From the creation of Eve, women have held a position alongside men in God’s plan for his people. Sometimes this position was seen by the Biblical writers in a positive light as they provide assistance for the men. Other times the position was not as favourable as they are presented as grumbling, needing correction or even being punished. Many of the women mentioned in the stories of Israel’s history are described by the roles they undertake whether as prophetess, mother, helper, worship leader, teacher or active follower. This chapter will consider these roles under four main sections: the role of women in relation to their companionship with men, the unique role of motherhood and the sub-roles it includes, being an instrument of God, and exercising roles in the church. For each of these sections consideration will be given to how Deborah exemplifies these roles.
The first roles for women identified in the Bible involve companionship with men. Eve was created to be a helper and to become joined to Adam as his wife.[1] This sets a pattern for companionship that is then replicated throughout the Bible. Amongst the stories of the foundation of Israel are the description of how God provides Rebekah as a wife for Isaac (Gen 24) and also the effort required by Jacob to obtain Leah and Rachel as his wives (Gen 29:15-30). By the time of Moses, there were still stipulations against having such close relations between wives.[2] However, the presence of more than one wife per husband was still not usual during those days. When the time comes for Israel to have a king one of the stipulations is that the king ‘must not take many wives’ (Deut 17:17). This verse highlights an important aspect of the role of a wife. The wife should remain a helper to her husband and not become a distraction that leads him from his role.
By the New Testament times, women were still carrying out these companionship roles. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was promised to become the wife of Joseph. The importance of this role is emphasised by the dream Joseph has that ensures him of her purity.[3] Jesus himself states again the importance of the marriage relationship in Matthew 19 when quoting from Genesis 2 by continuing, ‘what God has joined together, let man not separate’.[4] The apostles’ letters contain instruction for ensuring that both husbands and wives treat one another appropriately.[5] The companionship and complementary nature of men and women remains an important aspect of the marriage relationship. Jesus revealed the importance of communion within the Godhead by spending time in prayer and being submissive to the Father’s will.[6] As men and women were ‘made in the image of God’, it is not surprising that a desire for communion is also found within them also and finds its earthly fulfilment in marriage as the two become one.[7]
Deborah fulfils this role by being the ‘wife of Lappidoth’.[8] While we know little of what this entailed for Deborah and no other mention is made of Lappidoth in the Bible, it is clear that Deborah’s other roles worked alongside her role of wife. Part of Deborah’s identity is found in being Lappidoth’s wife as she is introduced to the narrative in this way. Similarly, the prophetess Huldah is identified as the wife of Shallum but this does not stop Huldah from prophesying.[9] As wife of Lappidoth, Deborah has not turned her back on the cultural structure of the day or the creation role God has given women. While Lappidoth takes no further part in the narrative, the lack of evidence to the contrary suggests that Lappidoth was probably supportive of his wife’s position in God’s plans and did not begrudge his wife fulfilling roles other than keeping house for him. Such support and understanding of one another is fundamental to the true companionship of husband and wife.
Connected to the role of wife is the role of mother. From Genesis, husband and wife are to ‘be fruitful and increase in number’, such that motherhood is a direct response to a command from God. Due to the way God created men and women, aspects of being ‘fruitful’ are specific to the husband and the wife. Motherhood provides a unique role for women as they carry their unborn offspring during the stages of pregnancy and then nurse their child through its early years. The role involves care, both physically and emotionally, for the child. While the father can also be involved in the care of the child, the major responsibility of early nurture and nourishment falls on the mother. Clearly, God has designed the female body for this purpose. As the child grows, the ability to train and instruct the child is also important as they learn from their mother how to live in the world. The mother’s role continues as she guides and supports the growing child through all the circumstances of life. The mother may also experience maternal grief when there is the loss of a child, whether in childbirth or later in life. This is exemplified in Mary’s experience when as a mother she witnesses the crucifixion of Jesus.[10] While the paternal line is more often quoted in the Biblical genealogies, five mothers are mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew’s Gospel identifying the importance of Jesus’ birth for men and women, whether Jew or Gentile.[11] The significance of a mother’s role can also be seen in the descriptive language where God, usually referred to as ‘Father’, broods over His people like a hen over her chicks.[12] A mother’s concern then has its foundation in the concern God expresses for His people.
