a womans silence

A

WOMAN’S

SILENCE

A Woman’s Silence

“If there is anything they [women] desire to learn, let them

ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a

woman to speak in church” (1 Cor 14:35, ESV).

What does Paul mean here?

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We must not forget how the term “speak” is used in this

context.

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context. “Speak” means to address the congregation with divine authority.

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context. “Speak” means to address the congregation with divine authority. “If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in

turn, and let someone interpret” (v 27, ESV).

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“Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said” (v

29, ESV).

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29, ESV).

“Speak” has nothing to do with uttering a sound—it has to do

with addressing the congregation with a word from God.

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29, ESV).

“Speak” has nothing to do with uttering a sound—it has to do

with addressing the congregation with a word from God.

Notice that the reason women are to ask their husband at home is

because it is shameful for a woman to speak for God in the

assembly.

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context.

We also cannot ignore the way the term word “learn” is

used in this context.

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context.


used in this context. “Learn” means to gain an insight from a prophet.

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context.


used in this context. “Learn” means to gain an insight from a prophet.

“You can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be

encouraged” (v 31, ESV).

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Paul elevates women to a new position in Christianity.

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Paul elevates women to a new position in Christianity. In Paul‟s day, women were considered too stupid to be taught.

A Woman’s Silence

Paul elevates women to a new position in Christianity. In Paul‟s day, women were considered too stupid to be taught.

A rabbi said, “Let the words of the Law be burned rather than

committed to a woman.”

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Women are to ask “their husbands at home.”

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Women are to ask “their husbands at home.” What if a woman desires to learn something but has no husband?

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The Greek may or may not mean “husband.”

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The Greek may or may not mean “husband.” Greek has no separate word for “husband” & “man.”

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Context has to determine the meaning.

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Here, the context isn‟t much help, because this is the only occurrence of

this term in the passage.

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The Greek simply means “their own men.”

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The Greek simply means “their own men.” This would then include fathers,

brothers, sons, sons-in-law, brothers-in-law, etc.

What does Paul mean that

the women are to ask their

own husbands at home?

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The only other occurrence of “learn” in this passage has to

do with hearing from a prophet.

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The cultural context helps us know exactly what Paul

meant.

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meant. Not far from Corinth was Delphi where the famous oracle—part

of the worship of Apollo—was located.

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of the worship of Apollo—was located. Apollo was the main

deity in Corinth.

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Delphi had a female priestess known as the Pythia.

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Delphi had a female priestess known as the Pythia. People would ask the Pythia questions & she would answer in ecstatic

utterances that were then interpreted by her male servants.

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Delphi had a female priestess known as the Pythia. People would ask the Pythia questions & she would answer in ecstatic

utterances that were then interpreted by her male servants.

The questions were often quite personal in nature.

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Delphi had a female priestess known as the Pythia.

Because many of the Corinthian Christians were former

pagans, they would certainly have been quite familiar with

Delphi.

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It seems quite probable, therefore, that many of the

Corinthians thought of tongue speaking & prophecy in the

assembly in terms of the Pythia & Delphi.

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It seems quite probable, therefore, that many of the

Corinthians thought of tongue speaking & prophecy in the

assembly in terms of the Pythia & Delphi.

It is also quite likely—with the emphasis on everything

being done decently & in order—that the women who

were asking questions were causing quite a disturbance in

the assembly.

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It is also quite possible that the prophets would regularly

question one another after a prophet was done speaking.

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question one another after a prophet was done speaking. “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is

said” (v 29, ESV).

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If that‟s the case, Paul is prohibiting this type of speaking.

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The women under consideration would then be prophetesses who

were questioning the utterances of other prophets.

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The women under consideration would then be prophetesses who

were questioning the utterances of other prophets.

The more I think about this passage, I am convinced that

this—as well as the Oracle of Delphi—best explains the

text.

The View of Others

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The late Brother James Burton Coffman applies this entire

passage only to tongue-speaking. “Before dealing with this as it may be applied in all generations,

it should first be observed that the primary meaning has to be,

„Do not let the women speak in tongues under any

circumstances.‟ This command comes right in the middle of an

extensive treatise on tongue-speaking; and to blow this up to a

universal law that no woman might open her mouth in a church

service is simply contrary to all reason. As Glenn Wallace once

paraphrased this: „As for tongue-speaking, don't let the gals do it

at all!‟ This applied even if an interpreter was present.

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About v 35, Brother Coffman wrote: “The women under consideration in this order were married,

nothing whatever being said of widows, spinsters or the

unmarried; and they were also ignorant, as indicated by „if they

would learn anything.‟ To make this a universal rule for all

women is to ignore the limitations evident in the passage. As

McGarvey said, „To understand the passage we should know the

ignorance, garrulity and degradation of Oriental women.‟ This

was addressed to abuses of the formal worship by women of a

certain class in an ancient culture. What about the woman whose

husband is an ignoramus, an unbeliever, or an open enemy of

God and all religion; should she comply with this rule? Until it is

affirmed that she should, it is a sin to make this rule universal.”

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Adam Clarke: “The Jews would not suffer a woman to read in the synagogue;

though a servant or even a child, had this permission; but the

apostle refers to irregular conduct, such conduct as proved that

they were not under obedience.”

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Ray Hawke at the 1987 Freed-Hardeman lectureship: “Since women prophetesses have been discussed in chapter eleven, and

since Paul has just given regulations to male prophets, verses 34,35

seem to be regulating these same women in the assemblies where the

whole church has come together (verse 23). There is a place where they

may pray and prophesy as long as they wear their sign of subjection (1

15). but they may not disturb, with their questions. the assemblies

where the whole church has come together. Also, the word translated

for husband (aner), is also rendered man or men (1 Cor. 13:ll). The

verse could be translated, "Let your women [prophetesses] keep silence

in the churches [assemblies]: for it is not permitted unto them to speak;

but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

And if they will learn anything, let them ask their men at home; for it is

a shame for women to speak in the church [assembly]."

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Brother Hawke continues: “In this light, both married and single women could be

prophetesses. Although they could not speak by asking questions

in the assemblies where the whole church was come together.

they could exercise their gift in other assemblies (1 Cor. 1 1:5).

Because they were prophetesses, they did not have the right to

speak up in the assembly and disturb it with their questions. The

role of women has always been one of subjection to the man

(Gen. 3: 16). This being the case, they were to take such a role

when the whole church was come together and only men were to

speak.”

A Woman’s Silencea) either some women had miraculous gifts and were using

them publicly which, in that culture especially, was an indecent usurpation of male leadership in the public assemblies; the dignity of man and woman is preserved only if the place God has ordained for each is maintained (see our comments in I Cor. 1l:lff.).

b) or, some women, who did not have miraculous gifts, were prodding and agitating their husbands or others who did have gifts to use them contrary to the apostolic guidelines; this also was indecent behavior for women.

c) or, some women who did not have miraculous gifts were insisting they were going to teach in the public assemblies without gifts.

Paul T. Butler, independent Christian Church:

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