Many wonder why we don't see more women exercising the gift of teaching. The pulpits, Bible study classes, and street preachers seem to be mostly men. I believe it's largely because that's not in the wiring of most females. What's a main gifting that many Christian females have? If you're a female reader, and not gifted with teaching, perhaps you have the common female gifting, and that is: Compassion, and maybe also Encouragement.

Those are the gifts that certain Christian society subconsciously expects of Christian females. What happens when a Christian female does not fall into that unconscious, societal generality? This would at least partially depend upon her locality, and what her non-stereotypical gift is, and how she exercises it.

Let's just put this out there... Christian women are just as Scripturally allowed to teach from the Bible as men are. There is not one place in the Bible that says women are to be under, inferior to, or subservient to men. Not one. There are churches and whole denominations that teach that women are subservient to men and are not allowed to teach the Bible, but that is not in the Scriptures. There are a few Scriptures that are twisted to mean something they don't mean, and we'll take an honest look at those momentarily.

I attended a denomination that is largely, staunchly against women teaching the Bible. While I never took on that denomination, or called myself by their name, I enjoyed their churches - other than the Christian Chauvinism. After being kicked out of three churches of that same denomination, I got the picture. I've since been attending certain conservative, non-denominational churches, and there's been no problem with my exercising my spiritual gifts from the Spirit. In fact, they encourage it.

The Most Used Chauvinistic Argument

The most common abused and misused passage of Scripture used in Christian Chauvinism is 1 Timothy 2:11-12, which says:

"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." -1 Timothy 2:11-12 KJV

I can't count how many times both men and women have quoted that Scripture to me in person, or online. They claim that women are not allowed to teach, and must be under the authority of men, and they turn to the above passage to justify their claims. They are misquoting Scripture, and twisting it to say something it simply doesn't say. A casual reading through the whole chapter makes this abundantly clear.

In reading the surrounding verses, we see that this is referring to the wife being in submission to her own husband, and fulfilling the Familial Authoritative Order, as laid out in Ephesians chapter 5.

In fact, if we view these exact same verses in the Young's Literal Translation of the Bible (YLT), it becomes abundantly clear. Take a look:

"Let a woman in quietness learn in all subjection, and a woman I do not suffer to teach, nor to rule a husband, but to be in quietness" -1 Timothy 2:11-12, YLT

The above LITERALLY says nothing of women not being allowed to teach the Bible, or not being allowed to teach men. Nor does it say she is under the authority of men. It merely says she is to learn quietly and not teach or rule her husband during the sermon at church - thus the word LEARN. Learn quietly insinuates the time when the woman is to be in quietness: It's during the sermon at a church gathering/assembly. This is even more clear in the sister Scripture to the above, which is 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (the other "silence" scripture) - especially in the Young's Literal Translation:

"Your women in the assemblies let them be silent, for it hath not been permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law saith; and if they wish to learn anything, at home their own husbands let them question, for it is a shame to women to speak in an assembly." -1 Corinthians 14:34-35 YLT

Here is a scriptural example of the "learning time" that women are to be quiet during:

"And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead." -Acts 20:7-9 KJV

Don't worry about sleeping Eutychus. A few verses later in this same chapter it reveals that he ends up being just fine, and not dead, as they first thought. I've seen people fall asleep during a long sermon at church. Have you?

In the above Scripture passage, we see a scriptural learning time, when the women are to be silent. From the above, we see that:

1) This is the first day of the week, which is Sunday (mentioned as 'the Lord's Day' elsewhere in the scriptures).

2) The believers gathered together to break bread, and hear preaching.

3) The sermon went on for so long, that it lasted until around midnight.

This is the time when women are to be quiet - "in quietness learn" - during the sermon. While the 1 Timothy 2:11-12 passage was telling the wife not to teach her husband during the sermon, the above sister Scripture is also telling the wife not to ask her husband questions during the sermon. So, we see the two types of "silence" she is to be under - she is not to explain the scriptures or sermon to her husband, nor ask him questions if she doesn't understand, during the sermon. She is to be quiet, and they can discuss the sermon later, if needed or desired.

