You, Misogynist...
Notes
Transcript
So, this sermon is the sermon that I was not going to preach on Mother’s Day. Beware any pastor who preaches this passage on Mother’s Day.
Of all passages of Scripture, this is one that I might have recieved the most questions about.
This is also one of a few passages which make liberal Christians squirm. Some theologians accuse Paul of being misogynistic, and claim that his sinful mindset is influencing what he is writing.
Let’s read those few verses:
Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
Many people, when they read those verses, they think about what Paul wrote in 1 Timothy.
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.
Most people read those verses by themselves. However, in Bible study, context is everything. Pulled out of context, we can make the Bible say anything that we want it to say.
The story goes that there once was a man who, in order to seek God’s will for his life, was fond of opening up his Bible and reading whatever verse he first laid his eyes on, so that he might obey it. One day, as this man was going through a particularly difficult time with his family, he sought the Lord for guidance. Opening his Bible and pointing, he found his finger resting on the second part of Matthew 27:5, which read “Then Judas went out and hanged himself.” Puzzled by the Lord’s directions, but still hungry for a word from God, he called a “do-over” and flipped to another page, where his eyes fell on the latter half of Luke 10:37: “Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” Flustered, but chalking it up to coincidence, the man decided to give his method one last chance. Saying a quick prayer, he flipped the pages and inserted his finger between two of them, pointing to the end of John 13:27. There, staring up at him, were these words: “‘What you are about to do, do quickly,’ Jesus told him.”
So, before we dive into the two verses at hand, lets read the context around them.
Paul has been calling the Corinthians out about their bad worship practices. He talked about what to wear, he talked about the Lord’s Supper, he talked about spiritual gifts, focusing on prophecy and speaking in tongues.
Then, he turned to order in worship.
What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
That is the greater context around this passage.
This morning, we are going to explore the Biblical and cultural context around the passage, we will tear apart the actual passage, and then discuss an application for today.
First, will you Pray with me?
1. Context
1. Context
Let’s talk about the context of the passage.
A. Biblically
A. Biblically
Biblically.
This is what we discussed last week, but for the sake of review and those who were not there:
Paul discussed how God is a God of order.
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
At the beginning of time, we see God bringing order into chaos. He brings order into humanity by giving them the rule not to eat that certain type of fruit. In the face of humanity’s sin, he brings order through the law and the sacrificial system. Ultimately, he brings order through the cross, as Jesus took our sin on himself and paid our penalty.
Through this order comes peace. Peace with God
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
and peace with others:
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
Our services are called to reflect that peace and order.
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
Chaos tears a church down. Order builds it up, it brings peace.
The rest of the passage, Paul lists examples of how the worship service should have order.
He talked about how many could speak, how to take turns, etc.
We talked about how not only our services should be in order, but our lives should be in order.
We should be seeking God, studying his word, for ourselves, for our own sake, and asking God: What do I need to repent of, what do I need to change? How does my life need to rearrange so that I can show others who you are, your character in me?
The Corinthians only cared for themselves. Paul, because of the order and peace of God, calls Christians to be self-sacrificing, living in order and peace, so that God can shine through.
B. Culturally
B. Culturally
Okay, now let’s look at what is going on culturally.
For this point, I need to broaden our net to talk about the Christian church at this time, because the Corinthians were not doing what Paul wanted them to do.
Just to give you a picture of the Corinthian church, I want you to say: Blah, blah, blah.
And you to say, Thus he saith!
Now say it at the same time. Chaos. Paul says: don’t do chaos.
Let’s travel to the church in Antioch, or the church in Thessalonica, or the church in Rome.
They all had the same elements and the same desire for order and peace, though they might do things in a different order.
If someone came up to speak, whether it was a prepared message or a spirit-inspired at-the-moment prophecy, that person was to be examined.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
Weigh carefully is the word: evaluate or judge.
He would speak, and then people would question him.
So, pretend that I have finished my message. I would sit or stand up front. Today, I’m going to sit.
And people would start asking questions.
So, you all ask: Does the Bible agree with this?
He will field questions about the content of his message or prophecy.
You all ask: Is the application correct?
He would field questions about the result of the message or prophecy.
The early church was very concerned with the accuracy of teaching. They knew how easily an individual or a church could be led astray away from God.
Now, everyone ask: Is his life correct?
He would field questions and possibly accusations about his life.
An early church writing, called the Didache, or the teaching of the twelve apostles, it was written around 120 AD, which states:
8 But not every one that speaketh in the Spirit is a prophet; but only if he hold the ways of the Lord. Therefore from their ways shall the false prophet and the prophet be known.
The early church believed someone’s life affected one’s message. If someone did not live according to what was taught, they should not be listened to.
All the church’s had this time.
That is the context of this passage.
2. Passage
2. Passage
Now let’s discuss the passage.
