By apostolic teacher & dean of online studies: Dr. Roger Sapp

All Nations Ministries P.O. Box 92847, Southlake, TX 76180

(817) 514-0653, fax (817) 514-9853, Email: Allnations@home.net

http://www.allnationsmin.org

Pandora's Pulpit

a n d

The Last Apostles on Earth

184 pages. Copyright 1995.

(Additional Study Guide to Last Apostles is also available.)

(Also offered: on-line study course of the apostle using 2 books, plus guide)

This book is probably the most scripturally intensive of all the apostle books. Dr. Sapp is the Sherlocke Holmes of the apostolic authors. He leaves few stones unturned and backs everything with scriptural support beyond a reasonable shadow of a doubt. The book doesn't claim to have all the answers, but it counters nearly all of the usual objections to present day apostleship.

The appendices are a "must" to read. They deal with A: the titles of apostle, bishop, & elder; and B: Questions & Answers

What Makes This book especially unique from the others is its perspective on Old Testament kings analogous to New Testament apostles.

Last Apostles Contents

Book One The Apostle in the New Testament ......... 1

Chapter 1 The First Apostles. ................................ 3

Chapter 2 The Other Apostles. .............................. 15

Chapter 3 Identifying Apostolic Ministry. .............. 27

Chapter 4 The Apostle and the Shepherd's Heart. ... 41

Book Two Apostles and Kings. ............................................... 49

Chapter 5 The Theme of Anointing ........................................ 51

Chapter 6 The Ministry Functions of the Priest and Prophet. ... 63

Chapter 7 Kings as Types of Apostles .................................... 81

Chapter 8 Saul and David as Types of Apostles ...................... 95

Book Three Apostles and the End Times ................... 111

Chapter 9 Apostles and the Unity of the Church ....... 113

Chapter 10 Apostles and Spiritual Warfare.................. 121

Chapter 11 Apostles, Angels, and the Church ............. 137

Chapter 12 The Last Apostles .................................... 145

Appendix A Apostles, Bishops, and Elders. .......... 151

Appendix B Questions and Answers. ................... 163

Bibliography. ....................................................... 185

Pandora's Pulpit

by Dr. Roger Sapp

(comb-bound pre-publication available for $15)

Topic: Women in Ministry.

Samples from Pandora's Pulpit:

Chapter 4: Ordination of Women Not Revealed by Scripture

Scripture does not address the ordination of women at all. Every example where there is a conveying of governmental authority from leaders to a new leader in Scripture concerns men. All theological thought, good or bad, concerning the ordination of women is derived directly from Scripture that concerns men. All requirements listed in Scripture for the pastoral role (overseer or elder) concern men. This does not mean that women should not be ordained. The important question is this: What purpose and roles are women to be ordained to? Ordination in itself does not place a woman in Church government. Ordination should be simply a confirmation and recognition of the ministry of a prepared, submitted, gifted and Christ-like woman.

Ordination of Married Couples Together

There is a present trend and practice in some places to ordain a wife and husband together. The motivation behind this is to strengthen the marriage and give the couple a greater sense of destiny together as a team. While this is a good motivation, the long-term results of this unscriptural practice will not be good. The conveying of governmental authority to a couple is never seen in Scripture. It is always the man who is commissioned and never involves his wife directly.

When a couple is ordained together, there may be a loss of governmental authority in the family and in the Church by the husband if the wife takes seriously her ordination. Ordination together seems to give the wife equal authority in the Church and by implication in the family. If she has accepted ordination strictly in support of her husband, there is little damage done. There are many godly couples who have done so and there is really no problem with this as long as there is clarity on the issue. However, if the wife is strongly spiritually gifted, she may take her ordination as validation of an equality of authority and think of herself as co-pastor of whatever local church that they are serving. This may cause problems that will not appear until the death of the husband.

