Do You Believe In Women Preachers?

[Sister Alvear]

This review is from: Junia: The First Woman Apostle (Paperback)
Eldon Jay Epp has written an interesting, scholarly text exploring the identity of one of the persons mentioned by the apostle Paul in Romans 16.7, Junia. Some translations have rendered the name Junias, a masculine name, but the King James Version of the bible actual has the word Junia included (together with Andronicus in the same verse). Why is there confusion, and why is this important?

Perhaps the most significant reason for figuring out the gender of this person is not just because of the list of names, but because of the title the apostle Paul gives to the persons mentioned in Romans 16.7 - he calls them apostles. Again the KJV has Paul referring to them as 'my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles'; the NIV translates this as, 'They are outstanding among the apostles', but translates the name 'Junia' as 'Junias'. Why the change?

Epp traces both exegetical ideas as well as the history of exegetical and translation practice with regard to this name to discover that, with rather few exceptions, the critical editions of Greek texts and translations prior to the twentieth century carried the name Junia as a female name, but that in the early twentieth century, a change was made to change the name to a masculine form, in part because of the view that Paul would never refer to a female with the appellation of 'apostle'.

Epp crafts his argumentation well, showing side examples of textual criticism exegetical technique with other difficult passages, with particular emphasis on different kinds of readings possible in verses and pericopes dealing with gender issues.

Perhaps one of the more telling issues apart from the translation of the Bible itself is that of the names Junia and Junias themselves. Whereas Junia is a common name in antiquity, attested to in many documents beyond the biblical texts for women throughout the Roman world, there are no examples of the masculine form of the name, Junias, anywhere. Early biblical commentators such as Origen, John Chyrsostom, Jerome and Abelard make reference to Junia, Chyrsostom making the remark that it was a significant thing that Paul recognised her as an apostle.

Epp has provided an incredibly well-documented text, with extensive notes, charts and tabular information, and no fewer than five different indexes. The bibliographic information goes on for thirteen pages (which is a significant amount, considering the base text itself barely tops eighty pages). This grew out of an article Epp was writing, but became a more significant project, worthy of being a stand-alone text.

This is not a book for general or light reading - it is a scholarly, academic text, and not a narrative account or fictionalised biography of the person Junia, about whom we can really only guess at any such details as might comprise a worthwhile biography.

Those who are interested in biblical exegetical scholarship (and some of the motivations that lie behind how and why certain translations are as they are), and for students in seminary, upper-level undergraduates and graduate students, as well as biblical scholars themselves, this can prove to be a fascinating and worthwhile text.

Eldon Jay Epp is a professor at Case-Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

[Sister Alvear]

thought I would post some pro's and con's about Junia..(I don't have much time since Brother Alvear is traveling and I am taking care of both his part and mine here) have some things to post that are saved on the computer...however you can type her name in and get lots of opinions...of course you must draw your own conclusion.

And in no way am I saying or hinting I am a prophetess or anything like like...The only spiritual call I have ever received is to be a missionary and since that word is really not in the Bible guess it must mean a Jack or in my case a Mary of all trades...ha...whatever they need me for...yesterday Helped clean the church yard, organized a group to go to a farm meeting, typed a Bible study why I believe in foot washing and read it to a church last night....plus many other things...worked on a program for our youth retreat, thought about a theme for our regional convention...and on and on....so much to do...

[Truthseeker]

Women apostles using romans 16 is stretching things:

here's how amplified put it's

Rom 16:7

7 Remember me to Andronicus and Junias, my tribal kinsmen and once my fellow prisoners. They are men held in high esteem among the apostles, who also were in Christ before I was.
AMP

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

Women apostles using romans 16 is stretching things:

here's how amplified put it's

Rom 16:7

7 Remember me to Andronicus and Junias, my tribal kinsmen and once my fellow prisoners. They are men held in high esteem among the apostles, who also were in Christ before I was.
AMP

The Greek for "kinsmen" can mean relatives or countrymen.

Walter Bauer, Arndt, and Gingrich in A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2nd ed., states that ancient commentators take Andronicus and Junias as a married couple and that it deserves consideration that Junias would be a woman's name. It would be much like Priscilla and Aquila being a husband and wife team.

