Female
Prophets, Disciples, Ministers & Apostles Mentioned in the Bible
There were many women who exhibited leadership in both the
Old and New Testaments:
Exodus 15:20: Miriam, the sister of Aaron was a prophetess and one of the triad of leaders of Israel during the Exodus from Egypt.
Judges 4 & 5: Deborah, a prophet-judge, headed the army of ancient Israel.
2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 34:22 Huldah, a prophet, verified the authenticity of the "Book of the Law of the Lord given through Moses." She triggered a religious renewal.
Acts 9:36 The author of Luke referred to a female disciple by her Aramaic name Tabitha, who was also known by her Greek name Dorcas. She became sick had died; Peter brought her back to life.
Acts 21:8: Philip the evangelist had four unmarried daughters who were prophets.
Philippians 4:2: Paul refers to two women, Euodia
and Syntyche, as coworkers who were active evangelicals, spreading
the gospel.
Romans 16:1: Paul refers to Phoebe as a minister (diakonos)
of the church at Cenchrea. Some translations say deaconess; others
try to obscure her position by mistranslating it as "servant" or
"helper".
Romans 16:3: Paul refers to Priscilla as another of his "fellow workers in Christ Jesus" (NIV) Other translations refer to her as a "co-worker". But other translations attempt to downgrade her status by calling her a "helper". The original Greek word is "synergoi", which literally means "fellow worker" or "colleague." (7)
Romans 16:7: Paul refers to a male apostle, Andronicus,
and a female apostle, Junia, as "outstanding among the
apostles" (NIV) The Amplified Bible translates this passage as "They
are men held in high esteem among the apostles" The Revised Standard
Version shows it as "they are men of note among the apostles". The reference to them both being men does not appear in the
original Greek text. The word "men" was simply inserted
by the translators, apparently because the translators' minds recoiled from the
concept of a female apostle. Many translations, including the Amplified
Bible, Rheims New Testament, New American Standard Bible, and the New
International Version simply picked the letter "s" out of thin air,
and converted the original "Junia" (a woman) into "Junias"
(a man).
Greek Study on
this subject
Romans
16:1‑2 - I commend
unto you (1)Phebe our sister, which is
a [2] servant of the church which is at
Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the
Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she
hath need of you: for she hath been a (3) (succourer of many, and of myself
also.
(1) Phoibe, foy'‑bay, Greek 5402; feminine of phoibos
(bright; probably akin to the base of Greek 5457 (phos)); (1) Phoebe, a Christian woman :‑
Phebe.
(2) (SERVENT) diakonos, dee‑ak'‑on‑os, Greek 1249; probably
from an obsolete diako (to run on errands; compare Greek 1377 (dioko)); an
attendant, i.e. (genitive) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties);(2) specially a Christian teacher and pastor
(technically a deacon or deaconess) :‑ deacon, minister, servant.
(3) (SUCCOURER)
prostatis, pros‑tat'‑is, Greek 4368; (4)
feminine of a
derivative of Greek 4291 (pro); a patroness, i.e. assistant
:‑ succourer.
(4) Greek
4291 Pro-is’-tay-mee/from Greek 4253 (Pro) and Greek
2476 (histemi) to
stand before, i.e. (In rank) to preside, or
(by implication) to practise
: maintain, be over, rule.
Romans
16:3‑5 -
Greet (1) Priscilla
and Aquila my (2) helpers in
Christ Jesus: [4] Who have for my life
laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the
churches of the Gentiles. [5] Likewise greet
the church that is in their house. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is the
firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
(1) Priscilla, pris'‑cil‑lah, Greek
4252; diminative of Greek 4251 (*Priska); Priscilla (i.e. little
Prisca), a Christian
woman :‑ Priscilla.
·
Priska, pris'‑kah, Greek 4251; of
Latin origin; feminine of Priscus, ancient; Priska, a Christian woman :‑
Prisca. See also Greek 4252
(Priscilla).
(2) (helpers) sunergos, soon‑er‑gos',
Greek 4904; from a presumed compound of Greek 4862 (sun) and the base of Greek
2041 (ergon); a co‑laborer,
i.e. coadjutor :‑ companion in labour, (fellow‑) helper (‑labourer,
‑worker), labourer together with, workfellow.
