5 Flawed Ideas About “Headship” in Marriage
I repond to 5 flawed ideas I often hear as interpretations of Ephesians 5:22-33, including the “husband as decision-maker” idea.
July 21, 2024
17 Comments
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Category: Paul and Women
(2) Submission & the Saviour in Ephesians 5
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.
May 5, 2024
14 Comments
(1) Submission & the Saviour in Ephesians 5
In this 2-part article, I present what I’ve been learning about the Greek “submit” verb, and I look at what it meant to Paul that Jesus is the “Saviour of the body.”
April 26, 2024
15 Comments
An Overview of Women Ministers in the Early Church
Women have always played important roles in the mission of the church and they are a part of our history. I highlight some of these women here.
March 26, 2024
9 Comments
The Structure and Language of 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
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 …”
February 24, 2024
22 Comments
What does “saved through childbearing” (1 Tim. 2:15) mean?
There are various interpretations of “she will saved through childbearing” put forward by scholars, but in this article, I explain how I understand the phrase.
October 30, 2023
36 Comments
Submission in 1 Corinthians 15:28 and in Marriage
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.
September 14, 2023
17 Comments
Women and Men and Ministry in First-Century Churches (3)
This is the 3rd post taken from my chapter in “Co-workers and Co-leaders.” I look here at some of the men and women who were involved in difficult and dangerous ministries.
August 27, 2023
15 Comments
Women and Men and Ministry in First-Century Churches (2)
This is the 2nd post taken from my chapter in “Co-workers and Co-leaders.” Paul’s letters show that he ministered alongside women. Women were among his coworkers and were deacons (diakonoi).
August 17, 2023
4 Comments
“Uncover-Cover” Words in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16
A short discussion on the adjective akatakalyptos and the verb katakalyptō (“cover”) used in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16.
July 21, 2023
18 Comments
Why 1 Timothy 2:12 shouldn’t be used to ban women ministers
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.
June 7, 2023
36 Comments
Philip Payne on Hairstyles vs. Head Coverings in Corinth
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.
May 27, 2023
24 Comments
Did Jesus aim to spare women from persecution?
Lately, I’ve been hearing some suggest the reason Jesus chose only men to be among the Twelve is because he knew the harsh persecution the Twelve would face. Is this reason valid?
May 8, 2023
17 Comments
Paul’s Theology of Ministry: 1 Tim. 3:2 and Priscilla
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?
February 27, 2023
18 Comments
Paul’s Theology of Ministry: 1 Timothy 2:12
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.
February 21, 2023
15 Comments
Paul’s Theology of Ministry: 1 Corinthians 14:34–35
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.
February 13, 2023
25 Comments
“Covering” or “Testicle” in 1 Corinthians 11:15?
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.
November 25, 2022
7 Comments
What does submission “in everything” mean?
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.”
November 12, 2022
25 Comments
An Overview of Paul’s Use of Kephalē (“Head”)
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.
August 1, 2022
38 Comments
Kephalē (“head”) as Metaphor in First-Century Texts
Here are some first-century Greek texts that use the word kephalē (“head”). They show how the word was used in Paul’s day.
July 23, 2022
12 Comments
A Close Look at Colossians 3:19 (Husbands)
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.
July 10, 2022
8 Comments
A Close Look at Colossians 3:18 (Wives)
Paul’s words to wives in Col. 3:18 contain a phrase that doesn’t occur elsewhere in the New Testament. What does it mean to submit “as is fitting in the Lord”?
July 1, 2022
12 Comments
“Brothers and Sisters” (Adelphoi) in Paul’s Letters
The Greek word adelphoi is used over 100 times in Paul’s letters. Is “brothers and sisters” or “siblings” an acceptable translation?
March 25, 2022
37 Comments
Judith Gundry on the Two Social Contexts of 1 Cor. 11:2–16
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.
January 31, 2022
15 Comments
Authentein as Bad Behaviour in Ancient Texts
Drawing on ancient texts, I give 3 reasons why there should be a consensus on the general sense of “authentein” as bad bossy behaviour.
January 22, 2022
22 Comments
Damaris in Athens (Acts 17)
Who was Damaris? What was her social status? What does her name mean? What was her role in the church? Evidence from ancient inscriptions help to answer some of these questions.
December 13, 2021
12 Comments
Woman’s Authority or Subordination in 1 Cor. 11:10?
Paul said in 1 Cor. 11:10 that a woman should have “authority on her head.” Whose authority is it?