Why is the wife being told not to teach her husband, or ask him questions during the sermon at church? This is because she is to show she is subject to him - "to be under obedience as also saith the law," (the 1 Corinthians passage) and "in all subjection" (the 1 Timothy passage). Why the submission to the husband? Well, Ephesians chapter five, as well as 1 Corinthians chapter 11, teaches us that just as Christ submits to God, and the church submits to Christ, the wife is to submit to her husband, because the wife symbolizes the church, and the husband symbolizes Christ. Meanwhile, the husband is instructed to give himself for his wife, and to love her as Christ loves the church.

This is a Familial Authoritative Order, not a church order, and not a societal order. No Scripture says I have to submit to all men. The Scriptures say I only need to submit to my own husband, and that my own husband has to love me as he loves himself, and as Christ loves the church.

The family unit is an object lesson to the world of the relationship of Christ to the church, and of Christ to God. The Scriptures teach us that while the husband is the head of the family, the wife guides the house. Did Christ squelch women in the Scriptures? No! In fact, He listened to them, and gave them respect.

1 Timothy 2:9-11, and its sister Scripture of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 are both contextually referring to the wife and husband in their marriage relationship. NOT to all women in general, and NOT to all men in general.

Let's take another quick look at 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. This is the other passage that people use to try to tell women that they are not allowed to teach the Bible:

"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." 1 Corinthans 14:34-35 KJV

Now let's see what it LITERALLY says, for clarity:

"Your women in the assemblies let them be silent, for it hath not been permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law saith; and if they wish to learn anything, at home their own husbands let them question, for it is a shame to women to speak in an assembly." -1 Corinthians 14:34-35 YLT

So when is the wife/woman to be quiet, or be silent? Both 1 Timothy 2:11-12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 clearly tell us it's during the learning. "...in quietness learn..." "...in the assemblies let them be silent... if they will learn any thing..." In other words, during the sermon at church. It used to be common practice in the churches (and some churches still do this) where the husband/father from each family unit would stand up and say something if they disagreed with something said in the sermon, or to request further information, or to ask a question, etc. The husband is the spokesperson for the family. Therefore, to avoid confusion in the church, only one representative for each family would stand up to speak, and that's the husband/father of each particular family unit. Why? Because this helps keep order in the church assembly:

"Let all things be done decently and in order." -1 Corinthians 14:40

We know the above two passages in question are only referring to wives being quiet during the sermon, but not during the whole time in the assembly, because we read about the gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12, and according to Galatians 3:26-28, paralleled with 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, both men and women are given the same range of gifts from the Holy Spirit, and both can freely exercise those gifts, as long as order is kept. See also 1 Corinthians 11:5.

Let's break this down, before we move on. It's important you see this simple, obvious truth, as many people don't see what's right in front of them, because they've been programmed by wrong sermons and incorrect church teachings, which blind them to the plain and simple facts of what the Scriptures clearly say:

1 In the church assembly, during the teaching time/sermon, the wife is to learn in quietness/be silent.

2 In being silent during the sermon, the wife is showing her subjection to her own husband, in fulfilling the Familial Authoritative Order.

3 This being silent or quiet during the LEARNing time/sermon, means she is not to teach her husband during the sermon, so if he is not understanding the teaching, but she is, she is not to explain it to him during the sermon, but later - "do not suffer to teach, nor to rule a husband." Or, if she is not understanding the sermon, but her husband is, she is not to ask him to explain it to her during ther sermon, but to be quiet while the teaching is occuring - "at home their own husbands let them question."

