1 Corinthians 14:34-35:Evaluation Of Prophecy Revisited -- By: James Greenbury

Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 51:4 (Dec 2008)
Article: 1 Corinthians 14:34-35:Evaluation Of Prophecy Revisited
Author: James Greenbury


1 Corinthians 14:34-35:Evaluation Of Prophecy Revisited

James Greenbury*

* James Greenbury resides at 26 Hansen Court, Ormiston, Queensland, 4160, Australia.

Thomas Schreiner wrote: “I believe the role of women in the church is the most controversial and sensitive issue within evangelicalism today.”1 Whether this is so or not, there can be little doubt that this topic has generated intense and divisive debates which have resulted in significant changes occurring in women’s roles in the church during the last half century.

One of the key texts in the debate concerning the public ministry of women is 1 Cor 14:34–35, where Paul writes,

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.

Throughout history, the majority of commentators have held to a literal interpretation of these words and, as a result, women were not generally involved in public ministry in the church. However, in conjunction with the changing church practice over the past forty or fifty years, many scholars have reassessed this passage and proposed a variety of new interpretations.

Some believe that the passage is culturally conditioned. Others hold that what Paul prohibits in 1 Cor 14:34–35 is some kind of disruptive speech. Some take the word “speaking” in these verses to indicate speaking in tongues. Others have suggested that the women were largely uneducated and were interrupting the proceedings with questions, which were better dealt with by their husbands in their homes. Another suggestion is that Paul is quoting an assertion made by some in Corinth who wanted to exclude women from speaking in church.2

A view that has become more popular in recent years is that the words of 1 Cor 14:34–35 are a non Pauline interpolation. This position has been

extensively defended by Fee and has been revitalized by Payne and Ehrman,3 although Niccum and Miller have provided carefully reasoned responses.4

I. Evaluation Of Prophecy

Perhaps the most popular v...

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