1 Timothy 3
I think that we're a little bit inconsistent. We take the phrase "husband of one wife" in 3:2 (overseers or bishops or, in our case, elders) literally but not in 3:12 (deacons) because in Romans 16:1 we find a female deaconess (who couldn't be the husband of but one wife unless the church was in favour of same sex marriage...).
The argument I've heard goes like this: a woman cannot be an elder (overseer, bishop) because the phrase "the husband of but one wife" indicates that this role can only be filled by a man. But a woman can be a deacon(ess) because we find an example of one in the Bible even though Paul uses the exact same phrase in regards to deacons just 10 verses later.
Doesn't this indicate further that Ephesus was a special case because it was a sick church that needed special rules in order for it to become healthy again?
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or was it because in their culture men often had more than one wife, but women were only allowed one husband? i've heard that before, but do not know if it's actually true. makes sense though. husbands would be the only ones this verse was intended for because women were already only living with one man. one man could have many, but women could only have one man. but again, i can't prove this unequivocally with evidence or first century (or second temple period) historical facts. but i'll see if i can dig up where i heard it...
so does that mean women could be overseers? But what about Chapter 2?
i suppose one would have to consider the difference between an overseer and a teacher. as well, the cultural and contextual issues surrounding the issue of teaching by women need to be taken into consideration.
the north american church really likes to take its methodology from the churches in the new testament, but perhaps the principles are what we should be first considering.
how often do we hear people saying, "We want to be like the early church..." and i respond with, "which one?" Corinth, laodicea, ephesus, thyatira, pergamum...we often forget that none of these churches was perfect and much of the reason the letters of the new testament was written was to help those churches through difficult times. we are not those churches, so why do we so quickly attempt to superimpose their methodologies on us today? sorry, rabbit trail there...my bad.
how
Is there a difference between an overseer and a teacher? According to Timothy an overseer must be able to teach. Does that mean that he (or possibly she) must be able to teach but never has to?
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