In case we have forgotten it, let’s read it again:
Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
Ha! Such a fun passage.
Let’s work through this.
Paul says that women are to remain silent. They are not allowed to speak.
This seemingly contradicts what Paul said earlier in 1 Corinthians 11.
But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.
This praying and prophesying is in the context of a public worship service. So, must have no problem with women speaking up in a church service.
In fact, the letter to the Romans was entrusted by Paul to a gal by the name of Phoebe. At this time, whoever was entrusted to carry the letter was expected to read the letter in the church service. So, Phoebe read that letter in the church service.
Paul through writing and practice has no problem with women speaking in church.
So, why in the world did he say: women be quiet in church! You are not allowed to speak!
That is where the context comes in. The context is order and peace in a church service. The immediate context is the evaluation of the prophets.
In this context, when people are asking questions and making evaluations, the woman is to remain quiet. they are not allowed to speak.
Why is this so?
Paul says: the law says. For the Jews, “the law” is shorthand for the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. But, that is a very broad range of Scripture. Whenever Paul speaks of gender issues, he almost always hits creation, the order that God created at the beginning of time.
Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
God created an order at the beginning of time that he expects to be followed. Adam was created first and given the law. He was tasked with leading. Eve was created next and was given the task of helping Adam.
This order has nothing to do with status or responsibility. It has to do with function. In 1 Cor 14, when Paul says “must be in submission.” The wording can be “keep their ordered place.” They are not to brow-beat their husbands in public, but are to help and support them.
So, think with me what would happen if a husband and wife had an argument on the way to church. He brings a message to the congregation, and she is stewing in her seat. In her mind, she is thinking about all the reasons that he should not be speaking today and all the ways that he doesn’t live what he says, and look he might have taken that verse out of context. Goodness, he didn’t pray with the kids last night, so who is he to think that he can speak for God this morning.
Then comes the time for examination. What will probably happen during that time of examination?
She’s going to take out her verbal shotgun and when she is done, there is going to be nothing left of him.
That is not orderly. That is not peaceful. In fact, Paul says that it is disgraceful.
Why do I think this is the situation which Paul is referring to?
Well, Paul says that a wife can “inquire” of her husband at home.
If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
That word inquire is the same word that is used of the high priest interrogating Jesus.
Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
Do you think that the high priest was nice and polite with Jesus, sitting demurely: “excuse me Jesus, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I am concerned that you are a blasphemer. I’m sorry to trouble you with this.”
This word could be translated: to accost one with an enquiry, to put a question to, to interrogate, to accuse.
When a women is ticked with her husband, she has an avenue to “discuss” his message and life with him, but not in the church service.
Women not speaking in this evaluation time is a blanket statement, because as Jesus said in his hometown Nazareth:
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.”
If Jesus was received by his family, why would we expect a sinner to be accepted all the time by his family?
We’ve looked at the context and the passage.
Now let’s apply it.
3. Application
3. Application
I’m sure that certain ladies in Corinth were ticked when Paul wrote this. They had been lifted up in Christian society, declared to have equal status with men, when the Roman culture said that they were second-class citizens. Now Paul was shoving them down again.
Some might have declared that Paul was quenching the Spirit, because they were being led to speak out, just like those who were prophesying or speaking in tongues. And, didn’t they have the Christian liberty to speak when they wanted to speak? Paul, you’re curbing my liberty!
But, that is the thing, Christianity is about curbing our so-called liberty. We are not our own anymore, we are slaves of Christ. We have freedom now, not to do anything we want to do, but freedom to do that which actually brings life: Glorify our creator through our choices and actions.
Peter writes
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.
As Paul has been exhorting the Corinthians since the beginning of the letter: we are called to be self-sacrificing, pursuing peace and unity for the glory of God. And sometimes that means holding our tongue until another time.
While Paul calls out specific women in this passage, the principle is not gender specific. Paul isn’t pushing women down because they are solely required to be submissive:
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
He wrote that too. Men and women submitting to one another.
Women aren’t the only ones who are required to bite their tongues.
James writes to everyone:
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
I love his imagery.
We are called to pursue peace and unity, for the glory of God. We are called to interact with each other in a way that shows everyone around who God is. Which sometimes means giving something up for the good of the whole. Sitting quietly for a bit, until the right time in private comes up.
The Christian life is about sacrifice, its about having the humility to admit that I am a sinful man and if I go by my gut, I will mess things up.
So, for peace and unity, for order, I will take a beat, pray, and at the right time, I will speak to the person who I think is in the wrong and try to influence him to make it right.
Paul says, in the middle of the church service, not a good time to do it.
And if I have something against my spouse, it is never good to air it in public but to seek reconciliation with my spouse for the glory of God and the good of the church.
We’ve looked at the context, the passage, and now the application.
It all comes back to order in a church service: self-sacrificing for the unity of the whole.