1. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did. Romans 16:7.
* Junia was a female, and an outstanding apostle. Commenting on Romans 16:7 John Chrysostom (347-407) writes, “ how great the wisdom of this woman must have been that she was even deemed worthy of the title of apostle.” Earlier commentators like Origen (185-253) and Jerome (340-419) also understood Junia to be female.
2. But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. 1 Corinthians 11:5.
* The context is about head covering. Whether head covering applies today or not is the point for now. The point is that woman then prayed or prophesied. And Paul was writing that if she prays or prophesies she should cover her head. And there is no reason why “prophesying” here cannot be interpreted as “speaking forth God’s message” or “preaching”.
3. I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. Romans 16:1.
* Being a deacon was not only for men. It was a position held by woman too, and sister Phoebe being one.
To be contd.
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