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Man and Woman, One in Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Paul's Letters
Does Paul teach a hierarchy of authority of man over woman, or does he teach the full equality of man and woman in the church and home? In Man and Woman, One in Christ, Philip Barton Payne answers this question and more, injecting crucial insights into the discussion of Paul’s view of women. Condensing over three decades of research on this topic, Payne’s rigorous exegetical analysis demonstrates the consistency of Paul’s message on this topic and its coherence with the rest of his theology. Payne’s exegetical examination of the Pauline corpus is thorough, exploring the influences on Paul, his practice as a church leader, and his teachings to various Christian communities. Paul’s theology, instruction, and practice consistently affirm the equal standing of men and women, with profound implications for the church today. Man and Woman, One in Christ is required reading for all who desire to understand the meaning of Paul’s statements regarding women and their relevance for Christian relationships and ministry today. This work has the potential of uniting the church on this contentious issue.
512 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2009
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February 6, 2014
Philip B. Payne, Man and Woman, One in Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Paul’s Letters (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009). Paperback
In feminist criticism of Christianity, the apostle Paul often emerges as chief among sexists. He subordinated wives to husbands in the home and women to men in the church, enjoining females to be “submissive” to and “quiet” before males. Sometimes, it is conceded, Paul made noises in an egalitarian direction, e.g., Galatians 3:28. On the whole, however, he advocated patriarchy, or as contemporary advocates call it, complementarianism.
In Man and Woman, One in Christ, Philip B. Payne argues that Paul has been misread. Far from being an advocate of patriarchy—in home or church—Paul is an egalitarian. Or rather, to state the matter positively: “Paul repeatedly affirms the equal standing and privileges of women and men in the church and in marriage.”
Payne reaches this conclusion through
an examination of the Hellenistic, rabbinic, Old Testament, and early Christian backgrounds to Paul’s teaching (chapter 1);
a survey of women Paul names as ministry leaders (chapter 2);
an outline of Pauline theological axioms that imply sexual equality (chapter 3);
and a painstaking exegesis of the relevant Pauline texts: Galatians 3:28 (chapter 4); 1 Corinthians 7 (chapter 5); 11:2–16 (chapters 6–13); 14:34–35 (chapter 14); Ephesians 5:21–33 and Colossians 3:18–19 (chapter 15); 1 Timothy 2:8–15 (chapters 16–23); and 1 Timothy 3:1–13 and Titus 1:5–9).
Some of the arguments Payne makes will be familiar to anyone who has kept up with the literary debate between egalitarians and complementarians, which has been ongoing among evangelicals for several decades. Indeed, Payne’s own scholarly output on the topic has made a signal contribution to these debates. He states that Man and Woman, One in Christ has been 36 years in the making. (It was published in 2009.)
Payne presents these familiar arguments for egalitarianism with precision and care. They include, among others, the egalitarian implications of Galatians 3:28, the meaning of kephale as “source” rather than “authority” in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, the mutuality of submission between husband and wife in Ephesians 5:21–33, the contextually limited (rather than universal) prohibition of women assuming authority to teach in 1 Timothy 2:18–15, and the openness of the offices of overseer and deacon to women in 1 Timothy 3:11–13 and Titus 1:5–9. (English translations do not always make this openness clear.)
He also makes several fresh arguments, however. Commentators often note the sexism that underlies some rabbinic teaching, famously epitomized in the daily prayer, “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has not made me…a woman.” They presume that Paul shared this attitude, at least prior to his conversion and call. Payne notes that the “surviving sayings of Rabban Gamaliel I,” Paul’s teacher (Acts 22:3), “indicate a favorable attitude toward women in sharp contrast to the rabbinic tradition as a whole.” Could it be that Gamaliel shaped Paul’s more positive assessment of women?
With Gordon D. Fee, Payne makes the argument that 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 is an interpolation into the text that was not written by Paul. The early Western textual tradition places verses 34–35 after verse 40, whereas the majority textual tradition places it after verse 33. Fee (and Payne) argues that the best explanation for this is that the verses are an early interpolation. What Payne brings to the table now is a fresh examination of distigme in Codex Vaticanus, scribal markings around verses 34–35 that indicate an interpolation, as well as several other early manuscripts that do not have the verses in them. Payne’s argument is impressive, though I must note the countervailing argument: Whether placed after verse 33 or verse 44, verses 34–35 are present in nearly all extant manuscripts.
One final example of a fresh argument (there are other examples, of course): Payne argues that the word authentein in 1 Timothy 2:12 means “to assume authority,” not “to exercise authority,” and that the Greek word oude in that verse conjoins “to teach” and “to assume authority” as two aspects of a single action, namely, “to assume authority to teach,” rather than to be granted authority to teach by an appropriate body. To my mind, Payne’s lexicographical and grammatical arguments in this regard are probative and definitive.
As noted above, Man and Woman, One in Christ was four decades in the making. Payne, who has a Ph.D. in New Testament from Cambridge, started out with complementarian assumptions regarding marriage, but changed those through close investigation of the relevant Pauline texts. Far from explaining away Scripture, Payne’s arguments assume its inerrancy and authority. This is important, because it demonstrates the possibility that egalitarianism is not an ideology imposed upon the New Testament text, but a social practice that arises organically from the text, which has the status of God’s infallible Word to humanity.
Some time ago, my neighbor and I fell into a discussion about Christianity. One of her misgivings about the faith had its source in the practice of patriarchy in the Bible and among contemporary evangelicals. As a well-educated, intelligent woman—a writer, in fact—she seemed offended by the notion that men/husbands should possess authority over women/wives simply by virtue of their sex.
