March - Women's History Month Biblical Leaders in the New Testament

There are millions of women around the world who hate Paul. Many leaders didn't agree with his stand about women keeping silent and wives being submissive to their husbands. Some women believe that Paul is anti-woman. There is, however, a different view of Paul’s attitude toward women. And that comes from his willingness to form strong friendships and working relationships with women. One of those women was Priscilla, sometimes called Prisca. Priscilla and Aquila were a first-century Christian missionary married couple described in the New Testament. In the culture of the day, whenever naming a team of leaders, the most prominent among them would always be named first suggesting that women are seen as being leaders. Priscilla, as a female leader, experienced a higher place of prominence even than her husband, Aquila. Priscilla was a church planter and someone highly regarded by Paul. The couple was a dynamic team of teachers and church leaders.

Aquila is traditionally listed among the Seventy Disciples. They lived, worked, and traveled with the Apostle Paul, who described them as his "fellow workers in Christ Jesus".  Priscilla and Aquila are described in the New Testament as providing a presence that strengthened the early Christian churches. Priscilla is always mentioned in the New Testament along with her husband, Aquila, and more often than not Priscilla is named first. This was very unusual in the ancient world. It may indicate that she had a higher social status than her husband, perhaps because of inherited wealth. Or it may be that she was the stronger leader of the two in the church that met in their home. Or it may be simply that she had a more impressive personality. Paul was generous in his recognition and acknowledgment of his indebtedness to them. Together, they are credited with instructing Apollos, a major evangelist of the first century, and “[explaining] to him the way of God more accurately”.  “What makes authentic disciples is not visions, ecstasies, biblical mastery of chapter and verse, or spectacular success in the ministry, but a capacity for faithfulness. Buffeted by the fickle winds of failure, battered by their own unruly emotions, and bruised by rejection and ridicule, authentic disciples may have stumbled and frequently fallen, endured lapses and relapses, gotten handcuffed to the fleshpots and wandered into a far county. Yet, they kept coming back to Jesus” Brennan Manning.

She was mentioned alongside her husband Aquila at least six times in the New Testament, Priscilla was a leather tent maker. In Corinth, she and her husband collaborated with Paul in the business of tent-making. Together with her husband, she accompanied Paul on his missionary work to Ephesus, spreading Christianity to the world. They not only were very capable teachers in their own right, but they also played a pivotal role in the raising up of other leaders including Apollos, who became widely known for his powerful and effective preaching. Prisca (or Priscilla), it has been argued that she cannot be called “pastor” because she and her husband must have led something akin to a Bible study in their home and not an actual local “church” in the full sense of the word. A businesswoman, a wife, an evangelist, and a church leader; Priscilla was a multi-talented woman. Her Christianity was solid, as demonstrated by the fact that she and her husband corrected and instructed the gifted preacher Apollos about the gospel, particularly about baptism. In the history of Christianity, Priscilla foreshadows a future where women are equal to men. The Bible depicts her as an equal to Aquila. “So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.  When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus. And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. Ministry of Apollos  Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately” Acts 18:18-26 (NKJV).

Priscilla not only worked with her husband, but had a mastery of tent-making, hospitality, and Theology alike, But it is clear from Paul’s writings that he considers her church as an organized, local congregation, evidenced by his technical use of the word “ekklesia”. It is also clear that Paul considers Prisca and her husband equals in ministry, as is strongly suggested by his description of them as “fellow workers”, by the fact that both Aquila and Prisca correct Apollos’ teaching, and by the fact that both are frequently mentioned together in Paul’s writings (Prisca being mentioned first). And finally, Priscilla was a woman of great courage and great love. Paul says that both she and her husband risked their necks in order to save his life.  She was loyal to her friend and to the Christian faith. She was willing to give her own life in order to save the life of her friend.  And Jesus said that no one could have greater love than that. This same courage may have led to her martyrdom during the persecution of Christians that began under Emperor Nero.  She would rather die than renounce her faith in Jesus. Priscilla is one of the women who was a co-worker of Paul, giving us the knowledge of Paul’s true perspective on women. He saw them as equals in working in the church. He considered them to be his helpers and co-laborers. And certainly, Priscilla was one of his dearest friends. We may not know a lot about Priscilla, but what we do know is that she was a strong woman, strong in character, strong in faith, strong in loyalty, and strong in her determination to help build the church. We do well to honor and remember her today. “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house” Romans 16:3-5 (NKJV).