at Phoebe as a prostatis (patron). I briefly compare her ministry with that of Olympias and also Stephanas (1 Cor. 16:15-18).
Lexicons show that diakon- words are used in a variety of ways for a variety of ministries. Danker’s and Collin’s understanding of diakon- words, with their emphasis on agency, fits well with the broad usage of these words in the New Testament and the narrower usage in the Apostolic Fathers.
Here I look at Paul’s introduction of Phoebe to the church at Rome. I also look at the ministry of certain women in the Gospels, and Tabitha’s ministry in Acts, and compare them with Phoebe’s ministry.
La Biblia muestra que no era inusual que las mujeres antiguas tuvieran un trabajo. Este artículo analiza a Priscila, Lidia, Febe y otras mujeres de la Biblia.
Titus 2:5 contains a word which is usually translated as “workers at home,” but the King James Bible has “keepers at home.” Which is the correct phrase? What is meant by “keepers at home”?
In this article I look at people who were apostles in the New Testament church, at their qualifications, and at what they did as apostles.
Here are my notes from a talk I gave on the 28th of June 2014 at a public meeting hosted by the Sydney chapter of Christians for Biblical Equality.
Here is the bibliography for my research paper, “The Roles of Diakonoi, Male and Female, in the Apostolic and Post-Apostolic Church (c. 40-120) with Reference to Phoebe of Cenchrea”.
The (late) esteemed New Testament scholar Leon Morris cautions us to not make hasty assumptions about the metaphorical meaning of “head” (kephalē) in the New Testament.
Dear Dr Grudem, mutual submission is not a myth. Submission is not always, or necessarily, to a person in authority (cf. Eph. 5:21–22).
This short article looks at how the Greek word kyria (“lady”) is used in a few ancient letters and texts, and how this usage helps us to understand who the “chosen lady” is in John’s second letter.
Introduction 1 Timothy 2:12 continues to be a verse that is used by some Christians to keep capable women from certain teaching and leadership ministries
Kathy Keller argues that women are prohibited from just one kind of speaking ministry and from holding one kind of position in the church.
1 Corinthians 11:2-16 is a difficult passage to understand, but it makes more sense when read as a chiasm. What are Paul’s concerns and instructions here?
Some wise words from C.S. Lewis, Wayne A. Meeks, and John H. Walton about learning the biblical languages, especially New Testament Greek.
King Lemuel’s mother is one of two women mentioned in Proverbs 31. These Bible women, and others, serve as inspiration for godly women who teach.
Kephalē (“head”) has different senses in ancient Greek. In Colossians, Paul may have used the word about Jesus Christ with a pre-gnostic sense.
What does the Bible say about working women? Does God want women to stay out of the workforce and stay at home?
Does Paul’s statement in Ephesians 5:23, “the husband is the head of the wife,” mean that the husband has leadership or authority over his wife? And what about 1 Corinthians 11:3?
Many Christians believe that submission in marriage is the duty only of wives. In 1 Peter 3:7 Peter comes close to saying that husbands are to be submissive to their wives too.
Can you name a woman who is called a pastor in the New Testament? Are there any women identified as church ministers in the NT?
How does the Septuagint translate “a helper suitable/ meet for him” in Genesis 2:18 and 20? In particular, what is the Greek word translated as “helper” here?
This article is about Junia—a minister mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:7—using and critiquing the ESV as a reference. Was Junia really a female apostle?
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© 2022 Marg Mowczko