Scriptural Basis for the Legitimacy of Women in Leadership within the Church
By Eileen Slattery Berglund (02/18/15)
PART 6
Understanding the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in relationship to women.
Understanding the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in relationship to women.
I want to move into the book of Acts today. For most people, when you think of the book of Acts, you think about Holy Spirit. And that’s what I want to look at today. Is there a different Holy Spirit for men than there is for women? Did the Holy Spirit fall upon and empower only men and not women? What do other passages tell us about Holy Spirit and do any of those include any gender specifications? What does the Holy Spirit have to do with us ministering/serving God?
When Jesus spoke to his disciples, he told them that He would be leaving soon but that it is good for them, because when He leaves, The Counselor will come and live with/in them. This was a reference to the Holy Spirit.
Now, the Holy Spirit is God and was in existence at the beginning of Genesis and was part of the “us” and the “our” when God said, “Let us make man (male and female) in our own image”. But we see a renewed focus on Him when Jesus is speaking to his disciples.
Jesus even breathes into them and says “receive the Holy Spirit” in John 20:22
Later, after that fact, the resurrected Jesus instructs them “do not leave Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes upon you….” (Acts 1:4) Why would He say that knowing that He himself already breathed in them and told them to receive the Holy Spirit?
It is because he knew that there is a different function of the Holy Spirit that had yet to be poured out. It is because he knew that while they had the Holy Spirit inside of them because they believed in Jesus as Messiah, there was still an “equipping” and “empowering” from the Holy Spirit that they would need in order to carry forth the ministry and establish the Church.
In Acts Ch 1 we learn in v 14 that the women were present along with the apostles and also Jesus’ brothers and Mother. So when we read Acts 2 about the day of Pentecost (when the Holy Spirit did indeed come upon them and empower and equip them) we can answer some of the initial questions presented in this paper.
Acts 2:1-21 says
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.[b] 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants[c] and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved
Here we can see a few things. First, that they were all gathered (apostles, mother, brothers and the women) in one place. Second, “tongues of fire” came to rest upon each of them (males and females, young and old, no limitations). And third, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (again no distinctions or limitations based on gender or anything else). Starting at v 14 we see Peter realizing that this is what the Old Testament prophet Joel was talking about and he quotes Joel. I want to point out that v 17 states that sons and daughters shall prophesy and v 18 the Holy Spirit was poured out on male and female servants.
This is what was happening indeed. The Holy Spirit was poured upon and also filled both males and females equally without any distinction. This was incredible which is probably why “impulsive” Peter (my description) just had to jump up and proclaim it!
While this is a short little study on Holy Spirit I bring it up to show that from the very beginning of Holy Spirit being poured out the women were right there with the men and were 100% included and 100% recipients of the Holy Spirit and all the power and privilege that entails. Nowhere in scripture is there any differentiation of a Holy Spirit for men and a different one for women. Just like there is one God the Father for all mankind, and one Jesus for all mankind, there is on Holy Spirit for all mankind. And just like Jesus’ death on the cross did not just offer salvation and payment of sins for only males, the Holy Spirit did not just offer gifts and empowering only to the males of the world. The whole point of the Holy Spirit coming upon them (and us) is to empower and equip them (and us) for ministry. If you want to argue that women cannot be in certain ministry roles, then you would need to show that the Holy Spirit given to women is somehow a limited version, lacking some of the power and giftings that is present in the Holy Spirit assigned to men.
Scripture does not make this distinction.
So when we discuss the topic of scriptural legitimacy for women in leadership within the church, there really are just two passages in the all the vast writings of Paul’s epistles (and the entire Bible) that are isolated and used to make a point that women are not to lead or speak in church. However, it is my assertion that these verses have been wrongly understood and taught and that it is not at all what Paul intends to convey, nor is it the heart of God toward the role of women. We will get to those passages in the next two parts and I will lay out my arguments for the legitimacy of women in leadership even when considering those passages.