I wonder how many women and men share my neighbor’s misgivings about Christianity. Increasingly, women are advancing into leadership at all levels of society—except, it seems, in the church, where leadership is reserved (whether by explicit biblical interpretation or by implicit cultural custom) to men. Is it any wonder that some find the church sexist and hence the faith untenable?
Those of us who minister and teach the Word of God need to exercise due diligence when it comes to controversial passages in the apostle Paul (or anywhere else in Scripture). We need to make sure that our conclusions are thoroughly rooted in the Greek text, not in English translations, let alone contemporary prejudices of one sort or another. What is impressive about Man and Woman, One in Christ is the thoroughness, depth, clarity, and charity of Payne’s scholarship. If I were to recommend just one book to pastors and Bible teachers regarding Paul’s theology and practice of male-female relationships, this book would undoubtedly be it. At times, it is a tough slog to read because it is so thick in its discussions of textual criticism, grammar, lexicography, and syntax. Nonetheless, the intellectual reward is worth the slog. More important, however, is biblical foundation it lays for the equality of women and men in Christ.
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please vote “Yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
In feminist criticism of Christianity, the apostle Paul often emerges as chief among sexists. He subordinated wives to husbands in the home and women to men in the church, enjoining females to be “submissive” to and “quiet” before males. Sometimes, it is conceded, Paul made noises in an egalitarian direction, e.g., Galatians 3:28. On the whole, however, he advocated patriarchy, or as contemporary advocates call it, complementarianism.
In Man and Woman, One in Christ, Philip B. Payne argues that Paul has been misread. Far from being an advocate of patriarchy—in home or church—Paul is an egalitarian. Or rather, to state the matter positively: “Paul repeatedly affirms the equal standing and privileges of women and men in the church and in marriage.”
Payne reaches this conclusion through
an examination of the Hellenistic, rabbinic, Old Testament, and early Christian backgrounds to Paul’s teaching (chapter 1);
a survey of women Paul names as ministry leaders (chapter 2);
an outline of Pauline theological axioms that imply sexual equality (chapter 3);
and a painstaking exegesis of the relevant Pauline texts: Galatians 3:28 (chapter 4); 1 Corinthians 7 (chapter 5); 11:2–16 (chapters 6–13); 14:34–35 (chapter 14); Ephesians 5:21–33 and Colossians 3:18–19 (chapter 15); 1 Timothy 2:8–15 (chapters 16–23); and 1 Timothy 3:1–13 and Titus 1:5–9).
Some of the arguments Payne makes will be familiar to anyone who has kept up with the literary debate between egalitarians and complementarians, which has been ongoing among evangelicals for several decades. Indeed, Payne’s own scholarly output on the topic has made a signal contribution to these debates. He states that Man and Woman, One in Christ has been 36 years in the making. (It was published in 2009.)
Payne presents these familiar arguments for egalitarianism with precision and care. They include, among others, the egalitarian implications of Galatians 3:28, the meaning of kephale as “source” rather than “authority” in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, the mutuality of submission between husband and wife in Ephesians 5:21–33, the contextually limited (rather than universal) prohibition of women assuming authority to teach in 1 Timothy 2:18–15, and the openness of the offices of overseer and deacon to women in 1 Timothy 3:11–13 and Titus 1:5–9. (English translations do not always make this openness clear.)
He also makes several fresh arguments, however. Commentators often note the sexism that underlies some rabbinic teaching, famously epitomized in the daily prayer, “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has not made me…a woman.” They presume that Paul shared this attitude, at least prior to his conversion and call. Payne notes that the “surviving sayings of Rabban Gamaliel I,” Paul’s teacher (Acts 22:3), “indicate a favorable attitude toward women in sharp contrast to the rabbinic tradition as a whole.” Could it be that Gamaliel shaped Paul’s more positive assessment of women?
With Gordon D. Fee, Payne makes the argument that 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 is an interpolation into the text that was not written by Paul. The early Western textual tradition places verses 34–35 after verse 40, whereas the majority textual tradition places it after verse 33. Fee (and Payne) argues that the best explanation for this is that the verses are an early interpolation. What Payne brings to the table now is a fresh examination of distigme in Codex Vaticanus, scribal markings around verses 34–35 that indicate an interpolation, as well as several other early manuscripts that do not have the verses in them. Payne’s argument is impressive, though I must note the countervailing argument: Whether placed after verse 33 or verse 44, verses 34–35 are present in nearly all extant manuscripts.
One final example of a fresh argument (there are other examples, of course): Payne argues that the word authentein in 1 Timothy 2:12 means “to assume authority,” not “to exercise authority,” and that the Greek word oude in that verse conjoins “to teach” and “to assume authority” as two aspects of a single action, namely, “to assume authority to teach,” rather than to be granted authority to teach by an appropriate body. To my mind, Payne’s lexicographical and grammatical arguments in this regard are probative and definitive.
As noted above, Man and Woman, One in Christ was four decades in the making. Payne, who has a Ph.D. in New Testament from Cambridge, started out with complementarian assumptions regarding marriage, but changed those through close investigation of the relevant Pauline texts. Far from explaining away Scripture, Payne’s arguments assume its inerrancy and authority. This is important, because it demonstrates the possibility that egalitarianism is not an ideology imposed upon the New Testament text, but a social practice that arises organically from the text, which has the status of God’s infallible Word to humanity.
Some time ago, my neighbor and I fell into a discussion about Christianity. One of her misgivings about the faith had its source in the practice of patriarchy in the Bible and among contemporary evangelicals. As a well-educated, intelligent woman—a writer, in fact—she seemed offended by the notion that men/husbands should possess authority over women/wives simply by virtue of their sex.
I wonder how many women and men share my neighbor’s misgivings about Christianity. Increasingly, women are advancing into leadership at all levels of society—except, it seems, in the church, where leadership is reserved (whether by explicit biblical interpretation or by implicit cultural custom) to men. Is it any wonder that some find the church sexist and hence the faith untenable?
