From Notable women of the Bible, http://www.cswnet.com/~duxrow/Women.htm
Anna - means "grace", Lk2:36 - One of the six women called "Prophetess" in the Bible: Deborah, Judg4:4 - Huldah, 2K22:14 - Mirium, Ex15:20 - 'Mrs.' Isaiah, Isa8:3 - Noadiah, Neh6:14. Rev2:20 speaks of someone named Jezebel who "calls herself a prophetess".
Deborah - means "bee, wasp". Judges 4:4 says: "And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time". She is one of about twenty persons who "judged Israel" in that time period between Joshua and Saul: the era leading to the Prophet Samuel. Deborah's only recorded prophecy concerned the outcome of the battle between Barak and Sisera. Judg4:9
Elisabeth - means "God of the Covenant" (or oath) -- [Heb: berith, Grk: diatheke, Eng: contract/agreement/pledge/promise] - Mother of John the Baptist, wife of Zacharias the priest, and cousin of Mary, mother of Jesus. Barren until late in life, similar to Sarah, Hannah, Rachel, etc. Her name comes from the wife of the non-celibate high priest Aaron: Elisheba had four sons: Ex6:23.
Esther - means "Star". One of just two books named after women. She's theyoung Jewish beauty selected to replace the disobedient Queen Vashti. Her next of kin Mordecai believed it was "for such a time as this" that she was instrumental in providing a Way for the saving of her people from annihilation, and deliverance from the prideful Haman. (Satan)
Huldah - means "weasel". 2Chr34:22 says she was a prophetess who lived at the college in Jerusalem and was consulted by the great King Josiah (he'd always been a follower of the Lord) who "found a lost book" and now realized they'd been disobedient to what had been written. 2K22:14
Noah - One of the five(5) daughters of Zelophehad: he had no sons. Numb26:33. Marriage and Inheritance involved here. Numb36:6
Precepts of how a Son carries on the "The Name", but daughters inherit too. Now we "whosoevers" are joint heirs with Christ! Rom8:17
Phoebe - means "bright". Spelled Phebe, w/o the "o" in Romans 16:1 (KJV) where Paul commends her, and seems to qualify her as a 'deaconess' (per NIV). Other likely woman names in this chapter include Priscilla, Mary, Persis, Julia, Tryphena, and Tryphosa.
Priscilla also spelled Prisca - Wife to Aquila (eagle); this New Testament couple had accompanied the Apostle Paul, and so they took Apollos (who was very learned in O.T. theology) aside to explain things more fully. Acts 18:24. Paul called them his "helpers in Christ", Rom16:3, and referred to the Church in their house with the mystery "Mary" who labored in the Lord.
Ruth - means "Friend". Think Truth with a capital "T". Her first mother-in-law is Naomi, but her second is Rahab who marries into the tribe of Judah, and bears a son named Boaz: the Redeemer-Husband! Isa54:5 Ruth is a Gentile: the scripture foretelling concerning the Bride of Christ, the Church or part thereof, and how we achieve the victory by gleaning in His fields only.
From: http://www.churchofgoddfw.com/monthly/junia.shtml
Junia, A Woman Apostle
By Dianne D. McDonnell
For many years many thought Junia(s) was a man--or if they admitted she was a woman, they discounted her as just someone highly regarded by the apostles. Recent scholarship proves she was both a female and an apostle! But let's start by looking at each piece of this scripture puzzle.
Romans 16:7
"Greet Andronicus and Junias (Junia) my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was." NIV (The NAS and NASU both use "outstanding", the KJV uses "of note" meaning notable.)
I simply offer Biblical examples of women holding offices within and without the church. Junia, a woman was an apostle, one of the five-fold ministers. She was so proclaimed by Paul. Deborah was a Judge over all Israel at a time when the office of Judge was tied to the belief system as it was to secular office. Anna was a prophetess, again - a five-fold ministry office.
Women as Pastors is not unbiblical. Pastor is a five-fold ministry that is simply a servant of the flock, one who serves the saints by teaching and ministering to it.
Thanks
Bob
Spearfish, SD
:amen:I simply offer Biblical examples of women holding offices within and without the church. Junia, a woman was an apostle, one of the five-fold ministers. She was so proclaimed by Paul. Deborah was a Judge over all Israel at a time when the office of Judge was tied to the belief system as it was to secular office. Anna was a prophetess, again - a five-fold ministry office.
Women as Pastors is not unbiblical. Pastor is a five-fold ministry that is simply a servant of the flock, one who serves the saints by teaching and ministering to it.
