Should a woman be silent in Church? Can a woman speak in church?

Should a woman be silent in Church? Can a woman speak in church?

Women should not teach in the church.

Three passages in the NT must be considered: 1 Corinthians 11:3—5, 14—34,35 and 1 Timothy 2:8—15.

1 Corinthians 11:3-5 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. (4) Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, (5) but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.

1 Corinthians 14:33-37 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, (34) 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. (35) 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. (36) Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? (37) If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.
1 Timothy 2:8-15 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; (9) likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, (10) but with what is proper for women who profess godliness--with good works. (11) Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. (12) I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. (13) For Adam was formed first, then Eve; (14) and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. (15) Yet she will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Many have found a problem in Paul’s statement, “But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head” (1 Corinthians 11:5). Some have said that Paul is giving authority for a woman to audibly take part in prayer and to prophesy in the church of God at Corinth.

Chatter?

To get around his prohibition, that women are to be silent in the church (1 Corinthians 14:34), they claim that Paul is not prohibiting normal participation in church, but is forbidding women to “chatter” among themselves in a meeting. This is very interesting, for it illustrates how it is possible to read personal interpretations into Scripture. The very first evidence against this interpretation is to read the next verse, “But if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is a shame for a woman to speak in an assembly” (v.35, JND). Is the wife to ask her husband about the content of the chatter? ‘To chatter’ means to talk incessantly and foolishly. Is this what the wife asks her husband about, or does she ask for information? The word for ‘speak’ in verse 34 is very common in the NT. In fact, it is used 24 times in this very chapter. Not here, or anywhere in the NT is it used for ‘chatter’.

Change of Mind?

Others have contended that Paul changed his mind between chapter 11 and 14 of this letter, or that he gives permission for women to speak in the church and then after consideration, he wthdrew it. It is impossible to reconcile these views with inspiration.

Outside of the Church?

Another view is that this was not participation in the church, but praying and prophesying in some other sphere. If this interpretation is correct, it would mean that the words of 11:16, “We have no such custom, neither the churches of God,” refer to the church, but not when it is meeting. Therefore, the angels looking on (v.10) are not really viewing the divine order in the gathering. It would seem to this writer that the place for a woman to display her subjection is when men are present in the gathering! This interpretation suggests that a woman could lead in prayer in public, or prophesy in public, if it is not a church meeting. What kind of a meeting would this be? All public testimony is in relation to an assembly. It is evident that if this is the meaning, a woman should cover her head at all times, lest she have cause to pray or speak a word, and that a man should never cover his head for the same reasons. This explanation, though it is espoused by able men, is not tenable.

Two Seperate Themes

The easiest way to understand 1 Corinthians 11:5 is that Paul is here dealing with the head covering, whereas in chapter 14, he is dealing with the silence of sisters. There were many things to correct in this epistle and he handles each in its own order. The confusion in Corinth was of such a nature that we are not strained at all in our thinking to believe that sisters were taking part audibly in prayer and in ecstatic utterances. There is no doubt that they also took part in tongues, which is seen as a waste of precious time in chapter 14:2,4,6,9,11 and 14.

The prohibition in 1 Corinthians 14:34,35 is clear and easy to understand, unless we come to it with preconceived ideas. Women are to be silent in the church, “It is not permitted unto them to speak, but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law” (RV). Women have other equally important spheres of activity. Spiritual privilege for male and female is identical (Galatians 3:28), but spiritual activity is not.

The Timothy passage greatly strengthens the interpretation that has been given for the Corinthian passage. “I will therefore that men - the males, pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8). The corresponding statement is that, “In like manner that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefastness and sobriety, not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly raiment, but which becometh women professing godliness (vs.9,10, R.V.). Paul limits audible participation in public prayers to males. A careful reading of chapter 2 and 3 of I Timothy will show that public prayers are church prayers. We know that this is a church letter from two things, first, the general content of the letter and second, the plain statement of chapter 3:15 that it is written to teach “How men ought to behave themselves in the house of God which is the church of God.”

Paul then says, “I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness” (1 Timothy 2:12, RV). These plain words scarcely require any explanation; however, we must follow the law of context here. It is the woman in her relationship to the believing man that is in mind, not her relationship to children or other women. Women are far better suited than men to teach younger children and very likely they are better equipped to teach Sunday school classes of girls and young women.

In Titus 2:3—5, older women are commanded to teach younger women. The subjects to be taught are domestic, and as in all teaching, the pattern is lived before the words are spoken. This does not give any authority for a woman to have ministry meetings for women, but it does give her responsibility to teach privately about subjects where the teaching is best given by another woman.

A brief summary of such a long subject is necessary. Women have been chosen by God as instruments in his hand from the dawn of time. The greatest event of history was brought about through a woman when the incarnation took place. The Scripture is full of the devoted service of godly women. The Lord Jesus healed, saved, taught and blessed them. He received the aid of women and they were outstanding in their devotion to Him. The NT abounds with the godly, selfless service of women of God, but it was not in the sphere of public preaching or teaching, but involves being fellow-helpers in the work of the gospel and in many other areas of Christian service in missionary lands and in the home field.

Norman Crawford. From his book "Gathering Unto His Name"

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