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

Women apostles using romans 16 is stretching things:

here's how amplified put it's

Rom 16:7

7 Remember me to Andronicus and Junias, my tribal kinsmen and once my fellow prisoners. They are men held in high esteem among the apostles, who also were in Christ before I was.
AMP

The verse says Junia was really a man named Junias... WOW.

[Sister Alvear]

In order to share with you an observation I had in class yesterday, I have to share a little background about a certain woman who Paul praises in his letter to the Roman church. In Romans 16:7, amidst his chapter of greetings to specific people in the Roman church, Paul mentions “Junia” who he says is “outstanding” (ἐπίσημος) among the apostles (ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις). In his sermon on this passage in Romans, John Chrysostom (c.347–407) wrote, “Oh! how great is the devotion of this woman, that she should be even counted worthy of the appellation of apostle!”

Yet many in church history could not conceive of a woman apostle and thus they gave her a “sex change operation” (as my advisor Bartchy likes to say). Instead of Junia, they called her “Junias,” and assumed her to be a man. Junia is actually a common female name in antiquity, while Junias is not. The explanation for this was that it is a shortened form of the common male name, Junianus. What was Occam’s Razor again? Oh yes: “All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best.” So, either this name is the common female name, Junia, or a strangely shortened form of Junianus. If there were no theological concern here to make sure Paul is not calling a woman an apostle, the argument about a shortened form of Junianus would never be suggested. It is illogical.

Nevertheless, as recently as the publication of the New International Version (NIV) in 1973, translators were using this faulty logic: “Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.” But notice that this “Junias” is indeed “outstanding among the apostles.”

More recently, it has become more and more difficult to defend the idea that female Junia was actually the male Junias. Even conservative scholars with a traditional understanding of female subordination to men are cautious about making such an argument nowadays. So, what’s the traditionalist to do? They can’t have a female apostle in the early church! The up and coming favorite translation of conservative evangelicals these days, the English Standard Version (ESV – published in 2001), reflects another angle on Junia: “Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.”

Notice the difference between the NIV (the old conservative standard translation) and the ESV (the new conservative standard translation). In the NIV, Junia is a man (“Junias”) and is an outstanding apostle. In the ESV, Junia is indeed a woman, but she is no longer an outstanding apostle. Rather, she is simply “well known” to the apostles. I might mention that the ESV was originally published first by Crossway publishers, who are also the favored publishers of the conservative Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW). In fact, the CBMW boasts on their blog that many of their team contributed to the ESV Study Bible.

This jump from NIV to ESV is what I noticed while we were discussing the issue in Bartchy seminar on sexuality yesterday. It is probably wise to save the arguments for the second change for a future post, but I will share a passage I found in one outstanding book today. For anyone interested in this topic, I highly recommend Eldon Jay Epp’s treatment in Junia: The First Woman Apostle. I will leave him with the last word here:

I note the juxtaposition of these two interpretations, though I would not presume to judge the motives, but it is interesting to observe that, over time, the male “Junias” and the female “Junia” each has his or her alternating “dance partners”–first one, then the other: first and for centuries, Junia with “prominent apostle”; then Junias with “prominent apostle.” Then for a time Junia disappears from the scene, hoping upon her return to team up once again with “prominent apostle,” only to encounter “known to the apostles” cutting in during this latest “dance.” [72]

wrotten by:

Patrick George McCullough, a student and educator of the New Testament and Christian origins.

[Sister Alvear]

in all fairness...the flip side of the coin...


Was Junia in Romans 16:7 a female apostle in authority?
by Matt Slick

Another argument raised by the egalitarians in support of women being an authority is the case of Junia in Romans 16:7. It is said that Junia, a woman, was an apostle. Since apostles are in place of authority, then Junia demonstrates that women can be in authority over men in the church. There are several issues involved here. Let's take a look at them.

First, there is debate on whether or not Junia is a feminine noun or not.

"The church father Chrysostom (died A.D. 407) referred to this person as a woman (Homily on Romans 31.7; NPNF 1, 11:555) but the church father Origen (died A.D. 252) referred to Junias as a man (MPG 14: 1289), and the early church historian Epiphanius (died A.D. 403) explicitly uses a masculine pronoun of Junias and seems to have specific information about him when he says that "Junias, of whom Paul makes mention, became bishop of Apameia of Syria" (Index disciplulorum 125.19- 20).1
Alright, so we can see that there is disagreement even among early church fathers on the gender of Junia. But, what do others have to say?

