Cheryl

Dear “H”,

“Since there exists no such explicit command in the Tanach (Hebrew Bible), the author assures us that the Tanach must be taken as a “whole” for Paul’s intent to be understood.”

I have heard this reasoning many times with followers of aberrant movements who have been asked to prove their view by scripture. When they cannot prove their interpretation with scripture in context, they say that you have to look at scripture as a whole and the entire body of scripture proves their view. I don’t say this very often, but that is pure hogwash. If scripture all points to a particular view, then surely there will be scriptures in context that will support the view. The problem with Grudem’s assertion is that no Old Testament scripture restricts women’s teaching and no Old Testament scripture silences a woman in the assembly. If the entire OT is taken as a whole and thus supports his restrictive view of what women cannot do, then where are the scriptures?

Another question to ask is why would Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit refer to “the law” instead of calling it “scripture” if the “whole” is referred to instead of a particular law? There is no such law that restricts women and Grudem is doing cartwheels to try to take our attention away from the fact that he has not pointed to such a law.

No there is no more laws beings created that would restrict women from their service to God. This may come as a surprise to Wayne Grudem as he and others from the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood have created a fairly long list of things that are not allowed for women to do and another long list of things that are part of a gray area. i.e. can a woman give directions to a man who is lost?

Paul’s writings have one thing in common – he is always pushing for maturity and for the body of Christ to learn how to make godly judgments. After all, Paul says, we are all going to be judging angels in the next life. Oddly enough, if a woman were to follow Wayne Grudem’s rules, she would need to keep a note pad of all the rules to make sure that she isn’t sinning if she gives directions to a man in a car driving the wrong way. “Hello ma’am, can I ask you…?” “Whoah, wait a minute” she says as she fumbles in her purse to find out if she tell him where to go. Utter nonsense!