Mark

Hi Dave,

Yes i have considered Stephen, but again like Pheobe it is irrelevant to the argument. Maybe i should have been a little clearly with the quotes you gave of me.

As i understand 1 TIm 2:8-15, the teaching restricted is that linked with authority in the public congregational setting. That is, the preaching from the pulpit so to speak. This is the responsibility of the elders. ( I would have thought you knew comp theology well dave??)

Now was Stephen involved in that specific action. NO! He was not the spiritual overseer of the sheep of the Church. He was ‘evangelising’ for simplicity sake, to unconverted Jews. Now, i have no issue with women evangelising. It is a great ministry for women to do aswell as men. But Stephen aswell as Pheobe (if she was a deacon) were neither doing what Paul prohibits. Deacons may teach in the sense of evangelising or even singing spirtual songs to each other (as should everybody else), but deacons again scripturally were never responsible nor did the authoritative teaching of God’s word in the Churches.

But what you have done is try to confuse the issue. Again, to lump all ‘preaching’ or teaching together as one thing.

Let me be more clear, the teaching restricted in Paul’s epistle is the authoritative teaching of God’s word to the Church in which he (the elder/pastor) has the spiritual oversight. Deacons did not have this responsibility as seen most clearly in 1 Tim 3 where elders are to have a qualification of being able to teach. Deacons do not need this qualification. Likewise Paul specifically notes in 1 Tim 5:17, that ELDERS who labor in preaching and teaching are worthy of double honour.

So as i see it, my point still stands. No where in the NT do we see deacons given nor practicing that responsibility. Therefore Stephen, Pheobe, Priscilla are all irrelevant proof cases for the egalitarian. None of these people challenge the traditonal position. In fact, i agree with you all that these people had good ministries. What this shows is actually more evidence for the comp position since all three show that they were NOT doing what Paul prohibits them from doing.