In this article, which began as notes for a recent interview, I look at how Paul used kephalē (“head”) in Ephesians chapters 1, 4, and 5. There is a consistent theme in how Paul used this word in Ephesians.
In part 2, I discuss Origen’s remarks on Philip’s daughters, Deborah, Huldah, Anna, and Miriam, remarks that are still being used to restrict women from “public” ministry.
“A woman ought to have power on her head” is the crux of 1 Cor. 11:2-16. What did Paul mean here? And what does “because of the angels” mean?
In Part 3, I focus on 1 Cor. 11:7-9 and corresponding verses. Why did Paul say man is the image and glory of God, and woman was made for man?
This is Part 1 of a talk I gave in August on 1 Cor. 11:2-16. This passage includes the phrase, “the head of woman is the man.”
I repond to 5 flawed ideas I often hear as interpretations of Ephesians 5:22-33, including the “husband as decision-maker” idea.
In part 2, I look at Christ’s role as the “Saviour of the body” and what this means for Paul’s words to wives in Ephesians 5:22-24 and to husbands in Ephesians 5:25ff.
Here’s what I’ve been learning about the Greek “submit” verb. I also look at what it meant to Paul that Jesus is the “Saviour of the body.”
I’ve highlighted the structure and vocabulary of 1 Cor. 14:26-40 which contains verses 33-34, “Women should be silent in the churches …”
There are various interpretations of “she will saved through childbearing.” In this article, I explain how I understand the phrase.
The Son’s submission to the Father in 1 Cor. 15:28 does not inform our understanding of submission in marriage in the way some people argue. Here’s why.
A short discussion on the adjective akatakalyptos and the verb katakalyptō (“cover”) used in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16.
1 Timothy 2:12 (“I do not permit a woman to teach …”) is the only Bible verse that places a restriction on a woman teaching. It shouldn’t be used to ban women ministers.
In his book, The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood, Philip Payne outlines 3 reasons why Paul’s concern in 1 Cor. 11:2–16 was not head coverings for women, but hairstyles.
What did Paul mean when he said “husband of one wife”? What was Priscilla’s role in Ephesus and Rome? What is Paul’s overall theology of ministry and women?
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.
This is part 1 of a talk I gave recently which looks at Paul’s overall theology on ministry and the verses often used to limit women.
I look at how Paul uses the phrase “in everything” in his letters and at what it means in, “wives submit to your husbands in everything.”
In this article, I provide an overview of how Paul uses the word kephalē (“head”) in his letters, and I give a brief note on each verse that contains the word.
Here are a few excerpts from a chapter written by Judith Gundry that are helpful in understanding Paul’s arguments and use of creation in 1 Cor. 11:2-16.
Paul said in 1 Cor. 11:10 that a woman should have “authority on her head.” Whose authority is it?
Gen 3:16, about Eve, and Gen 4:7, about Cain, both contain the Hebrew words teshuqah (“desire”) and mashal (“rule”). Does 4:7 help us to understand 3:16?
Who are the 144,000 in Revelation 7 and 14? What do they symbolise? Are women really excluded from this group?
in 1 Cor. 11:14-15, Paul says that nature is a teacher of hair lengths or hairstyles for men and women. What did he mean by “nature”?
The story of David’s ten concubines, especially when linked with God’s words in 2 Samuel 12:11, is a deeply troubling story. Warning: sexual violence.
In this article, I look at the Greek participles in Ephesians 5:18-21, especially the “submit” participle in verse 21.
In this short article, I sketch the case that 1 Tim. 2:12 says nothing, one way or the other, about whether competent women can be pastors, preachers, priests, elders, or any kind of church leader.
Some Christians think women should be “keepers at home” and stay out of the workforce and away from leadership ministries in the church. Here’s a list of respected Bible women who weren’t “keepers at home.”
In this article, I look at 4 passages from the Hebrew Bible (Leviticus 27, Numbers 30, Ecclesiastes 7:28, Isaiah 3:12) which are sometimes used to diminish women.
Here are 3 reasons why 1 Timothy 2:12 may be about a particular couple in the Ephesian church and not Paul’s general thoughts on women in ministry.
The creation order given in Genesis 2 is often brought up in discussions about ministry and marriage. What significance did Paul place on man being created first?
The household codes in Eph. 5-6 and Col. 3-4 are not about gender but primarily about power and about mitigating abuse that often comes with power.
Numbers 5:11-31 outlines the ordeal of bitter water which was designed to test, or prove, the fidelity of a wife suspected by her jealous husband of being unfaithful.
Why does Leviticus 12 say a mother is unclean for 7 days after the birth of a son but is unclean for 14 days after the birth of a daughter? Why the difference?
Does 1 Corinthians 11:7 express superiority of men over women. Is this what is meant by “man … is the image and glory of God but woman is the glory of man”? Here’s a different interpretation.
Here are interpretations of 1 Corinthians 11:7 (man … is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man) from past & present scholars.
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.
Though it sounds heartless, even preposterous, to modern Westerners, the Deut. 22:28-29 law, for a rapist to marry his victim, may have benefitted the raped woman. Here’s why.
Does helping someone mean you subordinate yourself to that person? 3 men whose essays I’ve read recently answer this question with “yes”.
Here is a coherent interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:12 that takes into account surrounding verses as well as documented heresies in the 1st-2nd century church.
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.
Is male headship and female submission the best way for husbands and wives who are in Christ to live by New Testament and New Creation principles?
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.
Was Paul concerned about women’s hair or veils in ancient Corinth? Would he be concerned about it in 21st-century Sydney? I wrote this piece in response to teaching at the Equip 17 women’s conference.
In this article, I look at the language of 1 Timothy 2:12 and discuss the idea that this verse concerns an anonymous couple in the Ephesian church rather than men and women more generally.
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 the Hebrew word teshuqah, traditionally translated as “desire” in Genesis 3:16, better translated as “single-minded concentration” or “devotion”?
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 creation of Adam first mean that only men may teach? Is the created order a reason for the prohibition in 1 Tim 2:12?
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© 2022 Marg Mowczko