Check your Mouth at the Door.

When you think back to people in your life that had a significant, Godly influence on you would any of them be women? In my case the answer is yes. I have had lots of Godly women affect my life. From my mother and grandmother, to preachers and teachers, to my wife and ladies at the Logansport church. Many women have taught me much about Jesus and faith. But, when reading 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 this last week, I was reminded that women were to remain silent in church. What! Women remaining silent in church! What is Paul talking about?

1 Corinthians 14:33-35 says, "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. 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." Now that you know these things you will be blessed if you do them. LOL! Just kidding. What is Paul saying to the Corinthians and to us? Should women really not speak in church? Do the ushers need to be the mouth police to make sure women stay quiet? I don't think so. Let's examine what Paul is saying. First, this passage could be contextual. It is possible that the custom of the day did not promote women to speak in public. If that is the case, it was a custom that was being followed then that we would not be required to adhere to today. Second, it could have been a problem in the church. Can you see Bertha better than you standing up in church pointing out every flaw. Or Sanctified Sarah telling everyone about her personal holiness every week. Or even Hearing aid Helen saying, "What did he say, Hubert?" every 5 minutes of the message. The main issue for Paul is orderly worship and evidently the women were making it hard to keep the order.

Here is another thought. If Paul is really telling women that they should keep quiet in church, then he is going against something he said earlier. Listen to 1 Corinthians 11:5, "And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head." Where does prophesy take place at? Well, according to 1 Corinthians 14, there are to be 2 or 3 prophets speaking in church. And in Acts 21:8, we see the four daughters of Philip, the evangelist, who prophesied. And what about all the people that we see that were involved in Jesus' ministry that were women. It is almost like Jesus is all about Godly women's liberation movement.

So what is this text all about? I have a professor at Indiana Wesleyan that calls 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 a, "Naughty Verse." Why is it considered naughty? Well, only Paul and the Corinthians really know what Paul is talking about. When we try to bring this text into our context it is really difficult to understand. Maybe this passage of scripture requires us to paint a picture in much broader strokes. The main issue is orderly worship. What makes a worship service worshipful and what keeps a worship service from honoring God? Something was happening with the women in Corinth that caused disunity. Something was keeping worship from being orderly. And that was what Paul wanted to stop. Church is a place where we should be able to focus on God and what He has done for us though Jesus Christ. Whatever keeps that from happening should be addressed. Verse 40 summarizes Paul's whole train of thought, "Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." So ladies, teach the younger women about Jesus, speak of the great things God has done for you, and testify about Christ's goodness; and influence many--just do it in an orderly way.