Men, Women and Elders

This post has been rolling around in my head for weeks but I haven’t had the time or taken the time to put it into words. It seems that God has blessed me with some time as I severely wrecked my ankle playing basketball Sunday. So many shades of purple and so much swelling that I am trying to stay off of it as much as possible. Thankfully I don’t have to stand to type.

Why today does the discussion of men and women always center on who is the boss? How did that happen? I think I understand why and yet it would seem that the church should be better equipped to have this discussion. Maybe this is just wishful thinking.

Doesn’t Genesis 3:15 reveal that with the fall of humanity conflict between man and woman entered creation? Because of sin we will be at each others throats unless we allow the Spirit to lead? This conflict will exist until Christ returns. Isn’t this a good warning to heed? Shouldn’t we see this when the discussion centers on power?

What does Jesus say about being in charge?

“Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” Matthew 20:25-28

I don’t understand why we wrestle for authority when Jesus seems pretty clear that in His Kingdom leadership means you die first.

Much today has been made about equality and I agree that all are equal, but why has equality taken on the definition of the same meaning no roles?

Let me just ask a question that may show my confusion. I think we would agree that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equal. They are all God therefore the same, and yet does that really mean that there are not distinct roles in the Godhead?

Imagine if I told you than that the Spirit could have died on the cross for you or the Father could have taken those nails. What if I told you that Jesus could have promised that the Father would come and live in you or He would come instead of saying the Spirit would be sent to those who believe? What would you think of my theology? They are equal and one and yet they have distinct roles that only one could carry out.

Should we have a problem with that? Should we argue that equality means any one could have been born of a virgin? Why do we not hear the implications of our arguments?

Why is it no longer okay to say we are equal and the same and yet we have different roles that only one can carry out? I think that the big problem is this conversation has centered on power. It is my firm belief that it should be centered not on power but protection.

Men are not better at making decisions, teaching or anything else. They are not better with power. We were made to protect and defend. That is the role that we have received and seemed pretty obvious for centuries until we became so advanced that we didn’t think we needed protection.

The entire Bible’s discussion about men and women is centered on protection and defense. What is Paul really teaching in Ephesians 5:22-33? Is he teaching about the boss, who has the power, or is he teaching on who has the responsibility to defend and protect?

The text says that man is the source of the protection. Paul links man to Jesus and says that as Christ died for the church so should a man die for his wife. The context of the discussion is protection. No where in the text does Paul say that a woman should die for her husband as Christ died for the church.

Help me understand why this is bad and sinister and wrong? The idea of submission is in the context of protection. Allow your husband to defend you and your family.

This concept expands to the church in general. Why are men called to be elders? Is it because they are smarter or better at making decisions or because we are called to defend? Is it because God intended is to have the power? No, we are called to defend the church, protect the body from Satan and the world.

What makes me sad is the fact that the church is supposed to be a defensive group of people. We are called to protect the widow and the orphan, those who are defenseless. Men have been called but we ignore the warnings from Genesis at the strife that comes with sin and instead of taking up the challenge to defend we fight about who is the boss.

May men take their true role seriously and may both realize it has nothing to do with power.