Long-term Results of Ordaining Couples

In most cultures, including our own, wives generally outlive their husbands. It is possible as this couple serves this local church that the husband will become disabled by events, old age or will die first. In this case, the spiritually gifted wife may think that it is her God given responsibility to lead this local church, rather than allowing for a transfer of government to another gifted and called man. Thus, the ordination of her with her husband while innocent in its original intentions, now has created a situation of disorder in the local church.

Co-Pastoring a Local Church

The Scripture does not support the idea of a husband and wife co-pastoring a local church. While teamwork is desirable, it does not require an equality of authority. Teamwork, in itself, does not conflict with the idea of male government. Conflict and confusion will be inevitable where there is no true male headship recognized in the family and in the Church. In fact, the woman's original purpose in creation is to assist the man, to be his helpmeet. The spiritually gifted wife should be a help to her husband in every way possible. If her husband also happens to be the pastor, she should be his best asset in ministry. She should be the most submitted to his vision and intentions, no matter what her gifting is. Should she outlive her husband the pastor, then she becomes an asset and a blessing to the new pastor and his wife as well.

The Two-Headed Model

The creation of two-heads in the government of churches is prominent today because of the practice of ordaining couples. It is true that not every couple that is ordained together tries to practice the "two-headed" model. However, where it is attempted, problems do arise. As in nature, when a two-headed creature is born, it is destined to die within a short period. Creatures born with such serious defects are most often sterile. If this situation of "two-headedness" is not resolved, it is sure to produce few spiritual children and those it does produce will be defective themselves in reproduction.

However, the norm for the "two headed" model is for resolution through conflict between the "heads". It is inevitable that one person, either the husband or the wife, will come to submit after a season, although there can be occasional uprisings and disorder, even after initial resolution. This is due to continuing role and doctrinal confusion coming from dual ordination. Where this resolution takes longer to occur, there is little fruitfulness until it does.

Despite the failure of this model, it continues to be taught but never really modeled successfully in these situations for long. The actual overseer may even fool himself (or herself) into thinking that they are "co-pastoring" the church by simply using a cooperative leadership style and involving others in decision making. The truth is that someone is still leading the Church because that someone is creating the agenda and involving others. The "two headed" model is never really practiced for long because it is not practical.

Model in Conflict with Scriptural Model of Government

The model of a husband and wife co-pastoring a local church also is in conflict with the scriptural model. The scriptural model is multiple overseers (elders) who are men who together pastor a church. These overseers submit to each other and to a senior visionary. If a husband and wife present a model of co-pastoring a church, then when it comes time to install additional elders (overseers) then there will be pressures to ordain their wives as well. This will create a situation where some persons who are not really gifted and prepared for governmental leadership will now have titles and expectations that they should govern. This situation will become increasing problematic for those who are actually called and gifted to shepherd the congregation, particularly as it grows larger. The called and anointed leadership will increasingly come into conflict with sincere but unanointed leaders that will lack the God given capacity to govern a growing local church.

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Chapter 5: The Apostolic Calling and Women

Scripture alone can be the ultimate judge of truth and practice for the Church. Since it is apparent that the prophetic ministry for women is so well based in Scripture, there seems little reason to review it logically or historically. In holding to this important hermeneutic principle, the same cannot be said of the apostolic ministry for women. The idea of the female apostle is not well based in Scripture. Historical study does not reveal it in a convincing way either.

No Female Apostles Among the Twelve

There are more than twenty apostles that the New Testament clearly indicates. Along with the original Twelve apostles, there are Paul, Barnabus, Silas, Timothy and others. It is noteworthy that the Lord Jesus Christ did not appoint any women among the Twelve apostles. It is clear that there were women that traveled with him and the Twelve and yet none were appointed as apostles. There is not even a feminine form of the word apostle in the New Testament. Some have argued that the reason was cultural. This is another form of the Cultural Argument that is explored in detail in Chapter 12. The argument is that there were cultural restraints that Jesus was observing in a practical sense. This is a summation of this argument:

There are no female apostles among the Twelve apostles because Christ was aware that the Jewish and pagan cultures of His day would never accept governmental leadership from women. Therefore, since our culture has greater enlightenment, Christ's original intention that there would be female apostles is now being realized.

