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| View of ancient Corinth in Greece during the summer |
"How grievously misconstrued have been Paul’s words concerning woman in relation to her husband and to the public assembly of Christian believers!
Let us learn once and for all from 1 Cor 11 verse 5 that woman certainly did “prophesy” (i.e. preach or teach, to edify, exhort, comfort, under impulse from the Holy Spirit) in that church of the first days. The words “every woman praying or prophesying” indicate that it was general.
In this passage Paul’s concern is solely that what they wear in thus taking this public part should conform to the preservation of true womanly dignity. The very “authority” (verse 10) which she was to wear on her head (some form of head-dress then in vogue as the proper thing), rather than being meant to advertise inferiority and subjection, was that which protected her right to speak……….
But what then, about 1 Cor 14:34-37 “Let your women keep silent in the churches”? Well, is it thinkable that Paul could so soon and so seriously contradict himself? Remember, he is here answering questions which the Corinthians had asked him by letter. Why had they raised the matter? The reason is not far to seek.
In the early church there was a Judaising party agitating to graft rites and rules of Judaism upon the Christian faith. Ever since Paul’s victorious collision with Peter at Antioch (Gal 2:11-21) his lonely but mighty struggle for the freedom of the Gospel from Jewish legalism had been contested by these Judaisers. They followed Paul in the churches which he founded and did all they could to undermine his authority, professing to represent a superior form of Christianity with the authority of the Jerusalem apostolate behind it.
They held the usual Judaistic view of woman; and it is to their statements that Paul is replying in 1 Cor 14. The component sentences of v34-35 are all from the Oral Law, or tradition of the Elders, which was the armoury of Judaisers. Paul quotes them to repudiate them. That is why he adds, “What! Did the word of God come from you? Or did it come only to you?” Would they set that teaching above his own? “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (v37).
Paul is the champion of women’s liberation, and it is tragic that he has been so misinterpreted….. We write these words with deep feeling because we know what problem and pain have been inflicted on godly women through misunderstanding" (from J Sidlow Baxter: Explore the Book, 1960, p114).
