We were recently asked about when a single woman’s father has died, leaving her without the father’s authority, who does she submit to? I have posted the response that was sent to her and look forward to any comments on this very interesting and necessary study.

I have looked into the Scriptures and have found no doctrine about authority over a single woman when the father has died.  Paul wrote about the single woman in his letter to the Corinthian church in chapter seven.  He was helping them understand the relationships involving both the married and the unmarried.  He wrote about single men that it is good for them if they decide to remain single.  One reason that he gave is because of the difficult circumstances for the believers in this time.  This is found in 7:25,26.  The unmarried man is able to concentrate more on the service of God without being concerned for his family.  7:32,33. 

Paul then wrote to the women, that the single woman is able to concentrate completely on the service of the Lord.  7:34,35.

Paul wrote to both men and women encouraging them that being married is good and being single is good.  One group should not judge the other. 

If a man or a woman is content being single, and then decides to be married, it is a good thing.  It is the decision of the individual as being led by the Lord.

As far as the authority of the father or of the husband over the woman, nothing is said about the single woman if her father is dead.  The single woman is to submit to the Word of God as every believer is required to do.  She is to serve the Lord as she has opportunity in the church.  This being true, she should seek the advice of the pastor.  The pastor is commanded to respect the older and younger women in the church and should give them counsel the same as he would to his own mother or to his own sister. 

1 Timothy 5:1-2  Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

The word ‘intreat’ means that the pastor will come to you and give instruction and counsel from God’s Word.