In Judges 5:7, Deborah is described as taking on a motherly role over Israel. In the same way a mother cares for her offspring, so Deborah cares for Israel and aims to protect Israel. The Bible makes no statement of whether Deborah had any physical descendants but her obvious concern for the nation of Israel is evidence that she possessed the traits of motherhood. Often barren women were considered as being rejected by God so Deborah’s position as a judge, and Barak’s willingness to associate with her, probably indicates that Deborah was not childless but such hypotheses are speculation at best. Rather what is significant about the role of mother in the description of Deborah is that Deborah takes on this role for the nation of Israel as she works alongside the ‘Father of Israel’, God himself. Deborah willingly goes to battle with Barak to ensure that Israel is protected.[13]
This brings us to the third section, the woman as an instrument of God. As God’s instrument, women are required to take on whatever task God calls them to do. For some this may mean prophesying, leading worship, hiding spies or even viewing an empty tomb. For example, Huldah prophesied in the time of the kings (2 Kings 22:14), Miriam took the women with her as she worshiped God with tambourines (Exodus 15:20-21), Rahab hid the Israelite spies protecting them from her own people (Joshua 2:4), and the first people to see the empty tomb were Mary, Joanna, Mary and the other women as they took spices to prepare Jesus’ body for burial (Luke 23:55-24:10). In most cases, the importance of the task that God required was not fully understood until it was recorded by later generations. The women were not told that their deeds would be significant in the history of salvation. They merely heard God’s call and carried out the task.
Deborah was a ‘prophetess’.[14] This means she brought a message from God to the people. As a prophetess, she had to make a choice whether to ignore the message from God or faithfully deliver it. Deborah chose to be a faithful instrument for God. She passed on the message she was given and encouraged Barak to follow God’s instructions. [15] She then courageously went to war with Barak to ensure that God’s message was obeyed.[16] Deborah accepted that Barak needed support to carry out his task and understood that obedience to God was more important than gaining glory for herself through self-justification.
As an instrument of God, Deborah also carried out another role. Deborah was also a worship leader. After victory in the battle, Deborah joined with Barak in a song of worship to God.[17] This song served as a reminder to Israel of the power of God and their need to be thankful to him for their salvation. Rather than taking the glory themselves, they recognised and pointed out the work of God in bringing the Canaanites to judgement.[18] In both worship and prophesy Deborah was willing to be an instrument of God and carry out the tasks he had given her.
Fourthly, we need to look at the Bible’s teaching on what roles women should exercise in the church. We know that as part of humanity and being made in the image of God, women have a place alongside men in the people of God. As such, women are a necessary part of the church and its practices. In the Old Testament, women were expected to bring their sacrificial offerings to the priests in the same way as men.[19] They were to keep God’s laws and try to follow God with their whole being.[20] In many ways, the place of women in the congregation was similar to the men around them. Of the twelve tribes of Israel only the Levities were given special duties regarding the tabernacle, the rest of the tribes were expected to carry out other work as they settled the land.[21]
God bestowed priesthood on an even more intimate group of Levities. From the outset these priests were male and would continue so. ‘Aaron and his sons’ were chosen to offer the sacrifices.[22] When Aaron was no longer carrying out these duties, they would ‘be for his sons after him’.[23] While priests were allowed to marry and have a family, there is no indication that the wife, or daughters if they had any, would offer the sacrifices also.[24] The presiding line was always with the males. Later, in response to their exile, the people chose for themselves priests and continued to offer sacrifices in their own way.[25] The priests were responsible for ensuring the correct instruction of the law. They were ‘to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them by Moses’.[26]
Alongside the role of priest in the Old Testament was the prophet, or communicator with God. The prophets of the Old Testament had the authoritative word of God. Women were able to fulfil this role in the congregation. At the initiation of the priests, Moses was the main channel through which God communicated with his people. During this time Miriam was acknowledged as a prophetess.[27] However, Miriam’s role as prophetess was not to be in tension with Moses but rather as a further supportive channel for Moses as he led the people. When Miriam along, with Aaron, attempted to increase her status amongst the people, she is rebuked by God and suffers punishment.[28] From Miriam, we can learn the significance of humility before God and be warned against the presumption of how he distributes his favour. As the Old Testament continues, women continue to prophesy. We have already seen that this was one of the roles Deborah fulfilled. Schreiner emphasises that there was a difference between the prophetic ministry of men and the prophetic ministry of women.[29] Women, like Deborah and Huldah, exercised a more private prophetic ministry requiring people to seek them out or be summoned by them, rather than openly speaking in a public forum. Schreiner stresses that this shows their allegiance to male leadership rather than their opposition to it.[30]
