Let me explain why I mentioned the problem of authority in the Church being the same issue as authority in the home.  Your comment that you found nothing in the Bible mentioning that issue was accurate.

 

This really is the consummation, the final argument if you will, that demonstrates even if you bought into the arguments for women serving in any roll in the Church (which I believe is unfounded), the implementation would be impossible because of the conflict in authority.

 

There was never a need to address the issue because the prohibition was so clearly stated.

Eph 5:22-23  Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.

Col 3:18  Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

1 Cor 11:3  But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

1 Tim 2:12-14  But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.  For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.  And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression.

 

These edict are not “cultural”, but absolute and demonstrate the “order” required by God from God-Christ-Church-Husband-Wife, the church being explicitly mentioned in Eph 5:22-23.

 

But getting back to the heart of the issue, it is one of implementation, the mechanism by which authority is established.  Suppose for a moment that women could serve as elder.  Would the prerequisite be that she could only serve if her husband was also an elder?  If not husbands would have to submit to their wives violating the clear teachings of scripture both in terms of headship and exercising authority.  This is not just an issue of submission but also exercising authority.  Or maybe it would be ok if husbands were elders then wives could serve as deacons?  The point is, these issues are not addressed in scripture because there is no need to address them.  The qualifications for elder and deacon are clearly set forth (and exclude women) and other prohibitions such as 1 Tim 2:12-14 (shown above) and 1 Tim 2:11  Let a woman quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness and 1 Cor 14:34-35  Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but let them subject themselves, just as the Law also says.  And if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.  speak directly to women’s role in the church.

 

You have to go to great lengths to suppress the clear teaching of scripture.  This is not only one verse in only one new testament book but multiple verses addressing all facets of the issue in multiple books.

 

This interpretation provides a consistent view of the role of husbands and wives both in the family and the church and in no way violates the mandates in scripture in terms of implementation of authority.  I have heard and read the convoluted attempts to discount the relevant scripture on this issue but I am unconvinced.

 

 

Just as a footnote – all of these issues are resolvable by understanding the fundamentals involved.  What did God have in mind when creating males and females?  Why did He create Adam first when he knew both male and female were needed for procreation?  What was the nature of the fall and the curse?  Is there an explicit order in creation, who has authority, is there headship, is hupotasso (get in order under) real?

 

Is there some new revelation, some new translation that sheds more light on these issues.  We’ve had the Word for almost 2,000 years.  At least for the last 500 years Christians have had in their hands, very good copies in their own language and have studied the scriptures in depth but only within the last 40 years have we seen this dramatic attempt to change the church.  It’s hard to believe that these pressures are coming from society rather than from the Word.