Two tantalizing verses toward the end of Romans raise many questions about the role of women in the early congregations. There Paul commends “our sister Phoebe, a servant [Greek: diakonon] of the church at Cenchreae,” and urges the congregation to “welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well” (Rom 16:1–2). So who was Phoebe, and what did she do? Here Paul calls her “sister,” diakonos (this obviously is where our word “deaconess” comes from), and “patron”—but what did these words mean, in the parlance of the day? Also, Phoebe obviously traveled a long way—from Cenchreae, near Corinth, in Greece, to Rome—and she was sufficiently important for the apostle to include her in his letter. But this is the only time Phoebe is mentioned in the whole of Scripture. “Wouldn’t it be interesting to know more about her?” (Endnote 1).
And so the book begins. According to Hylen, modern interpreters are of the opinion that ancient women “weren’t able to do much” (3). Her research into the history of the New Testament contradicts this modern misimpression. Hence, her book is constructed in such a way as to take the modern reader on a tour which examines the following points of interest: Part 1 (Wealth and Property), with chapters on Ownership, Management, Marriage, and Occupations; Part 2 (Social Influence and Status), with chapters on Patronage, Social Influence, and Education; Part 3 (Virtues of Women), with chapters on Modesty, Industry, Loyalty, and Marital Harmony; Part 4 (Speech and Silence), with chapters on Everyday Speech, Prayer and Prophecy, Silence, and Speech and Silence. The chapters reveal that women could indeed own property distinct from their husbands’ estates; that managing property and household affairs were women’s jobs, to be sure, but they had help from slaves to do the heavy lifting; that wives were not necessarily under the legal authority of their husbands; that women held all kinds of honorable (and dishonorable) occupations; that women could be patrons and hold civic leadership; that women of high status were capable of speaking truth to power (other elite men); that women could be highly educated (though education was intended more for men of high status); that women were supposed to defer to their husbands, but usually eclipsed them in modesty, loyalty, and sexual restraint; that everyday speech of women was expected as a matter of course; and that silence wasn’t a blanket rule for women but depended more upon the status of the other person. I am skimming the surface. The entire book is packed with revelations of this type, supported both by contemporary inscriptions, papyri, and extra-biblical texts, as well as pertinent New Testament passages, of course. In fact, most chapters are constructed from “outside in”—that is, they begin with establishing patterns of women’s life from the extra-biblical milieu before turning to New Testament examples wherein the patterns reappear. Thus, in the chapter on Industry, for example, after establishing that women were hard-working and efficient (“she made wool,” on the ancient funerary inscriptions), Tabitha is presented as one who was “always doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36). The first concluding question is, “What wording [in the Acts passage] points to women’s labor?” Then, “What suggests that this activity is praiseworthy?” (105). Such questions help readers to view New Testament women against the backdrop of ancient society—a laudable objective, to be sure. Also, such questions are excellent “discussion starters” in modern Bible studies.
Hence, the book seemingly has much going for it at first blush. It is disarmingly simple and intended to pique the interest of especially lay (women) readers to get them to know the controverted texts better. By ending the book with a chapter on “Speech and Silence,” Hylen all but invites readers to question the cultural appropriateness of Paul’s statements that women are to “keep silent” in the churches (1 Cor 14:33b–36; 1 Tim 2:11–15). Still, Hylen does not take the issue head-on. Instead, she invites readers to consider other New Testament passages where women did indeed “speak” to men, and even to Jesus himself (e.g., Matt 15:21–28; 27:19; Mark 6:17–29; Luke 2:36–38; Acts 16:15; 18:26; 21:9, etc.; see p. 165). How did the rules of the culture apply in each situation? Was the speech of these particular women acceptable? Now reconsider the Pauline prohibitions. How might Phoebe have felt about them in light of these cultural considerations? The best one can say after this process of interpretation—and reinterpretation—is that it all depends on where your church is coming from when assessing one’s own ideas about women in ministry: “How does your understanding of the New Testament contribute to your understanding of women in ministry today?” (174).
So Hylen, despite apparently wanting to present a fair and impartial picture of women congregants in the earliest Christian assemblies, really does not do this, in my opinion. One subtle, yet telling, indication of where the author is “coming from” is her contention that Phoebe was a “deacon” (1, 2, 39, 62, 71, 97, 99, 139, 150, 163, 172), but never a deaconess (added emphasis). Same with “patron,” but never “patroness”; “priest,” but rarely “priestess” (though see 111, 120); and “prophet,” but not “prophetess” (added emphases). These distinctions demonstrate, in my opinion, that Hylen, like many proponents of women’s ordination today, buys into a functionalist view of the Office of the Ministry: because an obviously gifted woman can preach, teach, lead, and pray as well as any man can, she should be ordained! Of course, Hylen never comes right out and says this, but the subtle assumptions point in this direction, in my opinion. Also, more forthrightly, Hylen is a professor of New Testament at Emory University and a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA; from the dust jacket). In other words, she holds office in a church body that all but countenances women pastors.
I cannot recommend the book for either clergy or lay readers unless a seasoned pastor (who has the exegetical chops) uses the book to teach students that the arguments for women’s ordination, though subtle, are very powerful and need to be watched out for by all of us. Then perhaps the book can be profitably used, with care and discernment. Someone needs to separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff for the benefit of our laity. And this is just what pastors are for, according to the word of God: “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Tim 4:16, KJV).
John G. Nordling
Professor of Exegetical Theology
Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Endnote:
- Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.