Often in the new testament, such as in Paul’s letters, the masculine form is used as the generic form, even when we understand that the authors were speaking about both men and women.
For example, take this passage in Romans 7:4:
“Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. “
(Romans 7:4, ESV)
The Greek text has “my brothers,” but since Paul was speaking about all believers, we infer that this includes the women also (see NIV translation). Paul could have said “my brothers and sisters,” as this was available to him in Greek, but he usually didn’t. That seems to be how people said things back then. Just as we now may say, “Hey guys!” as a gender-neutral greeting.
That makes this one passage I wish to discuss so interesting.
What agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them. I will be their God and they will be my people.” Therefore
“‘Come out from among them,
and be separate,’ says the Lord.
‘Touch no unclean thing.
I will receive you.
I will be to you a Father.
You will be to me sons and daughters,’
says the Lord Almighty.”
(2 Corinthians 6:16-18, NIV)
In this passage, claiming that we are God’s sons and daughters, Paul quotes from 2 Samuel[1 where we find the story of David speaking with the prophet Nathan about his desire to build a temple for the Lord almighty. God spoke to Nathan and said about David’s offspring:
“When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.”
(2 Samuel 7:12-15, NIV)
It seems God was speaking about Salomon, who became King of Israel and built the Lord’s temple. However, it also appears to be a prophecy concerning Jesus and his Kingdom. I believe this is how Paul interpreted this passage[2].
Not only does it refer to Jesus, but because we are in Christ also, Paul permitted himself to reapply this passage to the community of believers, saying: “you will be my sons and daughters.” Now notice what Paul did when he cited this passage in his letter to the Romans. In 2 Samuel, In Hebrew, “son” is singular and masculine. While in the koine Greek, Paul used the plural masculine and feminine, “sons and daughters.”[3] What a profoundly egalitarian proclamation!
Paul ensured there was no ambiguity here; women are also God’s children, adopted in Christ and heirs to the promise (Rom 8:14-17). With the same logic, those who believe in Jesus Christ are his brothers and sisters (Matthew 12:48-50). Therefore this messianic prophecy applies to all of us through Jesus regardless of our gender. This is our new identity. God makes no distinction here between men and women; he does not treat us differently. There is no lesser status for women.
We are also God’s temple (2 Corinthians 6:16) in that God has chosen to reside in us who believe in Jesus, the son of David, the son of God. God indwells all believers (his temple) with his Spirit, and it is the Spirit that sanctifies and imbeds us with power (Acts 1:8).
In the Torah, one had to bring an offering to be able to enter the sacred space and meet with God at the tent of meeting[4]. With Jesus, this has all completely changed; we are the temple, the sacred space that God now inhabits. We no longer need sacrifices to be in the presence of God; Jesus is the only sacrifice required.
If God can now live in men and women, how can we say that women should not teach men about God? God indwells women as much as men. Therefore women are capable of knowing God just as much as men. The same power that lives in men also lives in women; this power is the Holy Spirit. Why, then, would God not permit women to have any authority if men are around[5]? Does not all authority ultimately belong to God?
It is the Spirit that gifts, leads, and empowers. Theology that limits women in their gifting is not consistent with our new identity in Jesus. In Jesus, God’s Spirit indwells men and women equally. We are his temple. We are his sons and daughters.
[1] This also resembles the passage in Leviticus 26:11-12 that talks about God’s dwelling place, along with the idea of us belonging to God as a people: “I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people” (NIV). However, in 2 Corinthians 6, Paul uses the language of temple, Father, and sons and daughter. The old testament passage that most resembles what Paul is saying is this passage in 2 Samuel.
[2] While I am unable to accept that Jesus could have done any wrong, we know that Jesus took our iniquities upon himself and was beaten and flogged.
[3] I owe this insight to Dr. Matt Halsted, as heard on Dr. Heiser’s podcast The Naked Bible, Ep. 411: Paul’s Use of the Old Testament Series: Introduction
[4] See Leviticus 1, which talks about bringing an offering to meet with God at the tent of meeting
[5] Some interpret 1 Timothy 2:12 to mean that women cannot teach men even sound doctrine if it is in a context were she would be in a position of authority. This is applied very differently by different churches: some do not even allow women to lead small groups, worship, or bible studies, while some only restrict women from preaching from a pulpit or acting as a pastor or elder in a church.
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