The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament Era Part One

 

                                                                   Introduction: 

In my post on the Baptism of Fire, I explained that the Holy Spirit made a distinct baptism at Pentecost (Acts 2), from the one known to John the Baptist (Acts 3). Now, I wish to begin a series of posts on the relevance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Considering that the distinctive gifts given by the Spirit of God in the New Testament are several, it will take more than one post to discuss all of them. For now, I wish to simply demonstrate that the gift of prophecy did not cease with the apostles. 

                                          A Brief Overview of Prophecy in the Old Testament

Throughout the Hebrew scriptures, God spoke through many witnesses to his divine truths including both Moses Numbers 12:2 and the Prophet Jerimiah (Jerimiah 47:1). The New Testament later confirmed in Hebrews 1:1 that God spoke through the Prophets who fell under the old covenant. While the Spirit of God is eternal, His function among the Israelites was distinct from the power that He would give the church in the second chapter of Acts. The Old Testament, however, did foreshadow the coming of the church---though that is not the purpose of this post. 

In general, the Hebrews were aware of the power of the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:2). They knew that He was a Person of the Godhead (Genesis 1:26). Nevertheless, as privileged as the Hebrews were by the grace of God in their lives, they had only a fraction of the grace and empowerment that the Holy Spirit would later fill in the hearts of believers (John 15:26). 

                                        The Gift of Prophecy before the Institution of the Church

At the beginning of the New Testament, John the Baptist served as a prophet preparing the way for Christ. Called the last prophet of the Old Testament, the ministry of John the Baptist was superseded first by that of Christ, and later, by the work of the Holy Spirit. 

                            The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament Church Age

 Those who allege that the gift of prophecy, specifically for women was just for the New Testament era, are also required (in order to be consistent) to believe that the work of both pastors and elders (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1) was also just for the apostolic age. Likewise, those who assert that women cannot preach, but evangelism is still relevant, are also inconsistent as Jesus spoke only directly to the twelve apostles when giving the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). While some church traditions, on the other hand, have attempted to be consistent with their Cessationists' understandings of scripture, their views are simply not Biblical. For example, some Christians have advocated that the Lord's Table was just for Jewish Christians, that baptism was just for the first-century church, and that foot-washing was just for the first Christians. One of the main problems with all of these Cessationists' claims, however, is that scripture never teaches such things. Rather, Gentile Christians also partook in the Lord's Table (1 Corinthians 12:27), Gentile Christians received water baptism (Acts 8:26-40, Titus 3:5), and foot-washing continued in the new church (1 Timothy 5:10). 

Evangelism obviously continued after the great commission (1 Peter 3:15, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Timothy 4:5, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 1:17, Romans 1:16). If we believe that evangelism was just for the apostolic church, then we would have to believe that all of the commands from the New Testament writings are as well in order to be consistent. Even then, to believe such would be to be anti-Biblical. Indeed, to claim that the great commission was truly just for the apostles, would be to invalidate the ministries of Paul, Timothy, Titus, and other Christians who were not part of the original 12 disciples. Furthermore, Jesus sent out seventy believers for evangelism (not just the 12 apostles) in Luke 10. If the ministry of evangelism had been intended just for the apostles, then Jesus would have had no need to call for the others to evangelize. Even if we believe that the ''great commission'' was uniquely for the apostles, scripture is quite clear that evangelism was and is not. Throughout the scriptures, God called various people to ministry, including Titus, from gentile lands. The concept that evangelism was just for the apostles is a convenient way for professing believers to not have to do anything for the cause of the gospel. Finally, the New Testament provides us the example of everything that the church should be and should not be until the second advent of Christ.

Above, I demonstrated a strong Biblical case that evangelism is a command for all Christians. How do we know that it's a command? We know that it's a command first because God calls us to love our neighbors (Matthew 5:44, Matthew 22:37-39). Second, the love of God is always inclusive of the love of our fellow men (1 Corinthians 13). Concerning these two points, there is never a more case of greater hatred towards our fellow man, than to not attempt to persuade him from going towards eternal destruction Indeed, Romans 10:14 insists on the importance of unbelievers hearing a preacher in order for them to know the gospel. 

