1. In relationship to the men, women are discussed in I Corinthians 7. There seems to be no indication of inequality, but rather of mutual and equal responsibility and goodwill - in marriage, the man and the woman are indebted to one another.
2. Also in I Corinthians 11:2ff, where Paul expresses himself in favor of the maintenance of the existing social customs, he does not leave an impression of woman's subordination to man. The apparent subordination of woman that is brought forward is
rectified in the same chapter (verses 11 and 12).
3. Jesus never showed a negative attitude towards women, and following that example, the book of Acts leaves no impression that an inferior position was allotted to women in the early Church. (Please note the prophetesses in Acts 21:9.)
4. Then we have Paul's note in Gal. 3:28. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." While this refers to men and women as seen through God's eyes in terms of salvation, certainly the equality of respect exemplified in His relationship with us must be mimicked in our relationships with each other.
5. It certainly needs to be recognized that the "keep silence" text of I Corinthians 14:34,35, when compared with 11:5 ("every woman who prays or prophesies . . . .") seems to be "un-Pauline".
6. In I Tim 2, verse 8 tells how men should pray, and verse 9 instructs women. That the women also pray, in the context of the church's worship, is taken for granted.
7. The "do not teach men" injunction in Timothy is related to the divided congregation. The problem would seem to be that there were women who wanted to dominate their husbands.
8. We also note that of the 27 people greeted in Romans 16, 9 are women.
Phoebe is referred to as a "deacon" (the feminine of "diakonos" as found in Philippians 1:1.)
Prisca (Acts 18:26, and Romans 16:3) is known as a "fellow laborer". "Sunergos" is the word here, also used concerning male ministers such as Timothy in Romans 16:21, Epaphroditus in Philippians 2:25; Clement in Philippians 4:3; Philemon, Mark, Aristarchus, Demus, and Luke all in Philemon 24.
Also in Romans 16 are mentioned Mary, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and Persis.
9. In Philippians 4:2,3 we have two other women leaders mentioned, Euodia and Syntyche.
10. In I Timothy 3:11, Paul is not referring to the wives of the deacons, else he would have said so ("auton"), and would also have given instructions to wives of the bishops.
11. The age for widows (60, according to I Timothy 5:3-16) could suggest that at that age they are considered capable of offering experienced ministry rather than receiving ministry. We also note that requirements (like those of male leaders) would be unlikely for women needing assistance.
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