QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (86)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Each month, we have a Q&A Lesson on the first Sunday of the month.  This is your opportunity to ask Bible questions.

 

B.   A thought crossed my mind as I was preparing for this lesson:  “What constitutes a good question?”  One article I read gave eight answers.

1.    Purpose

2.    Clarity

3.    Simplicity

4.    Concision

5.    Open-ended

6.    Relevance and good timing

7.    Neutrality

8.    Insight and engaging

 

C.   The questions that you have asked contain most of these qualities.  It is said that when questions are asked properly, the answers will most likely rise to a higher quality.

 

D.   This is our Q&A Sunday.  Let’s consider two of your questions in this lesson.

 

I.             QUESTION #1:  Additional Apostles

 

A.   Stated:  Tell us something about the apostles, Andronicus and Junia mentioned in Romans 16:7.

 

B.   Answer:

1.    Romans 16:7

 

Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

 

2.    Paul is greeting numerous brethren who are members of the church in Roman in Romans 16.

3.    He tells the church to Salute Andronicus and Junia.

4.    We learn several things about them in this verse.

a.    Their names:

1)    Andronicus:  man of victory

2)    Junia:  youthful, the name of a woman

3)    Were they husband and wife?  Were they brother and sister?  We are not told their relationship to one another.

b.    They were related to Paul.  He called them kinsmen.

1)    Strong (4773):  a relative (by blood)

2)    Thayer:  related by blood

3)    We are not told their relationship to Paul. 

c.     They were fellow prisoners with Paul.

1)    They had been arrested and were in prison at the same time Paul was at some point previously in their lives.

2)    The only cause for Paul’s arrest was due to his being a Christian.  Something relating to the cause of Christ must have put these two in prison.

d.    Who are of note among the apostles

1)    Notice, the text does not say they were apostles.

2)    It says that they were “of note among” the apostles.

a)    Strong (1978):  remarkable, eminent

b)    Thayer:  a mark, a stamp, to be marked out, illustrious

c)     Vine:  from a prefix meaning “upon” and a root word meaning “a mark”  thus, to have a mark upon, notable, illustrious

3)    These two individuals were well known to the apostles.  They had done something that stood out and made them notable among the apostles.  What they did to obtain this recognition is not stated.

e.     They were in Christ before Paul was.

1)    These two kinsmen of Paul heard the gospel and obeyed it before Paul did.

2)    Paul tells us that they were “in Christ.”  According to Galatians 3:27, they were baptized.

 

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

 

f.     NOTE:  This verse does not call Adronicus and Junia apostles, but there is another verse in the New Testament that calls both Barnabas and Paul apostles (Acts 14:14).

 

Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out.

 

1)    Barnabas is never classified among that group of men called apostles who were ambassadors of Christ.

2)    In what since, therefore, was Barnabas an apostle?

a)    The word “apostle” literally means “one sent.”

b)    It can be used in a very broad sense, and it can be used in a narrow sense.

c)     Barnabas was one who was sent on that first missionary journey with Paul (Acts 13:2-3).

 

As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.  And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

 

3)    Example:  We have different definitions for the title Dr..

a)    Most of the time when we hear of someone being a Dr. we think of a person licensed in the medical profession.

b)    However, others can also be called Dr.s such as those who have earned a doctorate degree in another field.

 

II.           QUESTION #2:  Women Saying:  “Amen” in the Assembly

 

A.   Stated:  Can a woman say:  “Amen,” in the assembly?

 

B.   This question is posed by some for several reasons.

1.    We are living in a time when Christian women are desiring to express themselves more in both leadership positions and worship roles in the church.

2.    Some believe 1 Corinthians 14:16 allows women to say, “Amen,” in the assembly.

3.    But, there are also passages of Scripture that exhort women to remain silent in the church or the assembly (1 Cor. 14:34-35).

C.   Three points:

1.    First, the church can evolve with culture as long as the change does not violate the Word of God.

a.    Example:  Circumcision in the first century

1)    Under the Jewish economy, all males had to be circumcised.

2)    The New Covenant did not make it mandatory, nor was it condemned.

3)    Galatians 6:15

 

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

 

4)    Today, women cannot be elders and deacons in the church.  There are qualifications that forbid them from occupying these leadership positions (1 Tim. 3:3:2, 12). 

 

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife…Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife…

 

2.    Second, what does 1 Corinthians 14:16 teach.

 

Else, when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandest not what thou sayest?

 

a.    In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul is addressing the use of spiritual gifts in the assembly of the church.

b.    Two gifts, prophecy and speaking in tongues, seemed to have some friction between them when the church came together.

c.     Paul, therefore, regulates the use of miraculous gifts in the assembly.

d.    Speaking in a tongue

1)    A tongue was a known foreign language that a person had never been taught to speak.

a)    Ex., If I were to begin speaking in German, I would be speaking in a tongue.

b)    In Acts 2:1-4, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the apostles on Pentecost Day in the city of Jerusalem, and “they began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (v. 4).

c)     The multitude were confounded “because that every man heard them speak in his own language” (Acts 2:6).  In Acts 2:8, they asked:  “And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born.”

2)    If a person spoke in a tongue, but no one in the audience understood the language, the words did absolutely no one any good.  The audience would be classified as being unlearned.

3)    Thus, Paul required an interpreter to be present if those having the gift of tongues were going to speak (1 Cor. 14:28).

 

But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

 

e.     In the first century, individuals would say, “Amen,” when words were spoken that the individuals wanted to affirm and agree with.

f.     However, if a person heard someone speak in a tongue, but did not understand the language, he could not say, “Amen.”  This was Paul’s point in 1 Corinthians 14:16.

 

Else, when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandest not what thou sayest?

 

3.    Third, can women say, “Amen,” during the worship services?

a.    Some will answer, “Yes,” based upon Paul words found in 1 Corinthians 14:16.

b.    Others, however, will say that she should not based upon 1 Corinthians 14:34.

 

Let your women keep silence in the churches:  for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

 

c.     Some thoughts to consider:

1)    Saying “Amen” is not commanded in the Scriptures.

2)    If a woman remains silent and never says:  “Amen,” she knows that she is conforming to the will of God.

3)    Are their underlying purposes within a woman who demands that she be given the right to say, “Amen,” during the worship services (Ex., do they want to “spice things up” a little in worship?).

4)    There have been times when women get out of line and draw attention to themselves by saying:  “Amen,” too loud and far too often.

5)    Women were not the only ones commanded to be silent.  The person who had the gift of tongues, but had no interpreter was also told “to keep silence in the church” (1 Cor. 14:28).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We have only examined two questions this morning.

1.    One dealt with Andronicus and Junia who were of note among the apostles. 

2.    One dealt with women saying, “Amen,” during the worship services of the church.

 

B.   The first question teaches us the importance of words in the Biblical text.

1.    This couple were of note, that is, they were marked as being illustrious by the apostles.

2.    One of these days, it will be fun to talk to one or both of them in order to find out why the apostles took note of them.

 

C.   The second question involves a matter that has not been specifically commanded.

1.    Nowhere are we commanded to say, “Amen” in the New Testament.

2.    Not saying “Amen” does not involve a person in sin.

3.    Since the Bible commands a woman to be in silence in the assembly, it might be expedient for her to maintain her silence in this matter.  She will not be lost if she refrains.