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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
First Corinthians 14:33-35 states, "As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says....
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Singapore Moses
Women are not second class citizens in the Kingdom of God. In Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female (Gal 3:28). Both men and women have equal standing before God. The Father loves both alike (2 Cor 6:18). The husband and wife are "heirs together of the grace of life" (1 Pet 3:7). Women are not inferior to men, because one is not independent of the other (1 Cor 11:11,12). ✿ However, in the life and ministry of the Church there are certain boundaries set for women, for their own and common good. But the Bible does not permit them to speak or teach in the Church (1 Tim 2:12). That is, a woman cannot speak about or teach doctrines in the Church. The teaching of doctrine carries with it a sense of authority and great responsibility (2 Cor 13:10; Js 3:1). This women are not called to do. Apostle Paul gives the reason why. "Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression" (1 Tim 2:14). Women in general are more prone to deception than men. ✿ When Paul wrote to the Corinthians that it was shameful for women to "speak" in Church, he was not referring to prophesying, praying or testifying (1 Cor 14:34,35). The Corinthian women were interrupting the speakers in the Church asking questions. Paul felt it was not decent and orderly. Therefore he suggested that the wives clear their doubts by discussing with their husbands at home (v 40). ✿ Each one should remain with God in that calling in which he is called (1 Cor 7:24). Instead of coveting the responsibilities delegated to men, women should specialise in areas where their gifts and talents can be gracefully used for the glory of God. Why touch the forbidden fruit when there are so many other fruits? ✿ For example, women can teach women how to fulfil their God-given role at home and in the society (Tit 2:4,5). We need Miriams to lead women in praise and worship (Ex 15:20,21). There is always a scarcity for Dorcases to show love in action (Acts 9:36,39; Prov 31:20). Women can serve as helpers in the ministrial teams, both locally and translocally (Lk 8:1-3; Phil 4:3; Rom 16:6). We read about a deaconess in the Church at Cenchrea (Rom 16:1,2). Undeniably women are the best teachers for children, because of their motherly character (Prov 1:8; 31:28). ✿ God has greatly used many women like Samaritan woman in the mission fields. I wanted women like Anna to go on sharing the message of redemption to all women outside! (Lk 2:36-38). ✿ As long as they don't assume a dominant role, wives are not prohibitted from sharing in the ministry of their husbands, like Priscilla (Acts 18:25,26). They can very well involve in counselling individuals or explaining the Scriptures even to men. The authoritative teaching in the common assembly is what is discouraged. They can always share words of edification and testimonies of God's grace. ✿ In the Bible about twenty apostles are named and all were male. The pastors or elders were always men. Note, an elder was to be the "husband" of one wife! (1 Tim 3:2; Tit 1:6). The leadership in the Church is reserved for men as in the home. Let's not reverse roles!
Steve Nearman
WOMEN'S PLACE IN GOD'S ORDER
In order to have the rest and peace of God within it is necessary to be in a favorable relationship with God. To do this a person needs to know what God excepts of him or her. What rules and guidelines God wants them to follow. For, how can anybody except to please someone if they don't know what their desire is for them? So it is with our relationship to the creator of the universe.
AS A CHILD - Learning
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother:
Prov 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father
Col 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things
A MATURE DAUGHTER - Learning
1 Tim. 2:9-10 Women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
In Contrast
Prov 9:13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
IN MARRIAGE - Application
Gen 3:16 Unto the woman he said, …thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
Eph 5:21-24 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: …Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Col 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
Prov 31:10-30 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, …do him good and not evil all the days of her life. …worketh willingly …stretcheth out her hand to the poor; … She is not afraid …Her husband is known in the gates, … She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; …She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. … Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. … a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
If a woman is saved after she is married she is still bound to follow God's order.
1 Cor 7:13-16 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, … else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. … For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband?…
THE MATURE WOMAN - Teaching
Tit 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
IN THE CHURCH - Teaching
1 Tim 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
1 Cor 14:34-35 Let your women keep silence (4601) in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak (2980); but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak (2980) in the church.
