SHALL WOMEN SPEAK IN THE CHURCHES?
By J. P. Henderson
“LET your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.” 1 Cor. 14:34, 35. In considering this text, the principle on which we should proceed is that “when one text, or passage of Scripture, seems to disagree with another, or with the general teaching upon the same subject, the text, or passage, should be carefully considered in the light of all the circumstances attending it, with a view of seeing the harmony the Scriptures express.” The Indianapolis (Ind.) Christian Monitor of June, 1897, publishes, over the signature of Mrs. S. H. Benton, an article which contains some thoughts on this vexed subject so consistent that we venture to present them for the benefit of the readers of the SIGNS. The reasoning may not satisfy all inquiring minds, but it is at least logical. “It is evident, we think, that the church at Corinth was in great disorder. In reading verses 26-34 inclusive, we find that in their meetings the brethren were impatient to speak, and had been guilty of interrupting each other in discourse. This occasioned hard feeling and confusion in the church, hence Paul commanded them to ‘hold their peace,’ or ‘keep silence,’ not forever, but while others were speaking. ‘For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.’ It also appears that women had contributed to this disorder by indulging in improper speech in the church. Paul therefore says, ‘Let your women keep silence in the church.’ Now he can not mean to keep silence absolutely or permanently; for he has already in the same letter recognized woman’s right to speak in the church by directing her not to do so with uncovered head. The brethren have just been commanded to ‘hold their peace’ because they were out of order, and the sisters are here required to keep silence, or end this kind of discourse, because they have been engaged in disorderly and unprofitable talk, as will appear when we consider the following verse. “But before doing so, we will observe that the apostle gives a separate reason why these women should feel especially reproved for having added to the disorder of the church. The reason is, ‘For it is not permitted unto them to speak’ but ‘to be under obedience, as also saith the law.’ Now this law, we believe, is the key that unlocks the whole difficulty. It is the law of woman’s subjection to man, as insisted upon in nature, in reason, and in revelation. It is not a bondage, or anything else that should hinder women from attaining to the highest excellence in the Christian life. Nevertheless, woman is recognized in this passage, as she is elsewhere in Scripture, as being relatively subject to man. For this additional reason, therefore, let your women keep silence in these disorderly meetings—not being absolutely speechless, for she might act more in obedience to the law of her subjection by adopting some other course. But let her be prudent and womanly in her speech and conduct, restraining rather than increasing the disorder of the church. This rendering corresponds with the lesson taught in 1 Tim. 2:11, 12: ‘Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man.’ It is not the silence of the graven image, or the servility of the slave, that is here required; but it is to learn with characteristic modesty and Christlike humility; it is to speak and act in such a manner as conduces to order, which is subjection; it is to behave with true womanliness, which never usurps man’s authority, or assumes to dictate to him in church or elsewhere. “In verse 35 the manner of woman’s offense in this church, as addressed in the command of silence in verse 34, is plainly revealed. It seems they were in the habit of asking questions which caused dispute, and added to the general disorder. Hence Paul says, by way of preventing any excuse for such conduct, If your women wish to learn anything, let them inquire before going to meeting, or inform themselves in some suitable manner, for it is a shame to dispute thus in the church. “Concerning this—‘for it is a shame for women to speak in the church’—it does not contain an independent assertion; but, as the word ‘for’ indicates, it depends upon the first part of the verse for its explanation. What is it that it is a shame to speak in the church?—Evidently it is a shame to ask the questions already referred to, and to engage in the controversy which naturally follows. We also find from our exegesis that, in the regular order of the Greek words, the sentence reads thus, For it is a shame with women to speak it (the controversy) in the church. Let your women therefore inform themselves about these things outside the church, in a quiet, womanly manner; for it is a shame for you to speak it with women in the church; i. e., to ask and answer questions back and forth, causing disorder in the church. Hence Paul says, ‘Let your women keep silence, or end this kind of discourse in the church; especially should they do so, for it is not permitted unto them to speak, except in obedience to the law, or in a womanly manner.’” J. P. HENDERSON.