Verse of the Day: Acts 18:24-26 WHAT ABOUT PRISCILLA? - by ROBIN SELF

Found here. Our comments in bold. At the end is the conversation we exchanged on her webpage.

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Here we have another person trying to explain the role of women in churches. We think she fails.

Like Michelle Lesley, Ms. Self has developed a list of micro-doctrines, provisos, and derivations the grows ever larger as she parses 1 Timothy 2:12. We have written extensively on the role of women in leadership, so we will try to not repeat ourselves.

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It has become an almost exasperating question when someone wants to argue in favor of women preaching:

What about Priscilla?

It is a sad fact that so many refuse to submit their hearts to Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 2:12:

I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.

There are some who do every sort of hermeneutical gymnastics to try to find a loophole in this passage. Their argument ALWAYS makes its way to Acts 18: Priscilla and Aquila teaching Apollos. There is a list of reasons why Priscilla’s teaching Apollos doesn’t fall categorically under Paul’s instructions that women aren’t to teach or have authority over men. (Ms. Self begins by Term Switching. 1 Timothy 2:12 refers to "a woman" and "a man," not "women" and "men." This is important. Keep this seemingly small substitution clearly in mind. It is necessary for her to change the words to the plural in order for her to bolster her interpretation.)

*Paul’s instructions to Timothy are in a NEW TESTAMENT PASTORAL epistle. (Scripture does not tell us that Timothy was a pastor, so this is not a "pastoral epistle," though it is traditionally viewed this way. This is view is a substantial error, in our opinion. Timothy was not a pastor, he was a valued associate of Paul, who labored alongside him, went to various churches on assignments, and generally did his bidding.

Paul and Timothy partnered together:

Ac. 17:15: “The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.”

Timothy was sent to various places at Paul’s behest:

1Co. 4:17: “For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.”

In fact, at one point Paul told him to stay in Ephesus and correct some errant believers:

1Ti. 1:3 “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer…"

Some of Paul’s epistles were co-written with Timothy:

Ph. 1:1 “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi…”

Paul commends Timothy to the Philippian church:

Ph. 2:22 “But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.”

Paul tells us why he was writing to Timothy:

1Ti. 3:14-15 “Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”

Paul was planning to come himself, and the purpose of his instructions was to help Timothy deal with this particular church until Paul arrived. 

1Ti. 4:13: “ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.”

And lastly, Paul counsels Timothy that Paul has trusted him with the assignment. Paul wants Timothy to keep the church intact and on the right path.

1 Ti. 6:20 “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care.” 

In sum, there isn’t any indication that Timothy was pastor of this church. Rather, it is reasonable to conclude that Timothy was on assignment from Paul as his young apprentice, charged with setting up elders and correcting doctrine in this church, and Paul was advising him how to do it.)

Meaning, his directive is for the context of the Church, specifically, the gathered body of believers for worship. (The text has no indication whatsoever that it is intended in the context of the church gathering. In fact, Paul does not begin to discuss church order until 1 Timothy chapter 3. 

Remember when we wrote that it was necessary for Ms. Self to change the words of Scripture to the plural? This is one reason why, to force it into the church gathering.)

Women are not to preach or teach in the gathered church setting. ( This also rules out any Old Testament examples of women in authority like Deborah. It also rules out the women at the tomb- another favorite argument- because the Church hadn’t even been established yet, AND they were just delivering a message, not preaching or teaching. ) (Here is the beginning of creating micro-doctrines. According to Ms. Self, delivering a prophetic message directly from Jesus to the apostles is ok because it isn't preaching or teaching.)

*Priscilla wasn’t acting in authority by teaching in the organized church setting. (Ms. Self claims without justification that teaching is an act of authority. However, there is no indication from Scripture that teaching is related to exercising authority. 

Notice also the cumulative effect of changing to the plural. This works in concert with the claim that Timothy was a pastor; that Paul was therefore telling Timothy about what should happen in a church service; and that Paul was telling Timothy that teaching is exercising authority...  

• because pastors are the top dog in churches, and
• because they do the preaching, this means 
• teaching is acting in authority, because 
• pastors do it 

None of this is biblical.)

She was with Aquila in the privacy of their home, or another place where they could speak to Apollos alone. (Ms. Self creates another micro-doctrine, that one-on one instruction between a woman and a man is permissible. We shall remind the reader of the verse: I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man... 

The change to the plural is now interpreted to permit what the verse expressly forbids.)

*There is no mandate against a woman giving one on one correction or instruction to a man who needs an explanation of scripture. (Ms. Self is now in outright opposition to the verse.)

*Priscilla was with her husband Aquila when she was instructing Apollos. This couple was highly regarded by Paul. If Priscilla were acting in any way out of line with Paul’s instructions, Aquila would have stopped her. (Ms. Self presumes a lot from the silence of Scripture.)

