Reader question on Pricilla’s role….

READER QUESTION:

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when -------->Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

Acts 18:24‭-‬26

The bit pointed out above is the part I had a question on:

Recently heard that the part Priscilla played in teaching Apollos was not actually "teaching" but rather domestic support via cooking and serving, because women cannot teach men.

How would one accurately respond to such a statement? When I heard this I disagreed with it, yet would like to respond biblically so that I do not seem like I'm trying to usurp, or whatever.

OUR RESPONSE:

Be careful what you read that others say. Demand from them that their 'opinion" be supported by scripture! Again, I implore you to let scripture interpret scripture and evaluate what others say. Go back to Acts 18:1-5. Here we are introduced to Aquila and Priscilla, Aquila a Jew and Priscilla a gentile from Italy. But Acts 18:2-4 describes that they were receptive of the teachings of Paul. So it is foolish to think that Priscilla only fulfilled the role of "domestic support"! She was Aquila's partner, his mate, his "echad".

Understand what was going on. Aquila and Priscilla came to Corinth from Italy as victims of Roman persecution, not for their Messianic faith but because Aquila was a Jew. Aquila and Priscilla found their way to Corinth and settled there, pursuing their trade as tentmakers. When Paul, a tentmaker himself, came to Corinth, he went to see them, no doubt having heard of their faith in Yeshua. Paul lived and worked with them while founding the Corinthian church. Paul stayed with them for a year and a half (Acts 18:11)!

So we can safely say that Priscilla was not simply deemed "domestic support"! Anyone who says so is only expressing bias.

We read again of Aquila and Priscilla in 1 Corinthians 16:18-20, Romans 16:3, and 2 Timothy 4:19. Paul had high regard for Aquila and Priscilla and mentioned her "in union with the Lord"! There is no reason to believe she only held a subjugated role. This was NOT the intent of the husband-wife relationship.