What does the Bible say about Female Pastors and Leaders?
If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you probably have heard the illustration of the Upside Down Kingdom. It is a picture of how the values and goals of the Kingdom of God are nothing like that of the world, often directly contradicting them. Jesus directions that the last will be first and those that seek to lead will be a servant to everyone make sense to you as a Christian, but they radically reject the way the world works. Jesus turns the world on its head, in other words. His pattern for your life is so totally different, in fact, that you must let go of the old rules, motivations, and desires in order to fully embrace God’s. Though Jesus’ ways seem foreign to you, at first, it isn’t long before you realize they are actually the ones that are Right Side Up. It is only when you accept this fundamental reorientation that the things of God will makes sense. This change of perspective is particularly important when you look at some of the challenging issues that confront Christians today. It is hard to see God’s answer to hard questions when your own worldview cannot tell up from down.
The question of whether the Bible allows female pastors and elders is just one of these issues, but it is one of the most controversial. There are a lot of emotions, accusations and hurt feelings in the church world over the debate. It also causes confusion, contention, division, and disagreement among God’s people. The root of all of these are understandable, to some extent, given some of the bad things that women have experienced in the past, in the church and the world as well as the common unbiblical views of pastors and leaders held in some circles. Yet, despite the debate and in spite of the pain, if you look at the entirety of the issue from that totally Kingdom oriented perspective, I believe the Bible’s answer is clear. It may not make sense to the culture, but what about Jesus does?
Are you willing to let go of the world’s standard and look at the question with me according to Jesus’? If so, here are 27 Bible Passages on Women in Leadership that may help you answer this important question.
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The Bible as the Eternal Guide
1 1 Peter 1:
For, “All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you.
2. 2 Timothy 3
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Do you believe these verse above? Do you accept the Word as your unchanging operating manual for life?
Your answers to these questions will likely decide much about your walk with Jesus. If you accept that God inspired the Bible, that it is eternal, and meant to direct your doctrine, then you will not fall for many of the most popular arguments of post-modernism that plague the church. While the world’s framework argues that there is no objective truth and the passage of time automatically negates God’s Word, a biblical one states that His morality and plans for the church are perfect and unchanging. They were never meant to follow the whims of society. The standard for His Church is not only eternally exactly what the Bible says it is, but this is always a wonderful thing. God’s structure and plan for His church is better than man’s.
The only way to answer questions within God’s Kingdom, as a result, is to unflinchingly seek what God says about it, regardless of what the world is doing or what you would prefer the answer to be.
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God Loves Equality
3. Galatians 3:26-28
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
4. Ephesians 2:14-18
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Jesus has been the world’s most influential advocate for freedom and equality for the past 2,000 years. This idea may surprise you since the Bible is often attacked as a tool of oppression. The truth is actually just the opposite and it is the reason that so many of the rulers of His time hated Him. The Roman world was deeply divided between class, sex, religion, and race. The rulers of Rome never questioned their right to keep the 6 million slaves of the Empire and discriminate. Even in Israel, the poor, sick, and disabled were seen as lesser than the “good people” and deserving of their lot in life. Nothing was equal or fair and people simply accepted that as part of life. Jesus’ Upside Down Kingdom changed all of this. Jesus boldly declared that all were created equal by God more than 1,700 years before the U.S. Declaration of Independence was written. His Gospel proclaimed equality among all believers.
In Jesus, there is not only no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, but every believer is elevated to the same status as a member of Jesus’ family.
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This is the foundation of the old saying, “The Ground is level at the foot of the Cross”. The free gifts God gives you makes you equally valuable and loved by Jesus to any other believer, no matter who they are. Importantly, this core doctrine not only makes all believers equally loved on the same “level” with Jesus, it also rejects the ideas there are “special” classes of Christians, including pastors or elders. They don’t ascend to a higher level like a guru of a false religion. They are just believers with a specific role, just like everyone else:
5. 1 Corinthians 1:5-8
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
This means that a call to ministry is not a promotion from God. It is not something you earn that places you in a better position with Him. A call to ministry is not like a companies Vice President being rewarded for hard work with a superior position, a raise, corner office, and parking space. There is no church corporate ladder to climb, or at least there shouldn’t be. It is only one role among many given out by the Lord for the benefit of the church, no better or worse than any other. As a result, someone not being called into ministry has not been mistreated or missed out on a reward that they earned. It is nothing like wrongfully denying a worker a position or raise that they deserve. Since God’s roles are His to give out and none are superior or more valuable than others, there is nothing unfair about not getting the one that you think you are entitled to.
