CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE
Keith Gerner.
AUDIO VISUAL MINISTRIES, Post Office Box 1, NEWCASTLE, Co Down.BT33
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Lesson No 6. WOMAN'S PLACE IN CHURCH
1 TIMOTHY 2:9‑15
Illustration: Computer in dating agency responsible for our marriage> I never understood what computer saw in him
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1. DIRECTIONS FROM SCRIPTURE
1 Tim 2:9 I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,
1 Tim 2:10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. (NIV)
1 Tim 2:11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.
1 Tim 2:12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. (NIV)
1 Tim 2:13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. (NIV)
1 Tim 2:14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. (NIV)
1 Tim 2:15 But women will be saved through childbearing‑‑ if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (NIV)
(A) THE KEY SITUATION OF THE WOMAN IN THE HOME
formed the basis of the last lesson in our series.
The Early Church was LOCATED IN HOUSES (not specially constructed
buildings) so that women PLAYED A VITAL SUPPORT ROLE, especially in
(a) OPENING THE HOME FOR CHURCH MEETINGS
(i) MARY (the mother of John Mark) had a regular prayer meeting in her home, to which Peter naturally went on his release from prison.
Acts 12:12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the
mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered
and were praying. (NIV)
The Last Supper may well also have been held in her house.
Illustration: Special upbeat message on answering machine for business. Friend phoned: “I love your message, but do you have to have voice in background:Mummy I want to go potty
(ii) The First Church in Europe was in the house of LYDIA, who had a business in purple
Acts 16:14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. (NIV)
Acts 16:15 When she and the members of her household were baptised, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
(iii) Paul's work in THESSALONICA was forwarded by wealthy women converts.
Acts 17:4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God‑fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women. (NIV)
(iv) With the HUSBAND'S PERMISSION, the wife can make her home a REAL PLACE OF SERVICE FOR THE LORD.
Illustration:Lecturer:” Husband fishing in river boat & falls in,shouts , as cannot swim, but seen by the wife: why does she rush down to the bank ? “ Girl:”Draw out his life savings..”
(B) OFFERING HELP IN A PRACTICAL WAY
(i) The Lord Jesus Himself had practical support from MARY MAGDALENE (after her deliverance from demons) and from the wealthy JOANNA, WHO MINISTERED NOT ONLY TO HIM PERSONALLY BUT ALSO TO THE 12 APOSTLES,
Luke 8:2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; (NIV)
Luke 8:3 Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. (NIV)
(ii) PAUL speaks of WOMEN THAT LABOURED WITH HIM IN MINISTRY
Phil 4:3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (NIV)
(iii) The Husband aND WIFE TEAM OF AQUILLA AND PRISCILLA had a real impact on the ministry of Apollos at Ephesus
Acts 18:26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. (NIV)
Acts 18:27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.
Illustration: Practical woman. House agent showed two houses. 2nd house, wife said she would take 1st house. “I asked God to show me a sign. Aircraft came over roof on flight path
(iv) PHOEBE is also mentioned as a "servant of the Church " at Cenhrae, and a real help to Paul
Romans 16:1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. (NIV)
Romans 16:2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me. (NIV)
(Among the Jews this signified a wealthy patron of a community, and it would seem that her financial help played a large part in Paul's ministry there.)
This is the only N. T. reference to deaconess as a church office, according to Nelson's BIBLE DICTIONARY, which adds:
....". The Greek word translated as deaconess in this passage is rendered as deacon and servant by other versions of the Bible. The office of deaconess was similar to the office of deacon. Their spiritual responsibility was essentially the same, except that deaconesses probably rendered a ministry exclusively to women, particularly in the early years of the church.
The office of deaconess became a regular feature of church organisation as early as the first part of the second century. In A. D. 112, Pliny the Younger, governor of Bithynia, wrote a letter to the emperor Trajan of Rome, indicating that in his investigation of Christians he had tortured two Christian maidens who were called deaconesses. The office of deaconess in the
Eastern Church continued down to the 12th century.
