Women—Silent in the Church…really?

Women—Silent in the Church…really?  1 Cor. 14.34-40

Marcia Clark wanted Judge Lance Ito to recuse himself because of a possible conflict of interest in presiding over the O.J. Simpson trial.  Well, perhaps I should recuse myself from addressing today’s passage, because it might appear that I have a conflict of interest! 

Take a look with me at 1 Corinthians 14.34-35~

Paul writes, “As in all the churches of the saints, 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.” 

Hmmm . . .

This is another place where the Scripture must be seen in its proper context.  First, this entire chapter has been devoted to being orderly in worship services; second, we must remember that Paul was writing to the church at Corinth in the first century.  In the ancient world, the place of women was very low.  In the Greek world, Sophocles had said, “Silence confers grace upon a woman.” Jewish men prayed daily, ‘I thank God I was not born a woman’; women were second-class citizens, to be sure.  

In places of worship, men sat on one side, women on the other.  Now picture the wife who calls out to her husband across the room, ‘Hey, what did Joseph just say?  What did he mean by that?’  Or calling from the women’s court, which was behind where the men sat in the temple, ‘Samuel, Paul could not have quoted that correctly…. didn’t he just misquote Isaiah?’  Verse 40 clearly states, ‘everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way’; in that light, wives should ask their husbands for clarification at home, and not call out to them. 

Furthermore, while sitting separately seems foreign and rather archaic to most of us, many faiths segregate women and men.  The Amish, Sikhs,

Orthodox Jews, practitioners of the Baha’i and also Muslims sit separately—somewhat out of respect, and also to diminish distraction.  When I went to High Holy Days, Jewish families came in the door together, and then split apart---the men to the left, the women to the right.  When I recently met two Muslim women at the beach, Rania and Hebba commented on sitting separately from the men in their mosque; they stated that it was for the sake of modesty, since Muslims pray in a prostrate position.  In most American mosques today, the main prayer hall is the domain of Muslim male worshippers while Muslim women worship in a small room elsewhere in the mosque.  (I found it interesting to research which faiths segregate, and why--very interesting indeed!)

Since Paul had mentioned the occurrence of women praying and prophesying in 1 Corinthians 11.5, I do not believe this passage indicates that women are to be silent in churches then, or now.  The point Paul made here in 1 Corinthians 14 is that ‘in all things, order’.

Let’s finish out the chapter:  “Did the word of God originate with you?  Or are you the only people it has reached?  If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.  If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.

  Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.” 

So Paul brings the Corinthian believers up short—‘do not think you are so special, do not be filled with spiritual pride about your giftings.  Recognize that I, Paul, am conveying to you the word of the Lord.  Love is not puffed up, remember?’

I do not think I shall recuse myself, nor will I keep silent—at least for very long!

In conclusion, “all things should be done decently and in order.” I believe this is a good place to say ‘Amen’. 

Think about it:  Do you have a biblically-based ‘position’ about women as keeping silent—about women being pastors or teachers?