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Objection 1: It would seem that the grace of the word of wisdom and
knowledge is becoming even to women. For teaching is pertinent to this
grace, as stated in the foregoing Article. Now it is becoming to a
woman to teach; for it is written (Prov. 4:3,4): "I was an
only son in the sight of my mother, and she taught me." Therefore
this grace is becoming to women.
Objection 2: Further, the grace of prophecy is greater than the
grace of the word, even as the contemplation of truth is greater than
its utterance. But prophecy is granted to women, as we read of
Deborah (Judges 4:4), and of Holda the prophetess, the wife of
Sellum (4 Kgs. 22:14), and of the four daughters of Philip
(Acts 21:9). Moreover the Apostle says (1 Cor.
11:5): "Every woman praying or prophesying," etc. Much more
therefore would it seem that the grace of the word is becoming to a
woman.
Objection 3: Further, it is written (1 Pt. 4:10): "As
every man hath received grace ministering the same one to another."
Now some women receive the grace of wisdom and knowledge, which they
cannot minister to others except by the grace of the word. Therefore
the grace of the word is becoming to women.
On the contrary, The Apostle says (1 Cor. 14:34): "Let
women keep silence in the churches," and (1 Tim. 2:12): "I
suffer not a woman to teach." Now this pertains especially to the
grace of the word. Therefore the grace of the word is not becoming to
women.
I answer that, Speech may be employed in two ways: in one way
privately, to one or a few, in familiar conversation, and in this
respect the grace of the word may be becoming to women; in another
way, publicly, addressing oneself to the whole church, and this is
not permitted to women. First and chiefly, on account of the
condition attaching to the female sex, whereby woman should be subject
to man, as appears from Gn. 3:16. Now teaching and persuading
publicly in the church belong not to subjects but to the prelates
(although men who are subjects may do these things if they be so
commissioned, because their subjection is not a result of their natural
sex, as it is with women, but of some thing supervening by
accident). Secondly, lest men's minds be enticed to lust, for it
is written (Ecclus. 9:11): "Her conversation burneth as
fire." Thirdly, because as a rule women are not perfected in
wisdom, so as to be fit to be intrusted with public teaching.
Reply to Objection 1: The passage quoted speaks of private teaching
whereby a father instructs his son.
Reply to Objection 2: The grace of prophecy consists in God
enlightening the mind, on the part of which there is no difference of
sex among men, according to Col. 3:10,11, "Putting on the
new" man, "him who is renewed unto knowledge, according to the image
of Him that created him, where there is neither male nor female
[FP, Question 93, Article 6, ad 2 footnote]." Now the
grace of the word pertains to the instruction of men among whom the
difference of sex is found. Hence the comparison fails.
Reply to Objection 3: The recipients of a divinely conferred grace
administer it in different ways according to their various conditions.
Hence women, if they have the grace of wisdom or of knowledge, can
administer it by teaching privately but not publicly.
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