Romans 16:7
(KJV) - Salute Andronicus and (1) Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow
prisoners, who are of (2) note among the apostles, who
also were in Christ before me.
Romans 16:7(NIV)
- Greet Andronicus and (1) Junias, my relatives who have been in prison
with me. (2) They are outstanding among the
apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
Junia or
Junias - Iounias,
ee‑oo‑nee'‑as, Greek 2458; of Latin origin; Junias, a Christian :‑
***(a woman)(my comment)
Junias.
Quote
from “What
Paul Really Said About Women” by John Temple Bristow:
Because the
two names (“Andronicus and Junias”) are in the accusative form (that is, they
are recipients of the verb greet), the second name appears as Junian, which is
the accusative form of the *** feminine name” Junia.” (Hence a FEMALE)
“Notable or
outstanding among the (2) “apostles”
(2) apostolos,
ap‑os'‑tol‑os, Greek 652; from Greek 649 (apostello); a delegate;
specially an ambassador of the Gospel; officially
a commissioner of Christ ["apostle"]
(with miraculous powers) :‑ apostle,
messenger, he that is sent.
WHO
SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO WHO?
Greek Study
1
Peter 5:5 - Yea, all of you be subject one to
another,
and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to
the humble.
ALL (OF YOU BE)
pas, pas,
Greek 3956; including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole
:‑ all (manner of, means), alway (‑s), any (one), × daily, + ever,
every (one, way), as many as, + no (‑thing), × thoroughly, whatsoever,
whole, whosoever.
SUBJECT
hupotasso,
hoop‑ot‑as'‑so, Greek 5293; from Greek 5259 (hupo) and Greek
5021 (tasso); to
subordinate; reflexive to obey :‑ be under obedience (obedient), put under, subdue unto, (be,
make) subject (to, unto), be (put) in subjection (to, under), submit self unto.
ONE (TO)
allelon, al‑lay'‑lone,
Greek 240; Genitive plural
from Greek 243 (allos) reduplication; one another :‑ each other, mutual, one another, (the other), (them‑,
your‑) selves, (selves) together [sometimes with Greek 3326 (meta) or
Greek 4314 (pros)].
ANOTHER (AND BE)
allelon, al‑lay'‑lone,
Greek 240; Genitive plural
from Greek 243 (allos) reduplication; one another :‑ each other, mutual, one another, (the
other), (them‑, your‑) selves, (selves) together [sometimes with
Greek 3326 (meta) or Greek 4314 (pros)].
CLOTHED (WITH)
egkomboomai,
eng‑kom‑bo'‑om‑ahee, Greek 1463; middle from Greek 1722
(en) and komboo (to gird); to engirdle oneself (for labor), i.e. figurative
(the apron being a badge of servitude) to wear (in token of mutual deference) :‑
be clothed with.
HUMILITY
(FOR)
tapeinophrosune,
tap‑i‑nof‑ros‑oo'‑nay, Greek 5012; from a
compound of Greek 5011 (tapeinos) and the base of Greek 5424 (phren); humiliation of mind, i.e.
modesty :‑ humbleness
of mind, humility (of mind), loneliness (of mind).
GOD
theos,
theh'‑os, Greek 2316; of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with Greek 3588 (ho))
the supreme Divinity;
figurative a magistrate; by Hebrew very :‑ × exceeding, God, god [‑ly,
‑ward].
RESISTS (THE)
antitassomai,
an‑tee‑tas'‑som‑ahee, Greek 498; from Greek 473 (anti) and
the middle of Greek 5021 (tasso); to range oneself against, i.e. oppose :‑
oppose themselves, resist.
PROUD (AND)
huperephanos,
hoop‑er‑ay'‑fan‑os, Greek 5244; from Greek 5228 (huper)
and Greek 5316 (phaino); appearing
above others
(conspicuous), i.e. (figurative) haughty :‑ proud.
