Daily Devotions
1 Corinthians
"Let your women keep silent in the churches..."
Text: 1 Corinthians 14:34
SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION FOR THE WOMENFOLK
Paul had a word for the women, not just in Corinth, but in all the churches!
“Let your women keep silent in the churches,
for they are not permitted to speak;
but they are to be submissive, as the law also says.
And if they want to learn something, let them ask
their own husbands at home; for it is shameful
for women to speak in church.”
1 Corinthians 14:34-35
1. A hard text
a) This is one of the harder text to understand.
b) How should we understand this strict prohibition that Paul imposed on the women?
2. The problems that were in Corinth
a) There were many problems in the Corinthian church.
b) The context here is with reference to the Church Worship Service.
3. Understanding the context
a) Some women were forceful in their personality.
b) They could cause even greater “confusion” if they were allowed “to speak”.
c) The pastoral teaching ministry:
i) Paul understood this as reserved for the men-folk.
ii) The danger of usurpation of the pastoral office was very real.
4. Strict prohibition
a) This was consistently taught by the apostle Paul.
b) This was clearly stated in 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
i) The danger was with reference to “authority”.
ii) The women were not to have authority over the men.
5. Learning
a) The womenfolk were not restricted in their desire to learn.
b) They could speak to their husbands and learn from them.
c) They are to practise “submissiveness” consistently and consciously.
6. Shameful for women to speak in church
This is a reference to speaking in the pastoral capacity. For in this capacity, she would have authority over the church and over the menfolk. To Paul, this was unbecoming! To do this will bring shame to the women themselves, to their husbands and to the church as well!