The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-19, titled "Bible Questions and Answers."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. Copyright 2000 by John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.

Question

I’ve been involved in a couple of Bible studies where women have ended up sharing throughout the time, so I did some studies on it. I was reading the MacArthur I Corinthians commentary and I came to a sentence that I wanted you to clarify for me. It says, “There are times in informal meetings and Bible studies where it is entirely proper for men and women to share equally in exchanging questions and insights.”

Answer

Well, I think that’s exactly right. If you read in the book of Acts--I mean, I would hate to have a Bible study with my wife and her never say anything. She has so much to bring to the discussion. I think the key New Testament illustration is the illustration of Aquila and Priscilla in the Book of Acts. There was a man named Apollos and Apollos was a great preacher of the Old Testament. But, Apollos was uninformed about Christ. It says in 18:24, he was a “certain Jew named Apollos, born in Alexandria”--eloquent man, mighty in the scriptures--he “came to Ephesus… He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, fervent in spirit; he spoke and taught accurately the things of God, though he knew only the baptism of John.” His whole theology ended with John the Baptist; he didn’t get to the Messiah. He “spoke boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila”--that’s Mr.--“and Priscilla”--that’s Mrs.--“heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”

Here is a husband and wife taking home not just any “yahoo” off the street--this is a great, eloquent, Old Testament theologian and preacher. They sit him down, no doubt over bagels or whatever--no, these are Greeks--they sit him down over whatever Greeks ate…Baklava, is that what it is? And they explained to him the truth. So, I think that’s entirely right and that’s what should happen in a Bible study and it should happen in times of fellowship with men and women. There is no male or female in the body of Christ; we’re only talking about the limitation that’s imposed upon the church in its due course of worship, where women are not to take authority and they are not to preach and teach--that’s explicitly taught in I Timothy 2 and it’s reinforced in I Corinthians, chapter 11. But as far as the Spirit of God working in the hearts of women, and as far as the spirit of God teaching them and instructing them and guiding them in the grasp of Scripture and through the work in their lives, and them making a contribution to Christian fellowship and mutual study of the Word of God, I think that is absolutely essential to the growth of the body of Christ.

Question (continued)

And when would be a church circumstance?

Answer (continued)

Well, I think when the church comes together… You have I Timothy--this is in I Timothy 2--I Timothy is designed (the third chapter gives the purpose of the book: to teach people how they ought to behave in the church)… So when you come into the worship of the church, and it’s leading the church--to take leadership in the church, and preaching and teaching--that’s reserved for men because that’s reserved for the elders and elders are men, clearly by qualification I Timothy 3, Titus, chapter 1. Anything outside that official service of the church is merely a matter of Christian fellowship and sharing in the scriptures. There is no limitation on the participation of women.

Question (continued)

So, if there aren’t elders, then it’s okay?

Answer (continued)

Well, even if there are, it’s okay. I mean, everywhere I go, there’s an elder present, but if I want to have a Bible study, I want women to participate; I want them to share the things that they’re learning, give testimony to the work of Christ in their life, testimony to their understanding of Scripture… I don’t think there’s any restriction on the informal, normal fellowship in the life of the body of Christ.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 119
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
Websites: www.biblebb.com and www.gospelgems.com
Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986