Those of us who minister and teach the Word of God need to exercise due diligence when it comes to controversial passages in the apostle Paul (or anywhere else in Scripture). We need to make sure that our conclusions are thoroughly rooted in the Greek text, not in English translations, let alone contemporary prejudices of one sort or another. What is impressive about Man and Woman, One in Christ is the thoroughness, depth, clarity, and charity of Payne’s scholarship. If I were to recommend just one book to pastors and Bible teachers regarding Paul’s theology and practice of male-female relationships, this book would undoubtedly be it. At times, it is a tough slog to read because it is so thick in its discussions of textual criticism, grammar, lexicography, and syntax. Nonetheless, the intellectual reward is worth the slog. More important, however, is biblical foundation it lays for the equality of women and men in Christ.
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please vote “Yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
October 6, 2021
4.5
Don't read complementarians trying to explain the egalitarian position. Just read the egalitarian position. This book was super insightful and although I am not completely an egalitarian convert since reading it, the interpretations of Paul's most controversial passages offered here are helpful and not at all how CBMW authors claim them to be. It turns out egalitarians care about the inerrancy of scripture too! Just read the source material if you really want to understand a position is my main take away here.
Don't read complementarians trying to explain the egalitarian position. Just read the egalitarian position. This book was super insightful and although I am not completely an egalitarian convert since reading it, the interpretations of Paul's most controversial passages offered here are helpful and not at all how CBMW authors claim them to be. It turns out egalitarians care about the inerrancy of scripture too! Just read the source material if you really want to understand a position is my main take away here.
August 11, 2017
I am extremely grateful to Payne for his extensive and thoughtful research on this topic and for writing it out in this book. After growing up in a strongly complementarian background, I have seen so many examples of churches using the complementarian theology to protect abusive men and to excuse abuses of power within the church. For a long time, I’ve been convinced that this is a hugely important topic for myself and for the church as a whole. I was a little apprehensive about what I would find if I dug deep, though. I didn’t expect to be so thoroughly convinced by Payne. I really thought that the book would be full of cultural hand waving. It wasn’t! The text of the Bible really does completely support gender equality. It’s so freeing and refreshing.
As a side note, I read this book in parallel with “Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood” by Grudem and Piper. Reading it that way makes me feel like the authors of Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood are being intentionally deceitful at many points. Not cool at all.
As a side note, I read this book in parallel with “Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood” by Grudem and Piper. Reading it that way makes me feel like the authors of Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood are being intentionally deceitful at many points. Not cool at all.
April 8, 2017
As one who ministers in places where the number of evangelical Christians is relatively small, where Christians on both sides of the egalitarian/complimentarian debate worship together, divisions over this issue have been particularly painful. Both sides often attack the character or motives of the other. At their best, complimentarians do not oppress women, and at their best, egalitarians are not accommodating modern culture. This book is egalitarianism at its best.
Philip Payne takes us through an exegetical survey of Paul’s writings on women in the church and marriage. He proposes that a correct reading of scripture does away with hierarchical gender roles in the church and home. In Christ, gender alone does not disqualify one from certain ministries.
He begins surveying the cultural backdrop to Paul's writings, where women were often treated like property. Payne demonstrates that Paul, who is often accused of simply embracing the patriarchal norms of the time, recognised the cultural realities while patiently challenging them with natural implications of the gospel.
Payne surveys the biblical material Paul had to work with (Genesis), and draws attention to the lack of hierarchy in male/female relationships prior to the Fall. It was the Fall that introduced a power struggle between Man and Woman. Redemption overcomes this consequence of the Fall, and egalitarian relationships in the church witness to this work of Christ.
After giving the cultural and biblical background, Payne lists the women that Paul considered his partners in ministry and honored in his letters. These women are referred to by official titles and called “partners in the gospel.” This is significant because if Paul’s other writings are interpreted as timeless principles rather than circumstantial instructions, then Paul violated his own teaching.
The bulk of the book is divided into two sections addressing Paul’s earlier and later writings. Payne anticipates and responds to points that complementarians might make regarding these passages.
For example, Galatians 3:28 says that in Christ there is neither male nor female. Complementarians believe Paul is simply affirming that salvation is open to all regardless of gender. And yet no one at the time questioned this. Galatians is testifying that the gospel reorders human structures, and the church is to witness to this in its own order. Christ has done away with hierarchy of race, economic standing or gender. This argument is important because it lays the Christological foundation for understanding Paul’s other writings on gender relations.
Paul’s instructions about marriage in 1 Corinthians 7 explicitly state that the “conditions, opportunities, rights and obligations for the woman” are the same as for the man. Paul presents a “strikingly egalitarian understanding of the marital relations” that is “without parallel in the literature of the ancient world.”
Regarding head coverings (1 Corinthians 11:2-16), Payne helps us understand the cultural dynamics at play. These customs were not establishing authority, but showing respect of one’s gender and the gender of others. Paul reaffirms the distinctive value and difference of each gender rather than advocating for a gender based hierarchy in the church or home. Payne provides strong evidence for interpreting “head” as “source” in 1 Corinthians 11:3.
The point that would receive the most push back is Payne’s treatment of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, which he argues is an interpolation added at a later day. He provides much evidence for this, and references several conservative scholars who hold this position.
Chapter 15 addresses the “household codes” of Ephesians and Colossians. Whereas secular versions of the code only addressed the needs of the one in authority (the patriarch), Paul addresses all: wives, slaves and children as well. “In contrast to the secular goal of a well-ordered society, Paul’s goal is the actualization of a ‘new humanity.’” He doesn't endorse slavery, but instructs slaves in how to live in a secular society that practices slavery, subtly breaking its yoke. Similarly, Paul is empowering women and breaking systemic oppression by encouraging love and mutual submission in marriage. Wives are told to submit not to uphold a hierarchical structure, but out of reverence for Christ and an imitation of the love of Christ. Ephesians 5 is clearly a vision for a Christ-centered marriage.
