Search — Theology Explorer

διαλογισμός (dialogismos)

disputation, argumentation, hostile reasoning

ὑποτάσσω (hypotassō)

to subject, to submit, to place under

διάκονος (diakonos)

deacon, minister, servant

ὑπακούω (hypakouō)

to listen to, to hearken, to obey

δίδωμι (didōmi)

to give, bestow, grant, entrust

διδακτοί (didaktoi)

taught [by God], instructed

ποιμαίνω (poimaino)

to shepherd, to tend a flock, to pastor, to rule

πρεσβύτερος (presbuteros)

elder, older man; church overseer/leader by seniority

λαλέω (laleo)

to speak, to talk, to proclaim; general word for verbal expression

αὐθεντικός (authentikos)

original, authentic, authoritative; relating to the source or master

αὐτοδικεῖν (autodikein)

to plead one's own cause; to act as one's own advocate (Attic Greek equivalent of authentein)

παραθήκη (paratheke)

deposit, trust, that which is entrusted for safekeeping; the apostolic gospel deposit

ἀρχή (archē)

beginning, origin, source; rule, authority, first cause

αἴτιος (aitios)

cause, source, author; responsible

יִנָּבְאוּ (yinnābe'û)

they will prophesy (niphal imperfect 3mp of נָבָא)

נְבִיאָה (nĕbî'āh)

prophetess (feminine of נָבִיא)

צָרַעַת (ṣāraʿat)

skin disease / ritual leprosy (Lev 13-14)

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-07

Groothuis's rebuttal that prophets had more authority than Levites is a red herring — Levites were the regular, widespread spiritual authorities throughout Israel.

Mistake #4: Levite analogy — responding to Groothuis's counter

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis Levites prophets

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-14

Biblical examples of women who worked outside the home: Proverbs 31 woman (entrepreneur), Lydia (businesswoman), Priscilla (tentmaker).

Biblical counter-examples to women-only-at-home view

Prov 31 Lydia Priscilla

Romans 16:1-2 Linda Belleville Discovering Biblical Equality Two Views on Women in Ministry

Linda Belleville's claim: no lack of women leaders in the early church

Mike introduces egalitarian scholar Linda Belleville's claims about women leaders.

Linda Belleville hosting vs. leading overseer

Central egalitarian claim: hosting a house church made you the leader/overseer of that church

Mike identifies this as a pervasive claim that recurs throughout egalitarian literature.

Acts 16:15 Lydia N.T. Wright hosting vs. leading

Acts 16:15 refutes host-as-leader: Lydia hosted Paul immediately after conversion

Mike applies the host-as-leader test to Lydia.

Acts 12:12 Linda Belleville hosting vs. leading Mary mother of Mark

Acts 12:12 refutes host-as-leader: Mary mother of Mark hosted a prayer gathering

Mike presents another counter-example.

Philippians 4:2-3 Linda Belleville Euodia Syntyche

Euodia and Syntyche: Belleville claims they were among overseers and deacons at Philippi

Mike moves to examining the case of Euodia and Syntyche in Philippians 4:2-3.

Philippians 1:1 Linda Belleville Two Views on Women in Ministry Euodia

Belleville's logic: Philippians 1:1 lists saints, overseers, deacons -- Euodia/Syntyche must be in one category

Mike reconstructs Belleville's reasoning from Two Views (p. 60).

Philippians 4:2-3 Linda Belleville Euodia Syntyche

Belleville's argument from Paul's public appeal: if they weren't leaders, no need for third-party intervention

Mike evaluates Belleville's second argument for Euodia/Syntyche's leadership.

Linda Belleville Euodia Syntyche

Belleville's third argument: their disagreement jeopardized church unity, proving leadership role

Mike addresses Belleville's final argument for Euodia/Syntyche as leaders.

Romans 16:3 Philippians 4:3 Tom Schreiner Two Views on Women in Ministry Mary

Tom Schreiner's refutation: co-worker/labor terms are too vague to indicate leadership

Mike reads a lengthy quote from Tom Schreiner (Two Views, pp. 280-281).