- Who is to be silent? The wife. Why? To show her subjection to her own husband.
- When is the wife to be silent? In the assembly (church gathering) during the time of learning - in other words, during the sermon.
- How is the wife to be silent during the sermon? She is not to explain the sermon to her husband, nor ask him to explain it to her while the sermon is being preached.
- Does this mean a woman can therefore not be the one preaching the sermon? No. The above Scripture passages are only referring to the husbands and wives who are listening to the sermon. To find out if women and wives can be pastors or preachers, keep reading.

Titus 2 Women

Some people then jump to Titus 2, and say that older women are only allowed to teach younger women. That's not what that chapter is saying, at all. It is encouraging older women to help and teach younger women, but does not say that women can only teach other women:

"The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." -Titus 2:3-5

The teaching that women can only teach other women is found nowhere in the Scriptures. Further, the same chapter as the above famous Titus 2 passage also exhorts men:

"That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you." -Titus 2:2&6-8

Just as the above doesn't say men are only allowed to teach other men, this same chapter is also not saying that women can only teach other women.

Why does it appear that a majority of women lean more towards Compassion as one of their spiritual giftings? 1) Some do so merely from social pressure and expectations, and Compassion may not actually be their gifting at all, and 2) the majority of women are F types in the MBTI personality type. F stands for Feeling. Meanwhile, more men are T types - for Thinking. Therefore more of the teachers are T men, and more of the compassionate ones are F women.

What happens when you get a woman who's an INTJ personality type, for example? I'm a Christian, female INTJ, and I know only a few others. The ones I know, and myself are lead to teach, and have had church troubles because of it, to varying degrees. It's not like we're jumping up and taking over church services. We're not. We keep silence during the sermon, as the Scriptures instruct. It's just that the Bible is a main topic of discussion for us, regardless of the gender of the person of which we are conversing with. Further, the ones I know, and myself all teach to other Christians in one form or another. One writes articles and converses on online boards, one is in online groups, and also writes books, and then there's me. You can see largely what I do with my Teaching by taking a look around my website/blog here.

Statistically, more men are called to teach than women, and that makes sense, and there's nothing wrong with it. But sometimes a strong woman stands up, and if God is behind her, you'd best get out of her way.

Deborah - A Prophetess and Judge of Israel

"And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh." -Judges 4:1-9

1) The children of Israel cried unto the Lord to free them from the Canaanites. In answer, Deborah, a woman, was the leader of Israel, and God used her to answer the Israelites' pleas.

2) Deborah was a prophetess.

3) Deborah was also a wife. Her husband's name was Lapidoth. Deborah had the wiring to lead, not her husband. Deborah submitted to her husband in the Familial Sphere, but she guided Israel as a righteous, prophet-judge, through who's God-ordained actions, Israel was saved.

4) Deborah told Barak to bring up the Israelite army to battle for Israel's freedom, but Barak refused to do so, unless he had an assurance that Deborah would go with him. She did.

5) Deborah prophesied that the evil Sisera would die by a woman's hand. That happened, by another Strong Woman.

Jael - A Woman Who Slayed the Enemy

"And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet. But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left. Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle. And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No. Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples." -Judges 4:15-22

1) Jael's husband was Heber.

2) Since there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber, should Heber have been home, he would probably not have wanted Jael to kill Sisera.

3) Jael knew Sisera was the enemy, and saw that she had opportunity to take down the enemy. She did so, presumably against what her husband would have wished, because she did the right thing. The right thing always trumps even what one's husband says. (Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. -Col. 3:18) Jael seemed to be ordained of God to kill Sisera, as we can glean from Deborah's prophecy.

4) Jael did not obey Sisera's (the enemy's) wishes.

5) Jael, a woman, killed Sisera, fulfilling Deborah's prophecy.

We see that both Jael and Deborah were married women, both were used of God, and presumably were under their husband's headship (which was taught in the Old Testament, as well as the New), yet both were strong women who had a calling from God, and were able to fulfill their God-ordained duty, while still remaining under the headships of their respective husbands.