Strongs: 4601 Grk: sigao
Derivation: Derived from 4602
Definition: to keep silent - keep closed (secret, silence), hold peace.
Strongs: 4602 Grk: sige
Definition: silence
Strongs: 2980 Grk: laleo Compare: 3004
Definition: to talk
Strongs: 3004 Grk: lego
Definition: to lay forth i.e..(fig.) relate (in words [usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2980 means an extended or random harangue-{Webster: n. a long and forceful speech made to a gathering of people}]); by impl. To mean:- ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say-(ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.
Full Study At: http:Chihuahua-pups.com/Bible/WomensPlace.pdf
Aurel Gheorghe
Knowing the tradition and seating arrangements in the early church, will bring some context and help better understand what Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 14:33-35. The Apostolic Christian Church maintained a separate seating arrangement. J. D. DavieIn in his book, "The Early Christian Church" writes: "The sexes were strictly separated, with either the men in front, and the women behind; or the men on the right, and the women on the left." Then, during the church service, the wife frequently would holler to the husband, who was seated on the other side of the church or in the front of the church with questions. Anyone can understand that this was quite disruptive of the service and created a less than desirable church environment. In 1 Corinthians 14:35 Paul is telling the church that when a woman has a question to ask, she should wait till she get home and then ask her husband, not during the church service. This text, together with 1 Timothy 2:11, was used by some, and misapplied, to suggest that women should remain silent in church. That contradicts a number of many other Scriptures (Acts 2:17, Romans 16:1-3, Luke 2:36-38, Judges 4:4-5, Joel 2:28, Galatians 3:28).
James Munro
This subject has caused much consternation and difficulty but, I suggest, a careful reading of the Scripture eradicates these difficulties easily. In 1 Corinthians 14 there is a clear injunction that women must keep silence in the church. This is reinforced in 1 Timothy 2:12. Now if we look at 1 Corinthians 11:5 we see that, if a woman prays or gives prophesy she must have her head covered. (Another thorny topic!) So, the only way I can see to reconcile these two Scriptures is to understand that women can pray and prophesy but NOT when the church is gathered. We see an example of this in Acts 16 'And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women that were come together'. Why did Paul not go to the church in Philippi? Why were the women allowed to pray? Simply because the church had not been established at that time. To argue this subject from human logic, political correctness or from the culture at the time means we cannot interpret the Scripture correctly. It seems to me the Holy Spirit anticipated these arguments and says, through the apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 1:2 "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord". Chapters 11 and 14 of 1 Corinthians are meant for us for we are the 'all' and we are 'in every place'. Women can be greatly used in teaching, praying etc. But not in the church. Examples of this type of work would be Sunday School work, missionary work, ministries to women.
sandra blankespoor
Mark 3:25 says that a house divided cannot stand. Women and men are intrinsically different and will intrinsically have different views on many subjects. The importance of the "feminine perspective” is often mentioned as a reason for women to seek higher clerical functions in the Catholic and Anglican church, because they feel certain matters are being "mishandled" by men and would be dealt with better, if governed by women. No doubt women are capable of handling any Church matters just as well (or just as bad) as men, and who knows, maybe even better. But do the Church and the spread of the Gospel benefit in the best possible way or at all, if women share the very same authority and positions in Church as men, whether this applies to speaking during services or holding certain offices? If two intrinsically different parties are both allowed to speak and teach on the same authority, this will unquestionably result in a "house divided". Which will ultimately fall - rather than expand and flourish. So, a choice was required. It could not be both men AND women; it had to be either one or the other. From a cultural perspective, men were the obvious choice to lead and promote the Church, and spread the Gospel. In my view, the two most important reasons for this choice were that men were able to travel in relative safety (and actually arrive at their destination, rather than falling victim to crime or being captured by slave traders), and once they'd arrived on their destination, would be accepted/respected as speakers/teachers by the local audience (which women would only have been among other women, but most likely not among men). The logical decision was, then, to afford authority, the role of spreading the Gospel and “the right to speak” to men, rather than women. And as abundantly evident from the verses cited by the other replies to this question, it is quite clear that God Himself made this choice for us, as it was His desire for the Church to grow in the best possible way. It was not a verdict of incompetence, but the most practical and beneficial way to move forward. This applies equally to Church hierarchy and to whether women are allowed to speak in Church (as for example confirmed in 1 Timothy 2:12). If women are invited i.e. given opportunity to request a certain hymn to be sung, for example, then surely it is perfectly fine to speak. However, in every other respect, I believe we each have our own role to fulfill. Let’s do our very, very best to serve the Lord in the ways that He asks of us.
