QUESTION: What does the Bible say about women teaching men in Bible studies?
ANSWER: God has placed limitations on the role women can exercise in teaching men. The Bible teaches this clearly, though such is neither culturally nor politically popular today. Primarily, these limitations relate to the manner of teaching, not to the act of teaching itself. Let's allow the Scriptures to speak for themselves.
In 1 Timothy 2:11-14, the inspired Apostle Paul wrote, "Let a woman learn in silence, with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression."
In 1 Corinthians 14:34, we read, "Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak, but they are to be submissive, as the law also says." God's Word does not teach the inherent superiority of one sex over the other, but it does repeatedly assert that God gave the man greater authority, both in the home and the church.
The Apostle Paul is sometimes accused of being sexist and anti-female, perhaps because he was unmarried. But if we rip Paul's instructions from the Scriptures, we'll have to do the same with the Apostle Peter's. Listen to 1 Peter 3:1-2. "Likewise you wives, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear."
Set aside for a moment the irritation typically engendered by the word "submission." Look carefully at the passage. Peter did not say women can't or don't teach. He instructed them "how" to teach. Women are not to teach by exercising overt, authoritarian instruction, but by being submissive, loving examples.
God, in His wisdom, knows that human beings learn through a combination of two primary methods. The first is by the exercise of authority (giving directions, commands, etc.), and the second is by observing those who submit to (obey) such authority.
God directed that men exercise the first mode of teaching, and women the second. In 1 Timothy 2:13-14, Paul explained the reason for this choice. "For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression."
An additional door of understanding is opened to us in 1 Corinthians 11:3, where we read, "But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." Here we see that submission is not unique to the female sex. Jesus set the pattern for submission when He followed His Father's directives, even to the point of death.
Men, leading in their homes and in the local church, must lead while submitting to Christ. Each church member is to submit to other members' needs (Ephesians 5:21).
Let's dig a little deeper. Since we're looking at Ephesians 5, let's read verse 24: "Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." Interestingly, the church, as the "bride of Christ," (Revelation 21:9-10) assumes the "female role." Jesus, in the male role, has all authority (Matthew 28:18), and the church is to submit to, or obey, His commands (Matthew 28:19-20). We certainly can't consider this an unloving or unfair relationship.
The physical pattern of this spiritual relationship is embedded in the Bible's directives for men and women, in family and church relationships. Children and adults, by observing the dual roles assigned men and women, learn about authority, and submission to authority. Not surprisingly, since male-female roles largely have been abandoned today, there is little respect for Christ's authority in our churches, families, or broader society.
Now, having examined the Bible's direct commands and God's design behind these commands, let's return to the direct question of whether a woman can teach a man the Bible.
Clearly, she can't assume the leader/teacher/preacher role in the Christian assembly. She can't serve as an elder or pastor because the qualifications given in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 plainly assert that an elder must be a husband and a successful leader of his home.
But she can teach her husband by her example, as we saw in 1 Peter 3:1-2. Older women can teach younger women (Titus 2:3-5). A woman named Priscilla apparently helped her husband, Aquila, teach a man named Apollos in a nonpublic setting (Acts 18:24-26).
Women can join in the "teaching and admonishing" commanded to be done by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs during the worship assembly (Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19).
Some today seek to set aside the clear teaching of scripture by asserting that Paul and Peter merely reflected the cultural expectations of their day. This not only belittles inspired Scripture and strips it of God's authority, but is also contrary to the evidence concerning Roman or Gentile cultural practices in the first century. And the Jewish view of woman's position was not so much cultural as it was rooted in the laws and patterns given them by God.
One final point. Many women fail to appreciate the power they can exert by being submissive. Think about it. What factor in Jesus' life first touches and moves our hearts? Is it his God-given authority, evidenced by his commands to us, or is it the loving, submissive attitude that led him to die to make us righteous? There is power in submission. The cross is the evidence.
Brother Blackaby touches on a timely and very misunderstood subject, not only in the religious world at large, but also among some brethren. Some want to limit woman's role more than God does. What do I mean? Many knowledgeable women do not speak during Bible classes because they believe they would be violating such passages as 1 Corinthians 14:34,35 and 1 Timothy 2:11,12. The problem is their failure to see the difference between teaching God's word in a Bible class setting and the worship service. If it is sinful to speak in a Bible class setting, why would it not be sinful in any setting where both sexes are present? Why did Paul not rebuke Priscilla's actions in Acts 18? I feel that many women fail to use all of their talents by refusing to speak in study sessions. If it's a matter of conscience, please go back to the previously mentioned scriptures and look at the context. The passages used as proof text do not teach what some seek to prove.
The Bible tells us to rightly divide the word. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15) Maybe we need a more detailed study of God's word, and the desire to help others learn. The time comes when all must grow and mature in the faith. How can we if we fail to thoroughly study any issue to be sure we are correct? (KMG)