There are serious problems with this argument. It is clearly inconsistent with Jesus' demeanor in other matters. Where the culture of the Jews was inconsistent with the Word and will of God, Jesus boldly challenged it with His behavior, teaching, and sometimes His rebuke. He challenged the Jewish culture by healing on the Sabbath and eating with tax-gatherers and prostitutes. He challenged the Jewish way of easy divorce of wives. He regularly rebuked religious hypocrisy among the Jews and practices out of sync with God's Word. In fact, His courageous challenging of the teachings, customs, and practices of these religious leaders is the primary reason that they had Him crucified! For Christ to compromise on such an important issue would lack courage and integrity. For Christ to compromise on this issue would be inconsistent with His teaching and uncompromising prophetic role so often demonstrated in Scripture. Logic or Scripture does not support the argument that Christ was compromising with the culture of His day. It is completely inconsistent with the divine character of the Son of God. It would also set an unrighteous example for us to compromise the truth where and when our own culture is in disagreement. Any reader should be able to see the fallacy and danger of acceptance of such an illogical argument.

The very existence of the prophetess in the Old and New Testaments disproves that such a cultural bias exists in Scripture. The New Testament substantiates that women can be prophetic. The fact that the New Testament does not do this concerning the ministry of the apostle is a reasonable argument against accepting that women can be apostles. However, further exploration and explanation are necessary.

Female Apostles After the Resurrection

It is interesting to discover that those who explain why Christ had no female apostles among the Twelve because of cultural reasons contradict themselves concerning apostles after the resurrection of Christ. A contradictory argument is offered that says that after Christ's resurrection, He begin to appoint female apostles. This reasoning is weak and contradicts the former argument. It is contradictory since little had changed culturally in Jewish society or other First Century pagan cultures in the short period before and after the resurrection of Christ. The only scriptural evidence offered for this view is a single verse in the last chapter of Romans. This quotation comes from the Apostle Paul greeting his friends in Rome. This verse will be the focus of the following discussion.

"Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me." Romans 16:7

Since these two persons Andronicus and Junias are outstanding among the apostles, this verse has been offered to support the idea of female apostles. Often, it is taken for granted that the name Junias is feminine. The evidence that this name is feminine is very weak. A study of all the evidence leans towards the name in the New Testament being masculine rather than feminine. The following outlines the various evidence and thoughts on this subject.

The Name is a Textual Variant

The reader may note from the margin of many Bibles that the word "Junias" is a textual variant. Normally, the existence of variants simply means that a First or Second Century person copied an early manuscript improperly. What this means is that the majority of the existing (extant) manuscripts have the word Junias and a few, the minority, have the word Junia.

King James Version May Use Wrong Form of Name

The King James Version uses the minority word Junia instead of the majority word Junias. When the King James Version was translated in the early 17th Century (circa 1611) many of the extant copies of the New Testament had not been discovered, translated and studied. Since that time, many more ancient manuscripts have been found. The majority of all these manuscripts have the word Junias rather than Junia as the King James Version does. That is why most translations since the 17^th Century have used Junias rather than Junia.

Argument: Junias is a Feminine Name

Most experts have suggested that the word Junias is the masculine form and Junia is the feminine form but this is still a matter of debate and probably will remain so since others have suggested the exact opposite. The existence of a variant here makes any firm decision on the gender of Junias or Junia as a woman even more uncertain. Some have wanted both forms Junia and Junias to be feminine based on a theology and practice that desires female apostles. There are a number of arguments offered to support this idea. They follow below one by one.

Argument: Feminine Based on Name's Ending

Some have suggested that the word Junias is feminine based on its ending. However, this is an extremely weak argument. Masculine names ending in -as are very common in all classical Greek literature and are common in the New Testament. They are often shortened forms of masculine names. For example Andrew is Andreas in Matthew 10:2. Silas is a shortened form of Silvanus. Elias is a shortened form of Elijah. Junias may be a shortened form of the common masculine name Junianus. This particular argument that Junias was a woman is not based on the linguistic facts of Greek.

