In 1 Cor. 16:16, Paul tells the Corinthians to submit themselves to coworkers and labourers. Paul refers to several women by these ministry terms.
Several ancient documents show that women were prominent ministers in the early church. Two such documents mention Theonoe and Myrte, prophetesses in the church at Corinth.
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).
In 1 Corinthians 16:15-18 Paul mentions Stephanas and his colleagues. There are a few lessons about Christian service and submission that can be gleaned here.
The gender of Junia, Nympha and Euodia has sometimes been obscured, and some speculate that Stephanas (1 Cor. 1:16; 16:15ff) was also a woman minister whose gender has been obscured.
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© 2022 Marg Mowczko