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 14:34–5)
At first sight, Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian Church regarding women not speaking in church may seem clear cut and incontrovertible. In the past, it was almost universally understood this way – as a simple “Women must not speak [publicly] in church.” Not surprisingly, today many holding strongly egalitarian views have tried to discount the statement in various ways, but these attempts have not been successful for a number of reasons. For example, the suggestion is sometimes made that these verses were added later – as they contradict what Paul wrote in the same letter regarding women praying and prophesying: “But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” (1 Corinthians 11:5).
But virtually all the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament contain verses 34–5, including the earliest ones we have, and there is simply no evidence they were added at some point. On the other hand, some have suggested that in 11:5 Paul was speaking about women praying and prophesying in non-church settings, but the context does not show this. So there are problems with both approaches to these texts and the apparent contradiction between what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:5 and 14:34–35 should prod us to see how the two verses might possibly be harmonized rather than choosing one statement and rejecting the other.
First, we should look closely at the context of 1 Corinthians 14:34 – which is clearly verbalized in the first verse of the chapter: “Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy” (1 Corinthians 14:1 emphasis added). After dealing with the spiritual gift of tongues, Paul turns to the matter of prophecy and states “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said” (verse 29). Notice that Paul then says “For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged (verse 31). He does not say all the men, but that all may prophesy. But then he adds a special restrictive statement – that the women must remain silent.
What is unspoken but seems clear here, is that Paul has moved on from the prophets speaking (which he says includes all) to the prophecies being judged as we saw in verse 29: “prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.” The others here are surely not the members of the congregation, but the other prophets. As Paul states in verse 32 “The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.” All prophets were allowed to speak, but their messages had to be evaluated by the other prophets who were present. It is in this direct context that Paul then says a woman must not speak in church. The word “woman” (Greek gyne) is always used for “wife” in the New Testament and this seems to be the sense here, as Paul continues “If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home” (verse 35).
In this same letter, Paul had carefully explained the headship principle of the woman being subject to her husband as the man is to Christ and Christ is to God (1 Cor. 11:2–16). It was in that context that he wrote “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” (1 Corinthians 11:4-5). Then, in chapter 14, Paul is still giving instruction regarding prophesying, but has moved on to the matter of judging what is said. This immediately raises the question, what if a man – especially a husband – prophesies, would it not be wrong for a woman – especially the man’s wife – to publicly judge his message? That is why in this context Paul states that “If [the women prophets] wish to inquire about something [a prophet – especially their husband – has said] they are to ask their own husbands at home” (1 Corinthians 14:35). It would clearly dishonor the headship principle if women publicly questioned the messages of male prophets in church, and especially male prophets who were their husbands.
Understood this way, we can see that Paul’s statement about women prophesying in chapter eleven does not at all contradict his words on the headship of men and his injunction in chapter fourteen that women do not publicly judge the messages of the male prophets. Thus, Paul concludes: Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, … But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Corinthians 14:39–40). So it is that Paul tells us “The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets” (verse 32) and “Women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission” (verse 34). Both male and female prophets had to be in submission to the principle of evaluation by other prophets, and female prophets had to be in submission (the Greek word is the same in both verses) to the headship principle. The men had to be in submission to the headship principle also, because they were subject to God’s judgment of their prophecies through the evaluations of the other prophets.
So Paul was not saying that women could not speak at all in church – we know they could pray or prophesy publicly. Rather his teaching was that the women prophets must respect the headship principle and refrain from publicly judging the messages of men, which would be tantamount to publicly correcting and exercising spiritual headship over the men – something he clearly forbids in 1 Timothy 2:12.
At first sight, Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian Church regarding women not speaking in church may seem clear cut and incontrovertible. In the past, it was almost universally understood this way – as a simple “Women must not speak [publicly] in church.” Not surprisingly, today many holding strongly egalitarian views have tried to discount the statement in various ways, but these attempts have not been successful for a number of reasons. For example, the suggestion is sometimes made that these verses were added later – as they contradict what Paul wrote in the same letter regarding women praying and prophesying: “But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” (1 Corinthians 11:5).
But virtually all the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament contain verses 34–5, including the earliest ones we have, and there is simply no evidence they were added at some point. On the other hand, some have suggested that in 11:5 Paul was speaking about women praying and prophesying in non-church settings, but the context does not show this. So there are problems with both approaches to these texts and the apparent contradiction between what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:5 and 14:34–35 should prod us to see how the two verses might possibly be harmonized rather than choosing one statement and rejecting the other.
First, we should look closely at the context of 1 Corinthians 14:34 – which is clearly verbalized in the first verse of the chapter: “Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy” (1 Corinthians 14:1 emphasis added). After dealing with the spiritual gift of tongues, Paul turns to the matter of prophecy and states “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said” (verse 29). Notice that Paul then says “For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged (verse 31). He does not say all the men, but that all may prophesy. But then he adds a special restrictive statement – that the women must remain silent.
What is unspoken but seems clear here, is that Paul has moved on from the prophets speaking (which he says includes all) to the prophecies being judged as we saw in verse 29: “prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.” The others here are surely not the members of the congregation, but the other prophets. As Paul states in verse 32 “The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.” All prophets were allowed to speak, but their messages had to be evaluated by the other prophets who were present. It is in this direct context that Paul then says a woman must not speak in church. The word “woman” (Greek gyne) is always used for “wife” in the New Testament and this seems to be the sense here, as Paul continues “If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home” (verse 35).
In this same letter, Paul had carefully explained the headship principle of the woman being subject to her husband as the man is to Christ and Christ is to God (1 Cor. 11:2–16). It was in that context that he wrote “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” (1 Corinthians 11:4-5). Then, in chapter 14, Paul is still giving instruction regarding prophesying, but has moved on to the matter of judging what is said. This immediately raises the question, what if a man – especially a husband – prophesies, would it not be wrong for a woman – especially the man’s wife – to publicly judge his message? That is why in this context Paul states that “If [the women prophets] wish to inquire about something [a prophet – especially their husband – has said] they are to ask their own husbands at home” (1 Corinthians 14:35). It would clearly dishonor the headship principle if women publicly questioned the messages of male prophets in church, and especially male prophets who were their husbands.
Understood this way, we can see that Paul’s statement about women prophesying in chapter eleven does not at all contradict his words on the headship of men and his injunction in chapter fourteen that women do not publicly judge the messages of the male prophets. Thus, Paul concludes: Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, … But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Corinthians 14:39–40). So it is that Paul tells us “The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets” (verse 32) and “Women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission” (verse 34). Both male and female prophets had to be in submission to the principle of evaluation by other prophets, and female prophets had to be in submission (the Greek word is the same in both verses) to the headship principle. The men had to be in submission to the headship principle also, because they were subject to God’s judgment of their prophecies through the evaluations of the other prophets.
So Paul was not saying that women could not speak at all in church – we know they could pray or prophesy publicly. Rather his teaching was that the women prophets must respect the headship principle and refrain from publicly judging the messages of men, which would be tantamount to publicly correcting and exercising spiritual headship over the men – something he clearly forbids in 1 Timothy 2:12.
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