How does a woman fulfill her role and gifting from the Holy Spirit, such as teaching and prophecy, while still being under her husband's headship? This is taught to us in 1 Corinthians 11, where it says:

"and I wish you to know that of every man the head is the Christ, and the head of a woman is the husband, and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having the head covered, doth dishonour his head, and every woman praying or prophesying with the head uncovered, doth dishonour her own head, for it is one and the same thing with her being shaven" -1 Corinthians 11:3-5 YLT

Here we see the Familial Authoritative Order, which is given out in even more detail in Ephesians chapter 5. And we see that a woman, in showing her submission to her husband as her head, covers her head. Scripturally, if a Christian woman is praying, or prophesying (which can include teaching - speaking the Word of God via the Bible) and her head is covered, then she is fully Scripturally allowed to do so!

For more information on the Christian woman's headcovering, click here.

Phebe - A Female Minister of a Specific Church Assembly, and a Leader of both Genders

"And I commend you to Phebe our sister -- being a ministrant of the assembly that [is] in Cenchrea -- that ye may receive her in the Lord, as doth become saints, and may assist her in whatever matter she may have need of you -- for she also became a leader of many, and of myself." -Romans 16:1-2 YLT

1) Phebe, a sister in Christ, was a MINISTER (Greek: diakonos) in the church assembly in the city called Cenchrea.

2) Paul instructs the church assembly that Phebe is visiting, to receive her and assist her in whatever matters she may have need of.

3) Phebe became a leader (Greek: prostatis - A female leader, guardian, protectress, or patroness, caring for the affairs of others).

4) Phebe also became a leader (prostatis) of Paul the Apostle himself - "she also became a leader of many, and of myself."

Paul the Apostle worked with a woman, who was a minister, and a leader, who also lead him. What does the Bible say about the qualifications of a minister? Let's take a look:

"Ministrants -- in like manner grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to filthy lucre, having the secret of the faith in a pure conscience, and let these also first be proved, then let them minister, being unblameable. Women -- in like manner grave, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things. Ministrants -- let them be of one wife husbands; the children leading well, and their own houses, for those who did minister well a good step to themselves do acquire, and much boldness in faith that [is] in Christ Jesus." -1 Timothy 3:8-13 YLT

The King James Version reads very similar to the above Young's Literal Translation, except where the above says "Women -- in like manner grave, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things," the KJV says "Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things."

Looking at other versions, I see a mix of some saying "women," like the YLT, and some "wives," like the KJV. Which one is right? In the Greek, the word in question here is "gynē," which means a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow. Now we start to see why some translations say "wives," while others say "women." Where it says to be the husband of one wife, the word gynē is also used, and this time, properly translated to 'wife,' but 'woman' would also work, for we'd see through context that it would mean 'wife.'

Here's something interesting, though. For the list of qualifications of an overseer/bishop, notice it doesn't at all mention how the wife of the overseer/bishop is supposed to behave:

One may then say that the above passages on the qualifications of the overseer/bishop and of the minister/deacon are only to men, because it says "he" and not "she" when listing the qualifications. However, we must keep in mind that "he" can be used as a gender neutral word for he or she, unless context tells us otherwise. For example:

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord: He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head. All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord." -Numbers 6:1-8

One may then see the logic of the above, but still think women can't be overseers/bishops or ministers/deacons, because the qualifications say the overseer/bishop or minister/deacon must be 'the husband of one wife.' This can also mean the wife of one husband. For example:

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." -Matthew 5:27-28

We clearly see this to be understood that men are not to lust after women in their hearts, and therefore women also are not to lust after men in their hearts. Else, we'd have a double standard: it would be a sin for men to lust after women in their hearts, but not a sin for women to lust after men in their hearts. The above is only saying that men are not to lust after women, but it is an implied, given fact that the reverse is also true - women are not to lust after men. This same principle holds for the qualifications of the overseer/bishop and the minister/deacon - just as the men are to be husbands of one wife, the women are to wives of one husband. We know this to be correct, as we have the example of the woman diakonos in Romans 16:1.