AV translates as “Junia” once. 1 a Christian woman at Rome, mentioned by Paul as one of his kinsfolk and fellow prisoners.2
Junias, a Christian to whom Paul sends greetings in Rom. 16:7. It is unclear whether a masculine (Junias) or a feminine name (Junia) is intended (the masculine is not found elsewhere ). If a woman, Junia may be the wife of Andronicus. It is significant that the two are perhaps referred to as ‘apostles.’3
Junia is feminine—perhaps Andronicus’ wife? RSV Junias would be masculine, contracted from Junianus.) Affectionately greeted by Paul (Rom. 16:7) as (1) ‘kinsmen’, i.e. probably fellow-Jews, as in Rom. 9:3.4
Different sources see Junia as male and a female. But, if we look at the word strictly as being masculine or feminine, it appears that it is feminine.5

ανδρόνικον και ιουνίαν ... οιτινές εισιν επίσημοι εν τοις αποστόλοις
Andronicus and Junia ... who are prominent in the apostles
NMSA CCK NFSA ... OIRMPN V3PPAI JMPNX PD AMPD NMPD
noun, masc., Singular accusative
conjun-ction noun,
mas/fem
sing. accus. pronoun,
masc.,
plural,
nomin. verb, 3rdp.,
present,
indicat. adjective,
masc.,
plural,
nomin. prepos.,
dative article, masc., plural, dative noun, masc., plural, dative
Table 1
In Table 1 above, the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament gives the interlinear parsing of Junia as "noun, feminine, singular, accusative". On the other hand, when the same word is analyzed in Gramcord (a biblical language analysis program attached to that same interlinear), it shows both Masculine and Feminine parsing. So, which is it?

It is difficult to determine since evidence seems to support both options. But it seems that the majority of references support the feminine form - though we cannot say it is conclusive. Alright, if Junias is feminine, then what does it mean and how do we translate the words mentioning the apostles? This is important. Let's take a look at how different Bibles translate the relevant part of Romans 16:7.

Translated as... Bible Translation
who are of note among the apostles Darby, ASV, KJV, NKJV, YLT
they are men of note among the apostles RSV
They are well known to the apostles ESV, GNB
They are outstanding among the apostles HCSB, NASB, NIV
are prominent among the apostles ISV, NRSV
They are very important apostles NCV
They are highly respected among the apostles NLT
TABLE 2
So, different translations show this verse differently. We have to ask if Andronicus and Junia are known among the apostles or are they apostles? Were they man and wife or close companions? Different translations suggest different options.

Are there Different kinds of Apostles?

The Greek word for apostle, "apostello", occurs over 80 times in the New Testament and over 700 times in the LXX.6 Since apostles did not exist in the Old Testament times, we have to understand the word to mean someone who was sent, and/or was a messenger and that is exactly what the word "apostle" means, "sent one." So, an apostle is someone who has been sent to transmit a message per the instructions of the sender. Let's look at how it is used in the New Testament.

First, it is used in the reference to those in the inner circles of Jesus' 12 apostles. In order to be one of "the twelve" a person had to be with the witnesses from the beginning of Christ's ministry until the day that Christ was taken from them.

Acts 1:21-22, "It is therefore necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— 22 beginning with the baptism of John, until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these should become a witness with us of His resurrection.” So, there is a type of apostle that is restricted to the 12. We could say that even Paul didn't fit into that category.

Second, though Paul was not one of the original twelve apostles, he was considered an apostle later on (Acts 14:14). After all, Jesus appeared to him (1 Cor. 9:1) and commissioned him. Paul even refers to himself as an apostle (Gal. 1:1).

Third, Barnabas is called an apostle along with Paul in Acts 14:14. In Acts 14:8-18 Paul and Barnabas are together at Lystra and Paul heals a man, but not Barnabas. In Acts 15 Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem concerning the issue of the gentiles being circumcised. Though Barnabas is an apostle, we have no record of him performing miracles or writing scripture. So, in what sense was he an apostle? He is called one but he isn't one of the 12, was apparently not commissioned by Christ, and performs no miracles. So, we can conclude that there is a type of apostle that isn't directly commissioned by Christ and performs no miracles.

