Expert: John Fields - 1/3/2011

Question
"May a woman ask question in a Bible class consisting of both men and women? If she may, how is this to be harmonized with Paul's command that the Christian woman 'keep silence' in the church (1 cor. 14:34)?"
It seems that if they cannot ask questions a woman must resolve not to learn anything during a church meeting, for that is what the text says. In addition, what if she was unmarried she could learn nothing at all- ever-for she would have no husband to learn from at home. I have read many different opinions on (1 cor. 14:34) and would appreciate what you would have to say on the topic?

Answer

This is a good question. It is one which many, including myself, have struggled with.

1 Corinthians 14:34 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.

First I will answer what I think from my own study and then will give the basis for what I have concluded.

I believe a woman MAY ask questions in the bible class. Is there a prohibition for women to speak at all? We all would agree that is not the case. Is the keeping of silence meaning a total silence? No, if so how could women keep the command to sing which was a command given to all? Paul said something which we will investigate. He said that being subject was what the law had ALSO commanded. It stands to reason then that whatever we see from the Law could give us insight into this.

During the period of the judges one judge stood out alone as TOTALLY unique, Deborah, the only woman judge. Why was she a judge? Why was she the ONLY woman judge? This is speculation upon my part, but it would seem since ALL the other judges were male that this is what God wanted and preferred. It would seem that in the midst of apostasy Israel was in such bad shape that God did not have a male who could serve and therefore Deborah became judge because there was no one else. She was a VERY capable woman but let's reason this out. Was she the ONLY capable and talented woman throughout Israel? No. It must be that women were denied these roles of leadership because of some reason other than their qualifications. I will give a supposition on why that may be momentarily. But suffice it to say that it was not women's role to serve God in the way of Deborah in general. What we have with Deborah would appear to be a precedent for what the church may do when they are so troubled that not one man is willing or able to lead. If Deborah is any indication (women being in subjection as the Law ALSO says), then a woman may only lead when there is a real and pressing need to do so and no other men are available. So the rule, apart from Deborah's exception, is that women don't lead in the church, men do.

Why does this appear to be the rule? I think it likely started at the beginning. When Eve gave Adam the forbidden fruit, she had been deceived into eating it but Adam had eaten it in rebellion after listening to her. When God doled out punishments He was doling out things that would last forever. Death entered into the world and we ALL die. Pain in child-birth became the never-ending norm. But God also said to the woman Eve, "Yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." Thus it seems that one of the consequences of the garden was for women to be ruled by their husbands. Paul seems to back this up when writing to Timothy.

1 Timothy 2:11-15 (11) A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12  But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13 For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

In the midst of this occurring though, there were a number of women who were prophetesses. How did each express their gifts of prophecy? I do not know, however, it seems safe to conclude they had to express it some how. Prophecy is for our instruction so they must have had some way to convey what they received to those who were to receive it. Whatever way that was done would have been consistent with God's will that they not rule over men. I think it is entirely possible that these prophetesses taught men is some form or fashion OUTSIDE the assembly.

In addition to looking at law I will give examples from the New Testament which seem to give light and precedent.

Philippians 4:3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

The apostle Paul is trying to make peace between a couple of women who he had worked with. What does he say about them? He says they shared in his struggle of the Gospel cause and he referred to them as fellow workers. It seems evident that they were helping him preach and teach the Gospel. Though some may note that it does not mention who they preached to, we have another passage which does.

Acts 18:26 and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

An eloquent and learned man named Apollos was preaching the Gospel but was unfamiliar with some key concepts. It says that Priscilla and Aquila heard him and took him aside. Then both, Priscilla named first, taught Apollos the way of God more accurately. Here is a bona-fide example of two of Paul's fellow co-workers teaching the Gospel to a man. So from this we see that it is apparently appropriate for women to teach men in certain contexts.

Finally, this all boils down to when the church is considered to be the church in the legal sense and when it is not. Let me clarify.

Suppose a town had a meeting to do the town's business and the ONLY people who showed up were all Christians. They all belonged with the same local congregation. Though EVERY ONE of them are Christians, their meeting was not a church meeting because that was not the purpose they were there. All the people there, men AND women were able to speak freely.

Suppose this same group of people all went as a group to meet for supper and further fellowship of Christians? Would the women still be able to talk and communicate freely? As far as I know yes. What if a study of the Bible ensued? Does the injunction for women to keep silence suddenly kick in? I don't think so. Nor do I think that injunction kicks in on Sunday during class time. It only does this legally when they are meeting as the church officially.

So when is the church in a capacity in which the women are to keep silence? To me it seems as though that time is when they are meeting as the group who are partaking of the body and blood of the Lord. We don't come together to sing, listen to preaching, or pray as our central purpose when we meet as the church. The central reason is to partake of Christ and one another, the body and the blood. We do all these other things as outgrowths of that central purpose for being there, to celebrate our central reason for being saved and in good standing with God, Jesus. When we partake of that meal we are communing as the group who has been saved by the Gospel which is, EXCLUSIVELY, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, what He did to save us.

Those things said, I do not have all the answers nor do I claim to but this has worked for me. Once thing is clear to me though. There is a big difference between a woman speaking up in class and wondering whether or not she should and the woman who stands up as pastor or preacher who has effectively become the voice of the congregation. How can the woman Paul says is not allowed to speak in church become the voice of the congregation without breaking this command? To me any role which is perceived as leadership should go to men. We just need to make sure that whatever we are doing is being attempted for Him in love. I hope this helps.