6. 1 Corinthians 12:15-19
If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
This passage is particularly helpful in disarming many of the powerful emotional appeals that go along with this issue. In it, God makes clear that He understands that Christians may object to His plan for them and want a different position. The entire chapter answers the objections of people who feel that one role in the church is more valuable than another and are fighting to get the one they prize. Despite their feelings, God does not waver in His plan or change His mind. Instead, He reassures you that every role is decided by God and every part of the body is loved, appreciated by God, and important to God. His choice for you is just part of His perfect plan for you.
In other words, no one is missing out by not doing what God does not call them to do. This is particularly true when you remember the costs involved in the role:
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7. 2 Corinthians 11:23-29
Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
I wonder if there would be so many arguing over entitlement to any position in the church if they truly accepted Paul’s description of ministry here in 2 Corinthians11. Serving Jesus is all about denying self, not demanding you get what you seek.
God’s Plan for the Church
When you understand that God made all of His people equal before Him in Jesus, that the Bible is His eternal outline for His Kingdom, that the role of pastor, leader, or elder does not make a Christian better than anyone else, and that God specifically choose roles for His people, it makes the next step a whole lot easier. It allows you to read the applicable verses to see what does the Bible say about women leading in church? The answer is actually quite clear.
8. 1 Timothy 2:8-15
I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.
And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.
This entire passage is important on the question, both for what is present in the section and what is not.
What is there?
The Apostle Paul states clearly that he does not allow women to teach or to have authority over a man. Remember, the ground is level at the foot of the Cross so this is not a statement of importance or ranking. Paul is not expressing his inner misogyny or following the pattern of the unfair culture of the day, as a result. It also has nothing to do with God’s love toward women versus men. A woman’s value in ministry, the home, church, or life in general is in no way lesser than men or diminished by this restriction. God in His sovereignty chooses to have men to act as leaders and teachers in the church, consistent with how He has led His people throughout the whole Bible.
What is not there?
There is no indication that this passage should only apply to the Corinthians.
The standard argument against this passage says that Paul is addressing a cultural problem with this letter and the direction is only meant for this time period. It states that women were either being loud in church asking questions or were uneducated and therefore could not lead. Yet, there is absolutely no evidence of any of these in the text or from history. In fact, when you consider the fact that most of the men leading the early church, such a Peter or John, were uneducated fishermen, if education were a real requirement than the church would have been in big trouble.
More importantly, the passage actually specifically rejects the claims about culture being the driving force. Paul clearly states the reason for not allowing women to teach the church or exercise authority over men in verses 13-14:
And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.
For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
Paul links the requirement for male leadership back to the fall of Genesis and goes on to explain the reasoning. This explanation may be challenging to us, culturally, but it clearly and definitively dispels the objection that the restriction was temporary, culturally driven, or localized. You cannot get any more permanent than pointing back to Genesis for the basis of God’s sovereign choice of gifts and roles for each of His people.
9. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35
Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.
Some cross referencing and qualification is required for these verses to understand Paul’s meaning. He may seem to be harsh here and require women not to speak at all during “church”, another common objection, but this does not make sense when you read the rest of the New Testament. The Bible refers to women praying publicly (1 Corinthians 11), women teaching other women and children, and to multiple women hosting early churches in their homes, including Chloe and Lydia. Paul’s most valuable aid who calls his son in the faith, Timothy, learns the Gospel from his mother and grandmother, despite having an unbelieving father. All of these wonderful women could not speak the words of life and not speak in their homes at the same time. As a result, Paul’s directions here supports those of 1 Timothy 2, dealing with teaching and leading men rather than speaking at all.
10. 1 Timothy 3:1-7
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
More ink has been spilled on this passage that can be imagined as people argue over the exact meaning of “the husband of one wife”. However, all of this discussion is only necessary if you negate the meaning of the other passages on this issue which then causes the need to alter its clear meaning. In that case, you would need to change it to adapt to something it simply does not say. Reading it on its own, however, allows it to make sense and follow along with Paul’s other passages. As a result, it makes sense that passage reads as it does, saying, a bishop, the word from which we get elder, must be a man with only one wife. It then further follows that the grammar of th erest of the passage is in the masculine as it deals with the qualities of that same man.
