Women
in the Church of the Living God
Part
5
Preface
Who have bewitched the so-called professing Christian ‘mainstream’ community? That they have turned to other gospels, departing "from the simplicity that is in Christ". Falling prey to that which are not gospels at all, but gospels of feminism, prosperity, and this so-called equality in ‘authority’ of men and women in the churches of this world, and teaching other such gospels (Rev. 2:20 NIV where the Lord Jesus says, “You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants…”; Galatians 1:6-12; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4).
·
10 Do you think I am trying to make
people accept me? No, God is the One I am trying to please. Am I trying to
please people? If I still wanted to please people, I would not be a servant of
Christ.
1 Corinthians 11 Explained
Scripture Interprets Scripture
First,
in order to setup the proper context of chapter 14 of 1 Corinthians we must
re-visit the chapters leading up to it.
In
1 Corinthians 11 (listed below), the Holy Spirit begins with the apostle
Paul praising the churches at Corinth for holding to the teachings passed
on to them (1 Cor. 11:2, see also 2 Pet. 3:15-16 (listed below) where
apostle Peter speaking by the Holy Spirit agrees that the apostle
Paul’s writings are the “wisdom that God gave him” as are
other Holy Scriptures.
In
1 Corinthians 4:17 NIV, apostle Paul
says his “way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach
everywhere in every church”. Please note the Scriptures clearly
state what the Holy Spirit wrote to the churches at Corinth were also written
for all churches “everywhere”; as this were the customary of
the apostles’ writings to be read and apply to “all” churches everywhere;
not just to the women at “Corinth” as some so-called Bible scholars
would have you to believe – not to mention these so-called professing
Christians teaching this “gospel of feminism” that Scriptures not allowing women to teach
in the churches are
not valid in the churches of today (see also Colossians 4:16; 1
Thessalonians 5:27).
Colossians
4:16 New Living Translation (NLT)
·
16 After you have
read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it,
too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them.
1 Thessalonians 5:27
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
·
27 I charge you by
the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers and sisters.
And
in 2 Thessalonians 2:15 NKJV, the
followers of the Lord Jesus the Christ are exhorted by the
Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul to “stand
fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our
epistle” (or letter).
Therefore,
these Scriptures show what the apostle Paul wrote are from God (Rev. 2:20), and the apostle Paul’s teachings
concerning women to the Corinthian churches applied to “all” churches “everywhere”
and in “every period of time”.
Yet,
those who distort Scriptures concerning women to remain silent in the
churches (1 Cor. 14:34) actually tries to use other
Scriptures written by the apostle Paul to dispute the law that “the head of the woman is man” (1 Cor. 11:3 NIV).
I mean think about what I’m saying here – in Genesis
3:16 NLT, God
the Holy and Righteous Father in heaven clearly commands, “…And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over
you. (Or And though
you will have desire for your husband, / he will rule over you).
Now, in 1 Corinthians 11
(listed below), apostle Paul had some corrections for both the men and women
praying and prophesying with disrespect towards Christ and God the Father in
heaven. The men were
praying and prophesying in the appearance of women, by taking on the customs of
women in the Corinthians society. The women were praying and prophesying with
their head uncovered disrespecting the man who is her head (1 Cor.
11:3).
The women in the churches at Corinth in view of the Holy
Scriptures showing
that we as Christians are one in Christ after baptism, and their own dominance
in the Corinthian society were claiming equality with the men and their
husbands - Galatians 3:28 Explained
Part 3; and
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NIV)”…the Lord is the Spirit, and
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” which
speaks of our unveiled faces being transformed “ever-increasing” into the
“Lord’s glory”; these Scriptures does not make women equal with men in the
churches of the Saints.
And in Colossians 3:11 (listed below), this
Scripture agrees with Galatians 3:28 as other Holy Scriptures
that all Christians are equal in Christ Jesus but does not support
disorder in the churches of the Saints. Whatever the custom for
men or women in Corinth the Christian men and women had cast them aside, and
came forward to pray and prophesy in the manner or custom of each other.
Colossians 3:11 New Living Translation (NLT)
·
11 In this new
life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,[a] circumcised or
uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,[b] slave, or
free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Footnotes
a. 3:11a Greek a
Greek.
b. 3:11b Greek Barbarian,
Scythian.
I must mention here that there is no indication in 1
Corinthians 11 these
women were praying and prophesying in the churches of the saints.
1
Corinthians 11 New International Version (NIV)
·
1 Follow my
example, as I follow the example of Christ. 2 I praise you for
remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed
them on to you.
·
3 But I want you
to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is
man, and the head of Christ is God.
·
4 Every man who
prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 But every woman
who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the
same as having her head shaved. 6 For if a woman
does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it
is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she
should cover her head.
·
7 A man ought not
to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the
glory of man.
·
8 For man did not
come from woman, but woman from man; 9 neither
was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 It
is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head,
because of the angels.
·
11 Nevertheless,
in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For
as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from
God.
·
13 Judge for
yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head
uncovered? 14 Does not the very nature of things teach you that
if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, 15 but
that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her
as a covering.
·
16 If anyone wants
to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of
God.
2 Peter 3:15-16 New International Version (NIV)
·
15 Bear in mind
that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul
also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
·
16 He writes the
same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters
contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable
people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
The
women in 1
Corinthian 11 (listed above) were praying and prophesying in manners
outside of the roles and customs of the society they lived. Here the Spirit is
only describing what these women and men were doing and what were wrong about
their behavior. At no time in 1 Corinthians 11 above is the Spirit
proclaiming women can pray, and prophesy at a Church gathering nor is it said
that these women were gathered as a congregation. Apostle Paul here moved by
the Holy Spirit again these Scriptures apply to “all” churches
everywhere saying, “If anyone wants to be contentious
about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God”
in verse 16.
Again,
I say there is no indication that these women were praying and prophesying in
the churches of the saints of God. There is a clear distinction between women
praying and prophesying here (not in the Church services) as compared to 1
Corinthians 14 where women are not permitted to speak in the churches of
the saints or in public gatherings.
In
1 Timothy 2:8, 12 (Scripture listed below – see also 1 Timothy 2 Explained Part 6 of this
Paper) as apostle Peter says, in 2 Peter
3:16 (listed above) apostle Paul speaks the same in the Holy Scriptures as
here in 1 Timothy 2 that women are not allowed “to teach or assume
authority over a man” in the churches of the Saints of God.
Notice,
the Scripture says “a man”
and not just the husband. Men are allowed to pray everywhere not women.
Women can pray and prophesy, but not in public or when the saints come together
for the edification of the body (Church service).
There
is support in Scripture for women praying in informal private gatherings such as Bible studies and prayer
meetings, yet they are still subject to their husbands and men are still their
head (Acts 1:14; Acts 2:4). For example, in Acts 18:24-26 NLT, where
Priscilla and her husband Aquilla at Ephesus taking Apollos aside in private to
“explained the way of God even more accurately” (more details on Aquila and his wife
Priscilla in Part 6 of this Paper).
The
Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul gives us the order of authority in the
churches of God (Ephesians 5:23 NIV “…husband is the head of the wife”).
God is the head of Christ, Christ is the head of man, and man is the head of
woman (1 Cor. 11:3).
Here
in 1 Corinthians 11 sets the stage for the next three chapters in Corinthians. The Holy Spirit goes on in 1
Corinthians 11 explaining how the woman came from the man and the “woman
is the glory of man” (not the other way around), and man is the “image
and glory of God” (1 Cor. 11:7 NIV), stressing God's ordained order
prior to Eve’s deception. Yet, both men and women “in
the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman” (1
Corinthians 11:11 NIV).
Here at this point
I must have you to observe what the Holy Spirit says about the women of Corinth
who came into the faith of Christ. Most of the Christian women of Corinth were
from “leading” and “prominent women” (Acts 17:4, 12), which is
one reason why these women wanted to takeover, “usurp” the men’s
authority in the churches at Corinth and other Greek churches.
