Search — Theology Explorer

Craig Keener household codes slavery-marriage parallel

Two reasons Keener connects slavery and marriage: ancient codes and NT parallels

Mike identifies the two pillars of the slavery-marriage connection.

Aristotle Politics (Aristotle) deliberative faculty

Aristotle actually distinguishes between reasons for female submission and slave obedience

Mike analyzes Aristotle's actual text on the slavery-marriage connection.

Titus 2:5 1 Corinthians 14:34 1 Corinthians 11:3 creation order Titus 2:5 1 Corinthians 14:34

Biblical justifications for wifely submission vs slave obedience are completely different

Mike lists the actual biblical reasons for each and compares them.

Ephesians 6:5-8 Titus 2:9-10 Ephesians 6:5-8 Titus 2:9-10 slavery not creation-grounded

Biblical reasons for slave obedience: purely situational, not creation-grounded

Mike examines what the NT actually says about why slaves should obey.

Exodus narrative Exodus narrative slavery in Scripture marriage as God-ordained

God views slavery as bad throughout Scripture; marriage as good and God-ordained

Mike contrasts the biblical evaluation of slavery vs marriage.

Ephesians 5-6 Ephesians 5-6 wives vs slaves comparison slavery objection refutation

Comprehensive list of differences between wives and slaves in Scripture

Mike provides a systematic comparison.

Proverbs on discipline Ephesians 6:1-4 wives-children parallel Proverbs on discipline Ephesians 6:1-4

Better parallel is wives and children, not wives and slaves

Mike suggests a more appropriate comparison.

complementarianism submission not oppression co-heirs in Christ

Final conclusions: Biblical submission is not oppression when paired with husband's Christ-like love

Mike delivers his final summary.

Exodus 15 Moses Miriam Exodus 15

Exodus 15 shows Moses leading the people in a song, then Miriam leading the women — her leadership is specifically of women.

Contextualizing Miriam's role in Exodus 15

Miriam prophetess prophetic singing

Mike rejects limiting female prophets to speaking to women only, and rejects limiting Miriam to prophetic singing only.

Final positions on scope of female prophecy

2 Kings 22:15-20 Huldah Aimee Byrd Torah canonization

Huldah delivers a powerful prophetic word to King Josiah about judgment on Jerusalem and mercy on him personally.

Reading Huldah's prophecy in 2 Kings 22

2 Kings 22:14 hermeneutics Huldah 2 Kings 22:14

Another textual explanation: Huldah's husband was 'keeper of the wardrobe' — a court connection that made access easier.

Additional contextual explanation for choosing Huldah

Isaiah's wife Isaiah 8:3 Isaiah's wife prophetess Isaiah 8:3

Isaiah's wife is called a prophetess (Isaiah 8:3) — she likely prophesied in her own right.

Brief note on another female prophet

Judges judges Deborah Judges judges

Deborah is a strong case for occasional high-level female leadership in the OT by God's appointment; all other judges are male.

Introduction to the Deborah discussion

Judges 2:16 Judges 2:18 Deborah divine appointment Judges 2:16

Judges 2:16-18 is a blanket statement that God raised up all the judges — including Deborah.

Establishing Deborah's divine legitimacy

Judges 5:12 Judges 5:6 Judges 5:24-27 Barak Jael Judges 5:12

The biblical context shows glory/credit goes to Jael (not God instead of Barak) — Barak gets one verse while Jael gets a whole section in Judges 5.

Proving the shame element is about Barak vs. Jael, not Barak vs. God

judges Judges 5 Deborah judges Judges 5

Conclusions on Deborah: she was a leader (not priest/king/military leader) but a judge and prophet; she had less leadership than other judges in some ways.

Summary conclusions on Deborah

2 Samuel 20:16-22 Joab 2 Samuel 20:16-22 wise woman of Abel Beth Maacah

The wise woman of Abel Beth Maacah (2 Samuel 20:16-22) negotiated peace during a siege, representing the whole city — she exercised real political power in crisis.

Examining a more substantive example of a wise woman

Linda Belleville wise woman of Abel Beth Maacah crisis leadership

Belleville calls the wise woman of Abel an 'advisor to heads of state' — but she's not in a regular position; she took authority spontaneously in crisis.

Correcting the characterization while still drawing a lesson

Isaiah 3:12 NET Bible Septuagint Isaiah 3:12

Textual issue in Isaiah 3:12: the Hebrew word for 'women' may actually be 'creditors' — the consonants are identical, only vowels differ.

Textual criticism of Isaiah 3:12

Isaiah 3:12 Deborah patriarchal culture Isaiah 3:12

Three possible reasons why 'women leaders' is negative in Isaiah 3:12: role distinctions, lack of respect, or lack of training — Mike favors the training/competence explanation.

Interpreting why Isaiah uses 'women' negatively even as metaphor

priesthood ceremonial uncleanness women in worship

Rebuttal point 1: no Scripture says women couldn't be priests because of monthly cycles. Point 2: women regularly did things unclean people couldn't do.

Refuting the ceremonial uncleanness explanation

egalitarianism priesthood ceremonial uncleanness

Mike fully rejects the ceremonial uncleanness explanation — no merit, no positive verse supporting it, and four-five reasons against it.

Summary rejection of the uncleanness view

Deuteronomy 23:17 Philip Payne priesthood Deuteronomy 23:17

Egalitarian view #2 (Philip Payne): women couldn't be priests to prevent association with cult prostitution (Deuteronomy 23:17).