The widows of clergymen, who were not permitted to remarry, often served as deaconesses. Some scholars believe that Paul's standards for WIDOWS in <1 Timothy 5:9‑12> were applied to these deaconesses.
While controversy has centred around the ordination of women through the centuries, deaconesses apparently were installed in their office by the LAYING ON OF HANDS, just like deacons. However, there is no account of a deaconess ordination in the Bible. Church groups with both deacons and deaconesses customarily ordain women in the same manner as men.
In the early centuries, deaconesses were especially called on to serve women in situations where custom forbade the ministry of the deacon. Deaconesses instructed female candidates for church membership, ministered to women who were sick and in prison, and assisted at their baptism, especially in the act of anointing. "
(v) PRACTICAL HELP like that of MARTHA, of Bethany, was vital to the Lord's ministry and those in a place to do this, make a REAL IMPACT ON THE WORK OF THE LORD by avoiding the need for financial appeals. This help is best done with the consent of the Husband, to avoid such ministries becoming ends in themselves, whereby other ladies, overburdened with sins, get sucked into activities which detract from their domestic responsibilities and fall prey to false teachers
2 Tim 3:6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak‑willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, (NIV)
Illustration: What happens, Mum when Dad dies ? “I’ going to spend 4 months of the year with my 3 kids.””Alright, what about the 2nd year ?”
2.DEMEANOUR
1 Tim 2:9 I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, (NIV)
Women were to dress and behave quietly and sensibly in the Church because that was often held in their own home. The stress is NOT on LARGE BODIES OR LARGE BUILDINGS but on small group meetings. The guidance for the WIFE IN HER HOME, therefore, forms the basis for her behaviour in the Church.
(a) WOMEN FORBIDDEN TO HAVE AUTHORITY OVER MEN
1 Tim 2:12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. (NIV)
Illustration: The dentist married a manicurist. They fought tooth and nail
(i) Greek here means that she is to do nothing ON HER OWN AUTHORITY
("authentein"= authenteo from autos, "self," and a lost noun hentes, probably signifying working (Eng., "authentic"), "to exercise authority on one's own account, to domineer over," According to VINE the earlier use of the word, signified one who with his own hand killed either others or himself. Later it came to denote one who acts on his own "authority"; hence, "to exercise authority, dominion." )
THIS REINFORCES THE IDEA OF DEPENDENCE ON A MAN FOR HER COVERING.
(ii) OLDER WOMEN were allowed to TEACH younger women, and the latter
instructed their children
Titus 2:4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, (NIV)
(iii) In the realm of DEFINITION OF DOCTRINE, Eve is shown to be at a disadvanteg to Adam, and to have fallen into a trap of Satan by being swayed away by her emotions from the teaching of God
1 Tim 2:13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. (NIV)
1 Tim 2:14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. (NIV)
Because Adam sinned DELIBERATELY, this made his offence worse, but commanding and teaching seem to have been associated together in Church activities.
1 Tim 4:11 Command and teach these things. (NIV)
(iv) PREACHING AND TESTIFYING seem to have been done by women, together with all the early disciples
Acts 8:4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. (NIV)
and a female gender is even given to preachers in the Hebrew O.T.
Psalms 68:11 The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it: (NIV)
At the Resurrection, it was the WOMEN who were told to testify
Mark 16:7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, `He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" (NIV)
(v) "KEEPING SILENCE IN THE CHURCH" ALSO REQUIRES EXPLANATION.
(1) The Greek word "esthchia" is used here and in
1 Cor 14:34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. (NIV)
which carries the idea of being "subdued" rather than being altogether silent, ( which is conveyed by the Greek "sigee", which is used in
Rev 8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. (NIV)
In ACTS for example, we see the Crowd were subdued, not silent when
Paul testified to them of his conversion:
Acts 22:2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. (NIV)
The same idea of "veing subdued" is found in other usages in Scripture.
cf 2 Thes 3:12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. (NIV)
(2) Scriptures also refer to women PRAYING or PROPHESYING:
Acts 2:17 "`In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Acts 21:9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. (NIV)
1 Cor 11:5 And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head‑‑ .THIS prayer or prophecy COULD NOT HAVE BEEN SILENTLY !