When Jesus spoke to his disciples, he told them that He would be leaving soon but that it is good for them, because when He leaves, The Counselor will come and live with/in them. This was a reference to the Holy Spirit.
Now, the Holy Spirit is God and was in existence at the beginning of Genesis and was part of the “us” and the “our” when God said, “Let us make man (male and female) in our own image”. But we see a renewed focus on Him when Jesus is speaking to his disciples.
Jesus even breathes into them and says “receive the Holy Spirit” in John 20:22
Later, after that fact, the resurrected Jesus instructs them “do not leave Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes upon you….” (Acts 1:4) Why would He say that knowing that He himself already breathed in them and told them to receive the Holy Spirit?
It is because he knew that there is a different function of the Holy Spirit that had yet to be poured out. It is because he knew that while they had the Holy Spirit inside of them because they believed in Jesus as Messiah, there was still an “equipping” and “empowering” from the Holy Spirit that they would need in order to carry forth the ministry and establish the Church.
In Acts Ch 1 we learn in v 14 that the women were present along with the apostles and also Jesus’ brothers and Mother. So when we read Acts 2 about the day of Pentecost (when the Holy Spirit did indeed come upon them and empower and equip them) we can answer some of the initial questions presented in this paper.
Acts 2:1-21 says
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.[b] 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants[c] and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved
Here we can see a few things. First, that they were all gathered (apostles, mother, brothers and the women) in one place. Second, “tongues of fire” came to rest upon each of them (males and females, young and old, no limitations). And third, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (again no distinctions or limitations based on gender or anything else). Starting at v 14 we see Peter realizing that this is what the Old Testament prophet Joel was talking about and he quotes Joel. I want to point out that v 17 states that sons and daughters shall prophesy and v 18 the Holy Spirit was poured out on male and female servants.
This is what was happening indeed. The Holy Spirit was poured upon and also filled both males and females equally without any distinction. This was incredible which is probably why “impulsive” Peter (my description) just had to jump up and proclaim it!
While this is a short little study on Holy Spirit I bring it up to show that from the very beginning of Holy Spirit being poured out the women were right there with the men and were 100% included and 100% recipients of the Holy Spirit and all the power and privilege that entails. Nowhere in scripture is there any differentiation of a Holy Spirit for men and a different one for women. Just like there is one God the Father for all mankind, and one Jesus for all mankind, there is on Holy Spirit for all mankind. And just like Jesus’ death on the cross did not just offer salvation and payment of sins for only males, the Holy Spirit did not just offer gifts and empowering only to the males of the world. The whole point of the Holy Spirit coming upon them (and us) is to empower and equip them (and us) for ministry. If you want to argue that women cannot be in certain ministry roles, then you would need to show that the Holy Spirit given to women is somehow a limited version, lacking some of the power and giftings that is present in the Holy Spirit assigned to men.
Scripture does not make this distinction.
So when we discuss the topic of scriptural legitimacy for women in leadership within the church, there really are just two passages in the all the vast writings of Paul’s epistles (and the entire Bible) that are isolated and used to make a point that women are not to lead or speak in church. However, it is my assertion that these verses have been wrongly understood and taught and that it is not at all what Paul intends to convey, nor is it the heart of God toward the role of women. We will get to those passages in the next two parts and I will lay out my arguments for the legitimacy of women in leadership even when considering those passages.
Scriptural Basis for the Legitimacy of Women in Leadership within the Church
by Eileen Slattery Berglund
Part 1
Introduction & understanding the mandate of the Lord in Genesis.
Part 2
Understanding more from Genesis of God's original plan & the fall.
Part 3
Understanding how the Lord used Deborah of the Old Testament, Judge & Prophetess.
Part 4
Foundational considerations regarding original text.
Part 5
Understanding 1st century Jewish cultural attitude toward women, Jesus' attitude toward women & initiating the concept that the Cross is the beginning of Redemption for women also.
Part 7
Understanding the real meaning of 1 Timothy 2:8-15.
Part 8
Understanding the real meaning of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35.
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