Like in Acts
15:5 NIV, the priests of the temple who came into the way of God wanted to
hold on to their authority,
“some of the believers who belonged to the party of the
Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to
keep the law of Moses”; these women of Corinth did
not want to submit to God's word concerning women in the Churches and home.
Using the logic
that those listed first in a group of two or more in the Scriptures, meaning
this refers to the "lead" or “prominent” (standing out)
person (most Bible students usually agree - not that their agreement make it
truth, but I mention this for the reader's sake). We find each time the Holy Spirit
through Paul sited Corinthians (the Gentiles, Greeks) as coming to the
way of God and His Christ it says, “of the chief women not
a few” (Acts 17:4 KJV), meaning many women, then it lists the
men.
Even when the Holy Spirit
described the Jews at Antioch stirring up the Greeks it is said, “the
devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised
up persecution against Paul and Barnabas” (Acts 13:50 NKJV); the women
are listed first in this uproar (the women leading the men). The Scripture only
described the Greek
(Gentile) women in such a way (women listed first
with descriptions such as leading, chief, prominent, important, high
standing and honorable) after their belief in Christ Jesus.
We as Christians
should (at the least if we are mature in the faith) discern that the Holy
Spirit mentions this about these women for a reason. Whether these women led
the men prior to receiving Christ or not; we as Christians should follow the
customs of the society we live in unless it violates God's law and / or it
dishonors Christ or for a woman it dishonors her husband as her head (1
Peter 2:13-16).
The Holy Scriptures
exhort women to be “obedient to their own husbands, that
the word of God may not be blasphemed” (Titus 2:5); the women of
Corinth were guilty of not being obedient and honoring their head (the men)
which caused the word of God to be blasphemed.
1 Timothy 2:8-12 New International Version
(NIV)
·
8 Therefore I
want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or
disputing.
9 I also want the women to dress modestly,
with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles
or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,
·
10 but with good
deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
·
11 A woman should
learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I
do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be
quiet.
How
can these women today, who call themselves ministers, deny these plainly
written Scriptures? Apostle
Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 11 verse 16 that these
practices, he speaks of are throughout the churches of the saints. Notice also
in 1 Corinthians 11 verse 16 it says "if anyone seems
to be contentious" (wanting to be quarrelsome or cause strife over
what the Holy Spirit says) concerning what’s said here about men and women
following God’s word when customs of a society conflicts with the commandments
of Christ (1 Corinthians 7:17 and 1 Timothy 6:4).
1
Corinthians 7:17 NIV - Concerning
Change of Status
·
17 Nevertheless,
each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has
assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in
all the churches.
Apostle
Paul stresses that this defiance of God’s order of authority in the churches
and disrespect for society customary distinctions between men and women, is not
a custom of the churches of God and against the law of God; and showed dishonor
towards God and His Christ.
If
you read verse 16 in NKJV carefully the phrase where, apostle Paul says,
"we have no such custom" (meaning the apostles and the
elders of the Churches) and then he adds the phrase "nor do the
churches of God" (the followers of the way of
God) further showing that these verses speak of women speaking outside the
churches as the word "nor" points to a separate entity
or group. Meaning no such custom in or outside the congregations of the
saints exists. Otherwise, the Holy Spirit would not have even used such phrases
if women were speaking in other churches of the saints outside of the Gentile
Greeks’ churches of the city of Corinth.
Even
the next verses in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 NKJV where behavior in the
churches of the followers of the way of God during assembly of the
congregations for worship service were not in accordance with the way of God as
they were acting “in an unworthy manner”. This gives us
further proof, where the apostle Paul says in verses 17-34 "you come
together not for the better but for worse" and 1
Corinthians 11 verse 18 "when you come together as a
church" speaking of the Lord's Supper it is clearly said
the Corinthians were gathered together as a Church in contrast to 1
Corinthians 11 verses 1-16 (where such phrases are not used) -
meaning they were not gathering as a Church in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 listed
above.
The
word “head” in 1 Corinthians 11 is translated from the
original Greek word "kefalhv" (Strong's 2776), taken from the
primary Greek word "kapto" (in the sense of seizing). The
transliterated word (written in the English) is "Kephale" with
the phonetic spelling as "kef-al-ay'", it is a noun in the
feminine. It means "the head, both of men and often of animals. Since
the loss of the head destroys life, this word is used in the phrases relating
to capital and extreme punishment. Metaphor: anything supreme, chief,
prominent, of persons: master, lord: of a husband: in relation to his wife, of
Christ: as the Lord of the husband and of the Church, of things: the corner
stone". The word is used throughout this 1 Corinthians 11 for “head”
and also in 1 Corinthians 12:21 referring to the person actual “head”.
1 Corinthians 12 – All Parts Needed in
the Body of Christ Jesus
1
Corinthians 12:21 NIV
·
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I
don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”
Therefore,
I say is not the head over the tail?
This same original Greek word (Strong's Greek 2776; Hebrew 7218 Psalm 118:22
NIV “…stone the builders rejected has become the
cornerstone”), is used in 1 Peter 2:7 referring to Christ
Jesus as the “Head”, the “Cornerstone” (see also Matthew
21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17 and Acts 4:11).
In
Colossians, its used in three (3) verses referring each time to the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians
1:18, 2:10, and 2:19). Three times in Ephesians
it refers twice to the Lord Jesus Christ as Head and once as the
husband as head (Ephesians 1:22, 4:15, and 5:23).
Colossians
1:18 NIV
·
18 And he is the
head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among
the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Ephesians
4:15 NIV
·
15 Instead,
speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature
body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
In
1 Corinthians 12, apostle
Paul moves on to speak concerning spiritual gifts because the Corinthians were
proud of their gifts - using their gifts to promote themselves rather than for
the edification of the Churches. They, the Corinthians were putting down
those whom they themselves deem to have lesser gifts than themselves.
1
Corinthians 12:27-31 NIV
a.
1
Corinthians 12:30 Or other languages
1 Corinthians 13 – Now We Know in Part
Apostle
Paul then explains to the Corinthians in chapter 13 that they should
above all other things seek love in the churches of God. Having love is the
greatest gift with faith towards Christ and with hope of the resurrection and
things promised by God. The Holy Scriptures shows these three: faith, hope
and love shall remain in the age to come not spiritual gifts, for
the Church of God shall then be glorified. And today we as followers of the
Lord Jesus Christ know “in part” (1 Cor. 13:12).
1 Corinthians 13:9-13 NIV
·
9 For we know in part
and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what
is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I
talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I
became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.
·
12 For now we see only a
reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part;
then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
·
13 And now these three
remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 14 Explained
“As in All the Congregations of the Lord’s
People”
Now, we must begin at the beginning of
1 Corinthians 14 not just in verses 33-36 for a full
understanding of the verses in 1 Corinthians 14:32-40. Most who wishes
to debate the words in the Scriptures always limit their discussion to a few
verses. We should always study and use all verses on a subject or precept or
principle, looking to other parts of the Scriptures to support any explanations
or conclusions we make (Isaiah 28:9-13).
When other parts of Scripture contradict our interpretation
and explanation, we ourselves must have drawn the wrong conclusion (Scripture
do not contradict itself). We must not distort Scripture to fit our own point
of view or the customs of this world (this present evil age which will not
remain). As it is written,
Acts 20:30 NIV
·
30 Even from your own
number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples
after them.
This has already happened as
we see those claiming to be Christians following all sorts of myths, fables,
and other traditions of this evil and adulterous world – they are led astray by
the god of this society; as “the whole world is under the control of the
evil one (1 John 5:19 NIV. As these professing Christians are being, “…tossed
and blown about by every wind of new teaching…” (Ephesians 4:14 NLT).