(We also know that the Virgin Mary and other women were among those praising God loudly in tongues on the Day of Pentecost !
Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Illustration:”Young Daniel, do you pray before going to sleep.””No Mother prays for me. Thank God you’re in bed at last !”
(3) The difference here seems to have been THE EXERCISE OF AUTHORITY IN SPEAKING, rather than the simple giving of a message, so that the husband retains his authority in control of public utterances.
(b) FORMING THEIR QUESTIONS AT HOME
1 Cor 14:34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. (NIV)
1 Cor 14:35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. (NIV)
(i) Instead of women raising questions in a PUBLIC PLACE, they are to ask their husbands privately to supply anmswers at home to their questions.
(ii) Under the Jewish synagogue system, the women and men sat in different areas and confusion (rather than peace) would be created, by their shouting around. There is much common sense in limiting personal revelations thus to private use and question.
(c) OLD TESTAMENT GUIDELINES
"as saith the Law" (KJV 1 Cor 14:34) seems to have been founded on
Gen 3:16 To the woman he said, "......................your husband,
and he will rule over you." (NIV)
Even the natural growth of hair is argued, to show that a women needs a
covering
1 Cor 11:13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? (NIV)
1 Cor 11:15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. (NIV)
Illustration:Sister & husband left on 3 hour car trip. On arrival:”was only only testy for a moment with the kids.” Husband” Yes, from the mokment we left to the moment we arrived !”
3. DRESS
This brings us to the question of what women should wear in Church !
1 Cor 11:4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours
his head. 5 And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered
dishonours her head‑‑ it is just as though her head were shaved. :6 If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. (NIV)
1 Cor 11:7 A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory
of God; but the woman is the glory of man:8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man:9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.:10 For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head. (NIV)
1 Cor 11:11 In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man
independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. (NIV)
1 Cor 11:13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with
her head uncovered? (NIV)
1 Cor 11:14 Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has
long hair, it is a disgrace to him, (NIV)
1 Cor 11:15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair
is given to her as a covering. (NIV)
1 Cor 11:16 If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other
practice nor do the churches of God. (NIV)
(a) JEWISH CUSTOM was for a man to WEAR A HAT on his head, which v 4 contradicts
(b) WOMEN WERE VEILED in the Old Testament
Gen 24:65 and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet
us?" "He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil
and covered herself. (NIV)
Gen 38:14 she took off her widow's clothes, covered herself with a veil to
disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which
is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now
grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife. (NIV)
Ruth 3:15 He also said, "Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out."
When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and put it
on her. Then he went back to town. (NIV)
Isaiah 3:23 and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls. (NIV)
Song 5:7 The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. They
beat me, they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those watchmen of
the walls! (NIV)
ONLY PUBLIC PROSTITUTES WENT WITHOUT VEILS, and hence to prophesy without them, would be to identify Christianity with immorality !
ILLUSTRATION: “Went to a beauty consultant for advice on how to improve my appearance. He suggested low wattage lighting
(c) THE VEIL COVERED THE WHOLE BODY !
A woman, appearing in public without a veil, would disgrace her husband "her head" v3) and would be the same as a woman who had her hair shorn off as a punishment for being a harlot. ( The Bible talks about her hair being "loosened.." )
Num 5:18 After the priest has had the woman stand before the LORD, he shall loosen her hair and place in her hands the reminder offering, the grain offering for jealousy, while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse. (NIV)
(d) The woman wore her veil as a sign of HER HUSBAND'S AUTHORITY
and by so doing, she set a public example (v 10) The modern British equivalent, would be the wearing of a WEDDING RING.