In his discussion of 1 Timothy 2:12, Payne identifies the primary problem in Ephesus as the chaos created by false teachers. Gnosticism was seeping into the Ephesian church, and “the prominent role of women in Gnostic circles helps explain Paul’s restriction on women teaching in this situation.” (298) Rather than teaching error, Paul instructs women to learn (2:11) with a quiet, peaceful spirit (not “silence”) and in submission to the truth (not implying submission to their husbands or male leaders in the church). Promoting the education of women was a step toward empowering them in hierarchical situations as Paul’s gospel would have him do – something that was not common in Ephesus or more broadly in Judaism at the time. Therefore, “I am not permitting [for the moment] a woman to teach and assume [not “have”] authority over a man” (2:12) because “they want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about” (1:7). Instead, “let them learn with a quiet spirit” (2:11) so that they will be equipped to teach truth rather than error. Paul’s letter to Timothy teaches us the value of women in the community (they can learn as men do) as well as the value of a humble, quiet and teachable spirit for all – especially for those who would be teachers.
Payne doesn't dismiss Paul's instructions concerning marriage and church leadership, but insists we misinterpret Paul if we ignore the context in which he was writing. Faithfulness to the Bible and sound exegesis requires us to understand the story in which his letters appear.
I thoroughly recommend Payne’s book. My hope echoes his:
“Just as the church has come to unanimity in rejecting ‘separate but equal’ rights for whites and blacks, I trust that this book will help bring a truly biblical unanimity to the church in rejecting the view that God established ‘separate but equal’ leadership roles for men and women in the church.” (462)
Philip Payne takes us through an exegetical survey of Paul’s writings on women in the church and marriage. He proposes that a correct reading of scripture does away with hierarchical gender roles in the church and home. In Christ, gender alone does not disqualify one from certain ministries.
He begins surveying the cultural backdrop to Paul's writings, where women were often treated like property. Payne demonstrates that Paul, who is often accused of simply embracing the patriarchal norms of the time, recognised the cultural realities while patiently challenging them with natural implications of the gospel.
Payne surveys the biblical material Paul had to work with (Genesis), and draws attention to the lack of hierarchy in male/female relationships prior to the Fall. It was the Fall that introduced a power struggle between Man and Woman. Redemption overcomes this consequence of the Fall, and egalitarian relationships in the church witness to this work of Christ.
After giving the cultural and biblical background, Payne lists the women that Paul considered his partners in ministry and honored in his letters. These women are referred to by official titles and called “partners in the gospel.” This is significant because if Paul’s other writings are interpreted as timeless principles rather than circumstantial instructions, then Paul violated his own teaching.
The bulk of the book is divided into two sections addressing Paul’s earlier and later writings. Payne anticipates and responds to points that complementarians might make regarding these passages.
For example, Galatians 3:28 says that in Christ there is neither male nor female. Complementarians believe Paul is simply affirming that salvation is open to all regardless of gender. And yet no one at the time questioned this. Galatians is testifying that the gospel reorders human structures, and the church is to witness to this in its own order. Christ has done away with hierarchy of race, economic standing or gender. This argument is important because it lays the Christological foundation for understanding Paul’s other writings on gender relations.
Paul’s instructions about marriage in 1 Corinthians 7 explicitly state that the “conditions, opportunities, rights and obligations for the woman” are the same as for the man. Paul presents a “strikingly egalitarian understanding of the marital relations” that is “without parallel in the literature of the ancient world.”
Regarding head coverings (1 Corinthians 11:2-16), Payne helps us understand the cultural dynamics at play. These customs were not establishing authority, but showing respect of one’s gender and the gender of others. Paul reaffirms the distinctive value and difference of each gender rather than advocating for a gender based hierarchy in the church or home. Payne provides strong evidence for interpreting “head” as “source” in 1 Corinthians 11:3.
The point that would receive the most push back is Payne’s treatment of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, which he argues is an interpolation added at a later day. He provides much evidence for this, and references several conservative scholars who hold this position.
Chapter 15 addresses the “household codes” of Ephesians and Colossians. Whereas secular versions of the code only addressed the needs of the one in authority (the patriarch), Paul addresses all: wives, slaves and children as well. “In contrast to the secular goal of a well-ordered society, Paul’s goal is the actualization of a ‘new humanity.’” He doesn't endorse slavery, but instructs slaves in how to live in a secular society that practices slavery, subtly breaking its yoke. Similarly, Paul is empowering women and breaking systemic oppression by encouraging love and mutual submission in marriage. Wives are told to submit not to uphold a hierarchical structure, but out of reverence for Christ and an imitation of the love of Christ. Ephesians 5 is clearly a vision for a Christ-centered marriage.
In his discussion of 1 Timothy 2:12, Payne identifies the primary problem in Ephesus as the chaos created by false teachers. Gnosticism was seeping into the Ephesian church, and “the prominent role of women in Gnostic circles helps explain Paul’s restriction on women teaching in this situation.” (298) Rather than teaching error, Paul instructs women to learn (2:11) with a quiet, peaceful spirit (not “silence”) and in submission to the truth (not implying submission to their husbands or male leaders in the church). Promoting the education of women was a step toward empowering them in hierarchical situations as Paul’s gospel would have him do – something that was not common in Ephesus or more broadly in Judaism at the time. Therefore, “I am not permitting [for the moment] a woman to teach and assume [not “have”] authority over a man” (2:12) because “they want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about” (1:7). Instead, “let them learn with a quiet spirit” (2:11) so that they will be equipped to teach truth rather than error. Paul’s letter to Timothy teaches us the value of women in the community (they can learn as men do) as well as the value of a humble, quiet and teachable spirit for all – especially for those who would be teachers.