Fourth, Jesus is called an apostle in Heb. 3:1, "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession." What are we to make of this? Simple, Jesus was sent by the Father (John 5:23) and in that sense, he was an apostle.

Fifth, there seems to be a generic category of apostles as "sent ones" and messengers. Consider 2 Cor. 8:23, "As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers (apostoloi) of the churches, a glory to Christ." Also, Phil. 2:25, "But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger (apostolon) and minister to my need." And, John 20:21, "Jesus therefore said to them again, 'Peace be with you; as the Father has sent (apostalken) Me, I also send (pempo) you.'" We can see that the Greek term "apostello" doesn't just mean an apostle, but someone who is sent.

Sixth, since one of the qualifications of being an apostle is having been involved in Christ's earthly ministry before his crucifixion and then having seen the risen Lord later (Acts 1:21-22), we could make the case that an apostle would be anyone who fits this category. In that case, there could be hundreds of apostles in the early church.

Seventh, there are false apostles. 2 Cor. 11:13, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ." See also Rev. 2:2. Apparently, there were some who claimed to have apostolic authority but were really false teachers.

Let's summarize.

There are apostles who were only among the 12. They performed miracles. Some wrote scripture.
Paul was an apostle (unique?) specifically commissioned by Christ. He performed miracles and wrote scripture.
Barnabas is an apostle. He performed no miracles, wrote no scripture.7
Jesus is called an apostle. He performed miracles
There are apostles in the sense of simply being sent. They are messengers. They perform no miracles.
It could be possible that anyone who was involved in Christ's ministry before his death and saw him after his resurrection could be referred to as apostles.
There are false apostles.
So, in which category does Junia fit? Junia isn't one of the 12, nor an apostle like Paul, or Jesus, nor a false apostle. That would leave only being an apostle like Barnabas, an apostle in the sense of one who is simply sent to proclaim the truth, or one who was with Christ before his death and saw him after his resurrection. But if Junia were one like Barnabas, then shouldn't there be more of a mention of him/her than this one citation in Romans 16:7?

So, we are left with categories five and six. Five: someone who is sent. Six, someone who was involved in Christ's ministry before his death and saw him after his resurrection. If the latter two, then it doesn't require that Junia would have been in a position of authority in the church.

What if Junia were a female apostle in authority

So let's just assume for a bit that Junia was a woman apostle in full authority. We don't accept that position but let's just work with it for a moment. Would that mean that it is okay for women to be pastors and elders since Junia would have been exercising that authority over men in the church? First, even if that were the case, the office of apostle is finished and Junia's case would only apply in the early church and not today. Second, we see apostles and elders mentioned together in Acts 15:2-6. An apostle is not an elder and the requirements for eldership include being male. No such requirement for apostleship is made. So, even if Junia were a female apostle in the early church, it does not mean that women today are qualified to be pastors and elders.

Conclusion

The early church fathers are not in agreement about the gender of Junia. There even seems to be evidence that strongly suggests Junia was a male. Commentaries differ on the gender. Translations differ on how Romans 16:7 is to be rendered into English. There are different uses of the Greek word "apostello" and it cannot be demonstrated conclusively into which categorical use of the term Junia should fit. Even if Junia were an apostle in the sense of having seen the risen Lord it doesn't mean she was in authority in the Church. Therefore, for someone to conclude that Junia was a woman apostle in full authority in the Church cannot be maintained from the Scriptures

[Truthseeker]

Originally Posted by jfrog

The verse says Junia was really a man named Junias... WOW.

Whether male or female is not the point, I think to take "who are of note among the apostles" means she was an apostle is stretching things. She could have been like amplified presents highly esteem or honored by the apostles for her christian service.

[Sister Alvear]

rom.16



So this chapter has been neglected. This is a great pity, since it contains several puzzles.Beverly Roberts Garventa in her contribution to the Women's Bible Commentary heads this chapter, "Women in ministry" and whilst Paul greets more men than women here, nine women are singled out for mention and an article might be written on almost all of them individually. However, this piece will focus on verse 7.

