Why Can’t Women Be Preachers?
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In the book of First Timothy, the apostle Paul is instructing Timothy how Christians are to behave in the church. First Timothy 3:15 says that he is writing “that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” So, Paul gives many instructions to Timothy on how to organize the church. He writes about elders, deacons, widows, the rich members, the doctrine of Christ, Timothy’s work as an evangelist, and the roles of men and women in worship. He discusses these roles in 1 Timothy 2:8-15:
I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing. In like manner, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefastness and sobriety; not with braided hair, and gold or pearls or costly raiment; but (which becometh women professing godliness) through good works. Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection. But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. For Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled hath fallen into transgression: but she shall be saved through her child-bearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.
Several things are addressed here. First, men are to be the ones who pray publicly. Verse 8 speaks about males specifically. In contrast, women are to “learn in quietness with all subjection.” Then, the apostle specifically forbids women to teach or have dominion over a man. This is not talking about privately teaching someone, but public preaching and teaching of God’s word as in the worship assembly or a Bible class situation where men and women are present.
Another passage that speaks about this is found in 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 states, “As in all the churches of the saints, let the women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law. And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church.” These instructions were given for the purpose of affirming male leadership in the churches.
These passages do not mean that women cannot teach others in private settings or to other women. Philip had four daughters that prophesied according to Acts 21:9. They did not prophesy to Paul, however, when he came to stay with Philip for a few days. Instead, a man named Agabus came to prophesy to Paul instead. Too, the older women are exhorted to teach the younger women in Titus 2:4.
Some have suggested that these restrictions were just based on the culture of that time and do not apply to the church today. Paul argued otherwise in 1 Timothy 2:13 saying that the reason for this went back to the creation order of Adam and Eve. He said, “For Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled hath fallen into transgression.” This is not just a local, cultural reason to restrict women from preaching publicly. Moreover, there are some today who are appointing women elders and deacons in the church. We should remember that one of the qualifications is to be the husband of one wife. A woman cannot be the husband of one wife, and so she is neither qualified to serve in those capacities.
Why would God restrict women from serving in these roles? First Corinthians 11:3 gives the reason for this. God has a structure for authority in the creation. “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” This is not suggesting that men and women have different value in the Lord’s eyes, but they do have different roles in the chain of authority. Christians must observe and respect those roles even when the modern culture rejects them.