Was Junia in Romans 16:7 a Female Apostle?
The Bible is clear that women followed Jesus—Joanna, wife of Chuza, Mary Magdalene, and Jesus’ mother are just a few. But did he have female apostles? Dr. Mike Heiser explores the answer in this article excerpted from his book I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible. *** Paul’s final greetings to the Roman Church seem typical. We might just skim over the list of names without a second thought. But one name within that list has become the focus of controversy and heated debate: Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known among the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. (Rom 16:7) Junia is most likely the name of a woman. When you read the phrase “among the apostles,” you understand how a simple salutation has become a prooftext in the debate over the role of women in ministry. The evidence that Junia is a woman is compelling . It's Greek spelling (Iounian) could point to either a man or a woman. However, the addition of an accent mark ...