Those who assert that it's umbilical to be gone from ministry as it forsakes one's family, are not appealing to scripture. Certainly, no one should purposefully neglect their own family, but there are cases in the New Testament, even besides that of the apostles, where God called people through missionary efforts to places where their families would not have accompanied them. Even today, the work of missions continues by many called by God to share the teachings of Christianity in other countries. Many of these Christians live in poverty, are persecuted, and sometimes, even killed for carrying on the ministry of evangelism. Though God may not be calling you to Peru, however, at the least, you have a moral obligation to evangelize those in your local community. Likewise, we should also keep those who are called to full-time ministry in our daily prayers. 

Now, most Cessationists will agree with much of what I have said concerning evangelism. However, they may object still to the practice of Prophecy. Some of them will likely insist that prophecy was just for the New Testament Church, while the preaching of the gospel is for Christians post-first century. I will now turn to the Biblicity of Prophecy in the New Testament. 

One of the interesting things about the gift of prophecy is that not only was it something that occurred in the church after the apostles, but it was an exercise of ministry demonstrated not just by men, but also, by women. Indeed, women not only partook in evangelism, but they also expressed unique gifts that would seem abhorrent to full Cessationists. 

Throughout the New Testament, the role of women was invaluable to the church. For one, they were included as part of the church (Galatians 3). The church was never intended to be a ministry just for men. 

Many Cessationists love to claim that the role of women in ministry is a new thing. First of all, for them to be consistent, they would have to believe that the ministries of Amy Carmichael, Elizabeth Eliot, and other Christian women missionaries were unbiblical as these women preached the gospel to the masses. Frankly, it is quite inconsistent to say that a woman cannot preach the gospel but then listen to these women preach it in their writings or over the radio. Those who assert that they don't fit into the category of preaching because they claim that they didn't raise their voices have an unbiblical view of what preaching is. Although Jesus preached with a loud voice in John 7:28-53, he preached with a soft one according to Isaiah 42:2. Elizabeth Eliot taught a class in a church to both an audience of both men and women on what a godly woman should be. Although Elizabeth Eliot did not believe in teaching during a church service (as Beth Moore did), she still did not believe that 1 Timothy 2:12 forbade her from instructing doctrine so long as she was under a male head. It is simply Biblically inconsistent, however, to believe that women can teach small groups over both men and women but that 1 Timothy 2:12 only applies to certain services within a church building. Had Eliot only taught women, I would find her argument consistent, but that is not the case for her. As another article noted if Eliot had the legal right before God to reach classes compromising both men and women then both Joyce Meyer and Beth Moore should do the same. Those who claim that Beth Moore is a heretic because she preached in a church under an elder's supervision and approval, but then overlook the ministry of women that they choose to learn from are the epitome of hypocrites. 

Women's ordination is a complicated subject. Many Cessationists like to claim that no women were ordained until the nineteenth century. While I agree with Cessationists that women are forbidden from the New Testament from being elders, pastors, and bishops, women's ordination goes back much farther than they presume its origins to be. Early church archeology has confirmed from historians that women baptized other women in early times. At least as far back as the fourth century, the eastern church had ordained deaconesses. Likewise, in the Middle Ages, there were cases of ordained nuns that served other women through ministry. While I don't want to get off topic on the both historical and theological foundations of women's ordination, it is important that the Cessationists (the ones who make these claims) be reminded of their ignorance of this issue. 

Macarthur and his supporters* have plenty to say against women's ordination. They are quick to claim that any example of women prophesying or being potential apostles in the New Testament was just for the apostolic age (first century). Indeed, these same people are so full of hypocrisy that one post cannot expose their great heresies. Additionally, they are found to be silent, however, when it comes to their belief in the authority of elders in the local church (Titus 1), their belief that husbands have authority over wives (Ephesians 5:22-33), and their support of church discipline (Romans 16:17). While their beliefs in these regards are quite Biblical, they conveniently hold them to still be relevant but then believe anything mentioned in scripture concerning the ministry of women to have been rescinded after the apostles past. 

