It is my hope here to encourage people - of both genders - who are aware that they are called for more than the status quo. May each one of you be empowered to fully function in your God-given ministries.
As we begin to read our Holy Bibles for ourselves, there are two New Testament passages - about women - that we all need to study more thoroughly; lest some fall into inactivity.
Before attempting to address this important question, let me say right from the start that I believe and totally agree with 2 TIMOTHY 3:16 which reads, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,….”; while also wholeheartedly agreeing with 2 PETER 1:20-21 which reads, “…..no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
Another New Testament passage that we should all keep in our hearts when approaching the Holy Bible and learning from its inspired contents, is 2 TIMOTHY 2:15 which says, “Be diligent (or study) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
With this instruction in mind let us dive in and take a look at the root issue of the Women In Ministry Debate; which is "Can women speak in church?"
Here is a passage of Scripture that I believe is often misunderstood.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:34-38
Let your women keep silent in the churches (assemblies), 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.
Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
ARE THESE VERSES TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY?
Because of those who interpret these scriptures literally, Anne Graham Lotz, after being introduced as a speaker at one of her denomination’s conferences - in the 80’s - had the unfortunate experience of witnessing a number of rude men noisily turn their chairs around with their backs facing her; when she began to speak.
Who was in the wrong there? Should those men’s theology be corrected or should Billy Graham’s daughter not be doing any public speaking?
In the following is my attempt to answer questions like these.
Any time we interpret and apply a passage of Scripture in a way that contradicts other passages, our interpretation and/or our application could be wrong. Further down this page are some reasons why I believe those men were wrong and why a literal interpretation of 1 CORINTHIANS 14:34-38 is contradictory with other things the New Testament has to say.
While interpreting 1 CORINTHIANS 14:34-38 literally may appear to be loyal on the surface, if one will study this passage in context with the whole of Scripture, this approach can easily be seen to be more of a misunderstanding than that of loyalty to the Bible.
Here is a true example of how taking things literally can sometimes lead to a failure in understanding.
Last year I went to a Texas Rangers Game with 3 friends. After the 5th inning, one friend gave a twenty dollar bill to a younger friend and said, “Go buy us some pretzels.”
A few minutes later, to our dismay, the younger friend returned with $20 worth of pretzels, which was way more than the four of us could handle. He had taken the request literally - as he understood it - thus creating a thirsty situation for us all and leaving our generous friend without any change.
While there is a time and place for taking things literally in life - and from the Bible - this is not always the case. If one should literally apply the first phrase in 1 TIMOTHY 5:23 which says to “Drink no longer water……” it could be misunderstood and misused to say that the Bible tells us not to drink water, which would contradict the lifestyle of Jesus Christ who asked a Samaritan woman for a drink of water.
As promised above, here are some Biblical contradictions that come from a literal interpretation of 1 CORINTHIANS 14:34-38; which - once again - reads:
'Let your women keep silent in the churches (assemblies), 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.
Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.'
8 POSSIBLE CONTRADICTIONS TO LITERALLY INTERPRETING THESE VERSES
1) Prophesying is a promise to both genders.
ACTS 2:17-18 (JOEL 2:28-29)
'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
your old men shall dream dreams.
and on my menservants and on my maidservants
will I pour out My Spirit in those days;
and they shall prophesy.'
Earlier in ACTS 2, this promise was fulfilled when both men and women were filled with the Holy Spirit and began miraculously speaking in other languages, '...the "wonderful works of God."
The following passage tells of an evangelist's four daughters who prophesied.
ACTS 21:8-9
On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
2) Paul wrote instructions for prophesying to both men and women.
1 CORINTHIANS 11:4-5a
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head,….
1 CORINTHIANS 14:31
For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.
3) Prophesying cannot be done silently.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:3
But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. NKJV
Other translations also confirm that prophesying involves speaking.
(CJB) ....someone prophesying is speaking to people, edifying, encouraging and comforting them.
(GNB) ....those who proclaim God's message speak to people and give them help, encouragement, and comfort.
4) Applying these verses literally would mean total silence.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:34-35
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.
Most who claim to take this passage literally, do not do so consistently, thus
making their practices self-contradictory and disobedient to their own beliefs.
5) The Law never actually says that women should be silent.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:34
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.
Get your best concordance out and start digging throughout the Old Testament and you will find plenty of talking women but absolutely no commands for them to be silent. (A possible explanation of this "law" issue* can be found further down below).
So what is Paul talking about here? How can he contradict himself like this in the same chapter that also talks about prophesying?
This may more easily be understood as having something to do with husbands and their wives but first let's continue with more potential contradictions.
6) It would be impossible for the following women - whose names are mentioned below - whom Paul recognized as ministers, to minister without speaking and without him having heard - and seen - them minister.
ROMANS 16:1-5a
I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant** of the church in Cenchrea,
that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist
her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper
of many and of myself also. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in
Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give
thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
. Likewise greet the church that is in their house…..
**diakanos: servant, minister.
ROMANS 16:6,12-13,15
Greet Mary, who labored much for us....
12) Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord.
Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. Greet
Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine....
15) Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas,
and all the saints who are with them.
2 TIMOTHY 4:19,21b
Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus....
21) Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.
7) Aquila’s wife Priscilla is recorded as having ministered verbally to a man.
1 CORINTHIANS 16:19b
….Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house....