God’s Plan for the Home
11. 1 Timothy 5:22-25
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
13. Colossians 3:18-22
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God
My wife is a strong, intelligent, and determined woman. She loves Jesus and knows the Bible inside and out. She can spot false teacher or someone who is trying to manipulate Bible verses for their own benefit from a mile away and is not afraid to say as much. She is better at many things that I am and has been a follower of Jesus longer. Her strength is one of my comforts as a pastor as I know she will not hesitate to question me if I start veering off into self promotion or heresy, with love and grace, of course.
These above verses about God’s plan for the home are the ones she finds to be the most emotionally convincing evidence on the question of female pastors. It is not that she does not agree about 1 Timothy 2, but rather, to her, logically, it makes no sense for God to set up a clearly stated order for the home, but then undermine it in the structure of the church. From observation, men already have a hard enough time leading like Jesus in the home and women already tend to be challenged not to lead, why would God make it harder by having that example in the church?
Here is where you have to take a bit of a detour if you want to answer all of the questions this issue raises, since many Christians object to the idea that God has a plan for the home as well. Again, this does not mean inequality in the home or in God’s eyes, but when the Scripture clearly sets out His plan, despite the objections:
But you don’t include Ephesians 5:21! That changes everything and says husbands and wives should submit to one another, therefore there is no leadership intended in Ephesians. For reference, here is 5:21:
submitting to one another in the fear of God.
This is the most common argument against the clear reading of Ephesians 5 as God calling the husband to lead. However, this claim ignores both the structure and context of Ephesians 5, as well as the companion verses in Colossians 3.
In Ephesians 5, Paul clearly sets out God’s direction to the church about how to interact with one another. Paul first gives general directions that apply to every one, walk in wisdom, walk in light, and submit to one another and it is during these generally applicable directions that 5:21 shows up. Paul then continues and directly names and addresses a number of specific situations in the end of the chapter. As you can see above, his words instruct husbands and wives, parents and children, and slaves and masters and lays out how the Lord would have them interact with one another within those situations and only within them. The Lord’s direction to wives be subject to their husbands as to the Lord and husbands love their wives like the Lord loves His church make no sense if applied to all the church by their own terms. This clear context also prevents the preceding verses from being applied to the relationships referenced since parents are clearly not meant to submit to their children and the masters certainly don’t submit to their servants. The mutual submission reading that many apply to husbands and wives in the passage renders them nonsensical. The parallel passage in Colossians 3 further demonstrates Paul’s meaning in the passages as there is no verse 21, no mention of mutual submission present in them. As a result, the reasonable conclusion must be that Bible’s intent is that the husband should lead the home as stated in the passage.
What About the Female Apostle, Female Judge, Phoebe, or Priscilla I Heard About?
14. Romans 16:7
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
I know this post is already long, but since there are a number of arguments that always come up on this issue that I don’t think are biblical, I will push on and deal with them. An ancient Christian named Junia is at the heart of one of the big ones, for reasons that seem convincing on their face, but that fall apart on closer examination. Proponents of this position allege that Paul’s short greeting at the end of Romans to two names, Andronicus and Junia, should change the meaning of the rest of the clear verses on the issue. The argue that Romans 16:7 should be read as indicating that not only was Junia a female, which is likely but not certain, but that she was a female Apostle. Note the capitalized “A” in the word because the argument hinges on her being one of the group who held the office of Apostle, a disciple who held the position of teaching and authority over men in the church. The position alleges that, as a result, female leadership must have been an accepted part of the early church and therefore should be for today as well. The allegation that the church was taken over by misogynistic men after the early church period and that they covered up these early female leaders is also often made. They will often then jump off from these claims and alleged that others like Phoebe. Lydia, and Chloe held similar positions of leadership, which were also lost to history.
There are many glaring problems with this argument, but the biggest lies with its very foundation. Regardless of how you read Romans 16:7, it is undeniable that Junia did not hold the office of Apostle. The Bible records the identity of the Apostles on multiple occasions:
15. Matthew 10:2-4
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.
16. Luke 6:12-16
1Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.