Romans 12:2 NIV
·
Do not conform to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able
to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
This is not the way to rightly divide the
word of God; we are to avoid “foolish talk” and “godless
behavior” against clearly revealed Holy Scriptures by our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of the Living God (Hebrews 1 “…in these final days, He
has spoken to us through His Son” (v. 2); 2 Timothy 2:15).
·
2 Rather,
we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we
distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we
commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
·
3 And
even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
·
4 The
god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so
that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God.
2 Timothy 2:15 New Living Translation (NLT)
·
15 Work
hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good
worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word
of truth.
The Holy Scriptures
clearly tell us that the way of God and the Lord Jesus Christ would be
distorted by “savage wolves” among the true followers of the Lord
Jesus Christ who describes them as wolves “in sheep’s clothing” meaning they
appear to be Christians but are not (Matthew 7:15; Revelation 2:9; 3:9);
they have gained a following from those
who are still under veil of the evil one
in this present evil age.
Apostle Paul with great
sorrow being led by the Holy Spirit understood and tell the elders at Ephesus
concerning this
falling away which begin during the time of the early disciples who
about these men and women who would “distort the truth”: “29 I
know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not
spare the flock” (Acts 20:29 NIV).
This falling away was prophesy by the holy prophets long
ago, “…certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago
have secretly slipped in among you” (Jude 1:4 NIV);
the Lord’s apostles “…many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1
John 4:1 NIV), and spoken of by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself “Watch out for false
prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious
wolves” (Matthew
7:15 NIV).
Therefore, the slipping away
from the way of truth by those teaching this gospel of feminism with
women usurping the authority of men in the churches of the Living God was
prophesy long ago. With that said, I have listed the
relative verses of the 1 Corinthians chapter 14 for
you below:
·
1 Pursue love, and
desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For
he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one
understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
·
3 But he who
prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He
who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies
the church.
·
5 I wish you all
spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies
is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that
the church may receive edification.
·
6 But now,
brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you
unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by
teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether
flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the
sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if
the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?
·
9 So likewise you,
unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known
what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the
air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the
world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore,
if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who
speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me.
·
12 Even so you,
since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for
the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
·
13 Therefore let
him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For
if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What
is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with
the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the
understanding.
·
16 Otherwise, if
you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed
say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand
what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other
is not edified. 18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more
than you all;
·
19 yet in the
church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach
others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
·
20 Brethren, do
not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding
be mature.
·
21 In the law it
is written: “With men of other
tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they
will not hear Me,” says the Lord. 22 Therefore
tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but
prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
·
23 Therefore if
the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and
there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that
you are out of your mind?
·
24 But if all
prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced
by all, he is convicted by all.
·
25 And thus the secrets of his heart are
revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report
that God is truly among you.
·
26 How is it then,
brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching,
has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done
for edification.
·
27 If anyone
speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and
let one interpret.
·
28 But if there is
no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and
to God.
·
29 Let two or
three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if
anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For
you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.
·
32 And the spirits
of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
·
33 For God is not the author of confusion
but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
The context of 1 Corinthians chapter
14 proves the apostle Paul through the Spirit of Christ
that women speaking in the churches of the followers of the way of God and in
public is not allowed as the law says.
In verse 3,
it’s said, "he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and
comfort to men"- Strong’s 3588 the “he who”
is in the masculine singular as well as other places 1 Corinthians 14
the “he, himself, one who, speaks, speaking, foreigner” are in the masculine
singular. In verse 4 note the one prophesying, "edifies
the church", and verse 5 says unless you can
interpret tongues "that the church may receive edification"
do not speak at all in the churches; the “all” is Strong’s 3956
in the masculine plural; the word “brothers” is in the masculine plural
– not including the women in the congregation as they are to remain silent
as the law says (1 Corinthians 14:34 and 1 Timothy 2:11). In verse 12,
it says if you want spiritual gifts let it be "for the edification
of the church".
In verse 19,
apostle Paul says "in the church" its’ better to "speak
five words" of understanding to “teach others” than
speaking in tongues without interpreting what you say. In verse 20, the
word “brothers, brethren” are in the masculine plural; then in verse 23 Paul
says "if the whole church comes together in one place"
speaking in tongues (without interpreting and all at once) if an unbeliever
came in, he would believe them all to be mad.
In verse 26,
the question is asked, “…brethren? Whenever you come together, each of
you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an
interpretation?”. The word “brethren” Strong’s Greek 80
is in the masculine plural; even though, this word “brethren”
often refers to both men and women in the English. Yet, the Greek
here is masculine plural, and the word should have been translated in the English
as “brothers” as it is gender specific. Apostle Paul is addressing
only men here in 1 Corinthians 14 concerning speaking in “the congregations
of the Lord’s people”.
NOTE:
As you can see, we as true followers of the way of truth must always review
the context, and Strong’s Lexicon in the Hebrew and Greek for the Scriptures
when gender specific words in the English is used. Today, we know “in
part” but we must except truth once revealed as we grow in the maturity of
the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:14-16; James 1:4; 1 Cor.
13:9-12; Philippians 3:15; Colossians 1:28).
Therefore, we must
conclude that what the Holy Spirit is saying here: is that these were Christian
men speaking in tongues and prophesying in the Churches and not women.
In these churches
at Corinth, they all wished to speak in the Churches with no concern about the
edification of the members of the Church; bringing us to verse 28 where its’s
said if there is no interpretation of your tongue speaking then "keep
silent in the church". Apostle Paul being led by the Holy Spirit
in verse 31-32 says, that each man can speak “one by one” with
each remaining silent until each finish, and the each must control their
spirit- not speaking out turn as “the spirits of the prophets
are subject to the prophets”.
In conclusion, the Holy
Spirit says in verse 33 "as in all the
churches of the saints", further showing that not only is this
chapter speaking to those speaking in tongues and prophesying in the
congregation at Corinth, but to all the churches of God. Apostle Paul in the
first half of chapter 14 gives instructions on order in the churches - describing
what they were doing and what they should be doing in the churches.
I must mention
here, that Apostle Paul’s epistles (letters) were written under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit were customary to be read in all the churches
of the saints (2 Thess. 2:15, 1 Cor. 16:1 and 1 Cor. 7:17); the apostles in
Jerusalem also read them, attested to by the Holy Spirit through the apostle
Peter that Paul, “writes the same way in all his letters” (NIV 2
Peter 3:15-16, see also 2 Cor. 1:12-14, Col. 4:16, and 1 Thess. 5:27).
So that what is
written for the spiritual minded in one place is also for the spiritual person
in the other places or times, where the Holy Spirit speaks to all as one in the
body of Christ, not as if one part is separate in the faith from the other part
of the body, for all that is written in the Scriptures is the law of Christ
and not that of “mere men”.
The Scriptures are
not a set of concessions written by "mere men" for certain
occasions. Think what this would mean to your faith and hope, if we as
Christians decided that Scriptures we disagree with and do not understand or
seems antiquated must be for that time or situation only (Philippians 3:15).
·
15 Therefore let
us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think
otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
Phrases such as
those listed above (referring to the Churches gathering together) are not found
in 1 Corinthians 11:1-15, where the Holy Spirit speaks of women praying
and prophesying outside the churches in private. Only the men are to pray and
prophesy “everywhere”.
We have also in verse
16 of chapter 11 where the Holy Spirit says the churches of God has no
custom such as that of the Corinthian men and women described in the previous verses
1-15. This gives us further proof to the fact that the Spirit was not
referring to women speaking in the churches in 1 Corinthians 11:1-15,
and the very fact that the Spirit in verses 17-34 begins to speak about
coming together as a Church adds more evidence to this conclusion.
Yet, in 1
Corinthians 14, the Holy Spirit most certainly is speaking about the
conduct and behavior of women and men in “the churches of the saints” (1
Cor. 14:33 NKJV).