ACTS 18:24,26
Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man
and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus....... 26) So he began to
speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him,
they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
8) Paul’s writing of 1st CORINTHIANS was due in part to the family of a woman named Chloe.
1 CORINTHIANS 1:11
For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.
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These possible contradictions are further compounded when we try to define what it means to be “in church” - which is where women are told to be silent – that is, if the words of 1 CORINTHIANS 14:34-38 are to be taken literally.
Since we know – according to the Bible - God does not dwell in temples made with hands and we know that Jesus said, “...where 2 or 3 are gathered in My name” He would be in their midst; it would appear easy to be “in church” anytime and anywhere.
So, when can a woman speak outside of her home, with other believers? When?
In MATTHEW 16:16-18, after Peter verbally recognized Who Jesus was, Christ clearly said, “Upon this rock I will build My church…..” Therefore, why should a woman not be able to verbally recognize Who Jesus is, just like Peter did, while being “in church”?
In ROMANS 10:10 Paul wrote that “...with the mouth confession is made unto salvation...” Think about that wonderful promise. Why should a woman not be able to fulfill this salvation promise while being “in church” with her own mouth? Why?
PHILIPPIANS 2:11 says, "...every tongue (language) should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Surely women can and should be able to do that anywhere; especially "in church".
We might be able to go on listing some more possible contradictions here, but I think the point has now been made that a literal interpretation of 1 CORINTHIANS 14:34-38 gives us plenty of reasons to do more thinking and studying about what these verses are really saying to us.
Hopefully, the following will help those who want to do more personal study on this.
4 POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR 1 CORINTHIANS 14:34-38
1. This congregation’s divisive issues, along with their disorderly meetings, may have resulted in Paul bringing this strong word of correction to straighten out some of their church gathering messes; which were unique to them at the time of his writing.
2. Because the Greek word for woman also means wife and the word for man also means husband, perhaps Paul was actually calling Christian husbands to step up their spiritual leadership at home, especially if the women, i. e. their wives were uneducated; which was common in that day.
3. Possibly the words, “...Let your women keep silent...’ did not mean all forms of speaking but rather that which would be disruptive to public meetings; especially if men and women did not sit together; as may have been their custom.
4. Verses 34-35 might actually be a quotation of something - that Paul did not fully agree with - from an earlier letter which he had received from them. This might be possible, because these two verses seem to contradict his previous words in this same letter - to the local church in Corinth - as pointed out earlier.
Remember this letter was written in response to what had been written to him from Chloe’s household.
1 CORINTHIANS 7:1a
Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:….
* This possibility of Paul, responding to a quotation - he did not agree with - from an earlier letter, if correct, would clear up any questions caused by what he wrote about women being silent according to “the law”. This, in itself, is very important for us to study more because no such passage exist in the "the law" and Paul did not teach that new covenant believers have to live under old covenant law. Making an exception for women in this case, if the old covenant law actually did teach women to be silent, would cause more contractions elsewhere concerning gentile women and the old covenant law. (For more clarity on this point about the old covenant law, read GALATIANS sometime).
Reading verses 34-38 from this view-point possibly gives more insight into Paul's question in verse 36.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:36
Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached?
While you may not agree with everything written so far, I hope you can at least see the need for further study in this matter. Please be encouraged to do so.
With all this being said, I hope that the reader can at least be aware of any pre-conceived notions he or she may have in these matters and be able to hear from God, should He choose to use a woman to speak "in church".
CONCLUSION: What about 1 TIMOTHY 2:11-15 ?
1 TIMOTHY 2:11-15
...Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into trans-gression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.
While I do not know everything about this passage, here are various thoughts I do have.
Remembering that the Greek word for woman also means wife - and the Greek word for man also means husband - serves to help us see that Paul may have actually been instructing Timothy to tell wives to let their husbands teach them and for wives to not try to dominate their husbands.
Understanding these verses, as they relate to the marriage relationship - betweeen husband and wife - can help begin to prevent misapplying them.
The story of Adam and Eve is an example of where where a husband did not lead his wife like he should have, being commanded previously to keep (guard) the garden, thus harming them both and their descendants.
This story may have also been brought up because of a Gnostic heresy in that day which had it reversed and misapplied.
Taking this passage literally could lead to a serious ‘salvation by works’ heresy with women having to bear children in order to save their own souls. If this is true, then both barren wives and single women cannot be saved. This literal take becomes heretical and so nonsensical that it is easy to see the passage must be interpreted.
A look at some modern translations or paraphrases of the New Testament may help bring better understanding as to what was actually meant by these strange words about “childbearing”. Here it is in the Message Bible paraphrase.
(MSG) On the other hand, her childbearing brought about salvation, reversing Eve.
But this salvation only comes to those who continue in faith, love, and holiness, gathering it all into maturity. You can depend on this.
In other words, the position of women - being condemned for the first woman’s transgression - has been redeemed by Jesus Christ, the child of an obedient child bearing woman, who is God’s plan for reversing the curse of Adam’s fall; thus fulfilling GENESIS 3:15.
Now that is the gospel!
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While everyone may not agree with everything I have written here, I do hope that sincere believers will see the need for further study in this matter.
Please be encouraged to do so.
Alan Latta
GENERATIONS CHURCH of Granbury
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the New King James Version.