Two particular tasks of the Levities that seem to have some crossover into roles that women undertake are leading worship and making judgements. We have already seen that Deborah undertakes both of these activities. Initially, however, the task of settling disputes was assigned to the priests and then broadened to the Levities when the tabernacle no longer needed moving.[31] Their knowledge of the law was supposed to enable them to undertake the task of judge. Moses had taken up the role of a judge in his leadership of the people of Israel and had appointed trustworthy chiefs to settle smaller disputes.[32] Prior to Deborah, all the records show the judges were men. Given that judges were supposed to be ‘men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe’, it is quite possible that Deborah was presiding as judge because no suitable male was found in the area.[33] This is the reason why many scholars claim that Deborah is meant to be a warning to men to stand up and do their duty rather than an encouragement to women to take up leadership. Similarly, in terms of the whole congregation, worship leading is never assigned particularly to a woman. When Miriam sings in Exodus 15 she is leading only the women. When Deborah sings it is alongside Barak so leadership is not attributed solely to Deborah. In addition, when musical worship is instituted, men of the Levities were set apart as worship leaders by King David.[34] King Hezekiah reinforced this act of appointing Levitical worship leaders many years later.[35]
Just as women were included in the Old Testament structure of the people of God, so in the New Testament women are part of the new covenant in Christ. In Galatians 3:28, Paul states that both men and women are saved by Jesus. Men and women are heirs of the new creation and members of God’s people. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul compares the church to a human body with each part necessary for the body to operate. For this reason, it is important that women also find their role in the church. In the New Testament, women are given explicit instructions about what they can and cannot do in communal worship. Paul explains that the reason behind these instructions is that God prefers order to chaos.[36] Each person within the church is given spiritual gifts.[37] So each person within the church needs to ensure they are using their gifts properly. When Paul speaks of spiritual gifts, he states they are for the ‘common good’.[38] As such gifts should be used to build up and edify the church.[39]
Paul also explains some of the limitations on the roles available to women. The new roles of elders and deacons in the church correlate to the roles of priests and the Levitical tasks in the Old Testament. Therefore, men are given the responsibility for leading the church. In 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, Paul spells out the qualifications required for elders and deacons with the clear expectation that such positions would be filled by men. Just as the priest was responsible for teaching the law to the people, so the elder is responsible for teaching God’s message of the Gospel to the church. One of the specific requirements of an elder is that they are ‘able to teach’.[40] In contrast, although women may be endowed with the gift of teaching, they are restricted to teaching other women and are to do so in a more private setting than the church forum.[41] This restriction is not a limitation on their gift of prophecy if they have been endowed with such. Rather, as Carson states, they ‘may participate in such prophesying… [but] they may not participate in the oral weighing of such prophecies.’[42]
While there are some limitations in place in the New Testament, women can participate in the church. For example it seems clear that women are allowed to pray in the public assembly. In 1 Corinthians 11:4, when Paul makes reference to the practice of women praying in church, he does not forbid it. Instead, he seeks only to correct the manner in which it is done. We have already considered the fact that women are allowed to prophesy and it is reasonable to expect that women probably also spoke in tongues, since whole crowds experienced the gift.[43] There is no specific instruction about whether women can interpret tongues. However, it is clear that the gift of speaking in tongues should only be exercised when interpretation is available and this is a restriction on both men and women.[44] So it is possible that women in the early church not only spoke in tongues but also interpreted. From the personal greetings of Paul’s letters it is clear that women were often significant workers in the church.[45] Their gifts of hospitality were also important for the travelling missionaries and for providing a location for the church to meet.[46]
In his teaching about maintaining order and peace in church meetings, Paul reminds his audience that women are expected to learn and be active participants in the church. However, women are instructed to carry out these tasks with due humility and submission to God.[47] As spiritual gifts are used for the improvement of the church, it is important to remember that this includes both men and women. It would not be consistent with Paul’s teaching for a woman with spiritual gifts to start a new church of women only. The church is made up of both male and female believers. So a woman should look at how best she can use the gifts she has been given for the good of the whole church. In addition, receipt of a particular spiritual gift does not necessarily imply a right to a leadership role. A church member with gifts of leadership might consider whether they have been given other gifts that could be more beneficial for the church at the present time. This particular scenario is not restricted to women in the church. Paul himself states that he would rather be able to love the church than prophesy, preach or speak in tongues.[48] Too often human beings are preoccupied with what they cannot do and fail to do properly the things they are allowed to do.