The word translated
as "each" and "anyone" in verses
26 and 27 of chapter 14 is 'eékastov'; transliterated word 'Hekastos,
hek'-as-tos' translated as each, every, and other words of this nature in
the English identifying a person such as everyone, each one, or each person.
The word translated as ‘another’ in verse 30 is 'tiðv';
transliterated word 'Tis, tis' translated as a
certain, a certain one, some, some time, or a while and other words of this
nature in the English such as anything, something, man, any, anyone, or some (see
Strong's definition).
Most would point to
these words used by apostle Paul as proof he included women in the prophesying
and speaking in tongues in verses 1-32 of chapter 14; yet these words
give more evidence to the exception made in verses 33-40 about women
keeping "silent in the churches" and "not
permitted to speak". For the spiritual mature Christian would have
to ask the question, why even mention verses 33-36, if women were
allowed to prophesy and speak in the churches; otherwise, these verses must be
an exception to the previous mentioned verses 1-32 (Phil. 3:15).
Apostle Paul in verses
26-27 uses the words “anyone, someone” which are in the
masculine singular because the women were doing what the law only allowed men
to do, and that was they were prophesying and speaking "in the
churches of the saints". In 1 Corinthians 11, apostle Paul is
speaking specifically to those prominent and chief women of Corinth as well as
the least of the women (the poor and needy women) who may (if God gives them
the ability) prophesy and speak in tongues but not in the churches of God or in
public gatherings of the Church. Furthermore, the words “two, three”
in verse 27 are in the masculine plural clarifying only men are to speak
in the congregations of the Lord’s people.
Again, in 1
Corinthians 14, the Holy Spirit is still dealing with the Corinthians pride
in displaying their spiritual gifts, and the Corinthian women disrespect towards
the men and their husbands in the churches of the saints. Their attitude
towards the customs of the community they lived, and them overstepping their
liberty given to Christians in Christ (Galatians
3:28, even though these verses speak to our
spiritual status in Christ now and the age to come).
In the first verse
of chapter 14, apostle Paul says, the Corinthians should follow
the way of love, and desiring spiritual gifts especially those of prophecy
(prophesying); also, this is a carryover from 1 Corinthians 13. He tells
them spiritual gifts are for edification of the churches and not their own
selfish ambition and pride. Apostle Paul then explains why they should prophesy
instead of speaking in tongues without having someone interpreting what’s said
in the congregations in verses 2-25. The Corinthian church was speaking
in tongues without interpreting what were said in the congregations of the
saints (Church services); nor giving respect to each other when speaking (not
waiting for each other to stop speaking nor yielding to those standing to
speak).
In verse 12,
it’s said that we as Christians should strive for spiritual gifts and "excel
in those that build up the church" (1 Corinthians 14:12 NIV). The
main point in 1 Corinthians 14 is to bring order into the churches at
Corinth, as in all other churches men only speaking in the churches is for
edifying the Church; and speaking in tongues without an interpreter in the
churches (when they came together as a whole) is forbidden (to the shame
of some Christians this very thing is done today in the churches of this
world).
The rule is this:
if there is no edification for the congregation, then do not speak in the
churches especially in tongues without an interpreter. The prophets (as in male
not a prophetess this is made clear in verses 33-40)
should “one by one” prophesy no more than three when
gathered as a Church. The words translated as prophets here are in the
masculine plural Strong’s Greek 4396; apostle Paul continues throughout 1
Corinthians 14 using gender specific words for men only when of speaking in the
congregations of the Lord’s people.
Yet, Scriptures
indicate in verses 2-28 everyone claiming to be a prophet or prophetess
were speaking, and interrupting (cutting off) each other before each finished
speaking; this why the apostle Paul only used men only – gender specific words
when giving instructions as to the proper conduct in the congregations of
the Lord’s people.
It says in verse
23 "if the whole church comes together" and in verse 26
"whenever you come together"; these phrases make it
clear that apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 14 is speaking on the proper
conduct in the churches of the saints. This gives us the context and setting
for verses 26-40. Compared to chapter 11 of Corinthians
where we see no such phrases until apostle Paul deals with the Lord's Supper -
showing that 1 Corinthians 11 cannot be used as some have tried
to use, to show apostle Paul was contradicting himself in verses 33-40
of chapter 14. Apostle Paul describes in chapter 14 what the
Christians at Corinth were doing in the Church services (each coming with a
hymn, instruction, revelation, tongue, or interpretation); the apostle Paul then
shows how men should properly conduct themselves when speaking in the congregations
of the Lord’s people and how to properly use spiritual gifts in the
churches.
The Holy Spirit
then gives instructions for orderly worship - stressing
that all must be done for the strengthening and building up of the churches of
God. Reminding the Corinthians as well as us today as Christians that if we
have the Spirit of God then the spirit is subject to our control (not vice
versa). We are not compelled by the Spirit to speak disorderly in the
churches as some of the human organizations today do in Church service, when
claiming they are speaking in tongues, and with other such outbursts and
disruptions in the churches (running around and falling down) -
proclaiming "they have the Holy Ghost".
In verse 33 of
chapter 14, we have the beginning of today’s debate
of those who wish not to follow these instructions; and wish to argue the “words”
given by the Spirit of God through the apostle Paul. The phrase "as
in all the congregations of the saints" (NIV v. 33) shows
these verses apply to all churches, and the phrase “the things which I
write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (NKJV v. 37) show that
these verses are not social concessions but the commands of the Lord
Jesus Christ. If like some claim verse 33 is applied only to verses
1-32 then the exception in verses 33-36 would be proven to apply to
all churches; and if verse 37 apply to verses 33-36, then we
must ask are not all the churches of the saints under the subjection of the
Lord Jesus Christ their Master?
These phrases here
in chapter 14 should suffice all who wish to follow God's word (those
who see and hear what the Spirit says) - that what is said in 1 Corinthians
14:33-36 applies to all churches and all women (married or otherwise)
everywhere and anytime in this present age. Today, we have women ruling over
men, and men gladly accepting and encouraging women to lead them; these
women in many of these churches are leading those who submit to their teachings
into error.
The Holy Scriptures
speak on numerous occasions about women leading God’s people astray to other
gods (Isaiah 3:12 “women rule over them”; Ezekiel 13:17-23 (NRSV) “daughters
of your people, who prophesy out of their own
imagination”,
and Rev. 2:20-24 (NLT) “You are permitting that
woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray”).
Isaiah 3:12 New Revised Standard Version
(NRSV)
·
My people—children are their
oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you,
and confuse the course of your paths.
·
33 For God is not the author of
confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
·
34 Let your women keep silent in the
churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive,
as the law also says.
·
35 And if they want to learn
something, let them ask their own husbands at home;
for it is shameful for women to speak in church. 36 Or did the word of God
come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached?
·
37 If anyone thinks himself to be a
prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you
are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if
anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
·
39 Therefore, brethren, desire
earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all
things be done decently and in order.
The above verses
are so plain to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. The only reason I
can see why Christians today argue and debate over what these verses clearly
express is the
deceitfulness of the evil (wicked) one, the deceiver of this evil and
adulterous world (2 Corinthians 11:1-4; 1 John 5:19
NKJV “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway
of the wicked one”; Revelation 12: 9).
The phrase "God
is not the author of confusion but of peace" in verse 33 points to
the disorder of the Corinthian churches as explained in verses 1-32, and
women speaking in the Church in verses 33-40 when the Corinthians came
together for a church gathering of the saints (Church service). Apostle Paul
says, in chapter 11 of Corinthians that the woman came from man and the
woman is the glory of man (not the other way around).
