Bishops, presbyters—these are stewards of different degrees of responsibility (not quality, but quantity). When teachers (Spirit-bearers) appear, stewards-priests begin to persecute them, to chase, to kill, to prevent them from reaching the students, and make them in the eyes of the students heretics, madmen, and call to ignore them—God’s messengers (apostles and prophets) (the whole history of the Church (both the Old Testament and the New Testament) testifies to this)! Because in the absence of Teachers-Spirit-bearers in the School, the priests took on the glory of a teacher, prophet, apostle (apostolic successors!?)—illegally (‘do not call yourselves teachers, fathers!’) and without grounds! Therefore, all prophets are always persecuted by stewards—as in the Old, so in the New Testament. Because in the presence of a teacher in the class (the assembly of believers for the Liturgy-Eucharist), the steward must take his subordinate place—a laborer who has no relation to the educational process (unless he is a catechumen and is also preparing for baptism with the Holy Spirit along with the students). And who wants to renounce the glory of apostolic successor (successor), teacher, prophet, who wants to stop being a ruler and become at least one of the students—the same catechumen as the other students (or even lower—a steward who refuses to be catechized). Patriarchs, metropolitans…—these are mostly, at best, catechumens (and not Spirit-bearers), though even such are few (by their fruits you will know them).
Apostles, teachers, prophets—these are the graduates of the school of catechumens! Only parishioners (members of the Body of Christ, who are placed in the Body by the Holy Spirit for organic ministry to the Body; various Gifts, unique ministries are distributed by the same Holy Spirit)—can receive the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of the Body of Christ, the Spirit of the Eucharist, the Spirit of Communion in Love of the members of the Church). Outside the Body, the Holy Spirit is not given! Therefore, the steward (bishop, presbyter) must become a parishioner (and everyone who wants to be Happy—to receive the Holy Spirit (to deify),—must become a partaker of the Eucharist-community, a member of the Body of Christ (one who has a catholic, hypostatic consciousness at the level of the whole being).
Until you receive the Holy Spirit, be humble, steward, think modestly of yourself, and when you receive the Holy Spirit, then you are a teacher and prophet (and successor (inheritor) of apostolic grace), but still, not you teach, but the Holy Spirit, who is in you,—He leads the faithful-catechumen to Himself, to Christ, and prepares in him a dwelling for Himself through the word (catechesis), which He speaks through you (if you want—in cooperation with you, making you a co-worker in the work of the creation of creaturely gods (gods by grace)). But while you do not have the Holy Spirit (noticeably dwelling in you), be careful: do not deceive either the faithful (that you are someone: some unique priest, teacher, prophet (spiritual father-elder)), nor, most importantly, yourself! Be the first to join the ranks of the catechumens, seek out more experienced catechumens than yourself (spiritual ones today are an extreme rarity, they cannot be found even with a searchlight in broad daylight; although those who sought correctly say that they can be found; but where today can you find such who want to seek correctly, to compete correctly, as the apostle Paul says?!) and learn from them and with them! And do not say that you are a patriarch, metropolitan, archpriest… (do not forget that Judas Iscariot (the traitor) was an apostle (miracle worker: raised the dead, cast out demons, healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, and preached the truth: that the Kingdom of God has come, it is already here—in Jesus Christ, the Messiah), Nestorius (heretic)—patriarch (‘ecumenical’), Arius (heretic)—presbyter—all of them were strangers to the Holy Spirit, thinking that they were in Paradise, but in fact, they were lost in the hell of selfhood, pride, love of power, love of money…). It is inconvenient to write such truth, but it is necessary to lead brothers and sisters out of delusion, into which the world introduces Satan and delays the revelation in souls, redeemed by the Son of God, the coming of the Kingdom of God (which has already come!), the reception of the Holy Spirit (Divine Love), which is already generously poured out on all creation!
By the way, once again we will answer the rhetorical question: can a woman be a steward (that is, a presbyter, bishop)?! Chopping wood, caring for the condition of the school building, monitoring order (a woman police officer—is a reality; but regarding the effectiveness of such service, this is another question) and the rites of services, which are performed by the parish-community?! She can!!! But probably shouldn’t! Let men carry their ministry, and women carry theirs! Let this technical ministry of the steward-elder-supervisor-policeman be carried by men! But if a woman has the Holy Spirit, then to prophesy or teach, there is no need to be a presbyter or bishop (and if women want to rule and be first, I suggest to them: to be last and serve everyone, it is not necessary to be a priest! I hope that the Orthodox Church will never degenerate to the point where women will carry the ministry of the steward (bishop, presbyter)! Therefore, a woman can be a presbyter or bishop—there are no dogmatic obstacles to this! We mentioned this fact not to encourage women to take this ministry on their fragile shoulders, but to close the mouths of ignorant ‘theologians’-lettermen, who derive everything from Scripture, who have everything according to Scripture, so they crucify the Truth according to Scripture!