Is there a Biblical basis for a "male only" Office of Holy Ministry? Much of the discussion has to do with the intrinsic relationship of marriage, Church and especially God's image in its Christian context.
Man and woman are to come together as "one flesh" (Mark 10:7-8 harkens back to Genesis 2:24) and the Church as the Bride/Wife of Christ (Rev 21:9). We are to submit to each other as husband and wife as well as among members of the Bride (Ephesians 5:22ff) of which Christ serves as Head. This brings us to 1 Corinthians 11:3; God is the Head ("kephale" is the Greek word.) of Christ. Within all this is the mirror of the Trinity being unified, but the Persons submitting to the respective authority of the Persons (Christ is "sent by the Father"; Matthew 10:40, Luke 10:16. The Holy Spirit "goes" at the Will of God the Father and God the Son; Luke 1:35, Luke 4:18). (This is not intended to teach "modality" within the Godhead as submission and subordered mean entirely different things. The Athanasian Creed stands as the correct exposition of the equality in, with and among the Persons of the Godhead). So marriage and Church are shaped and defined in the image of the Trinity. The Scripture tells us that marriage and the Church are God pleasing when they mimic the internal relationships of the Trinity (Ephesians 5:22ff and 1 Corinthians 11:3).
When we redefine the internal relationships of the marriage (same sex unions) or the Church (anyone/everyone a Pastor), we redefine the image of the Trinitarian authoritative relationship to match our conception of what it *should* be according to our rationalizations (or base desires). In our modern sensibility, this redefinition has taken the form of egalitarian principles and a demand for Spiritual "rights" in earthly functions.
It is, therefore, no small thing that God refers to Himself as Father (masculine), and Son (masculine). Neither is it no small thing that Christ chose only men to be Apostles; the underShepherds for His continuing ministry. It's no small thing that Paul (a male) was chosen to be the Gospel emissary to the Gentiles and no small thing that that same Paul was inspired to admonish those same Gentiles to throw off the conventional heathen tolerance of allowing women to preside as priests at religious functions (not to mention OT strictures on the Aaronic and Levitical functions). To allow this was to deny the authoritarian relationship of the Trinity, to mix the ~functions~ of the Persons and ultimately to deny the Trinitarian essence of God.
Paul's assertion of the creation order ( 1 Corinthians 11:11&12) is an assertion of the Trinitarian order and image of the Triune God in which mankind was made (Genesis 1:26-28). God is a God of order. He establishes order so that we may know Him and obtain salvation through His Son. God's order contains His image. That image contains submission to authority in His creation in the like manner that Christ submits to the authority of the Father. We submit to one another in agape (Greek for "selfless love") but agape does not cancel the Order/Image of God.
What then is marriage? It is an Earthly reflection of the Trinitarian formula of authority. It is joint submission to Christ as the Head. It is mutual submission to the Husband in the same manner as Christ is the Husband of the Bride/Wife, and mutual submission to the wife in the same manner as Christ has promised to the Bride/Wife. To step outside of this is to redefine the formula and deny God's authority, ultimately denying God Himself.
Is not the Church married to Christ? Who has created the Church? In what image is the Church ordered? Ultimately, Holy Matrimony is a reflection of the Order of God established by Creation in Genesis 2:22ff as the Church is a reflection of Her marriage to Christ. To deny that the Triune God-image is not ordered in the marriage is to reduce the marriage to a man-made status and allows for all sorts of man-made changes such as "no-fault" divorce and the tolerance of infidelity that we see today.
Ultimately, the Church is a reflection of the Order of God as established in Matthew 16:18 (note the parallels in weddings vows). To deny that the Triune God-image is in the Church is heterodoxy and causes the gnostic error to be manifest which ultimately denies God entirely.
The Church is wedded to the Triune God. Headship, authority and submission are intrinsically ordered though God in His creation.
Part II ReflectionsGod: Father Son Holy Spirit
Church: Christ Pastor Congregation
Marriage: Christ Husband Wife
To begin with, I would like to point out that the term "order" does not have a definition constrained by chronology. Order also has a meaning that indicates a systematic design to economize function and facilitate the dissemination of knowledge. Since time is God's creation, He is not bound by a sense of "who was created first" (as some apologists on both sides seem to argue from) but He does create in/an order.
Christian Marriage (for there are others) and the Church, then, are Earthly institutions created by God to bring all of mankind to the knowledge of God. These institutions are created for mankind to function within; to use in a God pleasing way. That is, to bring all mankind to Faith and salvation. Just as He created all things with order, so did He create the institutions of marriage and Church. What God has brought together, let no man put assunder. (L.Agenda, 1981 or thereabouts. It was in my marriage service!)
