Unresolved

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

UNRESOLVED

1 Cor 14:33-40

As in all the congregations of the saints, 34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 36 Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 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. 38 If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.  39 Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

NIV

This is a most difficult passage to come to grips with. Paul quotes or refers to the law as it relates to the Jewish Law, but these are not Jews, and this is a New Testament Church under the headship of Christ. This idea about women being silent in the church has wavered so far as if it has been completely ignored and never brought up, or at least brought up in the sense it was only meant for those women in Corinth. We even have women pastors today as well as very visible women tele-evangelists or speakers who have created great followers. Women in the church have been an equal force as men. They also serve on boards, become deaconesses, and participate in the leadership of the church. So how do we reconcile today’s church with these instructions for a New Testament church? The Prophet Joel does say the Lord says that after certain things, He will pour His Spirit out on all people, that both the sons and daughters will prophecy. This does fit into the day of Pentecost when the one hundred and twenty, which included women but does not explicitly say, were filled with the Spirit. God poured His Spirit on all people, men and, women and they went out in the streets of Jerusalem proclaiming the greatest of God in many languages, they had not known or learned. Still, we also have Paul giving Timothy instructions regarding not permitting a woman to teach or have authority over a man, and they are to learn in quietness and full submission. Again, we come to a quandary as to how should we interpret this truth. It is certain, the church, in general, has completely set this passage aside. Perhaps we should take into account the culture of that day compared to our current culture. It was not uncommon and even accepted that men would argue in the synagogue, debating the scriptures. However, this was Corinth, a major city of Greek culture and the church was not a synagogue nor were the people of Jewish background. This was a pagan city, a church of converted pagans and so really should not be under the Law of Moses or Jewish law whatsoever. Nevertheless, even in that culture, it was not permitted for women to debate in public, it was still considered a patriarchal society. We have most definitely moved well past that, and have, for the most part, equality. So then why would this be in the canon? Why would we consider this as scripture, the word of God, because it seems we have dismissed it alltogether, with, of course, the idea of everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. Although some very learned men might see how to deal with this, it would appear we are not going to come to a resolution as to how this women issue might apply to our lives today, so we are simply going to have to leave it unresolved.