I have lately many times met this classical question based upon chapter no 14 in 1 Cor.
Paul is here declaring that the women must be silent in church! What can we say about this today? And more important: What did Paul really say in this passage?
I know this post will be a little longer than usually, but if you are interested I encurage you to read it all!
Lets go!
"Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says."
1 Cor 14:34
First: The whole chapter is about order in worship and the service. Hence, the situation of women in the congregation should be about the same topic too, right?! The chapter is therefore not about the church hierarchy, or spiritual leadership - something that we and the critics often use this text to. That is an important start!
Secondly: There is a huge difference on the masculinity and femininity, something that I myself did not see fully until I married Stephanie. I was almost shocked that we were thinking so different!
Today, after over five years of married life together, I just feel that our differences are charming and exciting - and above all GOOD! Otherwise, I would make a thousand more mistakes than I do today - my wife saves me and sharpen me up!
From the beginning, I thought I was a very unique, and that Stephanie's personality was very unique too - until I started talking about marriage and relationships with other young married men. Each time we ended up laughing about all the things we recognized in each others relationships.
Of course, we are unique and have very separated personalities against other couples, but there is a foundation of typical masculinity and femininity as well. Something that even ALL marriage and relationship books I've read speaks about.
So, with this background we can throw ourselves into 1 Corinthians Chapter 14!
The word for woman in our English translation is the Greek word Guné [strongs No: 1135] It is the only word used for woman and wife in the entire NT. Strong's Concordance translates the word as follows: a woman, specifically a wife.
In many, many places in the NT you immediately understand that it is married women involved, eg Matthew 22:27, Mark 10:11-12, Luke 1:5, John 19:25, Acts 18:2, 1 Corinthians 5:1, 7:2-4, 7:10-14, 7:16, 7 : 27, 7:33-34, 7:39, 9:5, and many, many more examples!
When we read chapter 14, and the whole context, we immediately understand that it is married women it speaks about here as well:
"If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home."
1 Cor 14:35
And this is the answer to the problem: True femininity is very inquisitive and curious - which is wonderful if it is disciplined, but which can also be destructive if the flesh is taking over: Then it turs to gossip!
The woman's inquisitiveness and curiosity will not disappear just because she is saved, or because she is getting married, or because she is in church!
I experienced this myself regulary every Sunday when I and Stephanie was in church at the beginning of our relationship - and I had to ask some of my married friends if it was the same for them, and so it was! - This is what could happen: My wife reacted to something in the sermon, turning to me asking, and I had to whisper: "Ssccchhhyyyyssss! We can not talk now, finish listening!"
Today she knows that there is no use asking directly. First, the answer is usually given in the message if you just continue to listen, or she asks afterward. (which does not mean that I or any married men have all the answers - on the contrary: most often she has thought more deeply than me, and her question is about something my mind did not even touch upon. Then I say: Oh, I have not thought of that! I do not know the answer, what do you think?)
Probably this entire question is more about male pride: "I certainly do not need to ask someone, I get it anyway!" - then on female curiosity, eagerness and restlessness. The same thing always happens when me and Stephanie are out driving in our car and cannot find our destination: I'm driving around, silent and proud, into every small street, back and forth, and doing everything I can to find our way. Stephanie says directly: "Let's stop here and ask that person."
In 99% of the cases, it ends with us stoping to ask someone, it just took a while because I wanted to solve the problem myself. This is such a typical thing that I thought was unique to our relationship, but it has found that 90% of all married couples are exactly alike in the same situation!
The same thing happens often or sometimes when we watch a movie together: She asks me for things I do not have a clue yet in the movie's plot - but she is curious and wants to know!
Obviously God knows about this! He has made the women in this way, and He is blessing it! In the right context, female curiosity and inquisitivity is fantastic!
This was something that even Paul had experienced and seen the bad side of, in the hundreds of congregations he preached in - women who sat and whispered, or maybe even spoke loudly, with their men! Perhaps this was even more common in Corinth; a vibrant, global and liveful Greek city.
Paul realized that this must not go on during the service, but it must be ORDER! (Eureka! That is what the whole chapter is about!) The married women stay calm and quiet in the service – if they have questions, wait until afterwards!
Even my critical mind, who is not easily persuaded, is 100% satisfied by this understanding of 1 Cor 14!
God is more then anyone else longing for all Women of God to rise up and preach in the last days!
"The Lord gives the word, and a great host of women brings the good news"
Psalm 68:11
Now women: It's your job to go out with good tidings! And never let anyone say that Paul had a hate-filled and intense attitude to women - it's just nonsense!
God's attitude to women is amazing! Be secure in your femininity, preaching all your life, become role models and leaders for thousands of young girls in the world, and tell the world about Jesus!
