Deborah…Unless There’s A Dude (Part 1)

What does the Bible say about women and about the role of women? There are competing views and answers to this question, each pointing to their own verses in the Bible to support their position.

So let’s begin by getting some of the various verses in front of us that seem to fall on one side of the ledger or the other.

First, there are a number of verses that seem to prohibit women in leadership.

1 Timothy 2:12: But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. (New American Standard Bible, 1995, 2 Tim. 2:12)
1 Corinthians 14:34: The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. (New American Standard Bible, 1995, 1 Cor. 14:34)
1 Corinthians 14:35: …for it is improper for a woman to speak in church. (New American Standard Bible, 1995, 1 Cor. 14:35)

If this was all we had, it would certainly be an open and shut case – concluding the following about women’s roles at church: women should not teach, women should not be in authority over men, and women should remain quiet/keep silent in church.

But are these the only verses that speak about women and their role in the Bible? No, there are several that seem contradictory to these verses.

Let’s take some time to look at them.

Judges 4:4: Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. (New American Standard Bible, 1995, Judg. 4:4)

In the Old Testament, a judge wasn’t what we think of today. They were both warriors and spiritual leaders, not just legal figures.

In this passage, Deborah is listed as both a judge and prophetess, something only described of two judges in Scripture, with the other being Samuel. So, we have to ask, “How does this reconcile with the “no teaching” or “exercising authority” over a man that we read about in 1 Timothy 2:12?”

We’ll come back to that, but before we do, let’s press into some more Scriptures.

In 2 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 34, Josiah (the king) sends Hilkiah the priest to Huldah the prophetess.

2 Chronicles 34:22-23: So Hilkiah and those whom the king had told went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her regarding this. She said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me…” (New American Standard Bible, 1995, 2 Chron. 34:22-23)

Again, this seems inconsistent with what we read before, in that when the King and priests wanted to seek God’s instruction, they went to a female prophetess.

Add to those instances the many examples of women leading and teaching in the New Testament.

Phoebe was a deacon.

Romans 16:1: I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. (New International Version, 2011, Rom. 16:1)

As a deacon, what did Phoebe do?

The Contemporary English Version provides a helpful, accurate translation.

Romans 16:2: Welcome her in a way that is proper for someone who has faith in the Lord and is one of God's own people. Help her in any way you can. After all, she has proved to be a respected leader for many others, including me. (Contemporary English Version, 1995, Rom. 16:2)

Also, think about 1 Corinthians 11:5: But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head. (New American Standard Bible, 1995, 1 Cor. 11:5)

This verse makes provision for women to pray or prophesy with their heads covered. Both require speaking, so again, we have to ask, how does that square with 1 Corinthians 14:35?

Let’s press on.

Romans 16:7: Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. (New American Standard Bible, 2020, Rom. 16:7)

Junia is a female noun and always and only a female name, but all the early English translations changed it to Junias to make it appear male.

New translations are remedying this and sticking to the Greek, but it’s clear, Junia is an apostle, and called a standout apostle.

And there are more.

Acts 18:26: and he (Apollos) began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (New American Standard Bible, 1995, Acts 18:26)

So we have a woman teaching a man, but previously, a verse saying women can’t teach men.

And let’s look at a few more.

Micah 6:4: “Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt And ransomed you from the house of slavery, And I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam.” (New American Standard Bible, 1995, Mic. 6:4)

So, God, speaking in first person, makes it clear that Miriam was one of the three sent by God before the Israelites. Clearly, she was in a position of leadership, selected and sent by God Himself, and yet, we read above that women should not be in a position of authority.

Furthermore, Miriam served as a prophetess.

Exodus 15:20: Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister . . .(New American Standard Bible, 1995, Exod. 15:20)

So, Miriam is also a prophetess, which in the days of the Old Testament (before the closed canon of the Bible existed) was much more of a teaching role than we have today. Yet, again, this seems to stand in stark contrast to the verse above about women not teaching men.

Luke 2:36-38: And there was a prophetess, Anna …She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. 38 At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. (New American Standard Bible, 1995, Luke 2:36-38)

Anna is a prophetess. She is speaking, literally speaking out loud in the temple, and she becomes the very first evangelist of Jesus at his birth. Yet, we read that women are not to speak in church.

So, a sincere, thorough reading of ALL the passages in the Bible that speak about women – and their role in leadership and ministry – do not seem to be consistent, and even, seem to be contradictory.

What do we do with this? How do we think about it?

When you have passages like this – things that seem to say one thing in one place, and another thing in another – there are three choices...

Choice 1: Conclude the Bible is contradictory and dismiss anything Scripture has to say on the subject.

Choice 2: Conclude that God is confused. We wouldn’t recommend going there anymore than the first :)

Choice 3: Understand one side of this ledger is culturally conditioned.

Contradictory.
Confused.
Or culturally conditioned.

Now, before you say, “Well, if you say there is cultural conditioning here, you are going to do away with the commands of Scripture everywhere, saying those are culturally conditioned too.”

Let us share with you that isn’t the case and share why.

When it comes to God’s moral commands, things like, “Don’t lie; don’t commit sexual immorality; don’t steal,” you never see two different, seemingly-at-odd realities. You never see God say that lying is bad in one passage but good in another. You never see God willy-nilly condemning sexual immorality in one place and then commending it in another place.

When it comes to God’s moral commands, Old Testament and New Testament, there is never a change in standard. There is never an exception. Sure, there are instances where people go against those things, but it’s always recorded with judgment.

The uniformity of God’s moral commands is different from what we see regarding the verses on women.

We see times where God Himself puts women in positions of authority, even saying He did explicitly with Miriam and commending them by His Spirit through the mouth of Paul, but then other passages that say they shouldn’t be in authority or teach (or speak at church even).

When something in the Bible is a timeless moral truth – and to be applied in the same way across all time – there will be consistency in application through the Scripture throughout all time.

When there is inconsistency, that is when we know there is cultural application at work.

What is significant for our topic is that none of the examples of women leading or teaching in Scripture are recorded as negative – neither

Deborah, Miriam, Anna, those praying or prophesying at church, Phoebe, Junia, Priscilla, nor Huldah are mentioned with any statement of judgment. Instead, rather, they are often mentioned with commendation.

And, a quick aside.

Many will say at this point, “Well, God made a concession because there weren’t men to lead, so he used second best or what is left.” In other words, some will say, “He picked Deborah, because there wasn’t a dude.”

To that we must respond, “Really?!”

Do we see God ever making moral concessions in Scripture, because it is the best option available? Do we ever see God breaking His own moral law – what is right, what is wrong – because He had no other options?

No! Let’s never forget our God is righteous and holy. God never violates His own moral principles for lack of other options!

If God is against Deborahs in leadership, He would not then raise up a Deborah simply because there was no dude. (And we have no evidence that there wasn’t a single dude available, either.)

So what is the key?

Back to our 3 options.

Contradictory. Confused. Or Culturally Conditioned.

If you believe the Bible and God are not confused and not self-contradictory, then one side of these views has to be culturally conditioned.

But, 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2 are so black and white and unbending, saying that women cannot teach, be in authority over men, or speak.

So, how can this be reconciled?

If you are interested, please be sure to check out the article: Deborah Unless There is a Dude (Part 2)!

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