Cheryl Schatz

@116 Holly,
You said:

I agree that there are examples within Scripture of women being used by God in different ways, but unfortunately I’ve always been taught that this was God’s exception to His rules.

The question comes to mind, if there is an exception, is there really a rule? In other words, sometimes it is a sin and sometimes it is not? That doesn’t appear to be the way God is because it would be condoning sin. It seems to me that it is the tradition of men that needs an excuse to explain why God uses women when they don’t think he should.

I’m wondering why he wouldn’t have had to address the issue of women teaching and learning in a public setting much the same way. In 1 Tim 2 we do see Paul letting a woman learn, but this example is within the bounds of husband/wife relationship, not seemingly in a “public” church setting.

I do believe that the teaching that the woman of verse 12 did with the man was private and not public, but I also believe that her learning in verse 11 (which is giving the solution before the problem is even mentioned) is to be public within the body of Christ.

If we see the church “service” as a glorified home Bible study with praise and worship, not like today’s mega church with performers and one man shows that leave no opening for the majority to use any of their gifts in worship and service, then it is easy to see how natural it would be to have a home environment that would allow each person to freely share their gifts. If a woman could freely prophesy in the service of the body, then how hard would it be to accept her other gifts?