The women in the
Corinthian church were causing confusion and disorder
- in that they were coming forward to prophesy, speak in tongues and ask
questions in public; all of which are conduct not allowed women under the law
of God in the churches of Christ. One reason these women were overstepping
their bounds is that the Scriptures clearly points out that "many"
prominent, leading, and chief women in the Corinthian society came into the
faith of Christ; and this information was expressly given to us that we may
understand why the Gentile Greek churches had such problems as with these women
taking over the authority given to men in the churches of the saints (Acts
17:4, 12 and 1 Cor. 14). Notice the women are mentioned first before the
men in the verses below.
Please note in Acts
16:14-15 that there is no mention of the woman Lydia's husband, “14...One
of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the
city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to
respond to Paul's message. 15 When she and the members of her household were
baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in
the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she
persuaded us"…
Also, in verse
14, this woman Lydia is said to be from the “city of Thyatira”,
the same city spoken of in Revelation 2 “to the angel of the
church in Thyatira” (NKJV v. 18); where it’s said by our Lord Jesus Christ “that woman Jezebel,
who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit
sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols” (NKJV v. 20). This woman is said
to teach a doctrine known as “the depths of Satan” (NKJV v.
24).
In verse 15 it
states, "she and the members of her household were baptized"
not she and her husband received them and he and his entire household including
his wife were baptized. The Holy Spirit clearly shows us that this Gentile
household was run by this woman Lydia. Even after “she persuaded”
them to stay at her house there is still no mention of a husband. These verses
give us even more evidence against these promoters of this “gospel of
feminism” when they exclaim, “if women can lead then let them lead”
and “we must move into the 21st century”; meaning this notion of women
not prophesying and teaching in the churches is antiquated.
Yet, we have here
clear and positive proof given to us from the Holy Spirit by apostle Paul that
these women were “leading women” in their society prior to their
acceptance of Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior. However, these women are
exhorted that in the churches of the saints they are to remain silent in the
congregations, and be submissive to their husbands. As the law says, these
women are instructed to submit to their husbands and accept men as their head,
yet this command were foreign to these leading and prominent women of these Gentile
Greek cities who were coming into the faith of Christ.
Please note Acts
16:13 where Paul and Silas while in Philippi, “went out of the city
to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke
to the women who met there”. These women were gathered there alone;
there is no mention of men gathering there to pray. Otherwise, why would the Holy
Spirit say Paul and Silas “spoke to the women” and not even
mention the men? The Spirit clearly express that these women were praying alone
without the men, and they did this on a regular basis. This information is of
great importance in understanding the Corinthian women behavior in and outside
the churches of God, and the men of Corinth giving their authority in the
churches and homes over to these women to teach and preach in the churches
(customs no other churches of God had).
Now I ask this,
isn’t its normal for the carnal person (mere women - not spiritual) to want to
even after baptism to remain in charge without the men, denying the men their
God given authority in the churches? It appears the Corinthian men were more
than willing for these women to rule over them in the congregations of the
Lord’s people.
Again, the
Scripture shows us in Acts 17:4 and 12 that a "large
number" of "prominent women" believed in Christ, and
in verse 12 the women are listed first which expresses the women stood
out more than the men in boldness of faith... “4 Some of the Jews were
persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing
Greeks and not a few prominent women... 12 Many of the Jews believed, as did
also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men"...
Notice these “prominent
Greek women” listed first then the Spirit only says “many Greek
men” showing the women had status in the Corinthians community. This
gives more weight also to 1 Corinthians 14, and check mate those who cry
“let the women prophesy and speak in the churches since God gave them the
ability”. Because these verses in Acts 16 and 17 shows us talented
women of status were not allowed to prophesy or speak in the churches, and 1
Corinthians 14 shows us that even if women are more gifted than men in the
faith that this do not supersede men's position of authority in the churches of
God and the home. The law still says wives are to be in subjection to their
husbands and man is the head of woman. For those who think women should
lead in the churches of the saints if they qualify, the verses in 1
Corinthians 14 answers this thought, no they are not allowed to lead in the congregations of the Lord’s people.
There are some who
try to separate this phrase "as in all the churches of the
saints" from the verses before it and after it. It is very clear
from this phrase here that apostle Paul is speaking to women “in all the
churches of the saints”, and not just in the Gentile city of Corinth.
This phrase is at the end of the instructions for prophesying and speaking in
tongues in the churches, and at the beginning of the verses giving the
exception to the previous verses. I ask this question, if verse 33 applies
to verses 1-32 then would not this prove that verses 34-36 apply to all the
churches?
Again, I ask these
questions, are not the saints everywhere? If apostle Paul is speaking just to
the Corinthian women, why does Paul say in verse 37 "I write to you
the commandments of the Lord"? Are not the “commandments of
the Lord” applied to all followers of Christ? Christians who want women
to rule over them (Isaiah 3:12) and to teach them, never recall verse
37 in their arguments - why? Because this verse answers the question, who apostle
Paul is addressing here all women everywhere and not only the Corinthians or Gentile
Greeks?
In 1 Corinthians
4:17, Paul when speaking to the Corinthians
states… "Timothy...will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach
everywhere in every church" (see also Colossians 4:16).
Meaning apostle Paul teaches the same thing "in all the churches of
the saints" (Scripture interpreting itself). If this teaching was
for the Corinthian women only, why is it not clearly defined? God would not
leave this fact open for debate.
Conclusion, the
spiritual person would have to ask this question, if apostle Paul spoke only to
the Corinthian congregations’, then why was this letter as were all his letters
read in other churches? If, indeed you have the Spirit of Christ then you have
the mind of Christ able to discern spiritual things (1 Thess. 5:27; 2
Thess. 2:15 “hold the traditions which you were taught”, and 1 Cor.
2:14-16).
·
27 I charge you by
the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
1 Corinthians 2:14-16 New King James Version (NKJV)
·
14 But the natural
man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
·
15 But he who is
spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.
·
16 For “who has
known the mind of the Lord that he may
instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
The Holy Spirit
says in verse 34, women should "keep silent in the
churches". The word “women” is in the feminine
plural meaning woman or wife – Strong’s Greek 1135. The Greek word 'sigao' used here means to keep silence or hold one's
peace - Strong’s Greek 4601. The Greek word 'epitrepo'
means permit or commit or transfer; not entrusted with authority in the
congregations - Strong’s Greek 2010. The Greek word 'laleo' means to utter a sound or talk, here translated
as speak - Strong’s Greek 2980. The phrase “they are to be submissive”
means to be subordinated to men, to obey - Strong’s Greek 5293. The
Greek word 'akatastasia' translated as
confusion in verse 33 also means a state of disorder.
Therefore, we must understand
that these women were not holding their peace in the churches. They were coming
forward to speak causing a state of disorder within the sexes as ordained by
God - man is the head of woman, and they were asking questions, challenging the
men’s authority and causing confusion and resisting their husbands’ rulership
(headship) over them. The men in the church at Corinth were transferring their
position of authority given to them by God, to these "prominent
women" in the congregations of God (1 Cor. 11:3, Gen 3:17, and Eph
5:23).
1 Cor.
14:31 (NAS)
·
For you can all prophesy one by one,
so that all may learn and all may be exhorted;
1 Cor.
14:31 (NKJV)
In the above
verses, the word 'learn' means receiving
instructions. Therefore, the word 'prophesy' refers to preaching
or giving words of exhortation concerning the present or future events. This
being the case verse 31 refers to men 'prophesying' in
church giving words of encouragement or instructions. Women as shown in verses
33-40 are not allowed to give words of instructions in the congregations
of the Lord’s people. This fact is more clearly pointed out when apostle
Paul begins to instruct the 'churches' that the women are "not
permitted to speak"; meaning no prophecy or preaching (giving
instructions) to men by women in the congregations of the Lord’s people (see
v.34).
The phrase "not
permitted to speak" in verse 34 is translated from Greek
word 'laleÑw'; transliterated word 'Laleo, lal-eh'-o', a verb
meaning to utter a voice or emit a sound to speak, to use the tongue or
the faculty of speech, to utter articulate sounds, to talk, to utter, tell, to
use words in order to declare one's mind and disclose one's thoughts, to speak.
