Male Leadership in the Bible is God’s Pattern (1 Timothy 2:12)

We see male leadership in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The pattern began at creation and is maintained with patriarchs, priests, kings, apostles, and elders. Paul said, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority" (1 Timothy 2:12). In discussions about the role of women in church leadership, Deborah is often the first example brought up to support the idea of female leaders. For this reason, Deborah is worth looking at more closely in her own post. If you're wondering, "What does the bible say about leadership?" read or listen to this material from Your Marriage God’s Way for answers.

https://youtu.be/thn12gSFjo4

Male leadership in the Bible is God's pattern (1 Timothy 2:12). There were male patriarchs, priests, kings, apostles, and elders.

Table of contentsMale Leadership in the Bible is God's PatternFemale Leaders in the Bible Don't Conflict with God's Pattern of Male LeadershipQueens in the BibleJezebel and AthaliahEstherPriestesses in the BibleProphetesses in the BibleMiriam the ProphetessHuldah the ProphetessThe Pattern of Male Leadership in the Bible Continues Today"I Do not Permit a Woman to Teach or to Assume Authority" (1 Timothy 2:12)What Does It Look Like to Obey the Spirit of the Law Versus the Letter of the Law?The Real Question About Male Leadership in the Bible

I was not raised in a Christian home. While my parents were moral and hardworking, and I learned much from them, they didn’t model gender roles for me as they’re presented in Scripture. This led me to believe men and women are identical regarding their roles and responsibilities. Aside from the obvious, such as not going into the bathroom of the wrong gender or playing on the opposite gender’s sports team—things that, tragically, our world is even starting to get wrong—I didn’t think of men and women acting much differently from each other.

This was still the case when I went through ROTC and became an Army officer. Except for a few differences, such as lower requirements on the physical fitness tests, I didn’t see men and women facing different expectations or being treated differently. Although I wasn’t a Christian at the time, and even though I couldn’t put my finger on it, there was a nagging suspicion that men, versus women, should lead. You probably have this thought in the back of your mind, too. Why is that? Because, as Scripture reveals, God created men to lead.

Male Leadership in the Bible is God's Pattern

We see male leadership throughout the history of God’s people. The pattern began at creation and is maintained throughout Scripture. Consider the following:

God called men to serve as the focal points of His covenants with mankind (for example, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus).

There were patriarchs instead of matriarchs.

The tribes of Israel were named after men.

The only legitimate mediators between God and people were men (i.e., priests instead of priestesses).

God appointed kings instead of queens.

The 12 disciples were men. Jesus could have chosen six men and six women, but He chose all men for these leadership positions.

The 70 evangelists sent out after the 12 were all men (Luke 10:1). Again, though Jesus could have chosen 35 men and 35 women, He chose all men.

The seven deacons in Acts 6 were all men.

Female Leaders in the Bible Don't Conflict with God's Pattern of Male Leadership

So why do we see examples of female leadership in Scripture? Were these women anomalies? Are they examples of rebellion against God’s design, or is there another explanation? To answer these questions, let’s look at them individually.

Queens in the Bible

Scripture mentions three prominent queens falling into two categories: evil and good.

Jezebel and Athaliah

Jezebel (1 Kings 16-22; 2 Kings 9) and Athaliah (2 Kings 8, 11) were evil women who seized control and became tyrannical leaders. Jezebel instituted the worship of the false god Baal across Israel and...