Womens Position in the Ecclesia
Besides the duty of avoiding those who ought to be avoided, there is another lesson in the 16th chapter of Romans, which comes as a counteraction to the ideas that some have drawn from Paul’s remarks elsewhere on the position of women in the ecclesia. Paul has said “Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law” (1 Corinth 14:34). There is a tendency with some to drive this doctrine to an extreme. I have heard some speak contemptuously of the sisters as “mere women, only fit to nurse babies, and look after the pudding.” Against such a doctrine every true brother will earnestly protest. It is not only degrading to her whom God has given us for “an helpmeet”, but it is inconsistent with the Gospel which teaches that there is neither male or female in Christ: that we are all one in Christ Jesus. It is probably the natural extreme of the theory which flourishes on the other side of the water, and is equally to be reprobated in Christ. The one puts woman too high, and the other most certainly too low – so low as only tyrannical and selfish men would put them.
Paul’s allusions in the chapter referred to, help us to put the right boundary to Paul’s doctrine of feminine subjection in the other case. He commends to the attention of the Roman ecclesia one Phoebe, a sister whom he distinguishes as “a servant of the church at Cenchrea” (Rom 16:1). This implies a prominent, active, if not official position on the part of the sister in question. He further distinguishes her by making her the bearer of the epistle to the Romans, of which, for a time, she was the sole custodian. He entreats the whole Roman ecclesia on her behalf, saying of her that “she hath been a succourer of many, and of me also” (v2). In the next verse he mentions another sister – Priscilla, as one who had, with her husband, for Paul’s life laid down her own neck. In verse 6 he sends his love to “Mary who bestowed much labour on us.” Further down, he salutes, among others, Tryphena and Tryphosa, Julia and the sister of Nereus, and the mother of Rufus. This is a standing apostolic recognition of the high place which sisters may fill in the Lord, if, in the grace of God, they have wisdom sufficient. True, there are not many such, but that is a misfortune of our times, and not a necessity of the thing itself. It may account for the cynical views of some, but ought not to be allowed to justify an unnatural, mischievous, and unscriptural theory.
Sisters are never likely to develop into noble servants of Christ if the door is shut in their face, by a theory which would consign them to cradles, pots and pans (our emphasis – CAM).
I do not mean to suggest that cradles and pans are incompatible with the higher duties any more than the hammers, shoe lasts, or baking troughs of their rougher brethren, but a doctrine which would tie them all the time to these, is an offence and a mischief. It is the part of true nobility to shine in the performance of the humblest duties, we will not say “stoop”, or “condescend”, because there is no stooping in the case. These humble duties, which are most important in the economy of life, become exalted in the hands of intelligence and worth. But to insist on confining sisters to these, would be to ignore that fact that they have brains as well as bodies; and that men have other needs of help-meetship besides those of knife and fork. Such a boorish doctrine would destroy companionship, where brethren need it most, and unfit their wives the highest function of motherhood, which is to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In fact, it is a doctrine to be opposed and detested as much as any hurtful doctrine may be. The man who holds it, and much more the man who preaches it, deserves to be deprived of every social advantage, and to be shut up in a cave. This, in fact, is his destiny at last.
THE TEACHING OF CHRIST CONCERNING SISTERS
Jesus marks the position of women in a very distinct manner, and on more than one occasion. He rebuked Martha for her zeal in the very department where our ogre friends think women ought exclusively to shine. He commended Mary for her preference for spiritual things and spiritual society. To “the women” he appeared first after his resurrection, and sent his first message to his disciples through them. Shortly before he suffered, one showed the exuberance of her affection by anointing him with expensive ointment. A certain brother standing by (John 12:5), who probably thought women were “only fit to look after babies and puddings”, said: “Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor?” It was a hypocritical plea, for the speaker, who “bare the bag”, was a thief, and sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver. Hypocrites always oppose the deeds of righteousness under pious pretences. How did Jesus receive his very proper, very prudent, very judicious protest against such useless “extravagance”? He said, “Let her alone: why trouble ye the woman: she hath wrought a good work upon me … Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her” (John 12:7; Mat 26:13). And wheresoever during the past eighteen centuries these apostolic records have been read, this incident has been made mention of to the credit of a woman – a sister – a beloved Mary, who very likely put all her spare money into the act.
If a sister is an intelligent, active, useful, noble servant of Christ, her being a woman is no disqualification or barrier; it only precludes her form the act of public speaking, and involves subjection to her husband. It does not shut her up to babies, pots, and pans, though these will dutifully receive the right share of attention at her hands. She is a partner, a helper, a fellow-heir in all things pertaining to Christ, and the man who would degrade her from this position is not fit for a place in the body of Christ.
