Apphia, a woman, is greeted by Paul in his letter to Philemon. What was her role or position at Colossae? Was she Philemon’s wife or another Phoebe?
In this very short post, Matthew Malcolm shows that Paul has a keen interest in setting up hierarchies of human honour and then subverting them by subjecting all humans to God.
Is 1 Tim 2:13 (“For Adam was formed first …”) a reason for 1 Tim 2:12? How is the created order significant? What does “gar” mean?
Not understanding the context and challenges of 1 Timothy 2:12 can lead to flawed interpretations. Here are 6 factors that should be considered when interpreting this verse.
Does the created order of man first, woman second, signify that only men can teach and have authority. Is the created order the reason for the prohibition in 1 Timothy 2:12?
Do husbands have a particular responsibility for the spiritual growth of their wives? Will husbands one day present their wives to Jesus?
A good understanding of scripture is an important qualification for many Christian ministries. 2 Tim. 3:16-17 mentions this qualification and does not exclude women like Priscilla.
Are ascetic teachings that emphasise celibacy behind Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 2:15? What does “saved through childbearing” mean?
One reason I believe 1 Tim. 2:12 and 1 Cor. 14:34 were ad hoc regulations addressing local problems is because of a Greek verb found in both verses.
If Paul had meant for only men to be leaders and teachers, why doesn’t he mention this in his lists of ministries in Rom. 12:6-8, 1 Cor. 12:28, and Eph. 4:11?
What does the ministry of Priscilla and Aquila to Apollos reveal? (Acts 18:18-28). How did others feel about the couple and their ministry? (Romans 16:3-5)
Are men accountable for their wives’ actions? This article looks at the accountability of Adam and Eve (pre-patriarchy) and of Ananias and Sapphira (post-Pentecost)
When we put Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 into practice, we honour all people equally. This means giving extra honour to those lacking it.
Does Romans 5:12-21 teach that God holds only Adam, and not Eve, ultimately responsible for the first sin? How does Paul use the example of Adam in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15?
In what way (or ways) is the relationship between Jesus and the church a model for marriage? What does Paul mean in Ephesians 5:22-33?
More than a century ago, church historian Adolf Harnack was honest and approving in his appraisal of women ministers who are mentioned in the New Testament.
Chloe is a woman mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:11? Was she a pagan or a Christian? A concerned house church leader or the quarrelsome leader of a faction?
When we read the NT household codes, we need to keep in mind that some “masters” were women. How does this affect our understanding of these passages?
Here are excerpts from ancient Gnostic texts that present Adam and Eve in a very different light. Do they help us to understand 1 Timothy 2:13-14?
How are we to understand “man was not created for woman, but woman for man”? Does 1 Corinthians 11:9 indicate that service or submission is the role of women and not men?
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 4 I look at the deacons in the Philippian church and at the development of church offices in the apostolic and post-apostolic churches.
We have only two lines about Phoebe in the Bible, but Theodoret of Cyrrhus has more information about her. Did Phoebe travel to Spain with Paul? Did she deliver his letter to the Romans?
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.
A short post on why Christian women, as well as Christian men, are sons of God. What does it mean to be an adopted son of God?
In this article I provide a brief overview of church life in the first century and I highlight the ministry contributions of women.
Here is a brief overview of eighteen women mentioned by the apostle Paul in his New Testament letters, as well as Lydia who is mentioned in Acts.
Some people are still using 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 to silence all women in church meetings. Here is my quick take of these two verses.
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”?
A few Ephesian women held the position of high-priestess in pagan cults. Was there a culture of prominent women in Ephesus that influenced Christian women?
This article addresses 5 questions about Adam’s role and prominence in Genesis chapters 2 and 3. For example, did God only call Adam in Genesis 3:9?
Instructions for wifely submission and holy kisses are given in the NT five times each, but one concept is often emphasised while the other is usually ignored.
Does Paul refer to wives of apostles or female coworkers of apostles in 1 Corinthians 9:5? Was their role companionship or teaching Christian doctrine?
Gal. 3:28 isn’t only referring to our identity/ status before God. It’s also about our identity/ status in the Christian community (the church).
Ignoring or highlighting the word “likewise” makes a big difference in how we understand certain New Testament passages that affect women.
What does “she will be saved through childbearing” in 1 Timothy 2:15 mean? Is being a faithful follower of Jesus not enough? What does Jesus say about this?
What are the timeless principles in Paul’s instruction in Titus 2:4-5? Why did he want the young wives at Crete to be workers (or keepers) at home?
Here are over 40 women in the Bible who exercised social or political authority. In the stories where they appear, no question is raised about the propriety of their authority.
This 5-part series takes a close look at 1 Timothy 2:12, at what it does and doesn’t say, as well as providing some cultural context. Part 1 looks at the pitfalls of using 1 Timothy 2:12 as a proof text.
This article looks at the goddess Artemis and her magnificent temple in ancient Ephesus. Artemis had a huge influence on the Ephesians!
Paul’s main purpose for writing First Timothy was to address the heresy in the Ephesian Church, possibly a precursor to Gnosticism.
In Part 4 we begin looking at 1 Timothy 2:11-15, verse by verse, phrase by phrase.
Why are Adam and Eve mentioned immediately after Paul’s prohibition in 1 Timothy 2:12? What does Paul mean by salvation and childbirth in 1 Timothy 2:15?
In this article, I look at Paul’s statements of equality and unity in ministry from 1 Corinthians chapter 12, including his instruction to give more honour to those lacking it.
In this post I quote Michael Bird who notes discrepancies between the ideology and practice of some complementarians regarding women teaching men.
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?
While reading Plutarch’s “Advice to the Bride and Groom,” it struck me that some Christians sound like Plutarch (a 1st-century pagan author), rather than like Paul, in what they say about men and women and marriage.
Some Christians think the prohibition in 1 Timothy 2:12 is straightforward in meaning. The various ways this verse is understood and implemented indicates otherwise.
Are women more easily deceived than men? What does the Bible, including 1 Timothy 2:14, say about Eve and women and deception?
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul deals with the subjects of sex, marriage, divorce, and singleness. Paul’s instructions here reveal an egalitarian ethos.
Would you like to support my ministry of encouraging mutuality and equality between men and women in the church and in marriage?
© 2022 Marg Mowczko