What Is the Bible Saying Regarding Women Being Silent in Church?
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For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. — 1 Corinthians 14:33-35
This regulation from the word of God in 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 concerning women has enraged many in the church. Over the past 100 years or so, these few verses have been at the center of numerous church divisions and untold strife. In fact, so upsetting are these verses that many evangelical scholars have just erased them from Scripture, claiming they are a latter scribal addition in an attempt to make Paul orthodox. They think Paul could never write something that seems so bigoted and sexist. These critics claim to know better than Paul himself what Paul could or could not write.
The apostle is addressing authoritative speaking in worship to represent God’s voice.
Therefore, it is wise for us to consider what Paul is saying here, for there are few verses less popular in our day and age. First of all, when Paul says it is not permitted for a woman to speak in church, this speaking is limited by the context. All the speaking Paul has been dealing with in this chapter to this point is tongue speaking and prophecy; it is the authoritative speaking in worship to represent God’s voice.
In short, it is not permitted for a woman to participate in the official teaching and preaching of God’s word in corporate worship. Thus, Paul’s order for women to be silent doesn’t refer to congregational singing. It does not include the corporate voice of all the saints to respond to God; women can sing, confess their faith, and join together in corporate prayers.
The truth of the Old Testament supports Paul’s regulation.
Secondly, Paul grounds his command by saying, “as the Law also says.” The truth of the Old Testament supports Paul’s regulation. Yet, Paul does not refer here to any one specific Old Testament text; rather, this “Law says” reflects a general principle or truth found through the Old Testament. And what is this? Well, it refers to the fact that women were forbidden from the priesthood.
Women could not be God’s anointed king. And with the exception of a few prophetesses, all the main prophets of Israel were men. All the special offices of the Old Testament were limited to men. Thus, Paul says the New Testament church is consistent with this Old Testament reality. And Paul explained back in 1 Corinthians 11 why this is the case.
God has only revealed himself as male, and God is officially represented in worship in the preaching of his word.
There, Paul said man was the image of God, meaning he was the representation of God:
For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. (1 Cor. 11:7)
This meant God has only revealed himself as a man; Christ was incarnate as a man and not a woman. And in the offices of the covenant, God is represented. So, God is officially represented in worship in the preaching of God’s Word. This is why Paul says it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. To do so is for the woman to cast God as a female, which is not proper. It goes against God-ordained order.
Thus, this regulation about women has nothing to do with worth or ability. Women are equally created in the image of God. Women are equal partakers of Christ, full heirs. Likewise, women are just as intelligent as men. They can speak just as well, exegete Scripture just as well, and understand God’s word just as well. Paul very explicitly limits this command to being in church. This regulation does not apply outside church; it does not in any way prohibit women from being bosses, senators, or presidents.
We need to follow God’s order for the church that has been given to us in Scripture.
This is a regulation for the church where God is officially represented in the preaching of his Word and the shepherding of his covenant people. It applies to God’s spiritual kingdom of the church, not to the common kingdom of unredeemed humanity. And in the church, we need to follow this order, even if it is hard for us or we don’t care for it.
Sadly, many today measure the Spirit by their own experience rather than God’s word. It is whatever seems good to us. But this standard is merely to place our subjective thoughts over God’s word. But Paul gives us a rule for us to know the work of the Spirit—God’s written word. The apostolic truth, which is the Lord’s command, is a true measure of spirituality.
God has called for an ordered and true worship because he longs to love us in Christ as our true heavenly Father. This is how God cares for us. This is how Christ shepherds us. This is how the Spirit effects sanctification in us. This is how God’s love instructs us and encourages and comforts us in his love.
This article is adapted from the Rev. Zach Keele’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 14:26-40, preached on September 25, 2011, and was originally published at Beautiful Christian Life on July 1, 2020.