Illus: “Doing housework gets to me. After work I came home and ashed clothes & dishes. Tomorrow I have to clean the kitchen floor.””What about your husband ?””No way, he can wash himself...”
(e) HEATHEN PRIESTESSES GAVE FALSE ORACLES UNVEILED.
The natural way in which women have long hair, is used by Paul as an argument to indicate need of a veil (not just a hat !) BUT NOT TO REPLACE it !
(f) SOME WOMEN WERE CLAIMING THERE WAS NO SEXUAL DIFFERENCES IN CHRIST
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
Col 3:11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
BUT PAUL ATTACKS THEM FOR NEGLECTING SOCIAL CONVENTIONS by prophesying unveiled. If a MAN DEFENDS THEIR action, then he should wear long hair ! If each wants to bear the shame and reproach of this reaction., Paul concludes there is NO SET LAW OR CUSTOM in the Churches. REGULATIONS which cause strife and division, ARE NULL AND VOID.
THE VITAL THING IS FOR THE WOMAN TO DRESS MODESTLY AND HAVE SUBMISSION BUILT INTO HER ATTITUDE.
(g) EMPHASIS ON OUTWARD ADORNING, such as braiding hair, gold and pearls, is NOT GOOD
1 Tim 2:9 I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, (NIV)
THE LORD IS LOOKING FOR GOOD WORKS IN A CHRISTIAN WIFE, or a woman seeking to honour her man ( Ornament were not forbidden, even in the Old Testament :
Gen 24:22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. (NIV)
Gen 24:30 As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. (NIV)
Gen 24:47 "I asked her, `Whose daughter are you?' "She said, `The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.' "Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, (NIV)
THE ORNAMENT OF A MEEK AND QUIET SPIRIT is of the greatest price to God
1 Pet 3:3
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and
the wearing of gold jewellery and fine clothes. 1 Pet 3:4 Instead, it should
be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is of great worth in God's sight. (NIV)
CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE.
KEITH GERNER
AUDIO VISUAL MINISTRIES, P.O. Box 1
NEWCASTLE, Co Down. BT33. N.IRELAND
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Lesson No 6. WOMAN'S PLACE IN THE CHURCH
1 Timothy 2.v.9‑15
1. DIRECTIONS FROM SCRIPTURE. v.11
KEY SITUATION OF THE WOMAN IN THE HOME IN A HOUSE CHURCH.
(a) Opening home for Church meetings
(b) Practical help to ministries.
(i) Jesus (ii) Paul (iii) Aquilla & Priscilla
(iv) Phoebe, Deaconness (v) Martha & Mary
2. DEMEANOUR OF WOMEN. v.9
(a) WOMEN NOT TO HAVE AUTHORITY OVER MEN.v.12
(i) Do nothing on her own authority
(ii) Older women to teach younger women.Titus 2:4
DEFINITION OF DOCTRINE AND DISCIPLINE LEFT TO MEN.
(iii) Preaching and testifying encouraged.. Mark 16:7
(iv) "Keeping silence in the Church" (1 Cor 14:34) = being subdued
since women pray and prophesy, without authority usurped
(b) FORMING THEIR OWN QUESTIONS AT HOME. 1 Cor 14:34‑5
(c) OLD TESTAMENT GUIDELINES. Gen 3:16
Need of a COVERING seen even from hair growing.1 Cor 11:13
3.DRESS FOR WOMEN IN CHURCH. I Cor 11:4‑16
(a) MEN wore hats according to Jewish custom.
(b) WOMEN WORE VEILS Gen 24:65,38:14, Ruth 3:15, Isa.3:23.
(c) Veil covered whole body. Num 5:18
(d) This was sign of Husband's authority OVER HER.= Wedding ring.
(e) Heathen priestesses prophecied unveiled.
(f) Social conventions important though in Christ
Women should be SUBMISSIVE whatever she wears !
(g) Good works and not outward adorning should be the emphasis.
1 Tim 2:9. 1 Peter 3:3‑4
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