Also translated as preach, say, tell, talk, spoke, spoken, speaking,
speak, and speaks (Strong’s definition). Another Greek word 'siga/w' is sometime used; transliterated word 'Sigao, see-gah' a verb meaning to keep silence, hold
one's peace, to be kept in silence, or be concealed; also translated as quiet,
stopped speaking, or keep silent (Strong’s).
According to this
definition women should not preach, nor declare their words or thoughts in such
a way as to teach in the congregations of the Lord’s people; they are to
remain silent (except for song and praise). We see from these definitions that
the Corinthian women were told they should stop speaking words of instructions
and encouragement in the churches of God, and Christian women today should do
the same; they should hold their peace as the law of God says (1 Cor. 14:37
and Gen. 3:16). These women are told to hold their peace by not prophesying
or speaking in tongues when the churches meet; not as those who mockingly and
sarcastically say they know the Scriptures do not say “women cannot even talk
in Church”.
Women speaking in
public would be like wives not wanting to remain in subjection to their
husbands, and showing disrespect towards God, Christ, and man her head (1Corinthians
11:3-16 and Ephesians 5:22-24). They would not be subject to their husbands
or in the case of unmarried women and widows they would be men's head. Women
prophesying or speaking in tongues in the Church service are teaching which is
not allowed. Teachers are assumed to be in superior positions (of authority)
than those whom they teach; this being the case it is not allowed that women or
wives according to the law of God teach men.
Otherwise, these
women teachers would assume authority in the churches of the Saints leading the
men they teach astray. It is God's law and commandment that they should be
under submission (v. 34); speaking in public would show the woman to be
non-submissive (1 Peter 3:1, 5-6 apostle Peter confirming these Scriptures).
For women and wives must be silent in the churches, not speaking unless its’ in
psalms or hymns, and leading women only meeting separately not with men.
Are not verses
34-35 an exception to the previous verses?
Here in verses
34-35 is an exception to the first half of 1 Corinthians 14, where
instructions are given to men prophesying, speaking in tongues, and edifying
the Church through revelation or knowledge and not women (even though
Corinthian women were doing the same it was not lawful - just as women
preachers today preach; yet, this does not make it lawful nor Biblical
correct). By using the phrases “if the whole church comes together in
one place, and all speak with tongues” and “Whenever you come
together, each of you” in verses 23 and 26 in 1 Corinthians 14
it shows Paul is speaking to Church services. The church at Corinth should have
understood that men only, not women, are allowed to prophesy and speak in
tongues, when they came together as Church, as it were “in all the
churches of the saints” (v. 33). Women speaking in the churches
(exceptions are singing and praising God) were a disorder and confusion of
God’s ordained order of authority.
As the law of God
says, they must remain in submission and keep their spirit in subjection while
in the churches of the saints. Women are not to stand up in the churches under pretense
that they have a revelation from God to speak in tongues or prophesy
(proclaiming a revelation); they must adhere to verse 32 “the spirits of
the prophets are subject to the prophets”, and remain silent in the
churches of the saints. By apostle Paul using the Greek word for “anyone
and all” (could mean both men and women but the masculine is used –
see Strong’s Greek) is correct in as much as both men and women may have
the gifts of prophecy and speaking in tongues according to the word of Christ.
However, the women
were violating the commandments of God by speaking in the Churches at Corinth
as the apostle Paul uses the masculine – gender specific words when instructing
who should preach, teach, speak and pray in the congregations of the Lord’s
people. The Holy Spirit through apostle Paul shows this in 1 Corinthians
14 that this is not the custom of the churches of God; that’s why apostle
Paul uses gender specific Greek words when instructing the Corinth church
that women are not allowed to speak.
Are these noisy
women?
There are some who
believe these verses in 1 Corinthians 14:33-36 refer to noisy women talking in
church services. This private interpretation is
strange because it suggests that "some women" were noisy in
Churches; yet, the Scripture instructs women to keep silent in the churches (v.
34), and it is "shameful for women" to speak in the
Church (v. 35), not "noisy women should keep silent" or
"it is shameful for women to be noisy in Church". The word "noisy"
is not used in the New Testament; so, I ask this question why didn't the Spirit
describe these talkative women as being so? The context does not support this
private understanding; it does support the Scripture interpretation that
women are not allowed to speak in Church but to hold their peace - because they
are instructed along with all other women not to speak.
There are still
some who even claimed it was only the married women disturbing church service.
Think about what they're saying here, and ask yourselves these questions: Were
not men disrupting church service also (see verses 1-32 same chapter)?
Were there no widows or unmarried women attending church in Corinth? Please
let's walk through this private interpretation, if it’s correct it’s saying
only married women should "keep silent in the churches",
only married women are "not permitted to speak", and
only married women are to "be submissive, as the law also
says", and its only "shameful for" married
"women to speak in church". If this were referring to
married women speaking in the churches then this private interpretation proves
the Scripture interpretation that women are not allowed to speak or teach in
the churches. For as it is with married women so it is with unmarried women; or
are we to believe that only unmarried women can speak in the congregations
of the Lord’s people? Also, why didn’t apostle Paul use the phrase “some
of your women” or “wives” instead of “women” meaning all?
Yes, I know some
try to argue that since the Greek word "aner" is
translated as husbands and not men in verse 35 that this makes the
context for husbands and wives throughout. I ask these questions so that you
may use your own spiritual discernment and judge these things for yourself.
Also, the word “husbands” in verse 35 translated as “men” in
other areas but context here is ask her husband if married or ask her father if
unmarried; just don’t ask questions in the congregations
of the Lord’s people - see Strong’s Greek 435.
Finally, I ask this
question again, why did apostle Paul write these teachings were “the commandments
of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37)? Are we to believe that the Lord
commanded only married women to stop speaking in the churches? Please think
about what is being said here. All who has ears will hear, and all who has eyes
will see what the Spirit is saying to the Church of the Living God.
If one closely
examines other verses apostle Paul wrote concerning the qualifications for
deacons and bishops then one would understand these verses mean what they say,
women are not allowed to speak in the churches of the saints. However, speaking
to those who answer these verses with the claim that here apostle Paul is
talking about the husband and wife; and not man and woman in general. The word
translated as "women" in verses 34 and 35
is 'gunh'; transliterated word 'Gune, goo-nay', a noun feminine translated as: “a
woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow, a wife, of a
betrothed woman” (see Strong’s definition). This word is translated in the KJV
as wife 92 times and women 129 times. The word is mostly translated as woman
or women; and wife or wives when the context allows.
The word used for
both men and husbands in the original Greek is ‘anhr’;
transliterated word ‘Aner’ a noun masculine, translated referencing one’s
sex: “of a male, of a husband, of a betrothed or future husband, referencing
age: to distinguish an adult man from a boy, any male, used to represent both
men and women” (Strong’s definition). This word is translated as man 156
times, and 50 times as husband in the KJV (notice the word is used more as
men or man than husband(s)). For the conclusion that these verses apply to
married women, because the New Testament Greek seems to use only one word for 'wife'
and 'woman' as well as using one word for 'husband' and 'man'.
We must go to the context for the correct translation.
First, let us look
at how verses 34-35 would read if the Scripture were speaking to the
wives and husbands and not the women and men relationship as translated:
·
…34 Let your ‘wives’ (replaces women) keep silent in the churches,
for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law
also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own
husbands at home; for it is shameful for ‘wives’ (replaces women) to speak
in church.
The actual translation is shown below: 1 Corinthians
14 NIV:
Let us ask
ourselves some questions before we proceed: Were there
unmarried women and widows in the Gentiles churches at Corinth? Were the
married women the only ones standing to speak? Why would the law single out
married women only “to be submissive, as the law also says” (v. 34)?
