Does the Bible Permit a Woman to Preach?

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Dr. John MacArthur:

C. H. Spurgeon:

I share the apostle Paul’s feelings when he bade women be silent in the assembly. Yet there is work for holy women, and we read of Peter’s wife’s mother that she arose and ministered to Christ. She did what she could and what she should. She arose and ministered to Him.Blessed are they who do what they should do. It is better to be a good housewife, or nurse, or domestic servant, than to be a powerless preacher or a graceless talker. She did not arise and prepare a lecture, nor preach a sermon, but she arose and prepared a supper, and that was what she was fitted to do. Was she not a housewife? As a housewife let her serve the Lord. We greatly err when we dream that only a preacher can minister to the Lord—for Jesus has work of all sorts for all sorts of followers. Paul speaks of women who helped him much, and, assuredly, as there is no idle angel there ought to be no idle Christian. We are not saved for our own sakes, but that we may be of service to the Lord and to his people; let us not miss our calling.

In like manner, you Christian people who cannot talk,—the women especially,—I mean that you cannot preach, you are not allowed to preach,—I want you to shine. Some people seem to think that there is no shining without talking, whereas the very best shining is that of Christian women, who, if they have little to say, have a great deal to do. They make the house so bright with heavenly grace, and decorate it so sweetly with the flowers of their cheerful piety, that those round about them are won to Christ by them. Therefore, shine, dear brothers and sisters, by your gracious godliness, for so you will bring glory to God.

(MTP volume 31/45, sermons 1836/2617)

Beware of Speculation

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Beware of speculation. The Bible speaks with absolute authority about our past, our present and our future, but these precious truths are often hijacked by the speculators who will try to tell you that most of the things you read in your daily newspaper are fulfillments of Bible prophecy. Reading the newspaper with a Bible in hand is NOT the way to read either your newspaper or the Bible. Here’s what the Bible says about Donald Trump, Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden, Brexit, the Paris climate agreement, China’s current economy, visa cards, the 2020 U.S. election, the pull out of U.S. troops from this nation or that – are you ready? It is the same as what is said about Obama, Bush, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Saddam Hussein, Mikhail Gorbachev, Henry Kissinger and sheep farmers in the Australian outback.

It says, ‘NOTHING AT ALL!’

Now, telling you that is not exciting. It certainly does not sell books or DVD’s and will not draw a crowd. Telling you that actually seems downright dull in comparison to the speculators’ latest innovations. But telling you that may just keep you sane in this world.

The truth is that every biblical prophecy will come to pass. In contrast, the speculators are batting 0 for 1000 when it comes to their sham, half-baked predictions based on nothing but thin air and out of context Bible verses.

The faithful pastor will proclaim the truth of God’s word and will avoid speculation. He serves healthy sheep food not a hybrid steroid mix.

Speculators, on the other hand, make their entire living trade from just such invention, creativity and novelty. When nothing of what they say comes to pass in the time scale they said it would, they are simply silent and move on to the next verse they have discovered, yanked from its context.

Listening to the speculators will make you a fearful person – afraid to shop at the grocery store, too anxious to go outside and always feeling like the end is just around the corner. This fear paralyzes you so that you make no long term plans for yourself or your family – which itself is not what scripture commands. Instead of leaving you afraid, the Bible, rightly understood, informs us that God is in charge, history is His-story and provides courage and comfort, no matter what happens in this world.

Always ask yourself, ‘without the speculator’s secret knowledge and special insight would I read the Bible passage he is quoting in its context and come up with the same interpretation as this man?’ I think you already know the answer to that, don’t you?

Let me echo Bishop J. C. Ryle’s sound advice, given many decades ago when he said, “What is the best safeguard against false doctrine?’ – I answer in one word, The Bible: the Bible regularly read, regularly prayed over and regularly studied.”

Amen!