Women keep silent in the churches

[bdavidc]

1 Corinthians 14:18-40

The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. 
~ 1 Corinthians 14:34-35

The principle of women not speaking in church services is universal; this applies to all the churches, not just locally, geographically, or culturally. The context in this verse concerns prophecy, but includes the general theme of the chapter, i.e., tongues. Rather than leading, they are to be submissive as God’s Word makes clear (see notes on 1Co 11:3-15; Gen 3:16; 1Ti 2:11-15). It is not coincidental that many modern churches that have tongues-speaking and claim gifts of healings and miracles also permit women to lead worship, preach, and teach. Women may be gifted teachers, but they are not permitted by God “to speak” in churches. In fact, for them to do so is “shameful,” meaning “disgraceful.” Apparently, certain women were out of order in disruptively asking questions publicly in the chaotic services.

I never have understood why this is so hard for people to understand. Must be the old I will do as I please attitude. 

Know the Bible

[BeyondET]

27 minutes ago, bdavidc said:

1 Corinthians 14:18-40

The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. 
~ 1 Corinthians 14:34-35

The principle of women not speaking in church services is universal; this applies to all the churches, not just locally, geographically, or culturally. The context in this verse concerns prophecy, but includes the general theme of the chapter, i.e., tongues. Rather than leading, they are to be submissive as God’s Word makes clear (see notes on 1Co 11:3-15; Gen 3:16; 1Ti 2:11-15). It is not coincidental that many modern churches that have tongues-speaking and claim gifts of healings and miracles also permit women to lead worship, preach, and teach. Women may be gifted teachers, but they are not permitted by God “to speak” in churches. In fact, for them to do so is “shameful,” meaning “disgraceful.” Apparently, certain women were out of order in disruptively asking questions publicly in the chaotic services.

I never have understood why this is so hard for people to understand. Must be the old I will do as I please attitude. 

Know the Bible

In Corinth it wasn't that women were out of order. Paganism was very popular in Corinth. So much so that women were the leaders of the Aphrodite, Demeter and Kore (Persephone) cults in and around Corinth.

Edited August 22, 2023 by BeyondET

[BeyondET]

Certainly Priscilla and Aquila a married couple worked side by side. 

Acts 18

26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him more accurately.

[farouk]

The context of the passage mentioned by @bdavidc seems to be the local church itself. I do think that home Bible studies - a source of great blessing - make the participation of women ideal.

[BeyondET]

19 minutes ago, farouk said:

The context of the passage mentioned by @bdavidc seems to be the local church itself. I do think that home Bible studies - a source of great blessing - make the participation of women ideal.

It was the local church in Corinth, the audience mainly consisted of Jews and Gentiles.

Christianity was new on the scene in those days.

Edited August 23, 2023 by BeyondET

[jeremiah1five]

On 8/22/2023 at 2:54 PM, bdavidc said:

1 Corinthians 14:18-40

The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. 
~ 1 Corinthians 14:34-35

The principle of women not speaking in church services is universal; this applies to all the churches, not just locally, geographically, or culturally. The context in this verse concerns prophecy, but includes the general theme of the chapter, i.e., tongues. Rather than leading, they are to be submissive as God’s Word makes clear (see notes on 1Co 11:3-15; Gen 3:16; 1Ti 2:11-15). It is not coincidental that many modern churches that have tongues-speaking and claim gifts of healings and miracles also permit women to lead worship, preach, and teach. Women may be gifted teachers, but they are not permitted by God “to speak” in churches. In fact, for them to do so is “shameful,” meaning “disgraceful.” Apparently, certain women were out of order in disruptively asking questions publicly in the chaotic services.

I never have understood why this is so hard for people to understand. Must be the old I will do as I please attitude. 

Know the Bible

Saul, being a Pharisee, assisted in modeling Jewish home fellowships after the function of the Temple and synagogues, and that is, women were seated separate from the men. The instruction is merely that women who had questions for their husbands or other male leadership (father's, brothers, etc) to not shout out their questions and disrupt the meeting. 

Philip had four daughters and they were prophetesses. This means they were the mouth in the body of Christ just as were men prophets. Saul spends a great deal of writing concerning the spiritual gifts to the Corinthian fellowship and instructs in the use of the mouth gift. It makes no sense for Saul to instruct in the use of tongues and prophecy and then to turn in the same sentence and tell women prophets to "shut up."

God is a God of order, as you may well know, and where the Presence of God is no flesh should "glory" in that Presence. Even Israel refused to come near to the mountain where God was and there were thundering's and the mountain itself would shake in the Presence of God. Thus, the natural order is this:

1. God.

2. Christ.

3. Man.

4. Woman.

3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 1 Cor. 11:3.

But the spiritual order is this:

1 God.

2. Christ.

3. Everyone else in the body of Christ. 

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:28.

"Christ" is the Greek that translates the Hebrew "Messias", and this word means "anointed" and is a reference to the spiritual. Saul, by placing the title "Christ" first is significant in that in spiritual matters in the spiritual body of Christ men and women, Jew and Gentile, slave or free are ONE in spiritual matters. 

This means a woman can be a pastor (which is a spiritual office), or an apostle (which is a spiritual office and merely means "sent.") or a prophet - and there were many women prophets in Scripture. Not only that, God used a woman (Deborah) to 'judge' Israel. 

But Israel is not the body of Christ, and the body of Christ is not Israel but is joined to "Christ" and no other. 

What you are addressing is called ignorant fleshly prejudice and gender-bias. And that sickness is, sorry to say, in the body of Christ (spiritual).Saul also says this for these men that practice gender-bias:

38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. 39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Cor. 14:38–40.

Those that forbid women to "decently and in order" exercise their speaking gifts - or any other gift - in the body of Christ (spiritual) oppose God. The word is "adversary", and in places is an adjective and it is translated as "Satan."