Cheryl Schatz

Mark,
You say that men and women are not equal in “function”. Let me ask you the question then, what gender is the one which has the “function” of using their gift to teach? What gender has the “function” that allows them to use their gift to speak in God’s name? These are the “functions” that we have been talking about.

Also there is no prohibition unless it is specifically stated. In other words Eve is not forbidden to teach Adam or to lead Adam. God does not give a “function” to one that He forbids to the other. Where would Eve had gotten the idea that she was forbidden to “teach” Adam? Where would any woman have gotten such an idea in the OT? No formal prohibition is given for all women that sets them up in opposition to all men. Not one single prohibition. Why is this? Even the priesthood cannot be used because not all men were allowed to be priests. Also in the New Testament men and women are in the priesthood of the believer.

Mark, It would seem to be far better to leave aside the assumptions of a “function” that essentially forbids women from operating in that “function”. It would be far better to try to argue that God created prohibitions for women after the fall. Even this argument has many holes that cannot be answered but to try to say that God created differences of “function” where one is forbidden to operate in the same “function” i.e. teaching, is unsupportable by the Scriptures.

As far as “ezer” goes, I believe that Adam would have been an “ezer” to Eve if he had spoken up and told Eve about the lies of the serpent. The fact that Adam did not speak up showed that Adam failed to be what Eve needed at that time. It does not prove that Adam could not have been an “ezer” because it was the women’s “function”.

Lastly, whose “function” is it to learn? If a woman is going outside of her “function” to be a teacher, then is it a sin for a woman to go outside of his “function” to listen to a woman’s arguments? If he allows her to teach him anything is the man in sin? If it isn’t a sin for him, why not? How can it be a sin for her to teach, but not a sin for him to learn?

Sorry, this is all I can do tonight. It has been a long night and a short morning awaits.