1 Corinthians 14:34-40 - Women should remain silent

14:34,35

A verse here on women keeping silent! Now we need to remember that in chapter 11:5 Paul speaks about women praying or prophesying, so this verse cannot mean an absolute ban on women speaking in church. There are various views on how this should be interpreted. One is that women should, at least on the whole, not speak in church meetings. Another is that in the culture of the time it would have been regarded as a disgrace for women to speak in church meetings, ie the world would have then had disdain for the church. The complete reverse is, of course, now the case. A third view is that Paul is referring to discussions about whether a prophecy was in fact from God or not, a women are to keep out of such discussions (arguments!). Keeping in submission “as the Law demands” may refer back to Gen 3:16. Finally, it could be women asking questions or discussing other matters in the middle of a meeting. Something along these latter lines seems most likely in view of the instruction for women to ask their husbands at home.

14:36,37

Paul now rebukes the Corinthians. They were very full of themselves, Paul reminds them that the word of God came to them, not from them. They considered themselves wiser and better than other churches, when this was far from the case. So Paul urges them to have a bit of humility. If they were truly spiritual they would recognise that Paul was giving godly teaching. So we see here Paul being fully aware of the authority that he had in Christ.

14:38

Recognizing apostolic authority then they were not walking in the Spirit. How do we apply this today? It could certainly, and no doubt is sometimes, be grossly misapplied, with people claiming to be apostles and demanding respect when they are nothing of the sort. One things that it most definitely can mean is that if anyone is walking in the Spirit they will recognise and respect the apostolic teaching in the Bible. So anyone who rejects the teaching of the Bible is definitely not obeying God.

14:39,40

Paul then rounds off his teaching on gifts. They (and we) were to earnestly desire the gift of prophecy. Speaking in tongues was not to be forbidden, ie there was not to be an overreaction to the misuse of the gift. But everything was to be done in a proper and orderly manner.