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1 Corinthians 11 & 14
by Jon Zens
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The tendency is for people to allow the “silence” passage of 1 Corinthians 14 to silence many other portions of Scripture, or to allow the “speaking” passage in 1 Corinthians 11 to override other parts of the New Testament. We need to be more honest with Scripture. I believe a pattern can be established, beginning with the Day of Pentecost, that would lead us to modify the “absolute silence” position which stresses 1 Corinthians 14:34-35.
Acts 1:5 informs us that there were a band of 120 believers. They were in a room, and they all — men and women — continued in prayer. It was not a men*s prayer meeting.
On the Day of Pentecost “all” were involved in what occurred (Acts 2:1-4). All were filled with the Spirit, and all spoke in tongues. When Peter interprets what happened, he cites the prophet Joel. When the Spirit is poured out in the last days, it is specifically stated that “sons and daughters will prophesy even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days” (Acts 2:17-18). Prophesying is not limited to men.
Acts 18:1-4 mentions a husband-wife team, Priscilla and Aquila, who both made tents and worked with Paul. Later, Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos speak, invited him into their home, and explained to him some further implications of the gospel Paul calls them both “fellow-helpers” (sunergous) in Rom 16:3.
Acts 21:9 informs us that Philip had four daughters “who had the gift of prophecy.”
Romans 16:1-2 indicates that Phoebe had some eminence in the church at Cenchrea.
1 Corinthians 7:3-5 teaches a deep mutuality in the marriage relationship. Neither husband nor wife has “authority” over their own bodies, but each submits to the other. They are not to separate from one another for devotional purposes unless it is done by mutual agreement (sumphonou).
1 Corinthians 11:5 tells us that women prayed and prophesied in church meetings. Efforts to locate such activities of women outside of the corporate meetings are futile.
1 Corinthians 12 emphasizes the functioning of every part of the body — “but to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (v. 7). What would lead us to believe that the gifts like those mentioned in verses 8-10 are limited to men — especially in light of Acts 2:17-18?
1 Corinthians 14 involves the whole body “all of you” (v. 5), “whole church,” “all speak in tongues” (v. 23), “all prophesy” (v. 24), “each of you has a psalm, etc,” (v. 26), “you may all prophesy one by one” (v. 31), “all may learn, all may be comforted” (v. 31).
The whole flow of Acts and Paul to this point involves the whole body, not roughly one-half of it. Then in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 we have the “silence” passage. In light of other Scriptures, are we to assume that one-half of the priesthood is to be “silent” in the assembly? Wayne Grudem makes some pointed remarks in this regard:
“But the objections to this opinion are so strong that they make it impossible:
(1) Paul clearly allows women to pray and prophesy in public worship in 11:5. Thus, it would be inconsistent for him to forbid all speech by women in 14:34-35.
(2) Such a major modification of Paul*s teaching in these chapters would not come as a minor note in two short verses just before his conclusion. From the very beginning Paul has been speaking of the ability of every member of the congregation to use some gift for the common good (12:7,11). As recently as 14:26 he reinforced that position (cf. hekastos) with respect to public worship. But for him now suddenly to add a postscript revealing that he really had meant to talk to only about one-half of the congregation (the men) would make 12:1-14:33a deceptive and misleading in the extreme. . . .
(4) Such a prohibition would be entirely arbitrary and unreasonable for Paul. It would neither be required by his central concern in this passage (the promotion of edification in worship, 14:26 b) nor by any elements in what we know of Paul*s thought from his other writings.” (The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, p. 247)
I would not maintain, as Mollenkott does, that 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-14 are a “contradiction” in Paul*s thought about women. But in light of all the evidence, neither does the traditional view appear correct in silencing (and intimidating) one-half of the priesthood based on these texts.
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