Payne doesn't dismiss Paul's instructions concerning marriage and church leadership, but insists we misinterpret Paul if we ignore the context in which he was writing. Faithfulness to the Bible and sound exegesis requires us to understand the story in which his letters appear.
I thoroughly recommend Payne’s book. My hope echoes his:
“Just as the church has come to unanimity in rejecting ‘separate but equal’ rights for whites and blacks, I trust that this book will help bring a truly biblical unanimity to the church in rejecting the view that God established ‘separate but equal’ leadership roles for men and women in the church.” (462)
August 9, 2025
This is a good book. Payne is an innerantist, and assumes Pauline authorship of the Pastorals, which gives this book a unique “niche” in terms of targeted audience (i.e., this is one side of an argument being had in the “conservative” wing of biblical scholarship). Nevertheless, the arguments here are good, and raise the bar for the sorts of arguments that need to be made on either side of this debate for it to move forward. If people want their arguments taken seriously, they need to be able to discuss Greek semantic ranges and text critical issues. Indeed, Payne’s section on 14:34-35 being an interpolation seems relatively unassailable (it is the best part of the book, imo, though he is more leaning on Fee than being strictly original), and people who dismiss such arguments out of hand without actually addressing their content (likely due to a lack of competence to properly address them) should no longer be taken seriously in this debate. Bring back some academic gatekeeping!
The most puzzling part of the book: Payne never really addresses why gune and aner don’t simply mean “husband” and “wife” in each of these “problem” passages. This is not to argue that they should be translated as such in every NT case, only that their semantic ranges in Late Antiquity, and the context of many of these passages, suggests discussions pertaining more to 1st century conceptions of the domestic sphere than anything else. Would have liked to see Payne address this idea more fully, as he too quickly dismisses this option on a couple occasions.
Not a perfect book by any means. Payne is logically inconsistent in some cases, there are a few arguments from silence, and his discussion of the household codes is probably the weakest section of the book. Nevertheless, I would commend it: it feels like more of a 4 star book than 3.
The most puzzling part of the book: Payne never really addresses why gune and aner don’t simply mean “husband” and “wife” in each of these “problem” passages. This is not to argue that they should be translated as such in every NT case, only that their semantic ranges in Late Antiquity, and the context of many of these passages, suggests discussions pertaining more to 1st century conceptions of the domestic sphere than anything else. Would have liked to see Payne address this idea more fully, as he too quickly dismisses this option on a couple occasions.
Not a perfect book by any means. Payne is logically inconsistent in some cases, there are a few arguments from silence, and his discussion of the household codes is probably the weakest section of the book. Nevertheless, I would commend it: it feels like more of a 4 star book than 3.
September 17, 2024
I’d give this 5 stars but for one major issue. This books delves in to the Greek ALOT, to the point of being distracting and confusing. Or at least confusing to someone like me who does not know Greek.
This book has challenged a lot of what I have been taught over the last 40 years. And the author makes a good case for his points. my mind was blown from the very first chapter where he said patriarchy was a result of the Fall. It makes perfect sense, but it makes me wonder how I missed it all these years and what else have I missed!
There is supposed to be a shorter version of this with less Greek. That might have been better for me, but I was in a book club and this is the book we were reading.
This book has challenged a lot of what I have been taught over the last 40 years. And the author makes a good case for his points. my mind was blown from the very first chapter where he said patriarchy was a result of the Fall. It makes perfect sense, but it makes me wonder how I missed it all these years and what else have I missed!
There is supposed to be a shorter version of this with less Greek. That might have been better for me, but I was in a book club and this is the book we were reading.
July 26, 2017
Answered so many questions I've always had regarding women's role in the church. Life-changing to say the least. I went into reading this book thinking Egalitarians explained everything away and had to jump hoops to make their arguments work and realized through Payne's pain staking exegesis and scholarship that it is actually the other way around. Complementarians are the one that have to explain things away and jump hoops.
December 30, 2020
Payne is consistently wrong in his interpretation of every passage addressed in this book. He forces texts to say what they don't and then questions every aspect about passages that he doesn't like. For example, Payne says Galatians 3:28 "explicitly affirms, without any qualification, that these divisions [including male-female] do not exist in the body of Christ" (80). Such an absurd interpretation would render all of Paul's sex-specific instructions meaningless.
Payne interprets every other passage through this egalitarian lens. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 says things Payne doesn't like, so he argues it is an interpolation—even though no manuscript lacks these verses. Ephesians 5:22 only instructs wives to submit to their husbands, but for Payne, "Paul expects husbands to submit to their wives, too” (277). This is what Paul really meant, even though he never said such.
Payne thinks 1 Timothy 2:12 only prohibits women from assuming an authoritative teaching, not teaching or exercising authority over men. And though Paul cites that "Adam was formed first" as the basis for this prohibition, Payne thinks that "Paul gives us no explanation here of what significance he draws from Adam being formed first"(402). And anyways, according to Payne, Paul's use of a present tense verb (“I do not permit”) indicates it was only a temporary prohibition (320-321). This is the kind of nonsense espoused throughout this entire book.
Payne interprets every other passage through this egalitarian lens. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 says things Payne doesn't like, so he argues it is an interpolation—even though no manuscript lacks these verses. Ephesians 5:22 only instructs wives to submit to their husbands, but for Payne, "Paul expects husbands to submit to their wives, too” (277). This is what Paul really meant, even though he never said such.
