Hello brother anonymity,
I am too - and I'm a woman! But, that should not prevent either of us from accepting scripture in the simplicity it is presented. For instance, there is absolutely no doubt that 'of note among the apostles' does not mean 'that the Apostles note them in high esteem as respected not that they are among the Apostles in that they are Apostles', as you suggest. This is clear from both Strong's definitions and Young's Literal. Please check them both out.
Note also, 'Andronicus and Junia, [b]my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners[/b]'. Perhaps you have too elevated an idea of an apostle's calling?
1 Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and [to] Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think [of men] above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. 7 For who maketh thee to differ [from another]? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive [it], why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received [it]? 8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. 9 [b]For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.[/b] 10 [b]We [are] fools for Christ's sake, but ye [are] wise in Christ; we [are] weak, but ye [are] strong; ye [are] honourable, but we [are] despised. [/b] 11 [b]Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;[/b] 12 [b]And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: [/b] 13 [b]Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, [and are] the offscouring of all things unto this day. [/b] 14 [b]I write not these things to shame you, but [u]as my beloved sons I warn[/u][/b] [you].
Could I ask you to think about this statement very carefully?
The reason I ask, is that neither was Eve 'Jewish' when God promised the Messiah would be her descendant, nor was Abraham 'Jewish', when God called him. Dropping down the geneology to Jesus, only His mother was Jewish, and Joseph, her husband, was descended from David only by adoption. In a similar way, Jesus was adopted into Joseph's family, seeing He was not his natural son, but His Father was God.
Now, Jewishness is not determined by natural birth, but by the inward circumcision of faith, and is equally open to women as to men - Rom 2:29.
Lastly, there were many apostles who were Gentiles, adopted into God's family with the Jews who believed, all born again by the will of God, grafted into the olivetree, the root of which is Christ.
Just in passing, we know that Timothy was of Greek paternity, and yet Paul [u]sent him out[/u] to ordain elders in certain places.
God has deliberately allowed all these conflicts - which are completely compatible with the Old Covenant openness to 'strangers' joining themselves to Israel through certain religious rituals (which included circumcision), to show that the Church is spiritual, not temporal.
This is not to take away from its Jewish root, in sofaras Jesus was humanly Jewish. Nevertheless, Jewish flesh was crucified with Him, just as Gentile flesh was also, and crucified Him (literally). Thus, in writing to a Gentile church Paul makes clear that natural Jewishness no longer counts for anything, except as the promises were committed to the forbears of the Jews, and Jews can now obtain them. Peter makes a similar point in the passing, at the start of his second epistle.
Rom 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are [u]Israelites; to whom [pertaineth] the adoption[/u] ...
2 Cor 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, [b]though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more[/b]. 17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Pet 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, [u]to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ[/u]: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
[Note Peter's use of the word 'Gentile' in 1 Pet 2:10 - 12, and compare it with the 'Israel' implied in 1 Pet 2:3 - 9, and in Eph 2:10 - end of chapter. Compare also the idea that a Jew who did not keep the law was like an uncircumcised Gentile at heart, Rom 2:27, 28.
In other words, while Paul is telling Jews their uncicumcised hearts makes them like Gentiles, Peter is telling Gentiles who [i][b]are[/b][/i] circumcised in heart that they are true [i]Israel[/i], and, like Paul, is using 'Gentile' as a term for those who choose not to believe. See also Acts 5:13, 14. [i]It's nothing to do with natural, 'first' birth.[/i] John 10:16
Maybe you would, but, are you really in a position to judge whether they are or not? I believe there is a great deal of supernatural power at work in the circumstances of a missionary, to keep him or her from being brought down by Satan's emissaries, and the powers of darkness which they oppose by their very presence there, in the name of Jesus Christ.
I think your questions about authority are confusing. God gives authority to those who obey Him, regardless of their gender. That's the definition of sonship which Jesus modeled for us. If you mean 'status' (in the Church), or [i]in the eyes of men[/i], then this may be something different, and not something to which a Christian need attain, or, by which he should be [u]de[/u]tained.
