If NO Women Preachers, How About The Prophetesses in the Bible? | John MacArthur

Summary

In this video transcript, John MacArthur discusses the role of women in the church, referencing biblical teachings. He acknowledges the presence of prophetesses like Deborah in the Bible but emphasizes that 1 Timothy 2:1-15 instructs women to learn in silence and not to teach or exercise authority over men in church gatherings. MacArthur argues that while women have had significant roles in biblical history, the clear teaching of Scripture must be followed, suggesting that preaching and pastoral roles are divinely designed for men. He counters the idea that some roles are superior, stating that women have their own fulfilling roles as outlined in Scripture, and recommends the book 'Divine Design' for further understanding.

Takeaways

• 📜 The speaker, Melissa, agrees with the biblical view that women should not preach in the church.
• 👩‍🏫 The Bible acknowledges the roles of prophetesses like Deborah and the four daughters of Philip who prophesied, indicating women have had significant roles in the past.
• 🚫 1 Timothy 2:1-15 is cited as the clear scriptural teaching that women should not teach or take authority over men in the church's assembly.
• 🤔 The speaker suggests that while there are exceptions where God may use women in unique ways, the church should not violate the scriptural instruction.
• 👥 John MacArthur emphasizes that the roles of men and women in the church are divinely assigned and should not be altered based on personal desires or callings.
• 📚 No books of the Bible were written by a woman, and all Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles were men, suggesting a divine design for male leadership in ministry.
• 🙅‍♀️ Women are not to serve as pastors according to the speaker, and this is not a limitation but a divinely ordained role for men.
• 💬 The speaker refutes the idea that preaching is a superior role, arguing that God has designed specific roles for both men and women, and both are important.
• 🏡 The book 'Divine Design' is recommended for further understanding of God's expectations for the roles of men and women in the home and the church.
• ✝️ The speaker concludes by stating that if women follow their divine calling, they will be fulfilled, and the Lord will be honored.

Q & A

What does the Bible say about women preaching in the church?

The Bible teaches that women are not allowed to teach or take authority over men in the church, as stated in 1 Timothy 2:12.

Are there any examples of women in leadership roles in the Bible?

Yes, the Bible mentions women like Deborah, Esther, and the four daughters of Philip who played significant roles in God's kingdom, though not necessarily as preachers or pastors.

How does the Bible justify the exclusion of women from certain leadership roles?

The Bible justifies this by stating that God has designed specific roles for men and women, and the role of preaching and pastoring is one that He has given to men.

What does the scripture say about women learning in the church?

1 Timothy 2:11 instructs women to learn in silence and with all subjection, not to teach or take authority over men.

Can women have any form of ministry in the church according to the script?

Yes, women can have ministries in the church, but they are limited by the roles specifically stated in scripture.

Is there a book recommended for understanding God's design for men and women in the church?

Yes, the book 'Divine Design' is recommended for understanding the roles of men and women in marriage and the church.

What is the argument against women serving as pastors in the church?

The argument is based on the biblical teaching that God has assigned different roles to men and women, and that preaching and pastoring are responsibilities designed for men.

How does the speaker respond to the idea that some roles in the church are inherently superior?

The speaker argues that there is no inherent superiority in certain roles; rather, it is about the roles that God has assigned to men and women.

What is the speaker's view on women who claim a calling to preach despite the scriptural prohibition?

The speaker views such claims as a form of hubris and disobedience to the word of God, rather than a valid argument for violating scriptural teachings.

What does the speaker suggest as the proper role for women in the church?

The speaker suggests that women should fulfill the roles that God has designed for them, such as being lovers of their husbands, caring for their children, and managing their homes.

How does the speaker address the idea that God might choose to use women in unique ways outside the usual limits?

The speaker acknowledges that God might use women in unique ways, but emphasizes that the church should not violate clear scriptural instructions.

Outlines

00:00

📖 Women in Leadership and Biblical Restrictions

Melissa asks about the role of women in church leadership, particularly in light of biblical examples of prophetesses such as Deborah. John MacArthur explains that while there have been instances where women held significant roles in biblical history, like Deborah, Esther, and the daughters of Philip who prophesied, these instances do not contradict the specific instructions given in the Bible about women not teaching or holding authority over men in the church setting. He cites 1 Timothy 2:1 and other verses to support the claim that women should not preach in church assemblies, while acknowledging that God may choose to use women in unique ways outside of these defined limits.