Although the Old Testament sacrificial system was fulfilled and replaced by the death of Jesus, communal worship of God and growth as his people continued in the New Testament. In many ways the New Testament instructions for church roles were continuations of the Old Testament, as priests and prophets continued to instruct the church but there were important changes. The priest was no longer an intercessory for the people as the people had direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. Yet, the priest was still responsible for ensuring appropriate teaching and behaviour in the church. The new instructions also provided a helpful clarification of how a church of both Jew and Gentile should respond to God.
[1] Genesis 2:20, 24
[2] Leviticus 18:18
[3] Matthew 1:18-25
[4] Matthew 19:6
[5] Ephesians 5; 1 Peter 3
[6] Mark 1:35, 14:35-36
[7] Genesis 1:27, 2:24
[8] Judges 4:4
[9] 2 Kings 22:14-20
[10] John 19:25
[11] Matthew 1:3, 5, 6 and 16.
[12] Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34
[13] Judges 4:10
[14] Judges 4:4
[15] Judges 4:6
[16] Judges 4:8-10
[17] Judges 5
[18] Judges 5:4-5, 20-21, 31.
[19] Leviticus 4:27 ‘If any one of the common people sins…’
[20] Note the use of ‘all the congregation’ in Leviticus 19:2.
[21] Number 1:47-53
[22] Exodus 28:1
[23] Exodus 29:29
[24] Leviticus 21
[25] 2 Kings 17:32
[26] Leviticus 10:11
[27] Exodus 15:20
[28] Numbers 12
[29] Schreiner, T.R., ‘The Valuable Ministries of Women in the Context of Male Leadership’. Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood (J. Piper & W. Grudem [Eds.], Wheaton: Crossway, 1991) 216
[31] Deuteronomy 21:5 and 1 Chronicles 23:4
[32] Exodus 18:24-26
[33] Exodus 18:21
[34] 1 Chronicles 6:31
[35] 2 Chronicles 29:26
[36] 1 Corinthians 14:33
[37] 1 Corinthians 12:11
[38] 1 Corinthians 12:7
[39] 1 Corinthians 14:12
[40] 1 Timothy 3:2
[41] Titus 2:3, 1 Timothy 2:12, 1 Corinthians 14:34. Duncan, J.L. & S. Hunt, Women’s Ministry in the Local Church (Illinois: Crossway, 2006) 127
[42] Carson, D.A., ‘ “Silent in the Churches”: On the Role of Women in 1 Corinthians 14:33b-36’. Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood (J. Piper & W. Grudem [Eds.], Wheaton: Crossway, 1991) 151
[43] Acts 10:44-46
[44] 1 Corinthians 14:28
[45] Romans 16 esp vv 3, 6, 12, 15.
[46] Acts 16:14-15, 40.
[47] 1 Timothy 2:11. Duncan & Hunt, Women’s Ministry in the Local Church, 72
[48] 1 Corinthians 12:31-14:1
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