GIVES
didomi,
did'‑o‑mee, Greek 1325; a prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternative in
most of the tenses); to
give (used in a very wide application, properly or by implication,
literal or figurative; greatly modified by the connection) :‑ adventure,
bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister,
number, offer, have power, put, receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand),
strike (+ with the palm of the hand), suffer, take, utter, yield.
GRACE (TO THE)
charis,
khar'‑ece, Greek 5485; from Greek 5463 (chairo); graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or
act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence
upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude) :‑
acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (‑ious), joy, liberality,
pleasure, thank (‑s, ‑worthy).
HUMBLE
tapeinos,
tap‑i‑nos', Greek 5011; of uncertain derivative; depressed, i.e.
(figurative) humiliated
(in circumstances or disposition) :‑ base, cast down, humble,
of low degree
(estate), lowly.
So in essence,
what this is saying is that:
All (male and female) of you are to obey, be
under obedience to, put under, subdue, and submit yourselves to “one another”……… and be clothed with humility: for God
resists the proud,
and gives grace to the humble.
Excerpt from Letter
Seven to Lloyd L. Goodwin.
I know that it's doubly hard because you've
been taught all your life that a woman couldn't possibly teach a
man anything because of I Tim. 2:1-15. I'm here to say that, this has been
completely misinterpreted! ! Paul was speaking to a group of people in Ephesus
that had been taught that the true God was a woman. In fact their goddess
was Diana of the Ephesians. It came directly from the teaching that Eve
was before Adam and that she actually created Adam and these women were going
around teaching others this false teaching. In the temples of Diana, if there
was a male attendant, he had to be castrated first before he could even serve.
He even had to dress in female garb. Many men were even killed or murdered on
the altar by these high priestesses, as a sacrifice to the goddess Diana (or
whatever her name might be). Many times the priestesses stripped naked when
they did these rituals. (Hence the part where Paul says women should dress
in modest apparel. This had nothing to do with women wearing long
sleeves or dresses or wearing jeans!
The word authentein,
which the King James translates, usurp authority
means something completely different. In
the Greek, it can mean to be the author of
or even to murder. (As in the sacrifice) They
also taught that you couldn't be saved if you brought children into the world.
In fact, there are still cults around today that, if a woman does become
pregnant, they will abort the child early and actually cut it up in pieces and eat it. They feel that they are taking the soul of
the child back into themselves. They feel that they're actually doing the child
or even adult sacrifice a great honor by getting them out of the material
world.
This is what Paul is dealing with in this
epistle. There is a book out, entitled, I
SUFFER NOT A WOMAN. Looking at I Timothy
2:9-12 in the light of ancient evidence. The authors are Richard and Catherine
Clark Kroeger and Baker Book House in Grand Rapids puts it out.
What Paul is actually saying here is, women
should dress modestly (cover their nakedness).
The woman should learn (or approach the word of God in silence and submission,
not with preconceived ideas). Men should have the same attitude. Then verse 12
should read more like this. "I do not allow a
woman to teach or proclaim herself to be the author (or creator) of Man".
Because Adam was first formed then Eve. Then he simply tells women that they
can still be saved even if they have children. We are all saved through the
atonement of Jesus Christ!
Another good book is “WHAT
PAUL REALLY SAID ABOUT WOMEN” - An Apostle's Liberating Views on Equality in
Marriage, Leadership, and Love: With Questions by John
Temple Bristow.
One thing that I read in one of these books
is the real reason that Paul said that a woman should be silent at church and
if she has questions, she should ask her husband at home. I almost fell out of
my chair when I realized how many women had been made second-class citizens of
he Kingdom Of Heaven because of men’s interpretations of what Paul said.
The Jewish custom was that women had to sit
in another room with the children when they had temple services. They were not
even allowed to sit in the same room with the men. So they were free to talk
out loud and did so. After Jesus came and “SET THE WOMEN FREE,” Paul included
ALL the people in the same room. The
women, not being used to this, were talking out loud and asking their husbands
questions. Paul was simply telling them to be quite in the services and wait
until they got home to ask their husbands questions. Thank God for Jesus and
Paul. If Paul could see how men have twisted his words, he would turn over in
his grave, so to speak!