For the record, I oppose women being allowed to be bishops, presbyters, elders, pastors, or any other authoritative position where they exercise administration in a church. In fact, I am much more consistent than many Cessationists like Macarthur who anti-Biblically interpret 1 Corinthians 11 to just be about women's hair. While I don't want to get into that topic in this post, I strongly affirm that married women are Biblically bound to cover their heads during the presence of the sacraments. Likewise, I do affirm that husbands/fathers are the head of a family (Ephesians 5:23). Nevertheless, there was a much greater role to the ministry of women in the early church than full Cessationists prefer to admit. 

In the gospels, it was Mary and Martha who came to the tomb of Christ before any of the apostles. While these women did not exercise church authority according to the New Testament, they were important instruments of Jesus's ministry. 

What of the New Testament Church, however? Are there examples of women partaking in specific roles other than what most Cessationists admit? Absolutely! In fact, it is actually a conservative position to affirm as many of the early Christians and later medievals did, that there is much more of a role in the church for women than some would prefer to see. 

Paul mentions Junia in Romans 16:7. Indeed, he calls Junia an ''apostle.'' Although some have desired to believe that Junia was a man, this interpretation of the passage did not exist until the twelfth century. Indeed, most of the early Christians understood Junia to have been a woman. As a result, it is now widely accepted among scholars that Junia was truly, a woman. Early evidence of her sex is evidenced by the writings of both Origen of Alexandria and John Chrysostom. Nevertheless, even though Junia was an apostle, this does not necessarily mean (as wish to interpret) that she was an elder of a church. To use the case of Romans 16:4 for women being ordained as elders is somewhat of a stretch. Indeed, scripture sometimes makes a distinction between an apostle and an elder (Acts 15:6, Ephesians 4:11). Furthermore, the church fathers did not use the term ''apostle'' to describe themselves. They seemed to have believed that role was deceased by their time. 

While I respect N. T. Wright, Alister Mcgrath, and other theologians who endorse women being ordained as priests, to see in these passages a case for their view is a stretch at best. For much of the church, women were not ordained to any capacity which fulfilled the role of an elder/priest. 

Part of the reason that the apostles ceased, was that their purpose became less essential after the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:19-20, Ephesians 3:5). Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 9:1 gave the qualification of an apostle as someone who had seen our Lord. Unless someone can prove a unique division vision from God that they are an apostle for today, we should naturally be skeptical of their claim to be one. Likewise, 1 Corinthians 12:2 demonstrates that a true apostle must be able to show true signs and miracles. Furthermore, the rise of the Holy Spirit over the church (John 16:3, Acts 2) gradually overshadowed the original need of the apostles. 

Christians from the earliest of times never felt believed that the Eucharist, baptism, foot-washing, or evangelism had ceased. Indeed, they also had never felt that prophecy had. Concerning their historical timeline, their closeness to the apostles, and in many cases, their knowledge of the first century, it would arrogant for anyone today to disavow their writings and only interpret scripture according to either their own interpretation to someone else's rather than to understanding how the early church fathers understood scripture. 

Not only scripture, however, confirms the continuation of prophecy in the New Testament age. Indeed, in the middle of the second century, Justin Martyr believed that the gift of prophecy continued to be relevant. I will continue discussing more both the writings of the New Testament and other early Christian writings as they relate to the gift of Prophecy. 

In my upcoming post, I attempt to define what ''prophecy'' was according to scripture. Likewise, I will attempt to both Biblically and historically prove that this did not cease with the apostles. Additionally, I will be discussing the Biblical relationship between husband and wife, and what it means for a woman to be silent during church service. 

*As a final note, I recognize that not all Cessationists reject women's ordination. In fact, some affirm it.