Question:
Can a woman lead her husband in prayer?
Prayer offers petitions on behalf of the one praying and those listening. For this reason, a woman cannot lead a prayer when a man is present.
Some brothers take the opposing view and state that if that were the case, a woman shouldn’t discipline or deal with finances or anything where she takes a leading role in the relationship over the man.
Answer:
It can be hard to talk to family. Talks can become heated merely due to being related.
Some brothers, like many people, struggle with God’s standards. In their struggle, they may not have an immediate answer leading them to attempt to discredit the passages’ straightforward understanding. It’s crucial for us all to strive to comprehend and uphold God’s standards as they guide us in our spiritual journey.
God has dictated roles of authority. “But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ” (I Corinthians 11:3). The order of authority is God, Christ, Man, and then Woman. This is the way God says it works when it comes to spiritual matters.
Teaching is a way to exercise authority. In teaching, the order of authority must be maintained.
“A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint” (I Timothy 2:11-15).
Paul gives two proofs for the command that a woman is not to teach or exercise authority over a man. First, Adam was created first. It is the right of the firstborn to be head of the family. The second is that Adam was not deceived when he sinned. This isn’t a compliment to Adam. You can see this as a punishment to man because being in charge and responsible isn’t usually fun. It could also indicate that there is something in the makeup of men that makes them less likely to be deceived, which is a good trait in leaders.
But notice the last statement: When a wife has children, she helps to save her children and herself if they (the children) continue in faith, love, and sanctity with self-restraint. How does she do this? One of a woman’s responsibilities is teaching and leading children to the Lord (Proverbs 1:8 ”Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching”; 6:20 ”My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching”). The command not to teach or exercise authority over a man does not take away a woman’s responsibility to teach in all cases.
Leading prayer is also a form of exercising authority. It offers petitions on behalf of the one praying and those listening. For this reason, a woman cannot lead a prayer when a man is present because offering prayers is the man’s duty.
Some brothers argue that if a woman must submit to a man in some regions of their life, then a woman cannot do anything. Consider that your brother submits to people daily, yet he still does activities where he is in charge. For example, where I work, my boss oversees my pay. She can fire me if she so desires. I am under her authority. I am not allowed to access the payroll, nor do I have the authority to change my pay or dictate how many holiday hours I get. Does that mean I must twiddle my thumbs and do nothing because I cannot do payroll for myself? No, it is just not within the realm of authority that I was assigned. I do many tasks within my authority while I remain under my manager’s authority.
In the same way, a woman is not supposed to teach or exercise authority over men, but God has assigned her many other duties.
- Raising children in the faith (I Timothy 2:15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. )
- Managing the home, which can include dealing with the finances and disciplining children (I Timothy 5:14 So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander.; Titus 2:2-5 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behaviour, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love ; Proverb 31:27 ”She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.”
- She hands out duties to those working for her (Proverbs 31:15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.).
- Spending money wisely and earning extra money (Proverbs 31:14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar., 16-18 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night., 24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.)
- Teaching her children (Proverbs 1:8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching,; 6:20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.; 31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.)
Since children are to obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1) and not just their father, the mother has the authority to make sure the children do as they are told.
Just because a woman is not to lead her husband, it does not mean she is limited in other areas. It is God who defines authority and how it is used. You will find people who want to make men and women the same in everything, but men and woman were made physically different, and God assigned different roles to each; yet, we are equal in the sense of salvation and are companions (Galatians 3:28; I Peter 3:7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honour to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.). There are things women can do that men cannot. There are things men can do that women cannot. We must trust that God knows what He is doing when assigning those roles.
Lesson has been brought to you by: Bro. Petras
