Preaching And Teaching Are They The Same Thing

[The Glory Land]

You all should know why I am asking this question, womens teaching Sunday school classes in church. I know a woman cannot preach, but teaching classes not to just childrens but to adults too. And if to children only, to what age 13, 14, 15, 18, in or at church only?

[John81]

They are similar, but not the same.

 

1 Timothy 2:12

But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

 

This verse is viewed differently by different churches. Some say it clearly says a woman is not to teach, which they see as point #1 and applying to teaching anyone; then they see not having any authority over man as point #2 and meaning women are to have no positions above any man; and then point #3, that women are to be silent, which some say means not speaking in church at all, some saying women are not to speak during preaching, some also say they are not to speak during teaching.

 

Then there are also those who say this verse means women are not to teach men, but they believe it's okay for women to teach other women and/or children.

 

It's a very good question as to what age we should consider the youth to be young men rather than boys, and therefore at what age should they only have male teachers if in a church that allows women Sunday school and/or youth group teachers. Churches vary on this, with most just basically ignoring the question and letting women teach Sunday school from pre-k through high school; sometimes beyond.

 

There are also some who say the above verse not only applies to church, but also applies in some aspects outside the church; most commonly that women are not to teach men in any setting. A few hold that a woman isn't to teach at all in any setting outside their own children in their own home.

 

Some also apply this verse to politics, saying this verse means women are not to be politicians. Some also say women are not to vote.

 

To complicate matters more, there are varying different variations of all the above, plus some other interpretations and viewpoints and applications as well.

[HappyChristian]

And then there's that sticky point that Philip's 4 daughters were prophetesses...and that is after the Holy Spirit indwelling, so no-one can say it's OT economy...

 

Sometimes I think we are too quick to take a few words and make a doctrine God never intended.

[The Glory Land]

Women teachers,not preachers, no problem for me.  In my opinion.    I know, who cares....

[John81]

Women teachers,not preachers, no problem for me.  In my opinion.    I know, who cares....

In the pastoral epistles it spells out the qualifications for a pastor and they apply to men only; which means women are not to be pastors.

[John81]

And then there's that sticky point that Philip's 4 daughters were prophetesses...and that is after the Holy Spirit indwelling, so no-one can say it's OT economy...

 

Sometimes I think we are too quick to take a few words and make a doctrine God never intended.

Which opens up more questions, and sometimes cans of worms!

 

Are there still prophets/prophetesses today?

 

Does the idea of prophetesses have any bearing beyond that?

 

What applications does this have, if any, within the church or outside the church?

 

Some build whole doctrines around this, going in different directions in different churches.

 

While this certainly opens the door for discussion, most often a problem results from folks not agreeing on the beginning point for the discussion.

[Ukulelemike]

Which opens up more questions, and sometimes cans of worms!

 

Are there still prophets/prophetesses today?

 

Does the idea of prophetesses have any bearing beyond that?

 

What applications does this have, if any, within the church or outside the church?

 

Some build whole doctrines around this, going in different directions in different churches.

 

While this certainly opens the door for discussion, most often a problem results from folks not agreeing on the beginning point for the discussion.

to this point, all those who I have met that call themselves prophet or prophetess, (more often the case), they never do anything more than either what I would consider fotunes telling, ("Oh, the Lord told me to tell you that you will do great things for God, and you will be great in music, etc, etc.) or basically stating what the Bible already says, slightly altering it to make it seem like a 'new word', or 'fresh oil', or whatever. This tells me that they aren't prophets, because this isn't generally what true prophets did-they usually gave revelations of God's word, or if they had a special word for someone, it wasn't generally Skippy in the tenor section of the choir, to let him know he was going to excel in the music biz, but it was to leaders with vast influence: other prophets, kings, etc.

 That there were prophetesses in Paul's time just tells me that the Lord was still putting His word out-nothing says they were actively prophesying, and they certainly weren't allowed to prophesy to Paul-rather the Lord brought a male prophet in to do the work. 

 

I guess this is another area of scripture we just aren't given enough information to work with, and perhaps its for a reason. Maybe we are to just let the Lord be the Lord and decide for Himself if someone will give a prophetic word. I suspect true believers open to the moving of the Spirit would be able to see such as being the case. 

 

Remember also, that a prophet's job was to give God's revealed word-today this is the same thing a pastor or preacher does-its just now we have His revealed word in the form of the Bible. Pastors ARE prophets, in the strictest sense of the word.

[John81]

 

 

Remember also, that a prophet's job was to give God's revealed word-today this is the same thing a pastor or preacher does-its just now we have His revealed word in the form of the Bible. Pastors ARE prophets, in the strictest sense of the word.

This is how some justify women preachers. I've heard this used by many over the years. I think one of the Baptist churches in the area that now has a female associate pastor uses that as at least part of their justification for such.  

[HappyChristian]

There are 10 women specifically listed as being prophetesses in scripture.  A prophetess was, like a prophet, called by God to do a certain job.  In the OT, we see Miriam.  God specified that she was sent along with Moses and Aaron (Micah 6:4).  She is also listed as leading the women (Ex. 15:20-21)

 

Then there is Deborah.  A polarizing person nowadays, for sure.  Many want to annul the fact that she was a judge in Israel, and that God actually put her there, simply because she was a woman.  But the Bible is clear, in Judges 4:4, that she was a prophetess as well as a judge (and the word for judge means to deliver or rule  Oh! No!).  It's interesting to note that the only judge that the Bible mentions as being sought out for decisions was Deborah...Judges executed judgment, decided controversies, gave verdicts.  They also led in military action.  However, Deborah was not afraid to tell what God said...and God wanted Barak to lead the army.  