Paul is here declaring that the women must be silent in church! What can we say about this today? And more important: What did Paul really say in this passage?
I know this post will be a little longer than usually, but if you are interested I encurage you to read it all!Lets go!
"Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says."
1 Cor 14:34
First: The whole chapter is about order in worship and the service. Hence, the situation of women in the congregation should be about the same topic too, right?! The chapter is therefore not about the church hierarchy, or spiritual leadership - something that we and the critics often use this text to. That is an important start!
Secondly: There is a huge difference on the masculinity and femininity, something that I myself did not see fully until I married Stephanie. I was almost shocked that we were thinking so different!
Today, after over five years of married life together, I just feel that our differences are charming and exciting - and above all GOOD! Otherwise, I would make a thousand more mistakes than I do today - my wife saves me and sharpen me up!
From the beginning, I thought I was a very unique, and that Stephanie's personality was very unique too - until I started talking about marriage and relationships with other young married men. Each time we ended up laughing about all the things we recognized in each others relationships.
Of course, we are unique and have very separated personalities against other couples, but there is a foundation of typical masculinity and femininity as well. Something that even ALL marriage and relationship books I've read speaks about.
So, with this background we can throw ourselves into 1 Corinthians Chapter 14! The word for woman in our English translation is the Greek word Guné [strongs No: 1135] It is the only word used for woman and wife in the entire NT. Strong's Concordance translates the word as follows: a woman, specifically a wife.
In many, many places in the NT you immediately understand that it is married women involved, eg Matthew 22:27, Mark 10:11-12, Luke 1:5, John 19:25, Acts 18:2, 1 Corinthians 5:1, 7:2-4, 7:10-14, 7:16, 7 : 27, 7:33-34, 7:39, 9:5, and many, many more examples!
When we read chapter 14, and the whole context, we immediately understand that it is married women it speaks about here as well:
"If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home."
1 Cor 14:35
And this is the answer to the problem: True femininity is very inquisitive and curious - which is wonderful if it is disciplined, but which can also be destructive if the flesh is taking over: Then it turs to gossip!
The woman's inquisitiveness and curiosity will not disappear just because she is saved, or because she is getting married, or because she is in church!
I experienced this myself regulary every Sunday when I and Stephanie was in church at the beginning of our relationship - and I had to ask some of my married friends if it was the same for them, and so it was! - This is what could happen: My wife reacted to something in the sermon, turning to me asking, and I had to whisper: "Ssccchhhyyyyssss! We can not talk now, finish listening!"
Today she knows that there is no use asking directly. First, the answer is usually given in the message if you just continue to listen, or she asks afterward. (which does not mean that I or any married men have all the answers - on the contrary: most often she has thought more deeply than me, and her question is about something my mind did not even touch upon. Then I say: Oh, I have not thought of that! I do not know the answer, what do you think?)
Probably this entire question is more about male pride: "I certainly do not need to ask someone, I get it anyway!" - then on female curiosity, eagerness and restlessness. The same thing always happens when me and Stephanie are out driving in our car and cannot find our destination: I'm driving around, silent and proud, into every small street, back and forth, and doing everything I can to find our way. Stephanie says directly: "Let's stop here and ask that person."In 99% of the cases, it ends with us stoping to ask someone, it just took a while because I wanted to solve the problem myself. This is such a typical thing that I thought was unique to our relationship, but it has found that 90% of all married couples are exactly alike in the same situation!
The same thing happens often or sometimes when we watch a movie together: She asks me for things I do not have a clue yet in the movie's plot - but she is curious and wants to know!
Obviously God knows about this! He has made the women in this way, and He is blessing it! In the right context, female curiosity and inquisitivity is fantastic!
This was something that even Paul had experienced and seen the bad side of, in the hundreds of congregations he preached in - women who sat and whispered, or maybe even spoke loudly, with their men! Perhaps this was even more common in Corinth; a vibrant, global and liveful Greek city.
Paul realized that this must not go on during the service, but it must be ORDER! (Eureka! That is what the whole chapter is about!) The married women stay calm and quiet in the service – if they have questions, wait until afterwards!
Even my critical mind, who is not easily persuaded, is 100% satisfied by this understanding of 1 Cor 14!
God is more then anyone else longing for all Women of God to rise up and preach in the last days!
"The Lord gives the word, and a great host of women brings the good news"
Psalm 68:11
Now women: It's your job to go out with good tidings! And never let anyone say that Paul had a hate-filled and intense attitude to women - it's just nonsense!
God's attitude to women is amazing! Be secure in your femininity, preaching all your life, become role models and leaders for thousands of young girls in the world, and tell the world about Jesus!
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar