1 Corinthians 14:34

As in all the churches of the saints, let the women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law.

Before dealing with this as it may be applied in all generations, it should first be observed that the primary meaning has to be, "Do not let the women speak in tongues under any circumstances." This command comes right in the middle of an extensive treatise on tongue-speaking; and to blow this up to a universal law that no woman might open her mouth in a church service is simply contrary to all reason. As Glenn Wallace once paraphrased this: "As for tongue-speaking, don't let the gals do it at all!" This applied even if an interpreter was present.

It is not permitted unto them to speak ... That is, it was not permitted for them to speak in tongues, that having been the subject Paul was discussing. Significantly, even in these times of the alleged reappearance of this gift, it is almost invariably the women who catch on to it first, and later their husbands. Thus Pat gets it from Shirley, Tom gets it from Mabel, etc., just like Adam took the forbidden fruit from the hands of Eve.

But let them be in subjection, as also saith the law ... This prohibition was directed against the arrogant leadership of some of the Corinthian women in the promotion of a fad, that of speaking in tongues. Their vigorous advocacy of it had cast them in a role of immodesty and rebellion even against their husbands, hence Paul's rule as stated here. It was this sinful usurpation of their husbands' status as head of the family which was the essence of their wrongdoing. Not so much their voices being heard in a Christian assembly, but the rejection of lawful authority, is the thing suggested by Paul's statement that the Law of Moses forbade it.

The impossibility of reconciling the radically opposed views of scholars and commentators on this passage has the effect of sending us back to the Old Testament, to which Paul appealed in this verse.

Upon the occasion of the creation and fall, God said to Eve, "Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee" (Genesis 3:16). Even prior to that, Eve was designated as a "help" suitable for man (Genesis 2:18). Thus, from the very beginning the authority of the family was vested in the man. The Corinthian women had violated that intention and Paul immediately assigned two reasons for forbidding the action (speaking in tongues publicly) which frustrated God's purpose.

These reasons were: (1) The Old Testament gave man the authority over the family, as in verses cited above, and (2) the customs of the age made it shameful for a woman to speak in public. The first of these reasons, of course, is the greater, the other having been removed by the customs of subsequent ages. Some would do away with these rules altogether on the grounds that there is "neither male nor female" in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28); but, as McGarvey declared, "This is unwarranted; for while the gospel emancipated woman, it did not change her natural relation"[15] in the hierarchy of the family. From this, it is to be inferred that rule (1) is still operative in the sense in which it is applied in the Old Testament. Paul's appeal here to the Old Testament proves this. What then was the force of the rule under the old covenant?

1. Many exceptions to the rule were allowed and approved by God.

(a) Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her (Exodus 15:20).

(b) And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time ... and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment (Judges 4:4,5).

(c) So Hilkiah the priest ... went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum ... and they communed with her (2 Kings 22:14).

Clearly, the prophetesses of the Old Testament exercised their gift publicly, even the priests and the king being subject to what they said.

Is it any different in the New Testament? Note the following:

(a) And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel ... which departed not from the temple ... and spake of him (Christ) to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem (Luke 2:36-38).

(b) The apostle Peter, on Pentecost, cited the Old Testament Scriptures which prophesied that in the times of the new covenant, "Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy" (Acts 2:17).

From these passages from both testaments, it is clear that the total exclusion of women from any public speaking did not occur, nor was the action of such women construed as "usurping authority" over a man. Anna spoke openly in the temple to everybody; and all Israel went "up to Deborah" for judgment.

The whole tenor of the Bible, therefore, forbids the arbitrary enforcement of Paul's "Let your women keep silent" beyond the theater of its first application. Again from McGarvey:

The powers of woman have become so developed, and her privileges have been so extended in gospel lands, that it is no longer shameful for her to speak in public; but the failing of one reason is not the cessation of both. The Christian conscience has therefore interpreted Paul's rule rightly when it applies it generally and admits of exceptions.[16]

Of course, the gift of prophecy is no longer found in the church; but again to quote McGarvey:

The gift of prophecy no longer exists; but, by the law of analogy, those women who have a marked ability, either for exhortation or instruction, are permitted to speak in the churches. ... The law is permanent, but the application of it may vary. If man universally gives woman permission to speak, she is free from the law in this respect.[17]

McGarvey's comment written during the previous century cannot be set aside as a mere catering to current trends.

In this context, it is not amiss to point out that the appearances of prophetesses in both Old Testament and New Testament seem to have been simultaneous with periods of decadence and spiritual lethargy.

George W. DeHoff, a current church leader and a scholar of great discernment, vigorously supported McGarvey's position on this question, saying:

No verse in the Bible teaches that women must teach God's word at home, or in private, those limitations having been added by false teachers. Any teaching that does not usurp authority over a man does not violate this passage.[18]

Some things, however, are forbidden to women in the Christian religion. By Scriptural definition, a woman may not be an elder of the church, nor a deacon, nor an evangelist. Phoebe (Romans 16:1) was not a deacon in any official sense. See comment on this in my Commentary on Romans, pp. 508-510. Churches presuming to appoint deaconesses do so without Scriptural authority, and without any guidelines as to the needful qualifications.

Women may not be appointed to the eldership of a church, because, like most men, they are unqualified. None of them may be "the husband of one wife," etc. Moreover the essential authority of the eldership is such that a woman's place in it would violate the primal law regarding her lawful subordination to her husband. To make a woman an elder would indeed "usurp authority over a man," in fact all the men of her congregation. The idea of "teaching a man" as a violation of that law is, however, far-fetched. Did Priscilla usurp authority over Apollos when she (and her husband) taught him the word of God (Acts 18:24ff)?

Women may not be evangelists. The notable violations of this during our own times have in no sense cast any reflections upon the wisdom of this rule, but rather have confirmed it as divine. The office of the evangelist is one of authority in the name of God; and as DeHoff expressed it:

She cannot be an evangelist for the reason that an evangelist must rebuke with all authority, the very thing the inspired apostle Paul has forbidden her to do (1 Timothy 2:11,12); but women who are faithful Christians may certainly teach God's word in Bible classes, at home or in the meeting house.[19]

What is said of women being elders, deacons or evangelists is also true of their being "preachers" in any sense whatever; because it is the duty of all preachers to be evangelists, even if their preaching sometimes gives little evidence of respecting their commission. Every preacher or evangelist is commanded to "Reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (1 Timothy 4:2).

[15] J. W. McGarvey, Commentary on First Corinthians (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1916), p. 143.

[16] Ibid.

[17] Ibid.

[18] George W. DeHoff, Sermons on First Corinthians (Murfreesboro, Tennessee: The Christian Press, 1947), p. 99.

[19] Ibid., p. 100.