Payne thinks 1 Timothy 2:12 only prohibits women from assuming an authoritative teaching, not teaching or exercising authority over men. And though Paul cites that "Adam was formed first" as the basis for this prohibition, Payne thinks that "Paul gives us no explanation here of what significance he draws from Adam being formed first"(402). And anyways, according to Payne, Paul's use of a present tense verb (“I do not permit”) indicates it was only a temporary prohibition (320-321). This is the kind of nonsense espoused throughout this entire book.
February 2, 2017
Caveat: I didn't fully finish this book; however, I read several chapters throughout.
I think my overall impression of the author is that he has a scholastic/academic view of the text, but doesn't have a high view of scripture.
In places, he broke down the the language so minutely that it completely lost the meaning of the text as a whole. Furthermore, it seemed that with every text in question he attempted to completely cut out the authority of the text and show how it's theology is not universal. He spent more time in history and extra-biblical/pseudepigraphal texts than he did in the actual text in question. Though history and culture are very intriguing and interesting and helps add a little bit of light to the text, I am firmly convicted that the text of scripture is enough to interpret the text of scripture.
I feel like this book did not do it's namesake here -- In reading this, I know more about what Josephus was writing at the time than I know about Paul's theology.
I think my overall impression of the author is that he has a scholastic/academic view of the text, but doesn't have a high view of scripture.
In places, he broke down the the language so minutely that it completely lost the meaning of the text as a whole. Furthermore, it seemed that with every text in question he attempted to completely cut out the authority of the text and show how it's theology is not universal. He spent more time in history and extra-biblical/pseudepigraphal texts than he did in the actual text in question. Though history and culture are very intriguing and interesting and helps add a little bit of light to the text, I am firmly convicted that the text of scripture is enough to interpret the text of scripture.
I feel like this book did not do it's namesake here -- In reading this, I know more about what Josephus was writing at the time than I know about Paul's theology.
October 14, 2025
Payne is a pain to read. As one NT scholar observed after a back-and-forth written interaction with Payne: he is verbose. I have to agree after reading this book, which is Payne’s attempt to defend egalitarianism.
There is a repeated pattern in his chapters. In the first paragraph he sets up a false premise upon which he builds the rest of the chapter. So no matter how much ink he spills or how many footnotes he provides, if the basic premise he has set up in the first paragraph of the chapter is faulty then all that follows is built on a faulty foundation.
Check the consistent pattern in the 1-2 star reviews of Payne’s methodology. Learn to discern.
There is a repeated pattern in his chapters. In the first paragraph he sets up a false premise upon which he builds the rest of the chapter. So no matter how much ink he spills or how many footnotes he provides, if the basic premise he has set up in the first paragraph of the chapter is faulty then all that follows is built on a faulty foundation.
Check the consistent pattern in the 1-2 star reviews of Payne’s methodology. Learn to discern.
February 17, 2020
It took me ten months exactly to finish this book (and honestly, it felt like longer than that). But this book has so much deep content, it was probably best that I read it so slowly. Philip B. Payne poured 36 years of research into this book so it is not a light read. However I highly recommend it for complementarians everywhere. If this book doesn’t make you pause and really consider Paul’s letters and what he teaches about women within the context he wrote them, then you’ve missed the point.
May 28, 2022
Highly recommended resource
This book has been incredibly helpful on my journey to understanding Paul’s view of women in the Bible and the implications for women as elders.
This book has been incredibly helpful on my journey to understanding Paul’s view of women in the Bible and the implications for women as elders.
July 8, 2025
If there is any book that I would recommend to someone who is asking questions about women in the church, and who wants to do a serious deep dive into a study of Paul’s letters, this is probably my top recommendation. He has a more condensed version of it called “The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood” if you would like a cliff note version of this larger piece, but honestly, I would recommend reading the larger one in this case.
Philip Payne is a professor at Cambridge and is known for his work on textual criticism, the parables of Jesus, and Paul’s teaching on women (his focus of 36 years). This author is so utterly thorough in his presentation of arguments. It is actually baffling the detail he goes into in teaching you about the original Greek text, the extra-biblical context and contemporary literature of the time, and methods of interpretation and the implications of those methods on our theology. He’s also incredibly available, as I emailed him questions, and he responded within a couple days with more of his notes and further resource resources.
This book spends the bulk of 500 ish pages on 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy, but he does an excellent job on Galatians 3:28, the household codes of Ephesians and Colossians, and the requirements for elders/deacons in Timothy and Titus. I’m going to present them in stages because each subject is almost its own book.
As with most things, the arguments for egalitarianism stand on a multi-legged stool. When taken in totality, the evidence for the equality of women with respect to their roles in the church and home is overwhelming. It is also troubling to see how translators have interpreted the text through their patriarchical lenses, leading us to have an English version of the Bible that is not accurate to the original text. Without further digging and study, a “straightforward reading” of these passages can be very misleading.
That’s said, I really appreciate the way that he interacts with other contemporary authors with respect. He frequently engages Wayne Grudem, Douglas Moo, Andreas Kostenbetger and MANY other complementarians, while disagreeing and brilliantly poking holes in their arguments. I personally am not sure how anyone could be confronted with the arguments in this book and come out the other side at a minimum more gracious to the egalitarian position, if not completely convinced it.
I have never read an author more academically rigorous than Philip Payne. Yet his work is extremely readable and visually helpful - he has nice charts and visual aids throughout the book. Don’t be intimidated by its size - this book is doable even for the novice theologian. Just take it one chapter at a time, and shoot him an email if you have any questions! He’s very helpful and kind.
Guys. Just go buy it and read it.
Philip Payne is a professor at Cambridge and is known for his work on textual criticism, the parables of Jesus, and Paul’s teaching on women (his focus of 36 years). This author is so utterly thorough in his presentation of arguments. It is actually baffling the detail he goes into in teaching you about the original Greek text, the extra-biblical context and contemporary literature of the time, and methods of interpretation and the implications of those methods on our theology. He’s also incredibly available, as I emailed him questions, and he responded within a couple days with more of his notes and further resource resources.