Thanks
Bob
Spearfish, SD
I simply offer Biblical examples of women holding offices within and without the church. Junia, a woman was an apostle, one of the five-fold ministers. She was so proclaimed by Paul. Deborah was a Judge over all Israel at a time when the office of Judge was tied to the belief system as it was to secular office. Anna was a prophetess, again - a five-fold ministry office.
Women as Pastors is not unbiblical. Pastor is a five-fold ministry that is simply a servant of the flock, one who serves the saints by teaching and ministering to it.
Thanks
Bob
Spearfish, SD
Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, whom also were in Christ before me (Rom 16:7).
Now interesting, Junia is a feminine name. Paul declares that she was an apostle. So something that perhaps you have never considered that there is a possibility that there were women apostles as well as men. Now there is another way to translate this as those who don't like that idea translate it the other way. Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, or whom the apostles know, who are noted by the apostles. Not that they are noted apostles, but they are noted by the apostles, and that is the way other people translate that to say, "Oh no, no. They couldn't have a woman apostle." "The other apostles who were in Christ before me," referring to Peter and John, "that they know this gal so greet her also." You have to in the Greek language sort of bend it a bit to get that particular idea out of the translation, the plain understanding of the Greek is that Junia was indeed an apostle, well-noted apostle that Paul is seeking that they greet. Who actually was in Christ before Paul. This would be interesting too to find out who was right in the interpreting of this woman.
:amen: AGAIN.I'm not one to be idly acused of promoting y own agenda. I disagree strongly with you but do not accuse me of promoting my own agenda.
The arguments you use are tried and tried again. They were wrong then and they're wrong now. Prophets and Apostles are five-fold ministries just like the office of Pastor. They have the same or higher requirements as a pastor.
Here's another interesting quote for you, this time from Chuck Smith's Commentary:
So, since you don't agree with women being pastors, I suggest you avoid them. Leave the wisdom that God wants to deliver through them to those who believe that God can, and does, ordain them. Please stop trying to convince others that they are wrong.
Thanks
Bob
Spearfish, SD
I'm not one to be idly acused of promoting y own agenda. I disagree strongly with you but do not accuse me of promoting my own agenda.
The arguments you use are tried and tried again. They were wrong then and they're wrong now. Prophets and Apostles are five-fold ministries just like the office of Pastor. They have the same or higher requirements as a pastor.
Here's another interesting quote for you, this time from Chuck Smith's Commentary:
So, since you don't agree with women being pastors, I suggest you avoid them. Leave the wisdom that God wants to deliver through them to those who believe that God can, and does, ordain them. Please stop trying to convince others that they are wrong.
Thanks
Bob
Spearfish, SD
Here's my take on it...
A woman can preach, lead the worship, whatever as long as she has been called by God and truly believes in His word. As for the leader of the church being male, I think ultimately the leader of any church is God and He is of course male. I don't think it's for me to judge who is qualified to lead worship. If God has called a woman, it's certainly not my place to disagree with what God has done. He knows what He is doing!
All that said, we had a woman pastor at our church once and it was NOT a good experience. She was always trying to prove herself (and abolish all stereotypes) and it wound up backfiring because people thought her to be cold and uncaring. We currently have a husband and wife team leading our church. He leads 95% of the time and she steps in as needed. It's a wonderful blend of not only their marriage but of leading the church.
I can certainly have a "take" or an opinion! And that opinion comes from what I was taught in my church and from what I have gathered by reading the Bible. While it may not be what you were taught or what you get, it's what I have learned.
A woman most certainly can be called by God to preach his word! Are you saying that all women that speak of the Lord are violating the Bible? I think any person that teaches God's word and teaches about God is not in violation of the Bible regardless of their sex!
:amen: Shannon!The wink with the put down doesn't make it any less offensive.
And it's been said a million times, a person can take ANY Bible verse and bend it to suit what they are trying to say.
I am entitled to my beliefs just as you are entitled to yours. Let's just respectfully agree to disagree.
Thanks Sky. I had forgotten about these fine women leaders in the Bible. And, I had not thought about this scripture either. I guess that's why they say "two heads are better than one."Gal 3:28,29 says There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. NKJV
For anyone who preach or teach, man or woman, it is to do it in humbleness and with the heart of a servant. That is what Jesus did. There was lots of female 'leaders' for example: Priscilla who served with her husband Aquilla, Phoebe was a deacon, and so on.
The wink with the put down doesn't make it any less offensive.
And it's been said a million times, a person can take ANY Bible verse and bend it to suit what they are trying to say.
I am entitled to my beliefs just as you are entitled to yours. Let's just respectfully agree to disagree.