Marg Mowczko

@Mark
While the Greek word diakonos literally means “servant”, Paul only ever used diakonos in his letters in the context of a minister. It is blatant bias to change the translation from “minister” or “deacon” to “servant” just because it applies to a woman – Phoebe.

It is not clear at all, either from New Testament scripture or early church history, that women were never permitted to be overseers or to teach publicly. As well as Priscilla, other women are mentioned by name who obviously were leaders of house churches. Women such as Chloe (1 Cor 1:11) and Nympha (Col 4:15). If they were not the leader, why did Paul mention these women, and not the men?

Other women such as Junia (Rom 16:7), Euodia and Syntyche (Php 4:2-3) obviously had significant ministries too. As did several other women mentioned in Romans chapter 16.

[I have provided a link to my article on New Testament Women Church Leaders at the end of comment 48.]

What is the difference between a women teaching publicly or privately? Do you think it is permissible for a woman to teach men privately? As a church leader, along with her husband, Priscilla would have had many opportunities to teach; whether that was privately or publicly, formally or informally. It may well have been that Priscilla’s ministry was more prominent than her husband’s. (Acts 18:18-19, 26; Rom 16:3-4; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19)

My article about Priscilla is here: http://newlife.id.au/equality-and-gender-issues/did-priscilla-teach-apollos/

@Ramon All I am saying is that you seem to think I am twisting scriptures. I am just pointing out that if you think the scriptures say that the husband is the head of the family then you are twisting scripture. (Or adding to it, or interpreting it, etc.) The scriptures only teach that the husband is the head of the wife.

Some people interpret that to mean that the husband has spiritual authority over his wife. However the scriptures NEVER actually say that either. There are more than a few examples where God bypassed husbands and male guardians to speak directly to women. I have written an article about these women here: http://newlife.id.au/equality-and-gender-issues/bible-women-with-spiritual-authority/