Paul worked with the women in the gospel more than any of the apostles; Priscilla and Phebe traveled with Paul preaching and building up the churches. (Acts 18.2-18-26; Romans 16.)
He and Phebe had been holding revivals together; now she is called to the city of Rome; Paul cannot go with her, but he is very careful of her reputation, and that she is treated with respect; he writes a letter of recommendation: “I commend unto you Phebe, our sister, which is a servant of the church (which signifies a minister of the church) at Cenchrea, that ye receive her in the Lord as becometh saints and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you, for she has been a succourer of many and of myself also.” (Rom. 16.1.)
This Shows that she had authority to do business in the churches and that she had been successful in winning souls to Christ. He is not ashamed to say she had encouraged him; he Speaks in the highest praise of a number of sisters who had “been faithful workers in the work of the Lord, who had risked their lives in the effort to save souls, and not he alone, but all the churches of the Gentiles sent their thanks.
Paul said, “Let your women keep silent in the churches.”[1] So saith the law. We are not under law but under grace. “And learn of their husbands at home.’ What will those do who have no husbands? Do you suppose they will remain in ignorance and be lost? And if some women had to depend on their husbands for knowledge they would die in ignorance.
Paul referred to contentions in the churches. Paul says you had better not marry. How many agree with Paul? How many obey? He is referring to contentions in the churches, that it is a shame.to bring up questions and have jangling in the house of God. He writes to the brethren, “I hear that there be divisions among you, and I partly believe it.” (I. Cor. 11.18.)
“Help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers whose names are in the book of life.” (Phil. 4.3.) There were also several women who were prophetesses. (Luke 2.36; II. Kings 22.13-15.) Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, dwelt in Jerusalem, in the college, and they communed with her, and she said unto them, “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel.”
- ↑ *Pastor A. A. Boddy, of Sunderland, England, has in these days heard women in Palestine asking questions at a service; Paul also refers to this kind of disturbance. (Elder A. E. Sidford, Ed.)
