August 26, 2008
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 – Does it mean woman can’t teach/preach or speak in church?
“Let your women keep silent 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 anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame fro women to speak in the church.”
Please note: Just to clear up any potential misunderstanding -The purpose of this post is to give the true meaning of these verses as opposed to what it is assumed to be because of a lack of understanding. This post is ONLY about 1 Cor. 14:34-35 and what it means and what it doesn’t. These verses are often used to defend the lie that women can not teach period in the church and to always keep silent. This is not true according to scripture (women can teach children and other women for instance – we are well aware of the God ordained order and we are not disputing that). In time we will post on this matter, but for this post…it is about the true meaning of the Scripture above.
Are these Scriptures implying that woman can’t teach/preach or speak in church? NO! This verse has nothing to do with a women’s role in the church. It has nothing to do with women exercising spiritual gifts in the church either. Women can pray, prophesy and speak publicly. If this verse meant that they couldn’t then Paul is contradicting himself with what he already said in 1 Cor. 11:5:
“But every women that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.”
In short, basically verses 34 and 35 are dealing with married women (not women in general as some suppose – reading is fundamental!) who are disrupting the service by talking or asking their husbands questions and or possibly another woman’s husband questions during the service. Paul is telling these married women to stop talking in church disrupting the meetings. If they have questions, let them ask their own husbands AT HOME and not in the meetings.
Also from these verses we know that it CANNOT mean that ALL women must “keep quiet in the churches” in the sense of not speaking or partaking in ministry because Paul only addressed the issue of married women not single women which the congregations was made up of also. If it was ALL women as some suppose, how can the single women obey?
These verses have nothing to do with women in ministry although women must stay in their place as Scripture directs (1 Tim. 2:11-12), but that is another post. These verses (and the entire chapter) are dealing with ORDER in the assembly.
“Let all things be done decently and in order.” 1Cor. 14:40
Be Blessed,
PDCM
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Dear friend,I found your site by accident when I could not gain access to my own site. I googled Last Days Alert in an attempt to gain access to my site via the search engine. I was over joyed, shocked and humbled to find that you have a link to my site and not only that but at the top of the list. It may not had been by accident but divine intervention as I have been asking the Lord if I should keep the link to Zionscry. I had concern about certain links and so called prophets. You are the only ministry that questions Mike Boldega/Duduman. This is a great site with much info. God bless you and keep up the great work. Praise God and glory to Jesus Christ for ever.
Frank
WOW! To God be the glory. Thank you so much for the encouragement and you be encouraged as well. There are not a lot of people who are not standing up for the truth and sounding the alarm. As Christians we have to wake up and let go of false teachings and STOP following those who twist and falsify the Word. We also have to eliminate those unbiblical teachings and practices even if it goes against what we believe or have been taught for years. Heresy and unbiblical teachings MUST be exposed. God bless you and if you want to contribute anything to this site, please feel free to do so.
PDCM
Thanks once again for the post understood very well 1 Corinthians 14:34 however about women being teachers please read your bible and understand, the bible (1 Tim 2) teaches that women ought to be in submission not only married women but women in general as other issues pertaining to women are discussed in the preceeding verses. Paul explains why by giving an understanding about our first parents this is not to explain the issue in a marriage context but as to the order of God in the church just as much as Christ is the groom and the church is the bride. Also read 1 Cor 11:6-10.
Tell you what; if we want to be liberal or not to sound oppressive (to women) then we can allow everything for the sake of modern or liberalty but the scripture says to the contrary.
Peace unto you
Hello Mills Dube,
Thank you for your comment. This post is about I Cor. 14:34-35 and what it means and what it doesn’t. These verses are often used to defend the lie that women could not teach period and to keep silent in the church and again that is not true. This post is not about submission to men, other women or anything like that in the way you have assumed in your comment. We are well aware of the God ordained pattern and we are not disputing that. Like I said at the end of the post , “these verses have nothing to do with women in ministry although women must stay in their place as Scripture directs (1 Tim. 2:11-12), but that is another post.” Sorry for the confusion. I will make a note of this in the beginning of the post.