[rdp]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

Do you thing the ladies went off to some corner and had a knitting party? I would think they were doing what Clement was doing in (Phil. 4:2-3). And note carefully what the apostle says with regard to these ladies of the early church.:..“And I entreat you also, true yokefellow, help those WOMEN who LABORED WITH ME in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other of my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life” (Phil 4:3)...

Philippians 4:2-3
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
2 I encourage both Euodia and Syntyche to have the attitude the Lord wants them to have. 3 Yes, I also ask you, Syzugus, my true partner, to help these women. They fought beside me to spread the Good News along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the Book of Life.

When he describes the ministry of Euodia and Syntyche, Paul uses a couple of the same terms he had previously applied to Timothy and Epaphroditus. Paul writes that Euodia and Syntyche had contended[3] together with him (literally) “in the Gospel”. Earlier in the same letter, Paul had also described Timothy as someone who had served with him “in the Gospel” (Php 2:22). Paul goes on to refer to Euodia and Syntyche as his “co-workers”. Earlier, Paul had also referred to Epaphroditus as his “co-worker” (Php 2:25).[4] Thus, according to Paul, the ministries of these women were comparable to the ministries of the men, Timothy and Epaphroditus.

So my dear friend men and women went everywhere preaching....

Here is the lexical definition of the Greek verb translated "labored together" in Phil. 4.3:

"συναθλέω, συνάθλω; 1 aorist συνήθλησα; to strive at the same time with another: with a dative commodi (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 31, 4), for something, Philippians 1:21; τίνι ἐν τίνι, together with one in something, Philippians 4:3. (universally, to help, assist, Diodorus 3, 4.)



Here is the lexical data on the Greek adjective translated "fellow workers":


συνεργός, συνεργόν (σύν and ἘΡΓΩ) (from Pindar), Euripides, Thucydides down, a companion in work, fellow-worker (Vulg.adjutor (Philippians 2:25; 3 John 1:8 co-operator)): in the N. T. with a genitive of the person, one who labors with another in furthering the cause of Christ, Romans 16:3, 9, 21; Philippians 2:25; Philippians 4:3; (1 Thessalonians 3:2 Rec.); Philemon 1:1, 24; Θεοῦ, one whom God employs as an assistant, as it were (a fellow-worker with God), 1 Thessalonians 3:2 (G L text WH marginal reading but with τοῦ Θεοῦ in brackets; Rec. et al. διάκονον, which see 1). plural: 1 Corinthians 3:9; with the genitive of the thing (a joint-promoter (A. V. helper)), συνεργοί ἐσμεν τῆς χαρᾶς, we labor with you to the end that we may rejoice in your Christian state, 2 Corinthians 1:24. εἰς ὑμᾶς (my) fellow-worker to you-ward, in reference to you, 2 Corinthians 8:23; εἰς τήν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, for the advancement of the kingdom of God, Colossians 4:11; τῇ ἀλήθεια, for (the benefit of) the truth (others render (so R. V.) 'with the truth'; see Westcott at the passage), 3 John 1:8. (2 Macc. 8:7 2Macc. 14:5.)



Here is the actual Greek text, along with exact morphology: http://biblehub.com/text/philippians/4-3.htm


As you can see, there's absolutely nothing in these lexical definitions or syntax that even hints that women were "preaching & teaching" in the churches - that is supplied by the "women-preacher" camp & not the actual text itself .



The Greek verb & adjective simply denotes helpers, just as my wife is my helper in the gospel, but she is not a "woman-preacher." Sorry Sister, it simply will not hold up to exegetical scrutiny (& never will) .