A DIFFERENT CLASS OF WOMEN
But, of course, there are trying women, women of no sense, or perhaps a little sense with a clattering tongue – just sense enough to comprehend the trifles – smart in a small way, with large relish and capacity for the small things of life. They may even talk about “the truth” in the glib fashion in which they talk about Mrs Jones. Such women are not sisters, though they may bear the name. Such women may covet the respect shown to real sisters; they cannot get it. They may envy the appreciation and love exhibited towards true Marys, but they can no more get what they wish than a farmer can reap harvest who does not sow in spring. They may steal a little by surprise, but stolen goods have to be given up with bitterness. Insipid, petty, gossiping, garrulous, spiteful women are amongst the most grievous nuisances of creation. The great superabundance of them has probably led to cynical extremes against their sex; but it does not exclude the fact that there are noble daughters of the Lord God Almighty, nor does it justify the refusal of the right position to such when happily they make their appearance.
For both men and women, there is a place in the kingdom of God. Though they neither marry nor are given in marriage, we may depend upon it that God, who never makes mistakes, has a place in the higher state for the companionship arising out of the natural and radical differences between men and women as constituted in this preliminary state. This is one of the sweet secrets we wait to see disclosed.
Meanwhile, they stand related to the same rules of admission. Each must be faithful to Christ in their several spheres. The man must be enlightened, believing, courageous, trustful, prayerful, and obedient; and the woman must be no less in her more contracted circle, aiming particularly at those active, repeated, and untiring good works in the Lord which obtained for sisters of old the approbation of the Lord and the praise of his apostles. Thus may both earn for themselves a good degree which will shine forth with glorious lustre in the blessed ages that are to succeed the present evil world.
Robert Roberts
Women Not to be Extinguished
A VOYAGE TO AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AND OTHER LANDS
Saturday, February 29th. 1897—It had been arranged that before leaving Dunedin, I should have a meeting with several fragments into which the Dunedin ecclesia had been broken from various causes. The object was, if possible, to unite them. In one case there were doctrinal divergencies that rendered union impossible (there must be one faith before there can be one body); these were not invited. In the other cases, it was what may be called old man-ism that was at the root of the trouble. The question, who should be chief, is the most destructive of all discords: “When pride cometh, then cometh contention.” It is the Lord’s express command to all who aspire to be his disciples: “Be servants: take the lowest place.” “If any among you desire to be chief, the same shall be last of all.” When the reasonable spirit of modest self-assessment prevails, dis-union is impossible; for each holds the other up instead of pulling him down.
In this case, the affair was mixed up with the question: “Should women rule?” “Does not Paul forbid her to ‘usurp authority over the man’?” If this question is treated in the spirit the Lord prescribes for all his brethren, there will be no danger or even question of the woman usurping authority over the man. If the last thing is for man to usurp authority over his brother—if, as Peter commands, “all are clothed with humility and all are subject one to another”—there will be no room for the usurpation of either man or woman to come in. But in point of fact, there was no question of usurpation, though Paul’s interdict was quoted. It was in reality a question of whether woman’s voice was to be heard in consultation or suggestion. There was no question of public speaking. All were agreed that the law of the Lord prohibited woman’s voice from being heard in public assembly. The question really was whether in the non-public working or management of things, woman’s voice might be allowed a place. The question seems an extraordinary one. The Lord’s law is never directed to the prescription of impossibilities. You can no more suppress a wise woman’s influence and a wise woman’s voice than you can suppress the law of gravitation. You may prevent her delivering a public address: but you cannot prevent her giving good counsel, and you ought not. Though woman, by divine law is in subjection, she is not to be extinguished. If man is her head, it is not to domineer over her, but to protect and cherish and serve her in honour “as the weaker vessel,” content with the casting vote in matters of difference, which is the extent of his superior privilege. If the Scriptures appoint man as her head, they do not exclude her from partnership in all that concerns their mutual well-being. They show us women “labouring with Paul in the Gospel” (Phillip 4:3): as official servants of an ecclesia with business in hand, which the ecclesia was called upon to promote (Rom. 16:1–3): exercising the prophetic gift (Acts 21:9); prominently ministering to Christ himself (Luke 8:2–3): sometimes leaders in Israel, like Deborah (Judg. 4:4).
The denial of public speech to women is as far as we are justified in repressing them. I have seen tyrannical and unsympathetic men wrongly using Paul’s authority to put down and quench godly women more qualified than they themselves to exercise judgment and give counsel. Let women certainly be modest, but let her not be reduced to a cypher, which God never intended. She is intended as a comrade and a help which she greatly is, when enlightened and treated rightly. We ought to be thankful when women turn up who are able to help with wise suggestion. To object to such on the score of “ruling the ecclesia,” is to evince either a shameful misconception of duty or an itch for headship which disqualifies for the true service of the ecclesia. No man who wants to be head is fit to be head. The headship that comes from service is the only headship that is either useful or tolerable, or, in the long run, possible. Where the spirit of exalting each other, instead of exalting ourselves prevails (as Christ commands), there is little danger of difficulty arising, and an easy settlement of them when they do arise. There were some other and more doubtful points, but these were the chief. I pressed them upon attention, and in the end, it was agreed that a new attempt should be made to meet as one body.
(Robert Roberts, 1897 The Christadelphian, page 60–61)
