Leading in...Controversy

Key Issues:

Principles of Hermeneutics

Harmony: Does God contradict Himself in Scripture? Is there an underlying consistency throughout Scripture? We seek a natural harmony. It’s not always easy...

History: God spoke His Word in cultural settings. No word is spoken in a vacuum, always in a cultural context. God did not speak from a distance. He spoke on our level, to the point of stooping to the Incarnation of Jesus. However, this creates interpretation problems for us.

Choices:

Do we adopt a rigid literalist approach? Often this results in attempts to speak “what the Bible plainly teaches.” But, take for example, , when men pray, should they always pray “with hands lifted up”? Is uplifted hands universal or local? Timeless or specific?

Do we adopt a downgraded version to the level of cultural expression only? In other words, is this portion of Scripture out of date and for Paul’s time and place only? Can we still learn anything from it? Take anything of profit? Is it even possible to take a “slick” easy-to-answer approach? For example, perhaps Paul was responding to Temple prostitution at the Temple of Artemis or Diana. He was correcting a radically immoral issue with a radically moral solution. Right?

2. Cultural Transposition: Discern between God’s essential revelation (that which is changeless) and its cultural expression (that which is changeable).

Principle of Cultural Transposition:

Men’s Prayer (v. 8)

Always and Everywhere: Men are to pray in Holiness and Love

Body posture however, is changeable (standing, kneeling, sitting, clapping hands)

2. Women’s Adornment (v. 9-10)

a. Always and Everywhere: Women should adorn themselves in modesty, decency and good deeds

b. Clothing, hairstyles, jewelry may vary according to culture and custom.

3. Women and their Role (v. 11-12)

a. Always and Everywhere: Women should learn in quietness and full submission. Easy.

b.

b. Teaching men, authority over men. Easy? (authenteo): used only here in the NT. Greatly disputed.

Three options:

Women would have authority over the overseer/pastor of the church. Restricts his ability to function.

It might limit women in their roles as wives and mothers. ()

Paul wanted women to “be silent” (be in silence). The word for ‘silence” is the same as the word for “quietness” in v. 11. Most likely Paul was limiting disruptive behavior.

c. vs 13-15 and Primogeniture: Firstborn male inherited a double portion and responsibility of headship of the home.

Application:

Am I on the path of learning from Scripture?

Male headship in the home

Am I on the path of self-confidence regarding Scripture?

Eve’s

How do you view pastoral authority?