Why are only unmarried women and widows allowed to speak? Why are unmarried
women and widows not told to be submissive? Why is it only shameful for wives
to speak in the churches?
Do you notice how
many questions this faulty private interpretation and translation causes for the
Corinthians of that time and us today? And the many
strange doctrines that would proceed from this faulty translation such as: only
unmarried women and widows would qualify to speak or preach in churches meaning
women who preach could not marry (sound familiar?). Those who hold this private
interpretation say wives should not "continue to speak" (regularly I
suppose) so as to seem to usurp the husband's authority as head sometimes.
Now, think how
strange this sound; wives are allowed to speak a limited amount of time
otherwise they would be breaking “the
commandments of the Lord” (v. 37). Okay, let’s say these wives spoke
two weeks in a row would they be breaking the Lord’s commandments? Who would
set this limited speaking time the husbands or wives? Since, the wives are
rulers in the Church over their husbands when speaking would the wives’ rules
override their husbands? This private interpretation cannot be support by any
other Scripture, and its’ not sound doctrine.
Next, we have those
who claim (this seems to be the position most like to believe) that wives can
only speak with the permission of their husbands.
Now, I find this private and faulty interpretation most strange indeed because
it raises even more questions and commandments of men than the others. I mean
why didn’t the Holy Spirit just say when a wife wants to speak in the Churches’
she must get her husband permission? Or is this too direct (I speak as a
fool)?
Let’s say the wife
asked her husband “at home” (v. 35), “honey can I speak in church? The
husband says yes one time then the next time he says no, is the wife allowed to
speak anyway? Who would know that the husband did not give her permission to
speak? If so, is the wife disobeying God or her husband? I mean should the
husband give her permission in front of the congregation or the minister or
something like this? If the husband gave the wife a command not to speak then
whose law she’s breaking? Is this only a sin when the wife disobeys her
husband? Is this woman (the wife of this man) bringing shame on herself or the
Church of the Living God (v. 35)? I ask these questions because the
spiritual mature (if indeed they have grown 2 Peter 3:17-18) would realize this
is total confusion and disorder.
In verse 37,
the Holy Spirit through apostle Paul says if a person is spiritual mature then “let
him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of
the Lord”. Is the Lord Jesus Christ saying here that unmarried and
widow women may speak in the churches but those who are married must get
permission from their husbands? Otherwise, they have committed a spiritual sin
if they disobey (I speak as the unwise and spiritual immature - children in the
faith).
I guess the only
way a wife with a husband who refuses to allow her to speak in the churches
would speak, she must divorce her husband to speak in the churches. So, I ask,
which commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ is this wife breaking by doing this (see
Matthew 19:8-9 and 1 Corinthian 7:10)? Now, if the wife has an unbelieving
husband who would give her permission to speak? Are we now allowing those on
the outside to judge matters of the congregations of the Lord’s people (1
Cor. 6:1, 5)? We who are spiritual should see this interpretation for what
its’ worth (1 Cor. 2:15).
In verse 34
the phrase "be submissive, as the law also says" refers
to Genesis 3:16; unless the law applies only to the Corinthian
women then these verses are for all Christian women in the churches of God
everywhere and in every age. Apostle Paul speaks through the Holy Spirit that
the law found in Genesis 3:16 God said…"To the woman... Your
desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." The
phrase "he shall rule over you" refers to men ruling
over women because of the Woman being deceived by the serpent in the Garden of
Eden.
The phrase “be
submissive, as the law also says” refers to all the verses in the Holy
Scriptures exhorting women to be submissive to their husbands (Col. 3:18, 1
Cor. 11:8-9 and Gen 3:16 the law). These verses instructing women to be
submissive uses phrases such as “is fitting in the Lord” and “as
to the Lord”. Wives are to submit to their husbands as if they were
submitting to Christ our Savior. Still others will say these verses saying
submit refers to wives submitting to their husbands.
·
16 Then God said
to the woman, “I will cause you to have much trouble when you are pregnant. And
when you give birth to children, you will have much pain. You will want your
husband very much, but he will rule over you.”[a]
a. Genesis
3:16 You will … over you Or
“You will want to rule your husband, but he will rule over you.” In Hebrew this
is like the last part of Gen. 4:7.
You may ask why
women are not told to submit to men? I ask these questions, are unmarried women
not under the law of God in Genesis 3:16? Are unmarried women not
subjected to their fathers? Do women only submit or remain in subjection to men
after they marry and not before? What are women statuses prior to marriage? Did
not Eve represent all women (Gen. 3:20)? Please read 1
Corinthians 11:3, 8-9 again.
Genesis 3:20 New
International Version (NIV)
·
20 Adam[a] named his wife
Eve,[b] because she
would become the mother of all the living.
a. Genesis 3:20 Or The man
The phrase "to
be submissive" is translated from the word 'upota/ssw'; transliterated
Word is 'Hupotasso, hoop-ot-as'-so'
also translated as: to arrange under, to subordinate, to subject, put in subjection,
to subject one's self, obey, to submit to one's control, to yield to one's
admonition or advice, to obey, be subject. It’s 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"
(Strong’s definition).
1 Cor. 14:35 (NAS)
1 Cor. 14:35 (NKJV)
Some would conclude
that since this verse instruct women to “ask their own husbands at home”,
that the verses from 33-36 refers to husbands and wives’ relationships
and not all women. I answered this faulty interpretation above, but to put this
private interpretation to rest I again ask these questions: Are unmarried women
and widows the only women allowed to preach in church? Are widows and unmarried
women allowed to ask questions? If it is shameful for wives to speak in church,
why is it not shameful for other women? This question in itself should suffice
that these verses apply to all "women" and not just "wives".
Pray, fast, and ask God for understanding without a harden heart (Hebrews 3
and 2 Peter 2:20).
2 Peter 2:20 New International
Version (NIV)
·
20 If
they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse
off at the end than they were at the beginning.
1 Corinthians 14
NKJV
·
36 Or did the word of God come
originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached?
These questions asked by the Holy Spirit through apostle Paul gives evidence to the fact that the previous verses applied to all churches. The Holy Spirit asks these questions of the Corinthians as proof that the customs they were practicing were not done in other churches where the Gospel originated and came out of, which is Jerusalem (1 Thess. 2:13-16).
The meaning here is the law applies to the Corinthians as well as all other Christians wherever they may be; and the Corinthians as one of the churches of God cannot setup their own rules concerning Church services which violate God's law and the Lord's commandments. The questions here are: Was Christianity first out of the Gentile city of Corinth? No. Was the Gospel with the Gentile Corinthians first? No. Were divine revelations only with the Gentile Corinthians? No. Were the Gentile Corinthians the only church with spiritual gifts? No. Apostle Paul is saying to the Gentile Corinthians that other churches do not bring such confusion into the congregations of the Lord’s people. Apostle Paul by the Holy Spirit asks the Corinthians, are you now giving the law to all other churches of the saints? The word of God went out from Jerusalem to many Gentile cities and people who formed churches, and none of those other churches had any such customs as the Gentile Corinthians - that is allowing women to speak “in the churches of the saints”.
1 Corinthians 14
NKJV
Please take note as
to what is written here by apostle Paul as moved by the Holy Spirit,
“that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the
Lord"- how plain can you get with this command. The Corinthians as
well as the Christians of today’s churches should receive apostle Paul’s
instruction as from the Lord Jesus the Christ Himself.
Those who wish to
debate these Scriptures saying apostle Paul were speaking to the Corinthians
only or similar situations of "women talking too much" in the
church at Corinth or Gentile
Greek
churches or disrupting services with their questions never quote this verse.
Why? Because verse 37 leave little room for doubt, as to whom these
verses apply; for if this is a command of God then it applies to all Christians
just like all other Scripture apply to all Christians.
Notice the Holy Spirit
through apostle Paul points out this fact that
“if anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual”;
then they should acknowledge what the apostle Paul says here is the wisdom of
God as the apostle Peter being moved by the Holy Spirit acknowledges this in
the Holy Scriptures (2 Peter 3:15-17).
