women in messianic ministry | Answers in Torah

Many people, including Bible scholars, afirm that Paul said that women cannot be in any important position in congregations. This is false.

This false assumption is based on:

1 Timothy 2:12-15: “And I do not allow a woman to debate publicly nor to usurp the authority of a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived has come to be in transgression; Yet she shall live by means of her children, if they continue in the faith, and in love, and in holiness, and in chastity.”

Do Paul meant that women can not go to the front of the congregation and accept Yeshua as the Messiah of Israel and be forgiven and saved, but only through having children?

It is clear that those who talk about the previous verse have never read the Greek text. Because if they had read it, they would have realized that the word “woman” in Greek is “Gune” (G1135/Strong) and means “wife” and that “man” is “husband”. So the previous verse should be read like this:

1 Timothy 2:12“And I do not allow a wife to debate publicly nor to usurp the authority of a husband, but to be in silence“. (According to the context of the verse, this referes to the Congregation’s settings only).

Why should she be silent? By the values of the society at the time of the Messiah: women attended with their husbands to the synagogues, but they were separated from them all the time in which they remained in the synagogue by a tablecloth, so not to be seen. Because of this if the wife wanted to ask her husband something about what was happening or being read of the Torah, she had to wait for them to be home. That kept order in the synagogues. (it apply today also in many orthodox synagogues or congregations)

That was explained in the previous verse:

1 Timothy 2:11 “Let a woman learn in silence, in all subjection“.

and in…

1 Corinthians 14:33-35 “For YHWH is not an Elohim of confusion, but of peace, as in all the congregations of the saints. Let your wifes keep silent in the congregations, for they have no permission to teach, but to be in subjection, as also the Torah says. But if they desire to learn anything, let them question their husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to talk in a Congregation“.

As for the other words in the previews verses, Paul is showing what the Pharisees thought according to the Talmud (commandments of men) about the ladies.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT THE SALVATION OF WOMEN?

Matetiyaho 1:21 “and give birth to a son, and call his name YESHUA, for he will save his people from their sins” (except the women who have to beget children).

Lukas 9:56 “Because the son of man has not come to lose the souls of (men), but to save them. And they went to another village.

The word in Lukas 9:56 says in Greek “Antropos” G444 which means “human being” (Men and women)

Acts 11:14 “words of the Ruach to Peter “He will speak to you words by which thou shall be saved, and all thy house.” (Will it be only for men?)

Acts 16:31 “They said: Believe in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, and you will be saved, you and your house.” (Will it be only for men?)

Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is the master, and believe in your heart that Elohim raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Will it be only for men?)

In the Bible and in the Nazarene writings especially says Paul, Apostle commissioned by Yeshua HaMashiaj:

Galathians 3:28 “There cannot be Jew nor Aramean, there is no slave nor freeman, there is no male and female; for you are all one (echad), united in Messiah Yahshua“.

In conclusion the woman can be saved by confessing with his mouth that Yeshua is the master, and believe in his heart that Elohim raised him from the dead. ! Not giving birth without ceasing to children!

CAN A WOMAN CARRY OUT LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE MESSIANIC JEWISH CONGREGATIONS?

Let’s show some examples of pastoral coparticipations in Messianic Jewish Ministry:

Romans 16:3 “greet Priscilla and Aquila, my collaborators in Yeshua the Messiah”

Acts 18:2 “and he found a Jew named Aquila, a natural from Pontus, who had just come from Italy with Priscilla his wife.” Aquila and Priscila were collaborators of the Ministry of Paul.

Acts 18:18 “But Paul, having been held still many days there, then took leave of the brothers and sailed to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila (his collaborators)”

Acts 18:24-26 “arrived at Ephesus then a Jew called Apollo, Natural of Alexandria, male Eloquent, powerful in scripture…. And began to speak boldly in the synagogue; But when they heard Priscilla and Aquila (Paul’s collaborators), they took him aside and (both) exposed him more exactly the way of Elohim. ”

Acts 18:27-28 “and desiring him (Apollo) to pass to Acaya, the Brethren (Aquila and Priscilla, Paul’s collaborators) encouraged him, and they wrote to the disciples that he receive him; And he came there, was of great benefit to those who by Grace had believed; Because with great vehemence he publicly refuted the Jews, proving by the Scriptures that Yeshua was the Mashiach “(he had learned the lesson well).

As you can see, Apollo and Priscilla were a couple who collaborated with Paul’s ministry and helped others to change their way of speaking and living. She was always with her husband and honored him because it was his head before Elohim, and he honored her for his dedication to Elohim and his constancy in helping him.

Are there more examples like Priscilla?

Romans 16:1 “I also recommend our sister Phoebe, which is deaconess of the church in Cencrea” (What about 1 Timothy 3:2-8?)

Acts 2:17 “and in the last days, Elohim says, I’ll pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters prophesy.”

Acts 21:8-9 “The next day, Paul came out and we were with him, we went to Caesarea; And entering Philip the Evangelist’s house, who was one of the seven, we went with him. He had four maiden daughters who prophesied. ”

In Romans Paul sends greetings “to Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and fellow prisoners, distinguished between the apostles and Christians even before Me” (Romans 16:7).

Philippians 4:2-3 “I pray to Evodia and to Síntique (both women), to be of the same feeling in Adonai. I also ask you, faithful companion, to help those who fought together with me in the Gospel, with Clement also and the other collaborators of mine, whose names are in the Book of Life. ”

Someone said on the Internet “In addition, in the Old Testament in the more than 700 times that are mentioned priests, each one of them was a man. There is not a single example of a priestess. ”

In the Tanack, the position of priest of the temple, had to be for men to follow the guideline of Ephesians 5:22-23.

But, the lady pastors, Roeh or Raban, must be subject to her husband pastor, Roeh or Rabbi, provided that their husbands are subject in everything to the Torah, under the leadership of Mashiaj.

Ephesians 5:22-23: “The married ones are subject to their own husbands, like the Messiah; 23 for the husband is the head of the woman, even as Mashiach is the head of the church, which is his body, and he is his savior”.

SHOULD WE CALL OUR WIVES, WHO ARE IN THE MINISTRY WITH US: RABANIH OR ROEH?

YES, if Yeshua gave women a position on par with their husbands, he told him that the Torah also applied to them, he spoke to them face to face and he sat next to the men in his presence (without tables or curtains in between) and he call them my sisters

If Yeshua call Martha to hear the word of the Eternal, and Paul her apostle calls Evodia and Síntique apostles, who am I not to call my companion and friend “Rabani” religious ministry. Lets be proud of our women in Messianic Judaism and lets give them honor in our synagogues, Kehilas and congregations.

Blessings to all

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