Gender Bias

Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsman, and my fellow-prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Romans 16:7

Junias – The role of women in the church is perhaps one of the more incendiary issues among conservative denominations.  Marshalling verses from Paul’s letters, especially from remarks in Corinthians, many people argue that Scripture teaches that women should not have prominent leadership positions, especially positions of authority over men in teaching and preaching.  This view affects translators as well, and in this particular passage, attempts have been made to make the text be consistent with the doctrine rather than allowing the text to speak on its own.  A very tiny change leads to a very big mistake.

In the Greek text of Paul’s letter, Paul names a couple, Andronicus and Junia (that’s right, Junia, not Junias) as exemplary fellow-laborers for the gospel.  The actual Greek word is ‘Iounian.  Now, this could be a contraction of the masculine Junianus, but there are no other examples of this type of contraction.  Furthermore, several famous Greek scholars argue that this is really the transformation of the name into a form that expresses a direct object (Greek is not like English.  It changes the form of the word to express relationships like direct object, possessive pronoun, etc.).  That means that this person’s name is ‘Iounia, or in English “Junia,” a woman.  In other words, Paul is recognizing a couple where both the man and the woman are “outstanding among the apostles.”  In fact, this couple were believers before Paul, probably indicating that they were Greek proselytes and Messianic believers in the early church in Israel.  The early church fathers understood Paul’s remark to be about a married couple, both of whom were apostles.

Several notable Greek scholars argue that the grammar of the phrase “outstanding among the apostles” can only be understood to mean that Junia was an apostle.  We certainly know that there were more people considered apostles than the original twelve.  Even Chrysostrom (one of the earliest theologians of the church) recognizes Junia as an apostle.  In spite of the NIV and the NASB and other contemporary translations to make this woman into a man, the Greek won’t allow it.  Neither will the evidence from history.

Why is this important?  Because if Junia, a women, is an apostle, then it hardly makes any sense to claim that women in the early church were not allowed to teach or preach or be leaders.  What else does an apostle do?  How can we possibly understand Paul’s positive acclaim for Junia if this same Paul instructs that all women are to be silent in all churches?  The propagation of the idea that women are to be segregated to roles different than men flies in the face of biblical teaching, including Pauline teaching.  It is inconsistent with equality under Christ, it ignores the Hebrew role of the ‘ezer (from Genesis) and it is in opposition to the interpretation of the church fathers.  We have invented this idea and it’s time to get rid of it.  Translations of the text that propagate this bias verge on heresy.  They reveal the misogyny of the translators, not the intent of the Most High God.  It amazes me that we could be so easily led astray by the change of one letter (from Junia to Junias), but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.  Everyone comes to the text with an interpretive scheme.  That includes me.  Let’s pray that God will gently remove the blinders so that we can see the truth through His Spirit, not our bias.

Topical Index:  Women