Should women “be silent” in church?

• 1 Corinthians 14.34-35;
• 1 Timothy 2.8-15

These verses cotninue to be misused by many to teach that women should remain silent in the church. 

Context is King:

Paul says God bestows His gifts equally and there's no evidence that the spiritual/charismatic gifts listed in 1Cor 12.7-10 apply to men only.

For example, "one is given" this "to another" is given that and "the body is one....with many members," and so on. 

And in 1Cor 11.5 Paul wants women to pray and prophesy, as long as they do not dishonor their husbands.

Cp. Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost, "your sons and daughters shall prophesy." Acts 2.17

And prophecy, as Paul defines it, includes other forms of teaching:

1Cor 14:3:

The one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.

So Paul cannot contradict himself by placing a supposed permanent ban on women speaking in church. 

Nor is Paul saying that this teaching from women applies only to children.

For example, Paul commands older women to teach and train younger women (Titus 2:3-4).

In Phil 4.2-3 Paul names women who he says have struggled together in the gospel ministry along with me, Clement and my other coworkers.

Also, in Acts 18.26 Luke says Priscilla taught a man, Apollos.

1Cor 14.34-35

So it's possible from this context that the warning in 1Cor 14 has to do with some women questioning other prophets in an argumentative, i.e., unchristian way. 

"The prohibition expressed in these verses refers to the asking of questions which imply a judgement on prophetic utterances (so, at least, their context suggests).”

(F.F. Bruce, "Women in the Church: A Biblical Survey," Christian Brethren Review 33 (1982): 7-14.)

“The better suggestion is to relate it to the preceding regulations about evaluating the prophets (v. 29).” NET Bible, 1Cor 14.34.

This might explain the disorder Paul alludes to and why the issue is specific to women only.

1Tim 2:8-15

What’s always ignored or missed, perhaps due to the uninspired chapter breaks, is the fact that Paul goes on to explain what he means by not allowing a woman to oversee a man. 

For example, in 1Tim 3 Paul limits the office of an overseer, aka pastor/elder, to males only by the phrase "the husband of one wife," which literally means "a-one-woman-man."

(NOTE: Paul's presupposition that a man is to be faithfully married does not of course mean that a single man was disqualified from the position. Paul himself was probably single and elsewhere even recognized celibacy as perfectly suitable for ministry.)

The ESV Study Bible note on 1Tim 2.12 explains that “Since the role of pastor/elder/overseer is rooted in the task of teaching and exercising authority over the church, this verse would also exclude women from serving in this office (cf. 1 Tim. 3:2). 

Thus, when Paul calls for the women to be quiet, he means quiet with respect to the teaching responsibility that is limited in the assembled church. 

Paul elsewhere indicates that women do speak in other ways in the church assembly (see 1 Cor. 11:5).”

See 1Cor 14.34-35 [where] Paul is likely forbidding women to speak up and judge prophecies (this is the activity in the immediate context; cf. 1 Cor. 14:29)."

The NET Bible adds that the phrase must remain quiet is used in Greek literature either of absolute silence or of a quiet demeanor.

For example, in 2Thess 3:12 Paul uses the same Greek word to urge some in the church to do their work quietly.

Hence, my paraphrase:

The woman is not to oversee the church by taking on the teaching

and authority of the male elder but instead she should maintain a quiet demeanor.

Lastly, in 1Tim 2.13-14 Paul has already given his twofold biblical reasons for this prohibition by appealing to:

1. The order of the original Genesis creation: Adam was formed first, then Eve. I.e., not a social-cultural but creational argument. 

1. The total deception of Eve: Adam was not deceived, but the woman, because she was completely deceived, fell into sin. 

In summary

1Cor 14.34-35; 1Tim 2.8-15 do not do away with the fact that elsewhere Paul says:

Teach and admonish each other with all the wisdom he gives. 

Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Col 3:16

LAST WORD YouTube search

I just noticed the other day that we have addressed this and other similar topics half a dozen times or so in the past.

So for any future reference and/or questions I would ask you to please use the search tool in our YouTube channel: https://focusonthekingdom.org/livestream/