The Book of Isaiah
Chapter 1 V.1 Part 3.4
Paul & the Female Controversy 8
Since both sections were short ones, I decided to post them together for a little more coherency.
Unequal in Apostolate
We saw from 1 Tim 2:8-15 in a post Pauline letter and 1 Cor 14:33b-36 as a post Pauline insertion, that female leadership was crudely denigrated in order to establish exclusive male control of Christian assemblies.
It is no surprise, therefore, to find male status as an absolute condition for Christian leaders. But that is only one of three conditions mentioned. Leaders had to be male, that is non-female; married, that is noncelibate; and fertile, that is nonascetic.
What is the point of those latter two conditions? In 1 Tim 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9 the requirements for an elder or bishop and for a deacon, the two male leadership roles discussed are what any Greco-Roman moralist would expect for public office of any type. But two items stand out as somewhat unusual or surprising – marriage is presumed and so is fertility.
1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
1Ti 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
1Ti 3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Tts 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
In that triple requirement of male, married, children, the first element is standard patriarchy, but why are those other two emphasized? Two hints are given elsewhere. One is from 1 Tim 4:3-5 which warms solemnly against those who “forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”
Another is from 1 Tim 5:23, where psuedo-Paul tells Timothy, “No longer drink only water, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.” That ultra-conservative and psuedo-Pauline position on women is due, in other words, not just to general patriarchy, although it is definitely grounded in it, but also to something else as well. We can see that something most clearly in the extracanonical Acts of the apostles and most especially in the Acts of Thecla within the present Acts of Paul.
The Book of Isaiah
Chapter 1 V.1 Part 3.4
Paul & the Female Controversy 9
Preface
This next section apparently, comes from an outside source. Remember that the writers of this book, “In Search of Paul,” are the eminent historical Jesus scholar, John Dominic Crossan and Jonathan L. Reed, an expert in biblical archeology, who are experts in the field. Now I don’t know of the source that they quote here. However, I do know of the book of Josephus as an outside source of information from that time period.
For any who may question their source…I have no answers for you, other than to say, ‘What makes these experts and their sources of any less value than the “experts” and sources you may hold to as viable. I say this because many people in the Word, leaders in particular, say that they consult commentaries. I personally don’t consult them, because I want to see where God leads me, so if any of the sources I find happen to come from or lead me to a particular commentary…so be it; but I don’t seek them out as a consistent source like I seek out the Hebrew and Greek concordance.
The reason for this is because I really am not looking for someone else’s opinion on what is the meaning of scripture. I want God to show me whatever He wants me to see at any given moment, and I don’t like the claim that there is a standardized meaning, as scripture has depth, and has multiplicities in meanings as well as mysteries. So I prefer to seek information on the word meanings as I study, and let God show me according to my understanding from that point, whatever He chooses.
You could argue, as you may in this instance, that the information I gathered is indeed someone else’s opinion, but it is an informed, educated source that has enough credibility in the field to be titled as “the eminent historical Jesus scholar,” and “an expert in biblical archeology.”
I prefaced this section this way, because I have never heard the particulars that I am about to show you; that according to these authors, are found in the Acts of Thecla within the present Acts of Paul. So naturally, if you question these accounts or the truth or verifiability of them…all I can say is…look to the book. Their book is the only material that I have ever seen this referenced in…and my scope is limited. One thing I will say is this…it’s an interesting story.
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