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Verses — pvj-14: Women "Keep Silence" vs Jesus Teaching Women

Paul's Restrictive Passages

1 Corinthians 14:26-40 (Full context)

1 Corinthians 14:26 — "How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying." 1 Corinthians 14:27 — "If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret." 1 Corinthians 14:28 — "But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God." 1 Corinthians 14:29 — "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge." 1 Corinthians 14:30 — "If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace." 1 Corinthians 14:31 — "For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted." 1 Corinthians 14:32 — "And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets." 1 Corinthians 14:33 — "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." 1 Corinthians 14:34 — "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." 1 Corinthians 14:35 — "And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." 1 Corinthians 14:36 — "What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?" 1 Corinthians 14:37 — "If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." 1 Corinthians 14:38 — "But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant." 1 Corinthians 14:39 — "Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues." 1 Corinthians 14:40 — "Let all things be done decently and in order."

1 Timothy 2:8-15

1 Timothy 2:8 — "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." 1 Timothy 2:9 — "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;" 1 Timothy 2:10 — "But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works." 1 Timothy 2:11 — "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection." 1 Timothy 2:12 — "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." 1 Timothy 2:13 — "For Adam was first formed, then Eve." 1 Timothy 2:14 — "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." 1 Timothy 2:15 — "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety."

Paul's Egalitarian Passages

Galatians 3:26-29

Galatians 3:26 — "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:27 — "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:28 — "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:29 — "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

1 Corinthians 11:3-16 (Women praying/prophesying)

1 Corinthians 11:3 — "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." 1 Corinthians 11:4 — "Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head." 1 Corinthians 11:5 — "But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven." 1 Corinthians 11:11 — "Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 11:12 — "For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God."

Romans 16 (Paul's women co-workers)

Romans 16:1 — "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:" Romans 16:2 — "That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also." Romans 16:3 — "Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:" Romans 16:6 — "Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us." Romans 16:7 — "Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me." Romans 16:12 — "Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord."

Philippians 4:3

Philippians 4:3 — "And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life."

Titus 2:3-5

Titus 2:3 — "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;" Titus 2:4 — "That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,"

Jesus and Women (Gospel Evidence)

Luke 10:38-42 (Mary at Jesus' feet)

Luke 10:38 — "Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house." Luke 10:39 — "And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word." Luke 10:40 — "But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me." Luke 10:41 — "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:" Luke 10:42 — "But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

John 4:7-27, 39-42 (Samaritan woman)

John 4:7 — "There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink." John 4:9 — "Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans." John 4:10 — "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." John 4:25-26 — "The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he." John 4:27 — "And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?" John 4:39 — "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did."

Matthew 28:1-10 (Women first witnesses of resurrection)

Matthew 28:1 — "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre." Matthew 28:5-7 — "And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead..." Matthew 28:9-10 — "And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me."

John 20:11-18 (Mary Magdalene commissioned)

John 20:16 — "Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master." John 20:17 — "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." John 20:18 — "Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her."

Quotation-Refutation Pattern in 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 6:12

"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."

1 Corinthians 7:1

"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman."

1 Corinthians 14:36 (the refutation marker?)

Greek: H aph' humon ho logos tou Theou exelthen, e eis humas monous katenthesen? "What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?" Note: "monous" is masculine accusative plural — addressed to males only.

OT Women Prophets / Acts Fulfillment

Joel 2:28-29 / Acts 2:17-18

Acts 2:17 — "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:" Acts 2:18 — "And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:"

Acts 21:9

"And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy."

Acts 18:26 (Priscilla teaching)

"And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly."

Greek Analysis Notes

Key vocabulary distinction

  • 1 Cor 14:34 uses sigao (G4601) — "be silent" — same word used for tongue-speakers (14:28) and prophets (14:30) in this chapter
  • 1 Tim 2:11 uses hesuchia (G2271) — "quietness/tranquility" — a different word suggesting a quiet demeanor rather than absolute silence

Greek of 1 Cor 14:36

  • e (G2228) — disjunctive particle "or" / "what?" — can introduce a rhetorical rejection of the preceding statement
  • monous (G3441) — masculine accusative plural — "you men only" — the gender is significant if Paul is rebuking males who want to silence women
  • Paul uses this same rhetorical "e" pattern elsewhere in 1 Corinthians to rebut stated positions

authenteo (G831) — 1 Tim 2:12

  • Hapax legomenon — appears only once in the entire NT
  • Semantic range debated: "exercise authority" vs "domineer/usurp authority"
  • The KJV renders it "usurp authority" suggesting illegitimate authority