This book spends the bulk of 500 ish pages on 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy, but he does an excellent job on Galatians 3:28, the household codes of Ephesians and Colossians, and the requirements for elders/deacons in Timothy and Titus. I’m going to present them in stages because each subject is almost its own book.
As with most things, the arguments for egalitarianism stand on a multi-legged stool. When taken in totality, the evidence for the equality of women with respect to their roles in the church and home is overwhelming. It is also troubling to see how translators have interpreted the text through their patriarchical lenses, leading us to have an English version of the Bible that is not accurate to the original text. Without further digging and study, a “straightforward reading” of these passages can be very misleading.
That’s said, I really appreciate the way that he interacts with other contemporary authors with respect. He frequently engages Wayne Grudem, Douglas Moo, Andreas Kostenbetger and MANY other complementarians, while disagreeing and brilliantly poking holes in their arguments. I personally am not sure how anyone could be confronted with the arguments in this book and come out the other side at a minimum more gracious to the egalitarian position, if not completely convinced it.
I have never read an author more academically rigorous than Philip Payne. Yet his work is extremely readable and visually helpful - he has nice charts and visual aids throughout the book. Don’t be intimidated by its size - this book is doable even for the novice theologian. Just take it one chapter at a time, and shoot him an email if you have any questions! He’s very helpful and kind.
Guys. Just go buy it and read it.
July 12, 2023
Marking as read because I got what I wanted out of this book, not because I read the whole thing. (It's a brick.)
I learned a lot from this book. I also had to work very hard at this book. It is written for scholars. It assumes you're comfy analyzing sentences written in Greek. In other words, I was not the intended audience! I understand that The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood: How God's Word Consistently Affirms Gender Equality is the layperson's version of this text. Had it been published when I started reading, I would have gotten a copy of that instead.
Payne's presentation of the case is thorough. So, so thorough. It's the kind of book where some pages are nearly all footnote, and the footnotes are the history of the theological sparring around the birth of the term "complementarian", and... well, again, I was not the target audience.
But the organization is nice and clear. The first chapters take Paul's writings as a whole- something I had never seen done- to get the big-picture image of what he has to say about gender. Then he goes through the specific passages that form the center of the controversy. The argument is set forth piece by piece, point by point, in nice short chapters with headings and subheadings and bullet points. The structure lets you tackle this tome in the same way you eat an elephant.
tl;dr: tl;partially r. Big book of good scholarship. Buy the layperson's version first/instead.
I learned a lot from this book. I also had to work very hard at this book. It is written for scholars. It assumes you're comfy analyzing sentences written in Greek. In other words, I was not the intended audience! I understand that The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood: How God's Word Consistently Affirms Gender Equality is the layperson's version of this text. Had it been published when I started reading, I would have gotten a copy of that instead.
Payne's presentation of the case is thorough. So, so thorough. It's the kind of book where some pages are nearly all footnote, and the footnotes are the history of the theological sparring around the birth of the term "complementarian", and... well, again, I was not the target audience.
But the organization is nice and clear. The first chapters take Paul's writings as a whole- something I had never seen done- to get the big-picture image of what he has to say about gender. Then he goes through the specific passages that form the center of the controversy. The argument is set forth piece by piece, point by point, in nice short chapters with headings and subheadings and bullet points. The structure lets you tackle this tome in the same way you eat an elephant.
tl;dr: tl;partially r. Big book of good scholarship. Buy the layperson's version first/instead.
August 15, 2024
What a great read. Calling it comprehensive does not even do it justice. I am no academic, so some passages were a bit of a slog but they felt necessary and justifiable given the importance of the material.
I particularly enjoyed understanding more about how understanding the meaning of the original Greek phrases can be helped by reviewing contemporary writings. The story of the slave who refused to pay the boat fare and the person who “assumed authority” in order to instruct him to pay was particularly fascinating to me.
So much of translation work is inexact and can be influenced by the translators worldview. This has led me to take a dim view of the ESV translation given the “complementarian” (an inaccurate adjective that they have coined) view of the translators. They do much harm, I believe, in erasing the role of women in the church.
I am glad to have this book on my shelf.
I particularly enjoyed understanding more about how understanding the meaning of the original Greek phrases can be helped by reviewing contemporary writings. The story of the slave who refused to pay the boat fare and the person who “assumed authority” in order to instruct him to pay was particularly fascinating to me.
So much of translation work is inexact and can be influenced by the translators worldview. This has led me to take a dim view of the ESV translation given the “complementarian” (an inaccurate adjective that they have coined) view of the translators. They do much harm, I believe, in erasing the role of women in the church.
I am glad to have this book on my shelf.
October 3, 2022
A fine and thorough exploration of several difficult scriptures on the topic of 'the position of women in the church'. Though it may not convince the hardcore complimentarians, it does a fine job of asking many good questions- that will challenge all-but thr hardcore' to revist those scriptures and extract them from several thousand years worth of cultural baggage and see afresh what exactly is in the original greek, and what is clearly missing.
Also a solid text for those wanting a solid and scriptual backing to their inner witness that equality in Christ for men and women should be at the heart of any doctrine.
Also a solid text for those wanting a solid and scriptual backing to their inner witness that equality in Christ for men and women should be at the heart of any doctrine.
December 20, 2025
Great book with important information that Christians — especially pastors — need to know. Yes, there’s some Greek in here, but we can do hard things. The book is a little repetitive in places but even the repetition is helpful because there’s so much information to absorb.