The names of the Apostles are listed, but more importantly for this question, so is the number of them, 12. God also makes clear that this number applied for the early church period and for all eternity:
17. Revelation 21:14
Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Revelation tells you that God only recognizes 12 who are legitimate Apostles of the Lamb. You may disagree whether Paul or Matthias is the 12th, the one to replaced Judas, but the the list of the specific leadership office that served as the foundation of the church clearly does not include Junia. Proponents of this position can tie your brain up in knots over the exact reading of the passage, but it is all ultimately irrelevant since it cannot add anyone to the 12 Apostles of the Lamb.
So why is the word apostle in the passage?
The word that is translated as apostle was a normal word in the ancient Greek language. If you look it up, it refers to someone or something sent on a specific mission or with a message. In ancient Greek literature, it is used for a grain ship sent to a particular location for a specific purpose, for example. In the New Testament, outside of the office of Apostle, it is used in multiple verses to refer to disciples sent out with a message, usually the Gospel, for a specific purpose. Both Barnabas and Titus, who are both clearly not Apostles, are referred to apostles in different verses. This sort of apostle does not have the authority or position of the office of Apostle, but was more like what you would call a missionary.
As a result, Paul’s reference to Junia, can mean that the 12 Apostles note her or she is a messenger on a mission, this passage has no impact on the question of female pastors or church leaders.
“What About Her” Arguments Continued
18. Romans 16:1-2
I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.
19. Acts 16:14-15
Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.
20. Acts 18:24-26
Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
21. Judges 4:4-7
Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?”
Phoebe, Lydia, Deborah, and Priscilla are wonderful examples of faithful followers of God and who did great things for Him. Men and women have much to learn from them and Jesus deeply loves and appreciated their works. However, their stories and the Bible’s refences to them don’t actually bear on the issue of women as pastors and leaders of the New Testament church. None of them are shown to be pastor or elder in the church. The one that is the closest to applying, that of Priscilla, simply provides that she worked with her husband to explain the entire Gospel to Apollos, who only knew part of it. This is obviously valuable, but it is something everyone is called to do.
Thus, without minimizing how wonderful these women were and their powerful impact on the Kingdom, you can clearly see that they don’t contradict Paul or really speak on the issue, one way or the other.
Jesus Loves, Values, Empowers, and Defends Women
22. Luke 7:44-50
Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
This story presents the stark contrast between the woman who Jesus makes the star of it and the man who is the villain. You know that Jewish society viewed this woman as lesser than them, worthless, and beneath their contempt. Simon the Pharisee is disgusted by her and disdainful towards Jesus because of His acceptance of her worship. This is the world’s way of treating women…and men, for that matter. Yet, what does Jesus do?
Jesus welcomes her, appreciates her, loves her, forgives her, and defends her. This is Jesus’ heart toward women. He sees their low position in that society, joins them in it, and then lifts them out of it into the Kingdom with Him. Jesus then uses them mightily. If you ignore titles and examine the Bible closely, you see the women of Jesus often showing faith and serving Jesus in ways that put the men to shame. The women are often the heroes of the story, where the men are the ones who falter.
Awesome Women as the Stars of God’s Wonderful Word
23. John 19:25-27
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
24. Mark 16:1-5
Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
25. Matthew 27:55-56
And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
26. Mark 15:40-41
There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.
27. John 12:3-8
Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.
All of Jesus’ disciples, male and female, have the opportunity to play a role in His ministry and be part of the story of the plan of redemption in each of these examples. The most prominent male disciples in all of Christian history like Peter, John, and James could have trusted Jesus and followed Him to the Cross, been there in the morning to be the first to see the Risen Lord, and anointed Jesus with oil for His upcoming death and burial. Instead of doing so, these guys denied Him, ran away, hid in the Upper Room, and generally failed miserably.
In contrast, Jesus sees these wonderful women of God at the foot of the Cross. They show up first at His tomb in the early morning, anoint His body for burial, and are privileged to be the first to see Jesus and then bring the news that He is Risen. Their faith is wonderful and their ministries are important and blessed blessed by God. They are not Apostles, but are not missing out on opportunities to serve, know Jesus intimately, and change the world for Him. Jesus certainly is not discriminating against them, devaluing them, or keeping them from wonderful privileges in His work based on their sex.
Jesus perfectly loves women and uses them powerfully in His Kingdom. They are no better and no worse than His male disciples. Jesus does have jobs for them that are different than the ones that He has for men.