November 14, 2021
31 Comments
A note on nature and hairstyles in 1 Cor. 11:14–15
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”?
September 2, 2021
21 Comments
Beth Allison Barr on Paul and Biblical Womanhood
In her book The Making of Biblical Womanhood, Beth Allison Barr argues that the concept of “biblical womanhood” doesn’t come from the apostle Paul.
May 21, 2021
34 Comments
There are Women Pastors in the New Testament
In this article I answer the question, Where in the New Testament does it say women were pastors? There is a biblical case for female pastors.
May 9, 2021
124 Comments
The “Little Women” in 2 Timothy 3:6–7
I’ve seen people express dismay that Paul disparages women in 2 Timothy 3:6–7. Here’s a short note looking at Paul’s words here and at his main concern.
April 19, 2021
7 Comments
1. The Grammar of Ephesians 5:21-22: Participles
In this article, I look at the Greek participles in Ephesians 5:18-21, especially the “submit” participle in verse 21.
February 20, 2021
10 Comments
Lois and Eunice’s Faith and Family
Paul honours Lois and Eunice and acknowledges they had been Timothy’s teachers. These women enabled Timothy to face challenges in Ephesus.
November 11, 2020
10 Comments
1 Timothy 2:12, in a Nutshell
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.
October 3, 2020
22 Comments
Bible women who weren’t “keepers at home”
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.”
September 23, 2020
24 Comments
Chrysostom on 5 Women Church Leaders in the NT
Chrysostom (d. 407) praised Priscilla, Phoebe, Euodia, Syntyche, and Junia. He acknowledged that these women were leading ministers in their churches.
June 10, 2020
11 Comments
“Preaching” words in the NT and the women who preached
When we understand “preaching” words in the way New Testament authors used these words, we see that some New Testament women preached.
February 17, 2020
40 Comments
Was Junia well known ‘to’ the apostles?
Were Andronicus and Junia “outstanding/ notable among the apostles” (Rom.16:7 KJV, NIV) or “well known to the apostles” (ESV, NET)?
November 29, 2019
36 Comments
Junias and Junia in Early Commentaries of Romans 16:7
Here is a list of over a dozen early and medieval scholars who took Junia’s name in Romans 16:7 to be feminine. Junia was a woman and not Junias, a man.
November 13, 2019
20 Comments
3 reasons why it’s a woman, not all women, in 1 Timothy 2:12
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.
August 28, 2019
72 Comments
Head Coverings and 1 Corinthians 11:2–16
Do women need to cover their heads in church meetings? What does Paul say about this in 1 Cor. 11:2–16? What were the customs of head coverings in Corinth?
June 30, 2019
64 Comments
A List of the 29 People in Romans 16:1-16
Twenty-nine people are mentioned in Romans 16:1-16, including ten women, seven of whom are described in terms of their ministries.
May 18, 2019
33 Comments
Partnering Together: Paul’s Female Coworkers
Paul included women as ministry partners and used the same ministry terms for his male and female coworkers. He didn’t restrict the ministry of godly and gifted women.
May 1, 2019
30 Comments
The Significance of the Created Order, in a Nutshell
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?
April 1, 2019
48 Comments
The Household Codes are Primarily about Power
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.
February 27, 2019
50 Comments
Nympha: A House Church Leader in the Lycus Valley (Col. 4:15)
In this post, I look at Nympha, a Christian mentioned in Colossians 4:15. What was her association with Paul? What was her ministry? Where was her house church? Was she really a woman?
September 19, 2018
69 Comments
What Timothy knew about Paul’s theology of ministry
Timothy knew Paul’s views on ministry and it’s unlikely he needed to be reminded of them. 1 Tim. 2:11-15 is not Paul’s general teaching on ministry but something else.
September 11, 2018
18 Comments
Man and woman as the image and glory of God (1 Cor. 11:7)
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.
August 7, 2018
60 Comments
What were Euodia and Syntyche thinking?!
Here’s a look at a common Greek phrase used in Phil. 4:2 concerning Euodia and Syntyche. What did Paul want them to think? Were the women quarrelling?
July 11, 2018
31 Comments
“Must manage his own household well” (1 Tim. 3:4-5)
Does 1 Timothy 3:4a (“managing his own household well”) show that men, and not women, are to rule or manage their households? What was the role of the first church overseers and bishops?
June 23, 2018
31 Comments
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