Priscilla - A Female Laborer with Paul the Apostle

"Salute Priscilla and Aquilas, my fellow-workmen in Christ Jesus" -Romans 16:3 YLT

Priscilla and Aquilas were a married couple that opened their own home up as a home church assembly (verse 5). Sometimes they're mentioned as the husband's name first - Aquilas, and sometimes this married couple are mentioned with the wife's name first - Priscilla, as in the above scripture passage.

1) Priscilla was mentioned first, meaning there was not a specific preference of the husband over the wife.

2) Both Aquilas, AND his wife Priscilla were both called fellow-workmen/helpers with Paul in Christ Jesus. This means a woman, Priscilla, was a fellow laborer in the Gospel with Paul the apostle.

3) In Acts 18:18-19, Priscilla is again mentioned by name before Aquilas her husband, and it says THEY accompanied Paul to Ephesus. They both were fellow laborers, with no distinction of gender.

4) In Acts 18:26, BOTH Aquilas and his wife Priscilla expounded the Gospel to Apollos.

Junia - A Female Apostle

"Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me." -Romans 16:7 KJV

"salute Andronicus and Junias, my kindred, and my fellow-captives, who are of note among the apostles, who also have been in Christ before me." -Romans 16:7 YLT

1) Andronicus was a man, but Junia/Junias was a woman.

2) Paul refers to both Andronicus (man) and Junia (woman) as apostles.

3) Junia was a female apostle that worked right alongside of Andronicus and Paul.

4) Further, Ms. Junia was a Christian and likely apostle before Paul the Apostle got saved or became an apostle "who also were/have been in Christ before me."

An Epistle Addressed to a Woman

"The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth" -2 John 1:1 KJV

Who is this "lady?" Is she symbolic of the Christian church, with her children symbolizing the new congregants of the church? No. This lady is a specific woman, with literal, physical children. Her name, for whatever reason, is not given in many Bible translations, including the KJV.

Now let's see what the above passage really, literally says:

"The Elder to the choice Kyria, and to her children, whom I love in truth, and not I only, but also all those having known the truth" -2 John 1:1 YLT

Just as John addressed his third Epistle to a specific person, he uses the same type of greeting to a woman named Kyria, in 2 John 1:1

"The Elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth!" -3 John 1:1 YLT

"The Elder to the choice Kyria, and to her children, whom I love in truth..." -2 John 1:1a YLT

Clearly, the third epistle of John was addressed to Gaius, and the second epistle of John was addressed to Kyria and her children.

When John wrote this epistle to Kyria, he was actually staying at her sister's house:

"Many things having to write to you, I did not intend through paper and ink, but I hope to come unto you, and speak mouth to mouth, that our joy may be full; salute thee do the children of thy choice sister. Amen." -2 John 1:12-13 YLT

It's not unusual for a man of God in those times to be given room and board in other people's homes as they traveled from place to place, spreading the Gospel message. We see in 2 Kings 4 where the Shunammite woman gives a room to stay in unto the Prophet Elisha.

It looks like both Kyria and her sister were Christian women in who's homes John the apostle could stay at, when he was preaching in those areas. The Epistle of 2 John doesn't inform us if Kyria or her sister were widows or not, but clearly they had husbands at least at one point, because it mentions both of them having children. The Shunammite woman was not widowed when she had Elisha over to eat, or over to stay in the room she prepared for him. At that time, her husband was alive and well, and often out working in the fields. Elisha's dealings were with her, and not with her husband, because she was the one ministering to him, not her husband.

