From Better Bibles Blog: Women Leaders: Prostatis by Suzanne McCarthy
In the Greek New Testament women are leaders, deacons, and apostles, and rulers, tyrants and providers, and heads of their household. Most of this is clear in English, but not all.
Think of Phoebe, the patron. She is the προστάτις πολλῶν, the patron of many. 'Patron' is one acceptable way to translate this word. But what does the lexicon say, and what would a reader of Greek notice in this word?
Prostatis is listed in the Liddell Scott Lexicon only as the feminine form of the masculine prostates. So one can really only go by that meaning. What does it say?
This a very helpful article looking at women leaders in the Bible and the subtle way they are "disguised" (IMO) in our English translations. (This is my characterization, not hers.)
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