Quote:
Originally Posted by aron
From my memory "teach" meant "to define doctrine" or define what constituted "truth" in the church. So elder women teaching younger or inexperienced sisters in Titus (for example) would probably be understood in the "Lord's Recovery" as the same as teaching nursery school. Useful but auxiliary.
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This was Witness Lee's explanation for why one verse by Paul charges sister's to teach and another prohibits them from teaching. He inferred that one portion was defining doctrine. But I cannot find any way to discern that distinction from the Greek or from the many different translations.
Instead I would argue that the apostles defined doctrine. No elder has the authority to override the Apostle's fellowship, nor do they have any authority to add or take away from the Apostle's fellowship. So I consider Witness Lee's explanation to be lacking and unsatisfactory.
Instead I would return to my understanding that the elders were chosen to "be an example to the flock". An example of what? Of those who are a husband of one wife, who have led a life of good repute, who have raised a family well. Teaching is not a requirement, those who teach well are worthy of double honor, it is a bonus if the elder can teach, not a requirement.
So then, following the idea that the church is set up as God's family and a healthy example for recovering sinners, then in this family the sister's don't have authority over the men. In a family, and in the church, based on my experience the sisters / wives make 90% of the decisions. Most of these decisions are of little concern to the husband / elders. However, there are times when the husband / elder will be concerned and step in, and in those cases the husband / elder has the veto power.
I was stunned by your considering the verse in Titus as being roughly equivalent to teaching nursery school. Pretty insulting to the "young wives" to be likened to nursery school kids. It seems very arrogant to think that what the brothers are teaching is so critical and what the sister's are teaching is for nursery school. Since 2/3 of the saints are sisters and the sister's have been given the clear authority to teach the sisters I see no reason why this wouldn't potentially be the more impactful ministry.
Successful marriage that results in raising a family well is the key factor in the church growing and multiplying over the last 2,000 years. It is the key factor in the gospel -- a living testimony to those living in an evil and adulterous age. This is how you remove the generational curse.
I have been stunned at how overrated "teaching" is. People are chosen to lead a church based on their ability to teach even though that is not a requirement for elders, (a willingness to teach is a requirement, not the same). However, the very clear requirements are explained away, ignored, and overlooked.
The issue in the NT is not to be a hearer of the word only, but rather a doer of the word. Nothing will prove this more than being the husband of one wife, being of good repute, not being given to drink and raising a family well.
We have often been deceived by "teachers" of the word, like Witness Lee. But had we looked at these requirements for both WL and WN we wouldn't have been deceived. We would have given the proper weight to TL and PL (WL's sons) and to WN's mistress. There have been many other charlatans that were stumbled by one of these four criteria. Why is it that very few give the weight to these matters that Paul gave?