Thank you to the Young's Literal Translation, we can now clearly see that like the third epistle of John, the second epistle was also written to a specific person - Kyria:

"The Elder to the choice Kyria, and to her children, whom I love in truth, and not I only, but also all those having known the truth" -2 John 1:1 YLT

"and now I beseech thee, Kyria, not as writing to thee a new command, but which we had from the beginning, that we may love one another" -2 John 1:5 YLT

In both Testaments, people's names often had meanings. For example, the name John means "Jehovah is a gracious giver." When we say/read the name "John" in the Bible, we see/say "John," not the meaning - "Jehovah is a gracious giver." Kyria also has a meaning. It means "Lord," in the feminine sense, of which in English we might say 'Lady.' Kyria was a common female Greek name.

Here we have another instance where the YLT Bible comes out on top, as being honest and accurate in its translation. There is indeed an epistle written by an apostle to a woman in the canonical Bible.

Revelation's Jezebel

Jezebel is such a pretty sounding name, but the two women with that name in the Bible are anything but sweet. They did the works of evil. In the Old Testament, we read of Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, and she was pretty nasty - even to the point of arranging a murder so that her husband could obtain a possession that was not his to obtain.

The Jezebel we are going to focus on here, though, is the other Jezebel: The one mentioned in the New Testament. We are not going to study much about her evil, per se, but rather to see that there is a side point that is missed by many.

"`But I have against thee a few things: That thou dost suffer the woman Jezebel, who is calling herself a prophetess, to teach, and to lead astray, my servants to commit whoredom, and idol-sacrifices to eat; and I did give to her a time that she might reform from her whoredom, and she did not reform; lo, I will cast her into a couch, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation -- if they may not repent of their works, and her children I will kill in death, and know shall all the assemblies that I am he who is searching reins and hearts; and I will give to you -- to each -- according to your works. `And to you I say, and to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, and who did not know the depths of the Adversary, as they say; I will not put upon you other burden; but that which ye have -- hold ye, till I may come;" -Revelation 2:20-25 YLT

The above is not at all saying that women are not allowed to teach the Bible. In fact, we have such true prophetess leaders such as Deborah, and such female ministers and leaders like Phebe. Notice the above scripture is not condemning that Jezebel was teaching. It is condemning what she was teaching. She was condemned because she taught evil doctrines that are not of God. Therefore, her and those who follow her pernicious teachings receive judgement; Not for listening to a women teacher, but for falling into the false doctrines she taught.

What, other than her evil, is the above passage showing us? It is showing us that women teachers/preachers were accepted as normal, just as men teachers/preachers were. It wasn't addressed as wrong or strange that she was teaching. It was only addressed that what she was teaching was wrong.

In the Jezebel of Revelation we have a warning to women who are lead to teach: it's okay to be female and teach the Scriptures to males and females alike, but as is with the men, so with the women - we are not to teach false, pernicious doctrine. Jezebel was given time to repent/reform. She did not, and she and her followers received judgement.

Women Nazarites

"Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord" -Numbers 6:2 KJV

God was not, and is not a respecter of persons. Women have always had the green light to serve the Lord, just as men. Even in the Old Testament, we see that women can also be Nazarites.

Sherah - Founder of Cities

When reading through the genealogies in the Bible, such as in the first book of Chronicles, we come across little nuggets of information. One such nugget is below:

"and his daughter [is] Sherah, and she buildeth Beth-Horon, the lower and the upper, and Uzzen-Sherah --" -1 Chronicles 7:24 YLT

A woman named Sherah built/founded both upper and lower Beth-Horon, and also a city named after her - Uzzen-Sherah. Uzzen-Sherah means "portion of Sherah." Here we have mentioned in the Bible of two or three places founded/built by a woman. One of the places was even named after her.