05:00

🕊️ Roles of Women According to Scripture

John MacArthur continues to discuss the roles assigned to men and women according to scripture, clarifying that while there are specific restrictions on women's roles within the church, this is not a comment on their value or abilities. He emphasizes that the Bible defines distinct roles for men and women, with men taking on leadership positions such as pastors and elders. MacArthur also addresses the argument that preaching or pastoring is inherently superior, stating that such roles are simply God's design for men and not meant to imply inequality. He recommends the book 'Divine Design' to further understand God's expectations for men and women in both the church and home contexts.

Keywords

💡Prophetesses

Prophetesses refer to women who are believed to have the ability to speak the word of God or have prophetic insights. In the context of the video, the speaker acknowledges the existence of prophetesses like Deborah in the Old Testament, who played significant roles in biblical history. However, the video argues that despite these historical figures, the Bible clearly instructs that women should not teach or hold authority over men in the church, as stated in 1 Timothy 2:12.

💡Scripture

Scripture, in this video, refers to the Bible, which is considered the divine revelation of God's will and teachings. The speaker emphasizes the importance of adhering to the 'clear teaching of scripture' when it comes to the roles of men and women in the church, particularly in the context of teaching and leadership.

💡1 Timothy 2:12

This is a specific biblical verse cited in the video to support the argument that women should not be in authoritative teaching roles within the church. The verse instructs women to learn in silence and not to teach or have authority over men, which is central to the speaker's argument about the roles of women in the church.

💡Church

The church, as mentioned in the video, is the community of believers who come together for worship and instruction. The speaker discusses the proper conduct within the church, particularly in the context of gender roles and leadership, emphasizing that the church should follow the teachings of the Bible regarding these roles.

💡Divine revelation

Divine revelation is the concept that God communicates his will and truth to humans, often through scripture or prophecy. The video suggests that the Bible, as a form of divine revelation, outlines the roles of men and women in the church and that these roles should not be violated.

💡Roles of men and women

The video discusses the different roles that God assigns to men and women, particularly in the context of the church. The speaker argues that these roles are divinely ordained and should not be altered, with men being designated as the leaders and teachers in the church.

💡Apostles

Apostles, in the context of the video, refers to the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus to spread his teachings. The speaker points out that none of the apostles were women, using this as evidence to support the argument that leadership and teaching roles in the church are designated for men.

💡Elders

Elders, as mentioned in the video, are leaders in the New Testament churches who were ordained by the Apostle Paul. The speaker notes that all the elders were men, reinforcing the idea that leadership in the church is a male responsibility according to the Bible.

💡Divine Design

Divine Design is a book recommended in the video that explores the distinct roles of men and women within the context of marriage and the church. The book is presented as a resource for understanding God's expectations for gender roles, as interpreted from the Bible.

💡Hubris

Hubris, in the video, is used to describe the attitude of someone who believes they can override the teachings of the Bible based on their personal calling or conviction. The speaker criticizes this attitude as prideful and disobedient to God's word.

💡Fulfillment

Fulfillment, as discussed in the video, refers to the state of being satisfied and complete when one follows the roles and callings that God has designed for them. The speaker asserts that both men and women will find fulfillment and honor God by adhering to their divinely appointed roles.

Highlights

Melissa agrees with the biblical view that women are not allowed to preach in the church.

The Bible acknowledges the roles of prophetesses like Deborah in the Old Testament.

Esther is noted as a unique personality, though not a preacher.

The four daughters of Philip in Acts are mentioned as having prophesied, but not necessarily in a preaching role.

God uses women in unique leadership roles in various cultural and mission contexts.

1 Timothy 2:1-15 is cited as the clear teaching that women should not teach or have authority over men in the church assembly.

Scripture should not be violated despite examples of women used by God in special ways.

The role of women in leadership is not inherently superior or inferior, but distinct as assigned by God.

No books of the Bible were written by a woman, and no ongoing prophetic ministries in the Old Testament were led by women.

Jesus chose twelve male apostles, and Paul ordained male elders in the New Testament churches.

Preaching and pastoring are divinely designed responsibilities for men, according to the speaker.

Disobeying divine revelation for personal calling is considered hubris and pride.

Women have a clear place in scripture as lovers of their husbands, keepers of the home, and caregivers.

There are no limits on women's ministry except those stated in scripture.

