NBBC SS: 1 Corinthians 14 (Part 4; Women In Ministry)

Introduction: Brothers and sisters, we’re going to seek to undertake one more reflection on 1 Corinthians 14, particularly focusing on vv. 34-35. It is my prayer that this reflection will afford some more clarity than what we were able to cover last time.

Brothers and sisters, what do we need to remember as we reflect on this passage? - Paul is talking to a group of individuals that he sees the Lord at work in!

Additionally, what has just come before this passage? 1 Corinthians 13. Therein we’re reminded by God’s Spirit in v. 7 that love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Brothers and sisters, we have to approach this passage believing one another’s sincerity, as long as we don’t have good reason to suspect sin. In biblical love, we have to approach this passage remaining firmly confident that the Lord is producing His Own likeness in His children that prompts us to work through whatever it is that we encounter.

34 The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.

In hearing these verses, we might be tempted to think, “Ok, our female classmates can never ask a question or Stacey can never take prayer requests in our class again.”

I don’t believe that’s what Paul is getting at here.

Instead, I believe that Paul is prohibiting a woman from exercising teaching authority over her adult male counterparts.

First, Paul expects women to pray and prophesy according to 1 Corinthians 11:5; so, there’s some expectation of women using their voices in church.

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Hence, a woman’s encouragement to pray, as our sister Stacey undertakes, is well within the Scriptural parameters that Paul has previously laid out.

1 Cor 14:26, “assemble” suggests whole church.

Hence, no restrictions on the composition of the group.

The implication is that women would be there “praying and prophesying” (cf. 1 Cor 11:5).

Additionally, Paul uses the phrase “desire to learn” to provide some clarity in restricting the scope of the speaking to a circumstance where teaching is taking place, 1 Cor 14:35.

Further, Paul uses the word “to speak” elsewhere to refer to either himself or the Law (the OT, the Pentateuch) as providing instruction through its speaking (cf. Rm 3:19; 1 Cor 9:8).

Additionally, Paul has provided similar instruction elsewhere, rooting a woman’s submission to adult male teaching authority in creation order in 1 Tim 2:9-15.

Importantly, notice how closely Paul joins “not permitted to speak,” with “to subject themselves.”

Remember, “to speak” can have with it an instructional idea, that is speaking in order to provide teaching.

If we’re looking at an instructional context, that is where adult male spiritual leadership in the church is providing instruction, but Paul has to tell the women “to subject themselves,” then what’s going on here?

The temptation for a woman to vocalize her objection to what is being taught by the adult male leadership in the church.

Importantly, Paul does not say that a woman can never vocalize her opposition to what her adult male leadership is being taught.

Instead, Paul identifies that if she wants to do this, if she wants to learn and either be affirmed in her concern or receive additional instruction that resolves her concern, then she can do with her husband at home.

Truthfully, it doesn’t often wait until we get home but once we get into the car!

Then, in that conversation between the husband and wife one of two things should happen.

The husband may offer additional insight into his wife’s concern to resolve her concern, culminating with the wife’s edification.

Alternatively, the husband may share his wife’s concern and either the two of them or just the husband brings it up with the adult male spiritual leadership who had taught God’s Word.

This in turn will lead to one of two things happening.

The teacher may provide additional insight that resolve’s the couple’s concern.

Otherwise, the teacher may affirm their concern and then seek to provide clarity to the church at the next available opportunity.

Brothers and sisters, what should happen in either scenario?

Edification!

All parties are edified as a result!

Truthfully, brothers and sisters, I’ve shared with you an ideal circumstance.

I know that our sin nature will sometimes impede this effort that may lead to division and even culminate with church discipline.

But, in an ideal circumstance in which all parties are submitted to the Holy Spirit, edification should be the outcome!

When I think of this passage, I’m reminded of what Priscilla and Aquilla did with Apollos in Acts 18:24-28).

Apollos was preaching in public but was only acquainted with John’s baptism.

Instead of calling him out in public, this husband wife team took him aside and gave him private instruction.

Brothers and sister, we’re not told that Priscilla was the one who recognized something was off in Apollos’ message.

But we are told that the both of them worked in tandem with one another to privately instruct Apollos.