Huldah, Wife of Shallum

Here is another powerful woman in the Bible that many don't know about. We read in the Old Testament about how King Josiah had found the Torah, and read it. He was mortified by how much the people had strayed from God and His ways. He wanted to find and consult someone who still knew the one, true God, and thus Huldah, wife of Shallum was consulted:

"And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the words of the law, that he rendeth his garments, and the king commandeth Hilkiah, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Abdon son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, servant of the king, saying, `Go, seek Jehovah for me, and for him who is left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found, for great [is] the fury of Jehovah that is poured on us, because that our fathers kept not the word of Jehovah, to do according to all that is written on this book.' And Hilkiah goeth, and they of the king, unto Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tikvath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the garments, and she is dwelling in Jerusalem in the Second, and they speak unto her thus. And she saith to them, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Say to the man who hath sent you unto me, Thus said Jehovah, Lo, I am bringing in evil on this place, and on its inhabitants, all the execrations that are written on the book that they read before the king of Judah; because that they have forsaken Me, and make perfume to other gods, so as to provoke Me with all the works of their hands, and poured out is My fury upon this place, and it is not quenched. `And unto the king of Judah, who is sending you to inquire of Jehovah, thus do ye say unto him: Thus said Jehovah God of Israel, whose words thou hast heard: Because thy heart [is] tender, and thou art humbled before God in thy hearing His words concerning this place, and concerning its inhabitants, and art humbled before Me, and dost rend thy garments, and weep before Me: even I also have heard -- the affirmation of Jehovah. Lo, I am gathering thee unto thy fathers, and thou hast been gathered unto thy graves in peace, and thine eyes do not look on all the evil that I am bringing upon this place, and upon its inhabitants;' and they bring the king back word." -2 Chronicles 34:19-38

Notice they consulated a woman of God, and there was no fear of women teaching men as some church men fear today. This is because women of God were just as allowed to be used of God in both Testaments. Neither Testament says women can't teach men. That is a false teaching not found anywhere in the Scriptures.

More Examples

- The Bible tells us that Miriam, the sister of Moses, was a prophetess (KJV) or inspired one (YLT), as we read in Exodus 15:20.

- The prophet Isaiah's wife was a prophetess, as we read in Isaiah 8:3.

- God pours His Holy Spirit for prophesying on both men and women, as we see in Joel 2:28-29 and Acts 2:17-18

- Women followed Jesus, as well as men, as we see in such places as Mark 15:40-41

- Anna was a prophetess who served in the temple night and day, as we see in Luke 2:36-38

- There were women disciples, as we see in such places as Acts 9:36

- Philip the evangelist had four daughters that prophesied, as we see in Acts 21:9.

- Two women, named Euodias, and Syntyche labored with Paul the apostle in the Gospel. See Philippians 4:2-3.

Conclusion

There are dozens of other examples, but I think I've shown enough. There is not one place in the Bible that says women are not allowed to teach the Bible, if they are so led. The gifts of the Spirit as laid out in 1 Corinthians 12 are open to both men and women, and that includes teaching. See for yourself:

"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." -1 Corinthians 12:27-28 KJV

"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many." -1 Corinthians 12:13-14 KJV

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." -Galatians 3:27-28 KJV

Outside of the familial sphere, Christians are supposed to submit to one another, regardless of gender:

"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." -Ephesians 5:21

To my fellow Christian women who are lead to teach: The next time a man who is not your husband, asks you why you are not submitting to him, or all men, you can in return ask him why he isn't submitting to you, or other Christian women. Both are viable, as per Ephesians 5:21. Further, if you are a head covering woman, and baptized into the body of Christ, then you are free to teach, just as men are.

WARNING! Is Satan using chauvinistic 'Christians' to keep you, woman, from doing your part for the Kingdom?

"His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." -Matthew 25:23

Will God say to you "Well done, good and faithful servant?" Are you doing your part in the Body of Christ with the giftings given you by the Holy Spirit? The excuse "the men told me to shut up, and obey them" won't fly.

Not one scripture says women are not allowed to teach the Bible, so Christian sister, if you are lead to teach the Word, preach the Word, be a minister, an overseer, or an apostle, etc. you go, girl!