2 Peter 3:15-17 NIV
·
15 Bear in mind
that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our
dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
·
16 He writes the
same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His
letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and
unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own
destruction.
·
17 Therefore, dear
friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not
be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.
What this mean is if
you are a true prophet or spiritual mature (not a babe
or child in Christ) in the Church of the Living God then you will know that
what apostle Paul said is inspired and will not deny it applies to all
Christians women. When a person claims to have the Spirit of Christ; yet,
insists that what apostle Paul wrote is not the inspired word of God concerning
women speaking in the churches of God, they are not spiritual. That person
is not a prophet nor spiritual mature by the Spirit of God, but have taken
this office of a prophet upon himself (out of his own private imagination) denying
the Spirit of Christ speaks in others.
For those who were
enlightened by the Holy Spirit; yet, now debate these plainly written Holy Scriptures
have as the serpent deceived Eve been led astray also
(1 Cor. 3:18-19, 2 Cor. 11:3, Rev. 12:9).
1 Corinthians 14
NKJV
·
38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him
be ignorant.
Apostle Paul's
writings by the Holy Spirit are the words of Christ to His churches yesterday,
today, and tomorrow, and "if anyone is ignorant";
meaning if they wish to willfully deny Christ’s authority over them and His
instructions to the churches of the Saints. Then "let him be
ignorant", meaning let’s leave him to his ignorance – Strong’s
Greek 50 meaning willful ignorance. I say again, if such a person was once
enlightened, yet now refuses spiritual enlightenment and knowledge it is
impossible to bring such a one from under the sway of the evil deceiver (Hebrews
6:1-6 and 2 Peter 2:18-22).
1 Corinthians 14
NKJV
·
39 Therefore, brethren, desire
earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all
things be done decently and in order.
Apostle Paul ends
with exhorting the Gentile Corinthians "to desire earnestly to
prophesy" showing that the best spiritual gift next to love (1 Corinthians
14:1) is prophesying words of edification. And the Holy Spirit through apostle
Paul states "do not forbid to speak with tongues",
these phrases are given without the exceptions in 1 Corinthians 14:5, 9, 11,
13, 27-28. 34-35.
Does this mean the
apostle Paul is contradicting himself in these verses? No,
apostle Paul is stating not to forbid speaking in tongues to those who read and
hear these teachings. It is understood that the exceptions still apply, (no
women speaking in the churches; men only speaking one at a time prophesying,
and men interpreting if speaking in tongues in the churches of the Saints). And
everything must be done in order and decently as stated in the very next verse.
This same pattern
is used and should be understood in 1 Corinthians 11 where men
and women are praying and prophesying with dishonor (not in public or the
churches). It is understood that apostle Paul is not saying women can pray
and prophesy in the congregations of the Lord’s people - given to us in 1 Corinthians
14.
The word 'prophesy'
in the original Hebrew is 'abn',
transliterated word 'Naba', phonetic spelling "naw-baw" (Strong’s Lexicon 4395) meaning to
prophesy under influence of the Spirit of God or evil spirit (demon). Prophesying
is proclaiming, and preaching is teaching; neither is one and the same as
we see from the above chapter, 1 Corinthians 11. None of these women are
said to be prophesying in a Church assembly.
The meaning of
prophesying here is the key to understanding these verses concerning women
speaking in the churches. Prophesying is not teaching (we do
learn from prophesying) its’ proclaiming something given to you by divine
inspiration or otherwise concerning the present or future (see also why 1
Timothy 2:12 exception is given). However, the word for prophesying and
preaching in the New Testament Greek has a definition, which may seem to cause
it to overlap with teaching or preaching. The original Greek word used for
prophesying is 'profhteuvw' meaning to be a
prophet speaking by divine inspiration, to predict, to declare, unlike
prompting to teach, reprove, or admonish others (Strong's number 4395).
Conclusion, women
can be prophets, yet they are not allowed to teach or reprove or admonish
others (men) in the churches or in public. None of
these verses given above say women taught in the churches; nor do the verse
in Acts 21:9 about Philip’s daughters “who prophesied” say
they prophesied in the churches. None of the verses say the women taught in the
churches or say Philip’s daughters were ministers or bishops (which is a
different word in the Greek than prophesy). The words used for overseer,
minister, bishop in Greek listed below (Strong’s definition):
Overseer (Strong
1985) or Bishop (Strong 1984): original Greek
word "episkopoß" transliterated word
"Episkopos" meaning a man charged
with the duty of seeing that things are done by others are done rightly, any
curator, guardian or superintendent; the superintendent, elder, or overseer of
a Christian church. The same Greek word is translated as 'bishop' in Timothy
and Titus when speaking of those men who seek to be an overseer because the
word in the Greek for both has the same meaning.
Minister (Strong
1249): the Greek original word "diavkonoß" transliterated word "Diakonos" meaning minister, servant or deacon; one
who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant,
minister; the servant of a king; a deacon, one who, by virtue of the office
assigned to him by the church, cares for the poor and has charge of and
distributes the money collected for their use; a waiter, one who serves food
and drink
We cannot by using
sound doctrine declare women taught in the New Testament churches base on
Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17-18, Acts 21:9 and 1 Corinthians 11:5. None, I
repeat none of these verses say anything about the churches of the Saints.
We can only come to this conclusion that women taught in the churches, if we
deny or refuse to accept what the Holy Scriptures clearly say about women
teaching in the congregations of the Lord’s people in other places. The
Old Testament prophetesses were not teaching men when they prophesy events;
they were proclaiming God’s word by divine inspiration.
Therefore, I exhort you to stop twisting the
Holy Scriptures to suit your own beliefs and private interpretations by
accepting the viewpoint of this present evil age rather than the plain Word of
God on this subject. Repent therefore of your wrongful
thinking, and submit your life to following the things of God rather than the
things of this world.
However, the Holy Scriptures tells us that
there are “many” in this present age; just as the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of
the Living God says, “many” who will not repent of their unbelief and endless
myths.
Matthew
7:21-23 NKJV - I Never Knew You
As it is written concerning the woman Jezebel, Christ Jesus our
Great High Priest and Master (Hebrews 4:14 and John 15:14-16) says:
Revelation
2:20-21 King
James Version (KJV)
Christ Jesus, the Son
of God is our example:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV
·
“All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God…”
John 1:1-14 KJV
·
“1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The
same was in the beginning with God…14 And the Word was made
flesh, and dwelt among us…”
Philippians
2:5-11 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Humbled and
Exalted Christ
·
5 Let this mind be in
you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of
God, did not consider it [a]robbery to be equal
with God, 7 but [b]made Himself of no
reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of
men.
·
8 And being found in
appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of
death, even the death of the cross.
·
9 Therefore God also
has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on
earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Footnotes
a.
Philippians
2:6 Or something
to be held onto to be equal
b. Philippians 2:7 emptied Himself of His privileges
Evangelist (Minister)
Ron Davis, a servant of Christ Jesus, of the Kush Edifying
Ministries proclaims the whole
counsel of God. This ministry believes in the command of Jesus to His disciples
in Matthew 10:7-8 “As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal
the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.
Freely you have received, freely give” (NIV). Jesus commands us to “freely” preach the word without
demanding those preached to give us ten (10%) of their income or earnings.
Please
send your comments to Evangelist Ron
Davis, of the Kush
Edifying Ministries.
OR
if you want to debate my conclusion of in this matter; if you want to argue
your own “private interpretation”, then
please send it to the below listed email address with your Scripture backing up
what you wish to debate. Thanks, and may God bless you in understanding His
Holy and righteous word.
Now, let us move to Women in the churches
the Saints of God, Part 6, where we will examine and discuss the Word
of God spoken by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul and other parts of
the Holy Scriptures. Amen. Praise God.