tion of Christian belief from established Jewish belief. The women were authorita- tive informants to the apostles. The gifts of ministry have a threefold origin in the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit is the gift of the Father (Luke 11:13; John 14:26). Christ promised that if He went away, He would send the Comforter (John 16:7), and Peter explained the events of the Day of Pentecost as taking place through the intercession of the exalted Jesus (Acts 2:33). The ministries in the body of Christ are redemptive minis- tries which the Holy Spirit distributes by His divine will (1 Corinthians 12:1-11, esp. v. 11).
These observations are in perfect har- mony with the nature of the promise of the Holy Spirit in Joel 2:28-32. This prom- ise is revolutionary in declaring the Spirit of the Lord will be poured out on “all flesh,” removing racial and ethnic barriers. Gender barriers are removed because the gift of the Spirit will empower men and women to prophesy. The social protocol of the older over the younger is ignored, and both old and young will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and fulfill the minis- tries that He provides. Note the deliberate and specific nature of the promise. As to gender, “Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy” (v. 28), and “on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit” (v. 29 NASB). As to age, “your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (v. 28). These are pro- phetic functions.
Even in days of promise in the Old Testament, these barriers were broken down. The prophet role was shared by court prophets such as Nathan and Isaiah, but Amos from “the herdmen of Tekoa” was also a prophet (1:1; also see 7:14-15). In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit anointed such unlettered men as Peter and John, and they withstood the learned rabbis of the Sanhedrin.
The New Testament writers had no problem with designating women as prophets. Anna is called a prophetess (Luke 2:36). Philip had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9). Paul gave instructions concerning the appearance
and behavior of both men women who prophesied to the church (1 Corinthians 11:1-16). Clearly, he does not limit the ministry of women to women. By the very nature of the case, regula- tion of an activity does not prohibit that activity; instead, regulation legitimizes the activity by establishing the terms under which it may be conducted. So Paul’s regulation of silence in 1 Corinthi- ans 14:34-35 is not absolute, for in chap- ter 11 he has already given instructions to regulate the speech of women in the church; so he does allow them to speak. Incidentally, one never hears it argued that these regulations prohibited men
“The church does not ordain; the Holy Spirit does. The responsive action of the church is worshipful (the laying on of hands) and corporate (not individualistic). Ordination is the Holy Spirit’s role, and responsive affirmation is the church’s role.”
from prophesying. Why should it be any different for the exercise of the prophetic ministry for women?
Some will answer this reasoning by saying that the issue before the Church of God is not whether women can proph- esy, but whether they can participate in the governmental and supervisory func- tions of the church, such as local church and pastor’s councils, state councils, the General Council, and the offices repre- sented by these bodies. The point is that to forbid prophets (or prophetesses) the fulfillment of the whole function of their ministry is to truncate their ministry and to ignore the descriptions of their office in Scripture.
Prophets minister in the church for edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3), but this is not all they do. They make judgments (v. 24) and they reveal the secrets of the heart (v. 25). Among the prophets they make discerning judgment concerning prophet- ic messages (v. 29). It is expected that the
church will learn and be comforted from their ministry (v. 31).
The Role of Bishop
The order for the distribution of min- istries is given in 1 Corinthians 12:28: “God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” Paul is not discussing supe- riority of ministries. His analogy with the body of Christ assumes the necessity of all members of the body for good health and function (vv. 15-19). There is mutual dependence of all members of the body; there is order in distribution and func- tion. The prophetic ministry is second in order of distribution, following the ministry of apostles. It is no accident that prophets are second after the apostles. It is also no accident that “governments” is far down in the order of ministries. The question is, if women can minister as prophets, second only to apostles, why can they not minister in the governmen- tal role of bishops? The Greek word for bishop is that of an overseer, superintendent, shepherd, pastor, and teacher over the flock of God. These definitions are not simply drawn from the etymology of the word overseer but from all the applications that are made for this role in Acts 20:17-35; 1 Timothy 3:1-11; and Titus 1:5-14. This interpretation is harmonious with the order given in Ephesians 4:11-12: “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” So, should the church ordain women as bishops? If the Holy Spirit has already ordained them, can the church do less in worshipful response to what the Holy Spirit has already done?
R. Hollis Gause is professor of New Testament and theology at the Pentecostal Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Ten- nessee.
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