Teachers will be held to greater accountability. Those who promote the Biblically-illiterate notions that women should be silent in churches and cannot lead or teach need to take the time to learn the original language and context of Biblical passages before they teach in error out of laziness, ignorance, or bias, and oppress half of God’s image bearers in the process.
Teachers will be held to greater accountability. Those who promote the Biblically-illiterate notions that women should be silent in churches and cannot lead or teach need to take the time to learn the original language and context of Biblical passages before they teach in error out of laziness, ignorance, or bias, and oppress half of God’s image bearers in the process.
July 10, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Did Payne just heal my relationship to St. Paul………?
Yes, he did. This book is remarkable. Using incredible exegesis, contextual analysis, church history, and logic merged the full story of Scripture, Payne demonstrates how St. Paul was a champion of women’s leadership in all realms, especially religious and marital.
The book is broken down verse by verse of St. Paul’s writing on women, and a ridiculous and borderline overwhelming level of evidence and logic is given to St. Paul’s words.
Payne is fluent and studied in Old Testament Hebrew and New Testament Greek, and I am awed by the significance of translation and how its misuse perpetuates misogyny and sexism.
The role of translation is so paramount to this book that I believe having some knowledge of Hebrew and Greek is pivotal to fully understanding Payne’s arguments. I do not have any knowledge of either of those languages, so I was at times overwhelmed and a bit lost.
Nevertheless, this book will be immediately recommended to all believers looking to further understand the Trinitarian reality of women as equal, full, and capable leaders and valued members of the Body of Christ.
Did Payne just heal my relationship to St. Paul………?
Yes, he did. This book is remarkable. Using incredible exegesis, contextual analysis, church history, and logic merged the full story of Scripture, Payne demonstrates how St. Paul was a champion of women’s leadership in all realms, especially religious and marital.
The book is broken down verse by verse of St. Paul’s writing on women, and a ridiculous and borderline overwhelming level of evidence and logic is given to St. Paul’s words.
Payne is fluent and studied in Old Testament Hebrew and New Testament Greek, and I am awed by the significance of translation and how its misuse perpetuates misogyny and sexism.
The role of translation is so paramount to this book that I believe having some knowledge of Hebrew and Greek is pivotal to fully understanding Payne’s arguments. I do not have any knowledge of either of those languages, so I was at times overwhelmed and a bit lost.
Nevertheless, this book will be immediately recommended to all believers looking to further understand the Trinitarian reality of women as equal, full, and capable leaders and valued members of the Body of Christ.
June 5, 2024
Beware: a thoroughly academic, heady read for the average layperson without a background in Hebrew or Greek. Payne brings a thoughtful and sensitive argument to the women in church leadership discussion. I would like to read more of his thoughts on eldership and senior or teaching pastor positions.
January 11, 2025
While I am a complimentarian, i found this book to be extremely well written. The writing and the arguments were clear. Also, Payne’s interaction with the scholarship was masterful. His treatment of 1 Corinthians 14:33-34 was extremely insightful.
Highly recommend this!
Highly recommend this!
August 6, 2025
There are some newer critiques of Payne's work and newer arguments that I think are better, but that's no surprise given that this was written 16 years ago. This is certainly one of the foundational works in this discussion, making it well worth-reading (and it certainly is comprehensive!)
June 11, 2017
Clear elucidation of the relevant passages in Paul dealing with Gender.
February 23, 2021
Very grateful for this book. I especially appreciated the thorough discussion of 1 Timothy 2 (and 3). After reading his explanation I came away feeling like he was able to make sense of the whole passage. Even the obscure reference to women being saved by child-bearing (which I generally hear dismissed as "this obviously does NOT mean that women are saved by having children"--but no explanation as to the purpose of the statement) is given adequate attention and fits well into the passage, having both a purpose of being included and yet aligning with Pauline theology as evidenced through the rest of the NT.
As other reviewers have noted, Payne's thorough analysis has left me feeling that in looking at the whole Biblical narrative and seeking to understand passages within the whole scope of the Bible, egalitarians have far less to defend about their position than complementarians. It seems that (especially looking at 1 Tim 2) Payne's exegesis leaves far fewer questions and 'mysteries' than any other I have heard before and makes sense of many passages which others have just allowed to remain 'ineffable' because they are difficult to reconcile with their own interpretation.
Although this is not a quick read, it was well-worth the time.
As other reviewers have noted, Payne's thorough analysis has left me feeling that in looking at the whole Biblical narrative and seeking to understand passages within the whole scope of the Bible, egalitarians have far less to defend about their position than complementarians. It seems that (especially looking at 1 Tim 2) Payne's exegesis leaves far fewer questions and 'mysteries' than any other I have heard before and makes sense of many passages which others have just allowed to remain 'ineffable' because they are difficult to reconcile with their own interpretation.
Although this is not a quick read, it was well-worth the time.
December 28, 2012
After reading this I conducted a literature review to follow the argumentation of Payne and his theological/textual opponents. See http://rockadoodee.com/is-1-corinthia... for all this.
June 8, 2014
An excellent and intense exegetical treatment of a contentious issue.
March 31, 2014
Repetitive and esoteric but totally convincing. See my full review here: http://andthewordsbecamebooks.wordpre...
April 4, 2016
Long and tedious, but a great reference.
April 3, 2017
I was hoping this book would make an egalitarian of me, but it did not. It is very extensive with much detail on Greek studies, but time and again, I thought he failed to make the point. He did convince me on a few side issues that played into his over argument, but on the overall issue, I found a number of "straw man" arguments, and the whole thing had the feel of the author throwing a whole bunch of stuff at the wall to see if any of it would stick. I found it to be very frustrating to read.
Read
November 13, 2018Written from an egalitarian perspective, Payne comes at this topic clearly with some presuppositions on the matter. This was helpful in understanding this point of view. Deeper review forthcoming.
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