This series has consistently challenged modern English misinterpretations that restrict women’s leadership by grounding our analysis in the original Greek and Hebrew texts. Part 1 exposed distortions in Romans 16:7 (Junia), 1 Timothy 2:12 (authentein), and Galatians 3:28 (arsen kai thēly). Part 2 highlighted women like Phoebe (diakonos, prostatis), Junia (apostolos), and Euodia and Syntyche (syzugos, synēthlēsan), who led mixed congregations, refuting claims that women’s leadership was limited to women. Part 3 examined kephalē (head), exousia (authority), prophēteuō (prophesying), and Old Testament examples like Deborah and ‘ēzer (helper), affirming women’s authoritative roles over men. This fourth installment emphasizes the Greek terms adelphoi (“brothers and sisters,” Romans 1:13, Acts 17:10) and arsen kai thēly (“male and female,” Galatians 3:28) to establish the New Testament’s vision of equality in Christ, where gender distinctions do not limit leadership roles. We particularly address the flawed argument that adelphoi’s masculine grammatical gender means “brothers only,” exposing its linguistic and contextual errors. Supported by scholarly sources, we dismantle assumptions that marginalize women’s contributions, particularly the notion that women cannot lead men.
Adelphoi: Inclusive Language for the Church
The term adelphoi (“brothers and sisters”) appears frequently in Paul’s letters and Acts, addressing entire congregations:
οὐ θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι πολλάκις προεθέμην ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς… (Romans 1:13).
Translation: “I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you…”
οἱ δὲ ἀδελφοὶ εὐθέως διὰ νυκτὸς ἐξέπεμψαν τόν τε Παῦλον καὶ τὸν Σιλᾶν εἰς Βέροιαν… (Acts 17:10).
Translation: “The brothers and sisters immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea…”
The Inclusive Scope of Adelphoi
In Koine Greek, adelphoi (plural of adelphos, “brother”) is grammatically masculine but often includes both men and women when addressing mixed groups, as determined by context (BDAG 2000, s.v. “ἀδελφός”). In Romans 1:13, Paul addresses the entire Roman church, which included women like Phoebe (diakonos, prostatis) and Junia (apostolos) (Romans 16:1–7). Similarly, Acts 17:10 refers to the Berea congregation, which included women (Acts 17:12, “many of them… prominent Greek women”). Acts 1:14 explicitly mentions adelphoi alongside women and Mary, confirming its inclusivity. The term reflects the church as a family where all members share equal status, regardless of gender (Bailey 2011, 305).
Some argue that adelphoi’s masculine grammatical gender means “brothers only,” implying male-only leadership or audiences. This claim is linguistically flawed. In Greek, grammatical gender does not equate to biological sex. For example, didachē (teaching, 2 Timothy 4:2) is grammatically feminine, yet no one argues that only women can teach. Similarly, sōtēria (salvation, Acts 4:12) is feminine, but salvation is not gender-specific. Just as a Spanish mesa (table, feminine) does not imply a “female table” requiring a masculine meso, adelphoi’s masculine form does not exclude women. The context of mixed congregations and women’s roles (e.g., Phoebe, Junia, Priscilla in Acts 18:26) confirms adelphoi’s inclusivity (Belleville 2000, 123). This misinterpretation imposes modern English gender assumptions on Greek grammar, ignoring the New Testament’s egalitarian vision.
Addressing the “Women Leading Women Only” Claim
The “brothers only” argument suggests leadership within the adelphoi was male-only, limiting women to leading women. This contradicts the Greek evidence. Adelphoi encompasses women in leadership, as seen with Phoebe, a diakonos of a mixed Cenchrean church (Romans 16:1), and Priscilla, who taught Apollos alongside Aquila (Acts 18:26). Congregations addressed as adelphoi (e.g., Romans 1:13, Acts 17:10) included women prophesying and teaching in mixed settings (1 Corinthians 11:5; Acts 18:26). Restricting women’s leadership to women ignores the inclusive scope of adelphoi and the practice of early church communities, where women held authoritative roles over men and women alike.
Theological Implication: Adelphoi’s inclusive language underscores equality in church roles, affirming women’s leadership over mixed congregations and exposing the fallacy of gender-exclusive interpretations.
Arsen kai Thēly: Equality in Christ
Galatians 3:28 is a cornerstone of Pauline theology:
οὐκ ἔνι Ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ Ἕλλην, οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος, οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ· πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.
Translation: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
The Inclusive Vision of Arsen kai Thēly
The phrase arsen kai thēly (“male and female”) echoes Genesis 1:27 (LXX: arsen kai thēly epoiēsen autous, “male and female He created them”), linking Paul’s theology to creation’s equality. The structure of Galatians 3:28, with ouk eni (“there is neither”), abolishes distinctions of ethnicity (Jew/Greek), social status (slave/free), and gender (male/female) in Christ’s body. This applies not only to salvation but to communal roles, as the context of Galatians 3:26–29 emphasizes believers as “sons of God” (huioi, inclusive of all genders) and heirs with equal access to Christ’s inheritance, including leadership (Bailey 2011, 228).
Addressing the “Women Leading Women Only” Claim
Complementarians argue that Galatians 3:28 applies only to salvation, not leadership, claiming women’s authority is limited to women. This ignores the Greek and context. The phrase pantes hymeis heis este (“you are all one”) implies unity in status and function, as seen in Paul’s affirmation of women leaders like Phoebe and Junia (Romans 16:1–7). The echo of Genesis 1:27 suggests a restoration of creation’s equality, where gender does not restrict roles. Limiting women’s leadership to women imposes modern hierarchical assumptions on the Greek text, contradicting its egalitarian vision.
Theological Implication: Arsen kai thēly affirms that gender distinctions do not limit leadership, supporting women’s authority over mixed congregations, as seen with Deborah and New Testament women.
Leadership Hierarchies and the Biblical Evidence
Many Christian denominations distinguish between roles like elders and deacons, often assigning greater authority to elders, which can parallel the marginalization of women’s roles. For example, translating diakonos as “servant” for Phoebe but “deacon” for men (Part 2) or misinterpreting adelphoi as “brothers only” reflects biases not present in the Greek. The terms adelphoi and arsen kai thēly, alongside Old Testament precedents like Deborah (Part 3), reveal a biblical vision of equality where women exercise authority over mixed congregations.
Conclusion
The Greek terms adelphoi and arsen kai thēly affirm the New Testament’s vision of equality in Christ, where gender does not restrict leadership roles. Misinterpretations, such as reading adelphoi as “brothers only” due to its grammatical gender, impose modern English assumptions on the Greek, ignoring its inclusive scope. The final post will tackle authentein (1 Timothy 2:12) and sigatōsan (1 Corinthians 14:34–36), exposing complementarian inconsistencies and reinforcing the biblical case for egalitarian leadership with examples like Phoebe, Junia, and Priscilla.
Bibliography
Bailey, Kenneth E. 2011. Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Bauer, Walter, Frederick W. Danker, William F. Arndt, and F. Wilbur Gingrich. 2000. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Belleville, Linda L. 2000. Women Leaders and the Church: Three Crucial Questions. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Rooted & Reckoned 
Leave a comment