DISCLAIMER: The following only represents the views of the author and does not reflect the views of Island ECC.
——
(Continued from Part 3)
So far, we have made the argument that women have served in every leadership position as defined by Ephesians 4.11-15. If scripture records women serving in the leadership capacities defined by Paul, then it seems contradictory to prohibit them from serving in those same capacities in the modern context. That leaves us then with only two more roadblocks, one of which will be examined today.
“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace – as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.” – 1 Corinthians 14.33-35
In 1st century Corinth, listeners frequently interrupted lectures with questions. This would be done to either aid in the learning or to challenge the lecturer. If this occurred in formal settings, it undoubtedly occurred in less formal house church settings.
Yet, despite the boisterous nature of Corinthian culture, women were not permitted to openly engage in conversations with other men because it was a shameful thing to do. Therefore it is possible to imagine Paul silencing women in order to be a better witness into that culture. This would explain verse 35 where Paul says,
“if they [women] want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.”
Since women were uneducated, they may have desired to reflect the inquisitive culture of the day by asking questions in the church in order to fully understand teaching. Doing so would have limited the church’s ministry to Corinth because Corinthian culture frowned upon women speaking up.
Also, a question about the type of speech Paul is prohibiting must be brought up. Is Paul banning every type of speech or just a specific type of speech? In 14.26 Paul seems to be addressing both men and women when he tells them each to bring a “hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.” So it seems unlikely that Paul is restricting every form of speech from women, but instead a very specific form of speech.
Again, verse 35 provides the evidence: if women are to ask about things, they should do so in the home. Therefore, women are not to ask questions in church. But they can bring a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. It seems very peculiar that Paul would single out the act of asking questions, but this makes more sense in the overall flow of Paul’s argument.
The key to understanding the whole passage is in verse 33, “for God is not a God of disorder but of peace — as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” This explains his teaching about tongues in verses 27-28: only two or three should speak in tongues, and they are to speak one at a time with someone interpreting. This also explains his teaching about prophesy in verses 29-31, a prophesy must be given in turn so that everyone may hear and be encouraged.
It is after teaching about orderly tongues and orderly prophesy that Paul calls for women to remain silent by asking questions at home, because doing so would have disrupted the orderliness of the gathering. One could imagine a gathering of Christians where tongues were spoken one at a time with an interpretation and prophesies were given one at a time, only to be disrupted by someone asking questions about what the prophesies meant.
It is after teaching about orderly tongues and orderly prophesy that Paul calls for women to remain silent by asking questions at home, because doing so would have disrupted the orderliness of the gathering.
This is further confirmed by the last two verses of the passage, “therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Corinthians 15.39-40).
The meaning of this text is clear: pursue orderly worship, because God is not a God of disorder. The ultimate reality of this is order in the Kingdom of God. Therefore women aren’t prohibited from speaking, but rather creating disorder in the worship of God. A prohibition that should include men as well.
The meaning of this text is clear: pursue orderly worship, because God is not a God of disorder. The ultimate reality of this is order in the Kingdom of God. Therefore women aren’t prohibited from speaking, but rather creating disorder in the worship of God. A prohibition that should include men as well.
But another challenge lies before us: 1 Timothy 2.11-15. In this passage Paul prohibits women from speaking and appeals to Adam and Eve as the justification. This is perhaps the most difficult passage for Egalitarians to refute, and this is what we will try to do in the final installment of this series (Part 5).