Argument: Junias the Wife in a Married Couple

Some have argued that Junias must be the wife of Andronicus since they are paired together much like the married couple, Priscilla and Aquila, in an earlier verse in the passage. However, the pairing of names in this verse does not necessarily mean they were married. For instance, Paul pairs Tryphena and Tryphosa together a few verses later in this same passage and they are both women. Andronicus and Junias may be paired together because they were both Paul's relatives, prison mates, and also both apostles. They were more likely both men. The context or logic does not support this argument for Junias being female.

Argument: Church Fathers Believe Junias is a Woman.

The Early Church Fathers were the leadership of the Church after the death of the original apostles. Very generally speaking, those who lived closer to the First Century are more reliable than those separated by more time. Fortunately, some of them were prolific in their writing. Three of them wrote about Junias. Often those who want to say that Junias was a woman will only quote John Chrysostom as if he were the only reference. These are the three Church Fathers wrote on Junias.

Epiphanius. (AD 315-403) He is possibly the most reliable testimony concerning this subject. This is because there is an aspect to his testimony that seems to give it additional weight. Epiphanius seems to know some other specific historical facts about Junias that are not contained in Paul's Letter to the Romans. The additional historical facts that he seems to know is that Junias became a bishop in a specific city in Syria. Here is his quote found in his Index of Disciples.

Junias (Iounias), of whom Paul makes mention, became bishop of Apameia of Syria Index Disciplulorum, 125.19-20

The phrase of whom in Greek is a masculine relative pronoun. This is strong evidence that Epiphanius thought that Junias was a man and that this Greek form of the name is masculine. It is obvious that Epiphanius would have commented on Junias being unusual as a female bishop if he had thought this as well. Since he does not make reference to Junias being a female bishop and uses a masculine pronoun, we have to assume that Junias was male in Epiphanius' mind.

Origen. (AD 185-254). This Early Church Father was considered a great scholar and a prolific writer about Church matters. There is a quotation attributed to this Church Father that may predate either of the previous quotations. It is a significant quotation but could be less reliable than the previous two quotes. The reason that this quote may not be as reliable is that it comes to us through a translation of Origen's original manuscript into Latin by Rufinus (AD 345-410). In other words, we do not have a copy of Origin's original manuscript but a translation of it into Latin. The quotation itself is not revealing in English, so quoting it is unnecessary. It is only revealing in Rufinus' choice of Latin masculine word usage. In this Latin manuscript, the name Junias is translated into a Latin masculine singular nominative. In other words, if Rufinus' translation is accurate, Origin believed that this name and person was masculine. It would be the earliest quotation and if it is accurate, it would be strong evidence. There is no compelling reason to believe that Rufinus translated Origen inaccurately and therefore these facts weakly support the contention that Junias was a man.

Summary of the Evidence Concerning Junias.

Although not entirely conclusive, the weight of evidence of the earliest quotations seems to lean towards the name and person of Junias being a man. Of the earliest quotes from Church Fathers, two out of three reveal Junias as a man. One of these quotes revealing Junias as a man is very strong in that it reveals other historical facts about Junias. There is evidence to believe that the majority form Junias of this name is masculine as well as there is some evidence that the minority form Junia is feminine.

If Junias was a man, this would be consistent with Paul's other statements that restrict the exercise of feminine authority over men. For Junias to be a female apostle would seem to contradict his prohibitions elsewhere and this would be impossible to resolve theologically except by explaining them away using liberal technique. It is unthinkable that Paul would be so inconsistent in his theology and practice. Therefore, there are little scriptural, historical, theological or logical reasons to believe in modern female apostles. Justifications for female apostles are being built on a modern sense of fairness and equality rather than on a solid biblical foundation.

Chapter 6 is about the exceptional woman. You will want to read it too!!

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