The institution of marriage (created by God: Genesis 2:22) is to fulfill the First Commandment ("Be fruitful and multiply." NOTE: This is given even before The "thou shalt not eat of the Tree..."). All mankind is sytematically ordered to be born in an orderly fashion; legitimate Christian wedlock. Men and women, having the command to increase in number, are complying and the resulting child is to be nurtured in the Church. Childbirth is ordered within marriage, and sexuality is ordered within that context. It becomes obvious that, within marriage, there is a systematic design. This design bears God's image as stated before: Christ, man, woman.
Likewise the Church (OT, Israel, NT Church) is established to beget Christians. The Church mirrors the image and order of the Creator such that the people of God are "born" by her. There is knowledge of the Father through the seed of Faith (Galatians 4:26). Within this image of Spiritual nurturing is the image and order of God: Christ, Pastor, congregation.
Yet, we cannot intermingle the institutions without causing chaos in the order. Men must stand aside in submission to the institution of marriage, since Christ is the head. This headship is recognized in the church when the marrige couple submits to the authority of the Pastor. The marriage is part of the congregation and the exercise of authority is given by Christ. Paul gives us this relationship in 1 Corinthians 11, Ephesians 5 and Hebrews. Continuing, the writer of Hebrews reveals Pastoral headship in chapter 5: 1-6, referring us back to the Aaronic priesthood. And, please, do not overlook the headship-authority-submission outlook of the verses immediately after that (Hebrews 5: 7-10). (In fact, I find the first 5 chapters of Hebrews ample witness for "gender-exclusive" office of Holy Ministry.)
I suppose that most who read this would agree that the Church responds to God with and from His Word. We are taught by the Church that God is pleased when we "say back to Him the Words He has given us." My current discussion extends this to say that His image and order, reflected back to Him is also our assurance of pleasing God. As Christians, we live the Godly life and reflect back to God His image. Stained by sin as it is, we can be sure that the reflection is God-pleasing only if it is the same as He has given us in His Word (Logos). Within this image is His order; Christ, Church, congregation (mankind). A reflected image cleansed by the Blood of Christ.
Marriage serves as an intermediary example; a reflection of the order desired in the Church and a reflection of God's Order of Creation. A man shall leave His (earthly) mother and joins His wife (Genesis 2:24). (Note here the significance of chronology. God is speaking of mothers before they existed. His command to "be fruitful and multiply" would not fail. This command was also given in the context of marriage, one man and one wife.) The Christian marriage of a man and a woman will be blessed by "growth" in a God-pleasing life. The Church then becomes the nurturing mother of the marriage and, by extension, the resultant family.
To address the contrarians in this line who would "exalt the miniscule", marriage does not require childbearing to experince growth or God's blessings. The marriage can grow within the Church on its own. The marriage can also contribute to growth by evangelism; child bearing without the labor pains.
I would now understand that in, with and under the 4th Commandment is the admonition to the parents to teach the children in the lessons of the doctrine which come from the Church. Could we agree that God-pleasing Faith begins at home with parents that have been born of the mother church? The instruction is circular, but ordered. Also ordered in this is the exhortation for the husband to exercise his headship and teach the entire family, wife included (1 Cor 11:3), just as Christ Himself has exhorted the Church to teach (Matthew 28:20). The marriage can be seen as feeding the Church according to that institution's command, and the Church is seen as nurturing all mankind according to Her command (St. John 21:15-19), "Feed my sheep."
So, where there is God's image, there is order; that is, a systematic design to economize function and disseminate knowledge. Knowledge of God is ordered in His image. Our current situation asks whether we can redefine God's image and order to fit our cultural perceptions (egalitarianism vis-a-vis Galatians 3:28) of earthly functions in the institutions created by God. My answer is a resounding, "No". We cannot redefine God's order and ultimately redefine God in an egalitarian direction; not without denying the Trinity of the Godhead.
Is gender specified for Spiritual teaching in the institutions created by God? Yes, because of the order and image of the Triune God. Is gender specified for roles and functions in the institutions created by God? Yes, because of the order and image of God. The only way to redefine these roles and functions is to set God aside or remove Him completely. Through this pattern, I am becoming more convinced that God's image and God's order are inseparable, if not near synonymous. When Paul refers us back to the "order" of creation, he refers us to God's image. Adam corrupted the purity of God's image in the Fall. Christ cleansed it with His precious Blood. Will we be the generation that completes chaos from God's order?
Jim Heap
LCMS Laity