Women played every role that men played. women in God's eye are just as males. picking up on my brother amadeus, and that's as G80 ἀδελφός adelphos brother.... (smile). women held positions as men did. since I'm controversial, we might as well go for the jugular, ...... the first "BISHOP"/Pope/PASTOR .... at the church of Rome was not the apostle Peter, but a woman. and we have the first church father's letter to back this up. I know my catholic friends here on the site, or else where when readind this post will disagree, but sorry, the bible speaks truth.
the woman name is our sister Phebe, who was a minister at Cenchrea, now bishop/pastor at Rome. well let's see it.
Romans 16:1 "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
Romans 16:2 "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 hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.
Romans 16:3 "Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus"
My bad, we will see "TWO" count them 2 female BISHOPS.
first let's get the bishops who are female. Female Bishop #1. Priscilla, our sister. how do we know that she's a bishop. it's in the word "helper" in verse 3 here above.
Helper: G4904 συνεργός sunergos (sïn-er-ğos') adj.
a co-laborer, i.e. coadjutor.
[from a presumed compound of G4862 and the base of G2041]
KJV: companion in labour, (fellow-)helper(-labourer, -worker), labourer together with, workfellow
Root(s): G4862, G2041
Now my catholic friends here on the site will recognize the word "coadjutor" and know it's meaning. but for the rest who may not know one can, while online go to dictionary.com and look up "coadjutor" which means, 1. an assistant. 2. an assistant to a bishop or other ecclesiastic. 3. a bishop who assists another bishop, with the right of succession.
definition #3. gives us our answer. it was Priscilla and Aquila, who are bishops who helped the apostle Paul who is a bishop/pastor appoint our sister Phebe who by the way is a BISHOP herself. how do we know that? answer, she is a "succourer", see verse 2 above. it's the Greek word,
G4368 προστάτις prostatis (pro-sta'-tis) n.
a patroness, i.e. assistant.
[feminine of a derivative of G4291]
KJV: succourer
Root(s): G4291
Oh, she's an "assisant also, but here's the REVELATION, she's the feminine of a derivative of G429. ok, so what is G429? let's have a look see.
G4291 προΐστημι proistemi (pro-iy'-stee-miy) v.
1. to stand before.
2. (in rank) to preside.
3. (by implication) to practise.
[from G4253 and G2476]
KJV: maintain, be over, rule
sound like a bishop, but let's never assume anything. let's see what brother Thayer and his Greek Definitions say.
Original: προΐ́στημι
- Transliteration: Proistemi
- Phonetic: pro-is'-tay-mee
- Definition:
1. to set or place before
a. to set over
b. to be over, to superintend, preside over
c. to be a protector or guardian
1. to give aid
d. to care for, give attention to
1. profess honest occupations
- Origin: from G4253 and G2476
- TDNT entry: 6:700,*
- Part(s) of speech: Verb
well let's see what do BISHOP means, G1985 ἐπίσκοπος episkopos (e-piy'-sko-pos) n.
1. an overseer.
2. (in genitive case) one of the co-superintendents entrusted with the well-being of a local assembly or of assemblies within a city or location.
{literally or figuratively}
[from G1909 and G4649 (in the sense of G1983)]
KJV: bishop, overseer
well now, we don't have to assume any more. for Rome a city, and the church was in the first stages of organization.
so we see two women right in the bible who are "bishops"/Pastor/Overseer. and our sister Phebe, who is the feminine of a derivative of G4291 a woman in the "SAME" position as a man. just a man is called prophet, and the woman in the same position is called a prophetess. well our sister Phebe was in the samr positions as a male in "rule over", to superintend.
what a bible we have. it's call the "Good news" ..... (smile).
PICJAG.
My, my, my so overlook women in the bible.