Titus 2:3-5 Titus 2:3-5 women teaching women intergenerational mentoring

Neglected biblical teaching: older people should train younger people, especially same gender

Mike draws a positive application from Titus 2.

Craig Keener letter carrier as teacher 1 Maccabees 12:23

Keener's sources examined: 1 Maccabees 12:23 does not support letter-carrier-as-teacher

Mike examines Keener's footnoted sources one by one.

letter carrier as teacher ancient letter customs Xenophon

Xenophon's Cyropaedia: Cyrus limits the carrier to the letter's content, not expanding authority

Mike examines the second ancient source.

Romans 16:1-2 1 Timothy 3:11 Acts 6 women deacons Phoebe Romans 16:1-2

Two reasons for women deacons and three counter-arguments

Mike lays out the debate structure on women deacons.

1 Timothy 3 1 Timothy 3 elder vs. deacon distinction diakonos

Definition of deacon: can mean generic servant or official church position

Mike defines the semantic range of 'diakonos.'

Philippians 1:1 Romans 16:1 Romans 13:4 Phoebe Cenchreae Philippians 1:1

Is Phoebe a deacon? Analysis of Romans 16:1 and the word diakonos

Mike examines whether Phoebe held the official office of deacon.

Romans 16:1 Tom Schreiner Craig Blomberg Phoebe

Phoebe likely was an official deacon because of the phrase 'of the church at Cenchreae'

Mike concludes Phoebe was a deacon based on the qualifying phrase.

1 Corinthians 16:15-18 Linda Belleville diakonia 1 Corinthians 16:15-18

Belleville's footnote 61 sources examined: 1 Corinthians 16:15-18 -- no women deacons found

Mike checks Belleville's first footnoted verse for her 'readily labeled' claim.

Philippians 2:19-30 Linda Belleville Discovering Biblical Equality scholarly methodology

Belleville's third footnote: Philippians 2:19-30 -- all males, no women deacons

Mike checks the third footnoted passage.

1 Timothy 3:11 church history 1 Timothy 3:11 diakonos

The word 'deaconess' didn't exist yet; Paul used 'gunaikas' because no feminine term was available

Mike explains why Paul didn't use a feminine deacon term.

1 Peter 2:4-5 universal priesthood of believers 1 Peter 2:4-5 spiritual sacrifices

1 Peter 2:4-5 — all believers are a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices

Mike begins building the biblical case for universal priesthood from 1 Peter.

1 Timothy 2:5 priesthood mediation 1 Timothy 2:5

Priesthood means no one mediates between you and God; this is different from teaching

Mike now builds his positive case for what priesthood means for Christians and why it does not equate to eldership.

1 Timothy 2:5 mediation 1 Timothy 2:5 church tradition

1 Timothy 2:5 — one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

Mike cites this verse as foundational for the doctrine of no human mediators in Christianity.

Hebrews 10:19-22 priesthood mediation Hebrews 10:19-22

Hebrews 10:19-22 — believers can enter the holy places directly through Jesus's blood

Mike uses Hebrews to demonstrate that all believers have direct access to God without a mediator.

Hebrews 6:19 Roman Catholicism mediation Hebrews 6:19

No special group of Christians should serve as a bridge to God's grace for other Christians

Mike argues against any form of priestly mediation within Christianity.

headship universal priesthood of believers complementarian correction

Correction for complementarians: the husband is NOT the priest of his home

Mike disagrees with many complementarians, including pastors he has respected, on this point.

eldership priesthood mediation

Being a priest does not mean anything about being an elder; eldership is not priestly in character

Mike draws the sharp distinction: priesthood is about access to God, not about teaching or leading others.

1 Timothy 2 1 Timothy 3 Titus 1 1 Timothy 2 1 Timothy 3 eldership qualifications

What was uniquely priestly was the mediating function, which now belongs to all believers

Mike clarifies the distinction between priestly mediation and teaching.