women ordination

1.      What is ordination-

A.    to be appointed for a special function

2.      Can a place/person be ordained?

a.      Yes, consecrated for special use

3.      Who is qualified to perform an ordination?

Usually  a man who has ordered his house. Should a woman run a house? Even if the man in her life does a sloppy job?

4.      How is ordination performed?

a.      prayer

5.      Where did it come from

a.      God chose prophets kings peoples for special purposes

b.      Christ ordained 12-Christ appoints 12- PERFORM A WEDDING, ORGANIZE A CHURCH, OR CONDUCT A BAPTISM

6.      Who was first ordained, and for what purpose

1 chronicles 9:20-22   And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, [and] the LORD [was] with him. 

  9:21   [And] Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah [was] porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

  9:22   All these [which were] chosen to be porters in the gates [were] two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office.

7.      Who should be ordained and for what purpose

a.      Men and women for special service to God

8.      Can ordination be removed

9.      Why is it necessary

a.      Responsibility and development of the church

10.  What are the qualifications for ordination

Before ordination, ministers should give evidence that they have dedicated themselves to the work.--There must be evidence on the part of those who take the solemn position of shepherds, that they have without reservation, dedicated themselves to the work. They must take Christ as their personal Saviour. . . . Hands are laid upon men to ordain them for the ministry before they are thoroughly examined as to their qualifications for the sacred work; but how much better would it be to make thorough work before accepting them as ministers, than to have to go through this rigid examination after they have become established in their position, and have put their mould upon the work.--TM 171, 172. {PaM 42.2}

Recommended reading

Selection of Leaders -5t-(testimonies of the church volume 5)-chapter 76-church duties-page 617

The question of women ordination

1-      (i)         Who are women?

a.       Man’s equal; she was created that way. Had she not been thus she could not have made an equal contribution to the plan of salvation. (seed of the woman-gen 3:15)

b.    Different roles do not in and of themselves mean lower spiritual status, just different status. Is a mother less important than a father?

c.    It has been widely assumed that one of the main reasons for excluding women was a concern that their traditional roles as the primary caregivers for children would inevitably conflict with their nearly unlimited duties as priests.

1.    (ii)        Function of a woman

1.    (iii)       Function of a wife

a.    To make her husband look good. (prov 12:4, 31:10-31)

b.    Her identity was to be lost in the her husband, because of sin.

^gen3:16Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee

Thy desire shall be thy husband. The Hebrew word shuq, “desire,” means “to run after, to have a violent craving for a thing,” indicating the strongest possible desire for it. Though oppressed by man and tortured by the pains of childbirth, the woman would still feel an intense desire for her husband. Commentators have been divided in their opinion as to whether this is part of the punishment. It seems reasonable to conclude that this “desire” was given to alleviate the sorrows of womanhood and to bind the hearts of husband and wife ever more closely together.[1]

He shall rule over thee. The woman had broken her divinely appointed relationship with the man. Instead of being a help “meet” for him she had become his seducer. Therefore her status of equality with man was forfeited; he was to “rule over” her as lord and master. A wife is described in Scripture as being “possessed” by her lord. Among most non-Christian peoples woman has been subjected throughout the ages to degradation and virtual slavery. Among the Hebrews, however, the condition of woman was one of distinct subordination though not of oppression or slavery. Christianity has placed woman on the same platform as man as regards the blessings of the gospel (Gal. 3:28). Although the husband is to be head of the household, Christian principles will lead a man and his wife into an experience of real partnership, where each is so devoted to the happiness and well-being of the other that it never occurs to either to attempt to “rule” over the other (see Col. 3:18, 19).[2]

[1]Nichol, Francis D., The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association) 1978.

2.    The problem is not ordination/service, but name/title

a.       Scripture clearly tells us that the father has a role, and so too does the mother. Can I declare a woman to have fathered a child, or that she is a husband? Similarly a woman should not be declared an Elder/Bishop or a Deacon, but there should be the female equivalent – as co laborers in the plan of salvation.

b.      Now there are some names that are universal and can be used for both sexes. Take for example judge. Both female and male are referred to as Judges, nowadays “justices”.

3.      Female judge

The only female judge mentioned in the Bible, Deborah led a successful counterattack against the forces of Jabin king of Canaan and his military commander Sisera, the narrative is recounted in chapter 4.

4.     What was the function of a Judge

To give judgment. Discern truth from error. Right and wrong and to give a ruling

5.     Was Deborah’s husband alive, while she  was a  judge?

a.     Yes he was

Conclusion-Findings

There is nothing wrong with the ordination of women, however there are certain titles which a woman should not take upon herself, simply because they were not ordained of God for her to perform.

Restricted functions

It is easier to talk about what the woman could not do, since she was still authorized by God to do so many functions.

1.      She was not to wear men’s clothing

2.      She was not to rule over her husband

3.      She was not to operate as priest-officiating on behalf of a people

4.      She was not to assume the title Elder

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[2]Nichol, Francis D., The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association) 1978.