Scholars say that while considering the cultural background of the passage, it is apparent that during this time, women had just found their new identities in Christ. Realizing that Christ does not distinguish between male and female, the women felt emancipated and stood up in church to lecture their husbands about domestic matters that publically embarrassed them (Campolo, 144). According to Campolo in Adventures of Missing the Point, "Scholars believe this is what Paul refers to when he says 1 Cor 14:35" (145). The meaning of these verses has been misinterpreted, but when presented in light of the historical and cultural context, one can tell Paul is reprimanding the women for reasons outside of Christ-ordained leadership roles in ministry. (Saucy, 308).
Not only does the scripture people use to protest the ordination of women in ministry fail to prove their point, but there is a significant number of examples of women in leadership positions within the church during Biblical times. In terms of women having the highest leadership roles in the church, the Bible does not condemn it, but rather endorses Godly women taking such positions of authority. (Dealing). Paul refers to many ordained women in the Bible. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul references his coworkers, Euodias and Syntyche, who were leaders and cofounders of the Church (Holy, 798). In Romans 16:1-2, Paul commends Phoebe, a leader in the church of Cenchrea, as a noteworthy Christian (Holy, 948), which contradicts the interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:11-15 where Paul "excludes" women from teaching or leading. (Kienzle, 239). The ironic thing is that the term in original Greek that is used to describe Phoebe is translated to "servant" when the same word is actually translated to "minister" when used in context with males (Dealing). This is not the first time Bible translators have attempted to mislead people.