 

And then there's Huldah.  In 2 Kings 22, the priest and others went to her for advice.

 

And there was Noadiah - she was not a good person and she sought to thwart Nehemiah. 

 

Isaiah's wife was a prophetess as well (Isaiah 8:3).

 

In the NT, the first prophetess we see is Anna, in Luke 2.  Her fame is that she bore witness of the Saviour.

 

The daughters of Philip prophesied as well.  Whether they predicted, taught or whatever, it was by divine inspiration.

 

And then there's Jezebel, in Rev.  A false prophetess.  Christ made it clear that she has a poor influence on the church. 

 

The application for the church would be that God does indeed use women.  And sometimes in positions of leadership.  However, it is important to rightly divide scripture and understand that there are boundaries - just as there are for men.

 

In a church setting, women are not to take the leadership from men in regards to pastoring or other head positions.  That is usurping the authority that God gave to man.  However, if the pastor (or assistant pastor, whoever is in charge of appointing teachers) and the woman's husband don't object, a woman can teach.  Children and other women.  And they can sing, as well.  People that claim the adjuration to silence means no singing don't understand that is in a specific context and does not apply to music.  If they want to believe that, and they want to attend a church where only men can sing, that's their choice. But there is not biblical injunction for them to force others to do the same. Today's prophetesses would be those women who teach children and women in Sunday Schools, Bible studies, etc.  And those women who tell others about Christ.  NOT the charismatic "God told me you're going to be a preacher" variety.  

 

Outside the church, individual women answer to their individual husbands - and that is scripture.  "...her OWN husband..."  The reason for that is simply common sense: Confusion results when there are too many bosses.  And God is not the author of confusion.  There is no male authority for a woman to usurp, outside the church, other than her own husband (and, of course, we are all subject to laws).  To create a doctrine that states a woman cannot point out scriptural error to a man is erroneous and is not what scripture teaches.   Anything I do -  in or out of the church - is subject to my OWN husband, and no-one else.  And it is true of any other married woman as well. 

[swathdiver]

Women teachers,not preachers, no problem for me.  In my opinion.    I know, who cares....

 

Just those who desire to live by God's Word and try to remain free from error.

[The Glory Land]

Just those who desire to live by God's Word and try to remain free from error.

 

 

 

Error = Might be wrong or Man trying to be perfect. All of us that are Saved, still fall short. When we die, then we will be with out error.

[Calvary]

There are 10 women specifically listed as being prophetesses in scripture.  A prophetess was, like a prophet, called by God to do a certain job.  In the OT, we see Miriam.  God specified that she was sent along with Moses and Aaron (Micah 6:4).  She is also listed as leading the women (Ex. 15:20-21)

 

Then there is Deborah.  A polarizing person nowadays, for sure.  Many want to annul the fact that she was a judge in Israel, and that God actually put her there, simply because she was a woman.  But the Bible is clear, in Judges 4:4, that she was a prophetess as well as a judge (and the word for judge means to deliver or rule  Oh! No!).  It's interesting to note that the only judge that the Bible mentions as being sought out for decisions was Deborah...Judges executed judgment, decided controversies, gave verdicts.  They also led in military action.  However, Deborah was not afraid to tell what God said...and God wanted Barak to lead the army.  

 

And then there's Huldah.  In 2 Kings 22, the priest and others went to her for advice.

 

And there was Noadiah - she was not a good person and she sought to thwart Nehemiah. 

 

Isaiah's wife was a prophetess as well (Isaiah 8:3).

 

In the NT, the first prophetess we see is Anna, in Luke 2.  Her fame is that she bore witness of the Saviour.

 

The daughters of Philip prophesied as well.  Whether they predicted, taught or whatever, it was by divine inspiration.

 

And then there's Jezebel, in Rev.  A false prophetess.  Christ made it clear that she has a poor influence on the church. 

 

The application for the church would be that God does indeed use women.  And sometimes in positions of leadership.  However, it is important to rightly divide scripture and understand that there are boundaries - just as there are for men.

 

In a church setting, women are not to take the leadership from men in regards to pastoring or other head positions.  That is usurping the authority that God gave to man.  However, if the pastor (or assistant pastor, whoever is in charge of appointing teachers) and the woman's husband don't object, a woman can teach.  Children and other women.  And they can sing, as well.  People that claim the adjuration to silence means no singing don't understand that is in a specific context and does not apply to music.  If they want to believe that, and they want to attend a church where only men can sing, that's their choice. But there is not biblical injunction for them to force others to do the same. Today's prophetesses would be those women who teach children and women in Sunday Schools, Bible studies, etc.  And those women who tell others about Christ.  NOT the charismatic "God told me you're going to be a preacher" variety.  

 

Outside the church, individual women answer to their individual husbands - and that is scripture.  "...her OWN husband..."  The reason for that is simply common sense: Confusion results when there are too many bosses.  And God is not the author of confusion.  There is no male authority for a woman to usurp, outside the church, other than her own husband (and, of course, we are all subject to laws).  To create a doctrine that states a woman cannot point out scriptural error to a man is erroneous and is not what scripture teaches.   Anything I do -  in or out of the church - is subject to my OWN husband, and no-one else.  And it is true of any other married woman as well. 

 

That was a really good post.

 

God bless,

calvary