Victor Stoc
Women are permitted to teach and preach and have leadership role's in church. 1 Cor 14 has partly to do with women who are being disruptive while church service is taking place, it is not a general instruction preventing women preaching or teaching in church. Note the term women speak in church. If this were a general instruction for all Christian women it would contravene many other scriptures through out the bible. Eve was first deceived but the authority other creation was given to Adam who should have corrected Eve and rebuke her for eating of the fruit of knowledge good and evil. Joel 2:28-32King (KJV) 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. This prophecy is for our time under the dispensation of grace, both servants and handmaidens, rich or poor, Arab or Hebrew, black or white, young or old have the commission to proclaim the good news. This is what Paul wrote in 1 Cor 11:5 'But every woman that prayeth or prophesying, with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head.' There is no prohibition here only a command to cover their head's while praying or prophesying. Which is another subject to be covered at a later date. Note both male and female were in the upper room in Jerusalem when the Holy Ghost was poured out at Pentecost.
Jack Gutknecht
As already noted, the women in the church were not to speak (1 Cor. 14:34–35). But did not the Apostle Paul already allow women to pray and prophesy (1 Cor. 11:5), so this prohibition of “muzzling” must relate to deciphering the prophetic messages. Doctrinal purity of the church is the men’s’ job (I Timothy 2:11-12). Most probably the context indicates that women were asking too many questions publically and maybe even starting arguments. May we be reminded that women are to submit to their husbands and ask their husbands and get their answers from their husbands at home.
Ezekiel Kimosop
Do women have to remain silent in Church? I do not think so. Women can worship and praise God. I believe that women can preach and teach the word of God and even serve as pastors provided that they do so under unqualified submission to male spiritual authority and shall not rule or exercise spiritual authority over any church congregation(s). I would therefore have no issue with women being ordained in ministry provided that the ordination certificates contain a caveat clause which confirms that the appointment is subject to the express provisions of Scripture regarding church leadership. My view is that women should not serve as overseers or bishops or elders or exercise spiritual authority over the church congregation in which mature male Christians are present. 1 Timothy 3:1-13 read together with Titus 1:6-7 reveals that church leadership positions are reserved for mature Christian male believers. The restriction can be identified in 1 Timothy 2:11-15. 1 Timothy 2:13-14 says "For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression." When Scripture appeals to the divine order of creation as well as the circumstances of the Fall, I have no doubt in my mind that God intended a specific order for His Church and that this order is of universal application. This then implies that a mature female believer cannot biblically serve as bishop of a church communion/congregation without violating express provisions of the scriptures. I am aware that this issue is emotive and is often divisive and that some will dispute my interpretation but that is my considered position from my reading of the relevant Scriptures. This does not however suggest that a woman is a lesser mortal or that she is insignificant in Christ. Both male and female believers have equal heritage in Christ (Gal. 3:28-29). Nevertheless, God in His divine wisdom has ordained all things for His glory. God has established His divine order for His church which no man should circumvent for their convenience but which we should thankfully accept in full submission to the authority of the word of God.
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