The book 'Divine Design' is recommended for understanding God's expectations for men and women in the home and church.

Transcripts

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hi my name is Melissa I had a I very

much agree with what it says in the

Bible about women are not allowed to

preach in the church good how do

you how do you condone or how does the

bible condone about the prophetesses in

the Bible like Deborah and those yeah

well the Bible definitely teaches that

there were at periods of time in the

history of the

church uh

prophetesses I mean obviously as you

mentioned holda Deborah significant

leader in the Old Testament there were

many women who were dynamic in God's

kingdom in the advance of that Kingdom

um certainly Esther was a unique

personality although she wasn't a

preacher as such uh we don't know even

that uh holda had some great platform

from which she articulated we know God

spoke to her and in some way she passed

that on the four daughters of Philip in

the book of Acts are said to have

prophesied we don't know if they did

that all the time or if they only did

that once or twice and we don't know

whether they took a platform and

preached every week we assume they did

not they are not pastors but all that

notwithstanding you may have certain

women that God uses in the Old Testament

certain women that God uses in the New

Testament and there will be certain

women that God uses today in very unique

roles of leadership not only in our own

culture but all around the world in

missions and many other places

but what we have to deal with is a very

clear and very precise statement having

had all those examples and having left

it with God if he wishes at any given

point to bring up someone uh who by his

own anointing has a special place we

still have to follow the very clear

teaching of scripture and not violate it

and that clear teaching is found in 1

Timothy 2:1 let the women learn in

Silence with all subjection and I permit

not a woman to teach nor to take

authority over the man but to be in

silence now what does this refer to over

to verse 15 of chapter

3 this is how you ought to behave

yourself in the house of God which is

the Church of the Living God the pillar

and ground of the truth now Paul writes

to Timothy instruction about the church

when the church comes together in its

duly defined meeting and assembly for

worship and instruction a woman is not

allowed to teach that is the statement

here that's for this day and this age

there may be times when God will bring a

woman into a very unique place to

communicate his message in a very

special way outside these kinds of

limits that might be the exception that

God would choose to do in any time but

nonetheless we as a church cannot

violate that clear

[Music]

instruction that's John MacArthur

Chancellor of the Masters University and

Seminary that during today's time of

questions and answers here on Grace to

you I hope John answered some questions

you've had and John in that last

question you touched on the subject of

teaching in the church and the fact that

scripture forbids women to serve as

pastors now the issue there is simply

about the different roles that God

assigns to men and women that's it but

someone might argue that certain roles

like preaching are inherently Superior

to other roles and so women are being

unfairly Limited in what they can do for

the Church how would you respond to that

well I think first of all in the

broadest possible sense you have to

realize this there are 66 books in the

Bible not one of them was written by a

woman there is no Old Testament Prophet

with an ongoing prophetic Ministry that

was a woman when Jesus chose the twel

apostles none of them were women when

the Apostle Paul ordained Elders in the

churches of the New Testament

they were men they were one woman men

who led and managed their families well

it's not strange then that the Bible

says preaching pastoring leading the

church is a responsibility that God has

designed for men it's that simple and

when people fight against that they

cannot possibly

undo divine revelation I don't know how

a person can look at what I just said

about the dominant role that men play in

divine revelation and Ministry

throughout the entire scripture and

think that God just sets that aside and

flips things over and lets women preach

if that's what they want to do one very

well-known preacher says I don't care

what anybody says I know my calling and

my calling is from the lord well that's

not an argument for someone to violate

the word of God that's f

that's hubris that's Pride that's a kind

of a blatant Disobedience and again

we're not saying anything negative about

women women have the place that God has

designed for them clearly laid out in

scripture lovers of their husband lovers

of their children's keepers of the home

caring for for all the people and all

the needs and there are no limits on the

ministry of women except those

specifically stated in scripture if

women do what God called him to do they

will be fulfilled the Lord will be

honored and the same is true for men to

help you with that I want to mention a

book called Divine Design and I know

this is controversial but it's not

controversial in the Bible and that's

where you need to go to get the right

perspective Divine Design is the book it

looks at the special design for men and

women within the context of marriage and

the church and we would love for you to

get a copy Divine Design 270 Pages

available from great grace to you thanks

John and friend this book is sure to

answer questions that you have about

God's expectations for men and women in

the home and in the church order Divine

Design when you contact us

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