Dear sisters, God’s Spirit speak to you as well and has identified that perfect place to address your concerns when an adult male spiritual teaching authority says something that you disagree with so that mutual edification is the result, privately.

The truth is, I may say something that is unclear in Sunday School or while I preach.

One of you ladies may notice this and have a question about it.

You then go home and address it with your husband.

Your husband then does one of two things.

Either he also affirms your concern.

Or, he provides clarity on what was said.

If there’s a concern, then in following God’s creation order in Gen 2 that Paul reiterates in 1 Cor 11, either the husband or, as demonstrated with Priscilla and Aquilla, you and your husband come and address that concern with me.

For those of our sisters who are single, your thought might be, “Who can I go to?”

Importantly, this passage specifically gives married women particular recourse when they have reason to disagree with what their adult male spiritual leader has taught them from God’s Word.

However, the principle remains the same - when it comes to exercising Bible teaching authority over an adult male in the church, women are restricted from doing so within the assembly.

So, how can a single sister submit to this teaching when she does not have a husband.

This is where I believe that the other passages of the NT come into play.

Consider Titus 1:9 “9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”

Brothers and sisters, what Paul is describing here is the ability of one in spiritual leadership in the church, particularly elders/deacons to be able to take God’s word and instruct others.

Hence, they are the ones that any member of the church could turn to for clarification, even when another teacher says something wrong or could use more understanding.

Thus, brothers and sisters, this is why during deacon nomination season you heard your spiritual leadership emphasizing that, when you nominate someone to serve as a deacon, that should be someone who would pray with you voluntarily or if asked and you could ask a question about God’s Word and they would humbly seek to provide more clarity.

The Lord has provided for you trusted spiritual leaders in this church through our deacons and our pastor.

I would encourage you to seek one of them if you, as a single woman, have a concern.

Another question that may loom large in this discussion concerns, “When have I crossed that line from asking a question to assuming teaching authority over a man?”

Sisters, this is where you need to depend on the Spirit’s help for discernment.

You can ask questions in such a way as you are prompting your adult male spiritual leadership that you have submitted to to exercise their teaching authority.

But, if in your heart you know that in your question or statement you would be publicly challenging their teaching authority and asserting your own authority to teach, then it’s best to have that discussion with your husband or adult male spiritual leadership in the pastors and/or deacons.

At this point, Paul has addressed women teaching or challenging the spiritual teaching authority of other adult men.

I’m sure that the question now is, how can women function in the church?

Do we need to reevaluate the ways that our sisters are serving so that they are not exercising Bible teaching authority over men?

In short, the answer to the last question is, I believe that our sisters in the current public service roles that they are undertaking are functioning within the Scriptural parameters outlined here and elsewhere.

When our sister Pam shared a testimony among the whole congregation last week, she was essentially functioning in the role of prophecy: edifying, exhorting, and consoling that is encouraged of all women in 1 Cor 11:5!

For example, Titus 2:3-4 very clearly prescribes a teaching ministry that women can have with other women, that even extends to the home.

Titus 2:3–5 “3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.”

Dear sisters, look at the high calling that God gives to women’s teaching ministry!

The effect of women teaching other women is, “so that the word of God will not be dishonored(!)”

Sisters, your teaching ministry with other women is to uphold the integrity of God’s Word in the place where everyone must visit, the home!

Consider as well the importance of women in children’s ministry.

1 Timothy 5:9–10 “9 A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man, 10 having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work.”

Brother and sisters, Paul is discussing with Timothy matters pertaining to the church and, by implication, women in the church who fall into the category of widow.

In other words, these are church women!

I want for you to notice the phrase “if she has brought up children” (cf. 1 Ti 5:10).

The implication of what Paul is teaching to Timothy here is that this is something that women within the church do!

In fact, if we were to look all across Scripture, there is particularly an emphasis in Proverbs on children receiving the instruction of their parents, including their mom! (cf. Pr 1:8-9; 6:20-3; 23:22-5; 31:1, 26-8)

Hence, Scripture places a value on the role of women in teaching children God’s Word.

While the Scriptures do not explicitly encourage women to go outside of their family to instruct little ones in the church, the Scriptures do instruct mothers (along with fathers, cf. Dt 6) to teach their children Scripture.

Hence, godly parents are suitable candidates for teaching other children also.

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Conclusion: …