Three questions arise from this verse.1. Is Junias male or female? 2. Are the two mentioned here apostles? 3. What does apostleship mean in this context?

The first requires some textual criticism,although it would be true to say that although "Iounian" is somewhat ambiguous,almost all translators regarded it as a feminine name until recently. Without going into a wealth of detail, it should be noted that the early church fathers treated it as feminine.The one exception is Epiphanius, the 4th.c. Bishop of Salamis in Cyprus, but since he thought Prisca was a man too, his evidence my be discounted! Although John Chrysostom, another 4thc. Bishop and writer was generally against women's leadership, he is fulsome in his praise of Junia, "How great the wisdom of this woman must have been that she was even deemed worthy of the title of apostle." (Epistle to the Romans 31.2) Robert Cervin closes the discussion in his article "A note regarding the name Junia/s in Romans 16:7"(New Testament Studies 40 1996 466-470) "A proper examination of the lnguistic evidence regarding the name "Junia" show that the name is feminine not masculine."

The problem which adheres to all these questions is that some scholars are desperate to prove that there were no women apostles and others are equally desperate to prove that there were! As Bishop Tom Wright says in his "Paul for Everyone", "Don't be put off by some translations which call her Junias,as if she were a man. There is no reason for this except the anxiety of some about recognising that women could be apostles too".The Authorised (or King James) Version of the Bible has her as a woman. It was not until 1927 that the committee advising the United Bible Society on


the best possible Greek text, decided to change her sex. In 1994 they decided to change it back again. So translations between those dates tend to mae Junia into a man. One notable exception is the New Revised Standard Version of 1989.

It seems therefore, that the answer to question one is that she is female. Note that even if the writer is aganst women's leadership s/he may agree with this conclusion, for the next two questions need positive answers to prove the case.



Next, it is necessary to dig around the Greek of this verse to decide exactly how it should be translated.Again, the anxiety of scholars is evident. The King James Version has, "who are of note among the apostles". This is followed by the majority of translators- "of note" often translated, "prominent among" or "outstanding among". A minority translate,"well known to the apostles".To be fair, it is possible to translate either way. It has been pointed out that if Andronicus and Junia were prominent apostles, then it is strange that this is the only mention of them in the New Testament. A possible reply could be that there are others in the undisputed Apostolic band who receive scant mention in the New Testament.

How this phrase is translated is inextricably tied up with the final question. What is the meaing of apostleship? R.H.C. Lenski, in his "The Interpretation of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans" 906-7 argues that Paul uses "apostle" in a severely limited way. Paul is very jealous of his own apostleship. Like the 11,he has witnessed the resurrection,making him one of the twelve.

However,there is evidence that the word was used in wider sense. Retaining the meaning of "one commissioned and sent", Luke uses it in Acts of Barnabas (14:4, 14) and of Barnabas and Paul (13:2-4). S.Grenz and D.M. Kjesbo argue that there are four meanings of "apostolos"- 1. Those commissioned by Jesus.2.Those who were witnesses to the resurrection. 3 Those commissioned by a specific congregation to preach the gospel. 4 Those who have been given a special task by a specific church. (Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry. 1995, 92-96) They believe that Junia belonged to the third class, which of course would be a powerful argument for women's leadership in the church.

Three questions: a tick in all the boxes would lead to the conclusion that women were apostles in the early church. Most would be compelled to tick the first box, and many the second. However, the vital box is number three. If Junia was merely sent out, with her husband Andronicus to fulfil some special task, then this is an argument that women had some ministry in the early church, which few, if any could deny. A conundrum remains. Strong arguments against women's leadership appear elsewhere in the New Testament. Does Paul affirm women's leadership in Romans 16? To attack that question, it would be neccesary to unpack other verses, in future studies.

karan pusey author

[Light]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

in all fairness...the flip side of the coin...


Was Junia in Romans 16:7 a female apostle in authority?
by Matt Slick

Another argument raised by the egalitarians in support of women being an authority is the case of Junia in Romans 16:7. It is said that Junia, a woman, was an apostle. Since apostles are in place of authority, then Junia demonstrates that women can be in authority over men in the church. There are several issues involved here. Let's take a look at them.

