Let Your Women Keep Silence in the Churches

Let your women keep silence in the churches..  here is another admonition of the apostle Paul that has brought about much debate.. I believe that the main reason for this debate is that many women today do not hold to being submissive to men.  Things today are not what they were in the days when Paul wrote these words.  But does this mean that they are not in effect today?  I believe that they are in effect. Even though we have the bible in completed written form, we are still living in bible times, for the Lord Jesus has not yet returned.  It is easy to lose sight of this fact, that we are part of bible times..

Here are the verses in question:

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; 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 in the church."
As always, it is not wise to take a verse out of context, we have to look at the whole chapter, and in this case at the reason why Paul wrote to the church at Corinth in the first place.  In chapter one we learn that Paul told this church that they should "all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, ...that there are contentions among you." (chapter 1:10-11)  So we know that this was a church with problems, just as there are many churches with problems today, and so are these teachings not for today also?

In chapter 3:3 we learn that "ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"

This church had some members that were not walking by the Spirit's leading, but, because they were believers, Paul wrote them this letter to teach them the way that things ought to be, that everything be done "decently and in order" (chapter 14:40)

So with this background, this brings us to the verse in question, that of women keeping silence in the church.  What is the appropriate time that Paul tells these women that they are keep silence? The following verse explains it.  (V35) "And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."



As well, we have the teaching in 1 Timothy 2:11-12 "Let the women learn in silence with all subjection.  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence".

Two things here.  From the verses in Corinthians, it seems likely that women were desiring to speak in the church, perhaps they were already speaking: praying, prophesying, or preaching, and so Paul is teaching them that they are to keep silence when learning, and if they have questions, they should ask their husbands at home.  Thus it is also very important that the husband be well-versed and be equipped to answer any questions that the wife has..  Of course, if the woman is not married, she should ask her pastor or elder, but this not during the meeting of the church.

The verses in Timothy teach also that women are not to usurp authority over the man, and the reason is also given, because "Adam was first formed, then Eve.  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." (1 Timothy 2:13-14)  The woman is to be submissive to her husband, and also to those in authority over her at the church.  Women have a very important role which does not not usurp authority over the men, Titus 2: 3-5 "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour 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."  This is a very tall order, especially in the world today.

And so to sum up, the teaching in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, regarding women keeping silence in the church, is that women are to learn in silence, and not to usurp authority over the man, but they are to be teachers to younger women, and to children, (we know that the faith shown forth to Timothy by his mother and grandmother was a wonderful testimony -  2 Timothy 1:5 "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also."

I pray that this article is a blessing to those who read it.