Second egalitarian explanation for the priesthood restriction

Deuteronomy 23:17 Philip Payne priesthood Deuteronomy 23:17

Rebuttal: Deuteronomy 23:17 prohibits BOTH male and female cult prostitutes — if this prohibition still allows men to be priests, it doesn't explain excluding women.

Refuting Payne's cult prostitution argument

soft complementarianism typology Adam

Representation and authority: men seem to be the norm for representing their community, fitting a pattern from Adam to Christ to priests.

Theological reasoning connecting representation to authority

1 Corinthians 15:28 Trinity 1 Corinthians 15:28 eternal subordination

God is the head of Christ: 1 Corinthians 15:28 and the Son's submission to the Father

Mike addresses how God being the head of Christ supports the headship chain.

1 Corinthians 11:5-6 1 Corinthians 11:5-6 analogy argument cultural distance

Hair as a natural covering extends to cloth covering: Paul's analogical reasoning

Mike explains how Paul connects natural hair covering to cloth covering.

Genesis 2 1 Corinthians 11:7-10 creation order primogeniture Genesis 2

Paul's second argument: creation order supports head covering (verses 7-10)

Mike identifies the creation-based argument for head coverings.

Galatians 3:28 Romans 8 creation order complementarianism image of God

Two relationships: humans to creation (equal) vs. humans to each other (different roles)

Mike provides the framework for understanding how image and role differences coexist.

1 Corinthians 11:2-16 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 Katherine Bushnell Alan Padgett

Seven problems with the refutation/reputation view

Mike systematically dismantles the refutation view.

1 Corinthians 11:7-9 Craig Keener worship distractions 1 Corinthians 11:7-9

Keener: the reason for women's head covering is to avoid distracting worshippers

Mike presents Keener's alternative reason for the head covering instruction.

1 Corinthians 11:9 Craig Keener translation comparison 1 Corinthians 11:9

Keener translates verse 9 as 'through' instead of 'for the sake of,' absorbing it into verse 8

Mike identifies Keener's handling of the problematic verse 9.

kephale headship decisive argument

The kephale question is decisive: if it implies authority, egalitarianism cannot hold for this passage

Mike states his definitive conclusion on question 3.

1 Corinthians 11:5-6 1 Corinthians 11:15 1 Corinthians 11:5-6 analogy argument 1 Corinthians 11:15

Why verse 15 is an analogy: four reasons supporting the traditional cloth covering view

Mike builds his case that Paul is making an analogy, not an identification.

men's head coverings katakalupto hair-up view

Three reasons the Greek pushes against the hair-done-up view

Mike summarizes the Greek evidence against the hairstyle interpretation.

Plutarch Roman funeral customs Roman head covering practices

Textual evidence: Plutarch on Roman head covering customs

Mike moves to literary evidence about cultural practices.

Philip Payne Plutarch Cynthia Thompson

Defense of Plutarch: he's speculating about funerals, not about the norms themselves

Mike counters the egalitarian dismissal of Plutarch's evidence.

Cynthia Thompson Ramsey MacMullen Corinth archaeology

Artwork evidence: mostly shows women without coverings, but mainly rich women

Mike surveys archaeological evidence from Corinth.

Plutarch Elaine Fantham Roman vs. Greek worship

Plutarch and Elaine Fantham confirm: Romans covered heads when worshiping gods

Mike adds textual confirmation of religious covering practices.

1 Corinthians 11:4 Philip Payne 1 Corinthians 11:4 Gordon Fee

Question 5 (labeled 8): What does Paul want men to do? Not wear coverings to maintain masculinity and headship

Mike applies conclusions to men's instructions.

1 Corinthians 11:16 1 Corinthians 11:3 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 1 Corinthians 11:16 1 Corinthians 11:3 1 Corinthians 11:8-9

Question 6: What does Paul want women to do? Wear coverings for headship, creation order, and universal custom

Mike applies conclusions to women's instructions.

Genesis 2 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 creation order Genesis 2 1 Corinthians 11:8-9

Question 7: What is Paul's point about creation order and purpose in verses 8-9?

Mike addresses the most decisive question for the complementarian/egalitarian debate.

1 Corinthians 11:9 Craig Keener translation comparison 1 Corinthians 11:9

Keener on verse 9: translates 'for' as 'through,' making it reiterate verse 8

Mike examines and refutes Keener's translation choice.

Numbers 6 Craig Keener Samson Epictetus

Exceptions to hair length rules: Nazirite vows, philosophers, and the principle behind exceptions

Mike discusses how exceptions to the general rule were understood.

1 Corinthians 11:7 Genesis 1:26-27 image of God 1 Corinthians 11:7 Genesis 1:26-27

Question 10: How is woman the glory of man and man the glory of God?

Mike addresses the meaning of 'glory' (doxa) in this passage.

Craig Keener doxa inconsistent interpretation

Egalitarian interpretations of 'glory' all use two different meanings for the same word

Mike critiques egalitarian inconsistency with the term doxa.

1 Corinthians 11:15 Tom Schreiner doxa 1 Corinthians 11:15

Tom Schreiner's consistent interpretation of glory as 'honor' works for both uses

Mike presents what he considers the best interpretation of glory.

1 Corinthians 11:10 1 Corinthians 11:7 Tom Schreiner 1 Corinthians 11:10 1 Corinthians 11:7

Schreiner point 1: verses 7 and 10 form a parallel (man uncovered / woman covered)

Mike presents the strongest argument for symbolic authority.