First, there is debate on whether or not Junia is a feminine noun or not.

"The church father Chrysostom (died A.D. 407) referred to this person as a woman (Homily on Romans 31.7; NPNF 1, 11:555) but the church father Origen (died A.D. 252) referred to Junias as a man (MPG 14: 1289), and the early church historian Epiphanius (died A.D. 403) explicitly uses a masculine pronoun of Junias and seems to have specific information about him when he says that "Junias, of whom Paul makes mention, became bishop of Apameia of Syria" (Index disciplulorum 125.19- 20).1
Alright, so we can see that there is disagreement even among early church fathers on the gender of Junia. But, what do others have to say?

AV translates as “Junia” once. 1 a Christian woman at Rome, mentioned by Paul as one of his kinsfolk and fellow prisoners.2
Junias, a Christian to whom Paul sends greetings in Rom. 16:7. It is unclear whether a masculine (Junias) or a feminine name (Junia) is intended (the masculine is not found elsewhere ). If a woman, Junia may be the wife of Andronicus. It is significant that the two are perhaps referred to as ‘apostles.’3
Junia is feminine—perhaps Andronicus’ wife? RSV Junias would be masculine, contracted from Junianus.) Affectionately greeted by Paul (Rom. 16:7) as (1) ‘kinsmen’, i.e. probably fellow-Jews, as in Rom. 9:3.4
Different sources see Junia as male and a female. But, if we look at the word strictly as being masculine or feminine, it appears that it is feminine.5

ανδρόνικον και ιουνίαν ... οιτινές εισιν επίσημοι εν τοις αποστόλοις
Andronicus and Junia ... who are prominent in the apostles
NMSA CCK NFSA ... OIRMPN V3PPAI JMPNX PD AMPD NMPD
noun, masc., Singular accusative
conjun-ction noun,
mas/fem
sing. accus. pronoun,
masc.,
plural,
nomin. verb, 3rdp.,
present,
indicat. adjective,
masc.,
plural,
nomin. prepos.,
dative article, masc., plural, dative noun, masc., plural, dative
Table 1
In Table 1 above, the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament gives the interlinear parsing of Junia as "noun, feminine, singular, accusative". On the other hand, when the same word is analyzed in Gramcord (a biblical language analysis program attached to that same interlinear), it shows both Masculine and Feminine parsing. So, which is it?

It is difficult to determine since evidence seems to support both options. But it seems that the majority of references support the feminine form - though we cannot say it is conclusive. Alright, if Junias is feminine, then what does it mean and how do we translate the words mentioning the apostles? This is important. Let's take a look at how different Bibles translate the relevant part of Romans 16:7.

Translated as... Bible Translation
who are of note among the apostles Darby, ASV, KJV, NKJV, YLT
they are men of note among the apostles RSV
They are well known to the apostles ESV, GNB
They are outstanding among the apostles HCSB, NASB, NIV
are prominent among the apostles ISV, NRSV
They are very important apostles NCV
They are highly respected among the apostles NLT
TABLE 2
So, different translations show this verse differently. We have to ask if Andronicus and Junia are known among the apostles or are they apostles? Were they man and wife or close companions? Different translations suggest different options.

Are there Different kinds of Apostles?

The Greek word for apostle, "apostello", occurs over 80 times in the New Testament and over 700 times in the LXX.6 Since apostles did not exist in the Old Testament times, we have to understand the word to mean someone who was sent, and/or was a messenger and that is exactly what the word "apostle" means, "sent one." So, an apostle is someone who has been sent to transmit a message per the instructions of the sender. Let's look at how it is used in the New Testament.

First, it is used in the reference to those in the inner circles of Jesus' 12 apostles. In order to be one of "the twelve" a person had to be with the witnesses from the beginning of Christ's ministry until the day that Christ was taken from them.

Acts 1:21-22, "It is therefore necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— 22 beginning with the baptism of John, until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these should become a witness with us of His resurrection.” So, there is a type of apostle that is restricted to the 12. We could say that even Paul didn't fit into that category.

Second, though Paul was not one of the original twelve apostles, he was considered an apostle later on (Acts 14:14). After all, Jesus appeared to him (1 Cor. 9:1) and commissioned him. Paul even refers to himself as an apostle (Gal. 1:1).