Some people are so incensed that a woman wouldn’t be allowed to preach to men, they refuse to read what is plainly stated in scripture. (Which of course is a bad thing. But we think it is worse to reinterpret a Scripture to the point that it is exactly opposite to what the verse actually says.)

They dance around it. They argue against it. They complain that it isn’t fair. But they don’t just study the text in it’s proper context. They won’t do it because they are stubborn and they already have their minds made up.

Jeff Durbin says, ( paraphrasing ) “Don’t just trust your traditions, or what you’ve always believed. Read the bible with an open mind and LET THE TEXT SPEAK.”

Chris Rosebrough says, “Let the places where the text is clear explain the places where the text is vague.”( again, paraphrasing )

Scripture interprets scripture. In its entirety, the scripture’s context is clear concerning women teaching men in the church setting. God says: DON’T DO IT.

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The conversation:


Rich
OCTOBER 21, 2021 AT 10:57 AM


“There is no mandate against a woman giving one on one correction or instruction to a man who needs an explanation of scripture.”

“I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man…”

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Robin Self
OCTOBER 21, 2021 AT 1:00 PM


This instruction is in the gathered CHURCH context. It doesn’t apply to one on one correction or explanation. If we have a friend in our church who is a man and he teaches something wrong in a class, it wouldn’t be wrong for me to go to him and clarify it. Especially if he were to ask me directly about it. Now I would like go get my husband and we could talk with him together, but if he wasn’t around it is definitely ok to explain something he is misunderstanding.

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Rich
OCTOBER 21, 2021 AT 2:11 PM


Not intending to engage in a dispute, but the words are singular, not plural. A woman, a man. The context does not say anything about the “gathered CHURCH context.” Plainly, you are not excused from the clear and unambiguous command Paul gives. If a man teaches something wrong in a class, you may not correct him, because “a woman” cannot teach “a man.”

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Robin Self
OCTOBER 21, 2021 AT 2:14 PM


Then how do you explain Priscilla and Aquila instructing Apollos by taking him aside? Giving someone some clarity or answering a question isn’t acting an authority position of teacher. To do so publicly, yes, you are correct. But privately isn’t in the church. The instructions Paul gives to Timothy are instructions for the church setting and nowhere else.

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Rich
OCTOBER 21, 2021 AT 2:34 PM


Priscilla and Aquila were not in a church gathering, which you yourself wrote in your article. They both were probably present, which you also wrote. So “a woman” (Priscilla) was not teaching “a man” (Apollos), by your own criteria.

A one-one-one teaching arrangement, where a woman teaches a man with no others present, is not only unbiblical, but problematic. We should not have two people of the opposite sex alone together and then think nothing will happen.

Also, there is nothing in Scripture that tells us that teaching is exercising authority. Simply because we have CEO pastors who do most, if not all, of the teaching and leading does not mean a teacher exercises authority by teaching.

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Robin Self
OCTOBER 21, 2021 AT 2:49 PM


When they took him ASIDE they weren’t in the church gathering. When he was preaching, of course it was the gathered body. But they took him aside privately afterward.
It may not have even been the same day.
I would never suggest a woman be in a one on one teaching session alone with a man. If it seemed so it wasn’t my intention. Maybe just chatting in the hallway or fellowship hall during church with other people around. (Or of course a husband and wife taking a teacher aside as Priscilla and Aquila did.) Certainly never alone together.
Since it is told in scripture that both Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos aside privately and instructed/corrected him where he was mistaken, it can be assumed that this kind of “explaining” is acceptable for a woman to do. If you disagree with this, then you are saying what Priscilla did was wrong, which Luke certainly never alluded to when he was writing what happened.

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Rich
OCTOBER 21, 2021 AT 3:22 PM


The fact that Priscilla was not alone with Apollos, they were not in a church gathering, it wasn’t a lone women teaching a lone man, and it was in private, means it isn’t relevant by your criteria.

The issue is Paul’s command to Timothy, and how it applies. Paul wrote that a woman must not teach a man. What was Paul commanding? I think it’s simple. A woman must not teach a man. And a woman must not domineer (authenteó) over a man. Because of Adam and Eve.

Adam and Eve. So let’s just throw this idea on the table. “A woman” is frequently translated “a wife,” and “a man” is often ” a husband.” The words are sometimes used interchangeably, like Mark 10:2 for example. So, Paul could very well be talking about married couples. Thus it could be, “I do not permit a *wife* to teach or to have authority over [her] *husband*; she must be silent [hésuchia; tranquil, inner calm]. For Adam was formed first, then Eve.” Adam and Eve, the prototypical marriage, is the reason for this.

Paul doesn’t start talking about church order until the next chapter. Nothing in chapter 2 points to the gathering in any way. I think Paul is giving instruction to Timothy about proper behaviors of the people he has charge over, and he wants this behavior all the time (“I want men everywhere…”)

By the way, I do appreciate the opportunity to discuss this with you. Maybe this discussion will spur us all to love and good deeds