Paul Defines Order in the Worship Service Part 3
1
Corinthians 14:34-35 The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are
not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also
says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home;
for it is improper for a woman to speak in church. NKJV
Paul we will recall has already written to them
expounding the order to be observed in Christ’s Mystical Body between men and
women when he wrote these words earlier in this letter, “Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly
to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. But I want you to
understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a
woman, and God is the head of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:2-3). With these
words brought back to our remembrance, we find Paul writing something here to
these Corinthian believers that has created so much controversy “in the church”
during every generation since the composition of this letter. Paul now declares
to these Corinthian believers that the women “in the church” are to keep
silent. This English phrase keep silent is translated by the same Greek word sigao that was used by Paul to command
the prophets and the tongue speakers as well. Sigao means to be muted or hushed or to stop speaking or to hold
one’s peace. Again like earlier, Paul wanted to leave no ambiguity or words
left open to two or more interpretations or uncertain words or misleading words.
The question that has been asked over and over during the many centuries since
the writing of this letter is one; What exactly is Paul’s reason for commanding
women to silence or sigao in the
collective or corporate worship “in the church”?; secondly, Does it apply to
every church in every generation?
First, let me say that I am no authority on this
matter, nor am I Seminary trained or educated, but I am regenerated and born
again of incorruptible seed and filled with, sealed by, and indwelt by God the
Holy Spirit and I only want to comment or expound what Paul has written by
Divine Inspiration or God Breathed in Words. Let us never forget that what Paul
has written here is not one man’s opinion or desire but it is God’s Holy
Eternal Word. Let us recall that Paul also instructed brother Timothy with similar
words when he wrote this to him, “Likewise,
I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and
discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but
rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to
godliness. A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.
But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to
remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve” (1
Timothy 2:9-13). We see with these words written to Timothy and the words
Paul wrote to these Corinthian believers in 1 Corinthians 11:2-3 that Paul makes his reason for women keeping
silent or sigao “in the church” is
because of God’s Divine Oder.
When we step back and remove our emotions from the
equation and just look objectively at the facts presented by Paul in these
verses of Scripture and accept the Divine and Holy Order of God in creating man
and then woman, then we can come to the one and only and right conclusion that
Paul is speaking by way of writing to these Corinthian believers and to Timothy
but at the same time through them to every man and woman that would read these
words of every generation. Consider these truths I am about to document, they
are not my opinions but they are facts that cannot be denied by anyone, they
can be questioned but in doing so the questioner will be questioning Almighty
God. First, there are 66 Books written and recorded as the Bible or God’s
Eternal Word of Truth and every Book of the Bible was authored by a man.
Second, our Lord Jesus Christ called 12 men to be His Apostles and declared to
them this eternal promise, “And Jesus
said unto them, ‘Verily I say unto you, That ye which
have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the
throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel’” (Matthew 19:28) and not one of them was a women,
not even did our Lord Jesus make this promise to His Mother Mary.
Paul is only being led by God the Holy Spirit to
declare what is in accordance with the Divine Order and so Paul even drives the
point home by using the Greek word hupotasso
(from the English phrase “subject themselves”) which is the same word he used
in 1 Corinthians 14:32 to declare
the woman’s subjection to the man “in the church” and confirming that this is
in fact God’s Order for His Church. Again let us recall exactly what hupotasso means and that is to arrange
under, to subordinate, to subject or put in subjection, to subject one’s self, to
obey, to submit to one’s control, to yield to one’s admonition or advice; A
Greek military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion
under the command of a leader”. In non-military use it was “a voluntary
attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a
burden”. Going back to Paul’s words in 1
Corinthians 11:2-3, the man is the head of the woman and this is to be
exercised in every place and at all times, so long as the Christian man is
likewise subject or hupotasso to
Christ and when this is the case, the woman should willingly submit to a loving
husband or Christian leader (man) (Ephesians
5:17-32).
“This rule is positive, explicit, and universal.
There is no ambiguity in the expressions; and there can be no difference of
opinion, one would suppose, in regard to their meaning. The sense evidently is,
that in all those things which he had specified, the women were to keep
silence; they were to take no part. He had discoursed of speaking foreign
languages, and of prophecy; and the evident sense is, that in regard to all
these they were to keep silence, or were not to engage in them. These pertained
solely to the male portion of the congregation. These things constituted the
business of the public teaching; and in this the female part of the congregation
were to be silent. They were not to teach the people, nor were they to interrupt
those who were speaking.” Albert Barnes
“We have here the reason of this injunction: It is
God’s law and commandment that they should be under obedience (1 Corinthians 14:34); they are placed
in subordination to the man, and it is a shame for them to do anything that
looks like an affectation of changing ranks, which speaking in public seemed to
imply, at least in that age, and among that people, as would public teaching
much more: so that the apostle concludes it was a shame for women to speak in
the church, in the assembly. Shame is the mind's uneasy reflection on having
done an indecent thing. And what more indecent than for a woman to quit her
rank, renounce the subordination of her sex, or do what in common account had
such aspect and appearance? Note, Our spirit and conduct should be suitable to
our rank. The natural distinctions God has made, we should observe. Those he
has placed in subjection to others should not set themselves on a level, nor
affect or assume superiority. The woman was made subject to the man, and she
should keep her station and be content with it. For this reason women must be
silent in the churches, not set up for teachers; for this is setting up for
superiority over the man.” Matthew Henry
“Paul being only obedient to his Divine calling is
just here communicating to these Corinthian believers and to us what God’s
Divine Order is and has been from the very beginning. Who are we to argue with
God?” Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
If you do not
know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your
heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus,
I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You
shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead
proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my
sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my
life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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