Third, Barnabas is called an apostle along with Paul in Acts 14:14. In Acts 14:8-18 Paul and Barnabas are together at Lystra and Paul heals a man, but not Barnabas. In Acts 15 Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem concerning the issue of the gentiles being circumcised. Though Barnabas is an apostle, we have no record of him performing miracles or writing scripture. So, in what sense was he an apostle? He is called one but he isn't one of the 12, was apparently not commissioned by Christ, and performs no miracles. So, we can conclude that there is a type of apostle that isn't directly commissioned by Christ and performs no miracles.

Fourth, Jesus is called an apostle in Heb. 3:1, "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession." What are we to make of this? Simple, Jesus was sent by the Father (John 5:23) and in that sense, he was an apostle.

Fifth, there seems to be a generic category of apostles as "sent ones" and messengers. Consider 2 Cor. 8:23, "As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers (apostoloi) of the churches, a glory to Christ." Also, Phil. 2:25, "But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger (apostolon) and minister to my need." And, John 20:21, "Jesus therefore said to them again, 'Peace be with you; as the Father has sent (apostalken) Me, I also send (pempo) you.'" We can see that the Greek term "apostello" doesn't just mean an apostle, but someone who is sent.

Sixth, since one of the qualifications of being an apostle is having been involved in Christ's earthly ministry before his crucifixion and then having seen the risen Lord later (Acts 1:21-22), we could make the case that an apostle would be anyone who fits this category. In that case, there could be hundreds of apostles in the early church.

Seventh, there are false apostles. 2 Cor. 11:13, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ." See also Rev. 2:2. Apparently, there were some who claimed to have apostolic authority but were really false teachers.

Let's summarize.

There are apostles who were only among the 12. They performed miracles. Some wrote scripture.
Paul was an apostle (unique?) specifically commissioned by Christ. He performed miracles and wrote scripture.
Barnabas is an apostle. He performed no miracles, wrote no scripture.7
Jesus is called an apostle. He performed miracles
There are apostles in the sense of simply being sent. They are messengers. They perform no miracles.
It could be possible that anyone who was involved in Christ's ministry before his death and saw him after his resurrection could be referred to as apostles.
There are false apostles.
So, in which category does Junia fit? Junia isn't one of the 12, nor an apostle like Paul, or Jesus, nor a false apostle. That would leave only being an apostle like Barnabas, an apostle in the sense of one who is simply sent to proclaim the truth, or one who was with Christ before his death and saw him after his resurrection. But if Junia were one like Barnabas, then shouldn't there be more of a mention of him/her than this one citation in Romans 16:7?

So, we are left with categories five and six. Five: someone who is sent. Six, someone who was involved in Christ's ministry before his death and saw him after his resurrection. If the latter two, then it doesn't require that Junia would have been in a position of authority in the church.

What if Junia were a female apostle in authority

So let's just assume for a bit that Junia was a woman apostle in full authority. We don't accept that position but let's just work with it for a moment. Would that mean that it is okay for women to be pastors and elders since Junia would have been exercising that authority over men in the church? First, even if that were the case, the office of apostle is finished and Junia's case would only apply in the early church and not today. Second, we see apostles and elders mentioned together in Acts 15:2-6. An apostle is not an elder and the requirements for eldership include being male. No such requirement for apostleship is made. So, even if Junia were a female apostle in the early church, it does not mean that women today are qualified to be pastors and elders.

Conclusion

The early church fathers are not in agreement about the gender of Junia. There even seems to be evidence that strongly suggests Junia was a male. Commentaries differ on the gender. Translations differ on how Romans 16:7 is to be rendered into English. There are different uses of the Greek word "apostello" and it cannot be demonstrated conclusively into which categorical use of the term Junia should fit. Even if Junia were an apostle in the sense of having seen the risen Lord it doesn't mean she was in authority in the Church. Therefore, for someone to conclude that Junia was a woman apostle in full authority in the Church cannot be maintained from the Scriptures

You have made it very clear what you believe on this thread, could you be as forth coming on oldpathII survey of doctrine beliefs? Your reply to that thread left a lot of doubt!