Some scholars believe verses :34-35 of 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen to be interpolations (forgeries)...and for good reason. This is certainly within the realm of possibility as Paul himself admitted that letters “as from him” were being forged and sent to leaders of the early Christian groups (see 2 Thessalonians 2:2). It is difficult to make sense of two verses that contradict the tone and message of, not just Paul's letter to the Believers at Corinth but, the entire body of the scriptures as well.
Why would Paul command women to keep silence among the Out-Called, when earlier in the same letter he wrote that “every one of you” may prophesy? Not to mention he knew the scriptures that said God's daughters would prophesy as well as his sons.
In 1 Corinthians chapter eleven, Paul wrote the protocol for women in praying/preaching/prophesying publicly, when the Out-Called came together. This is likely the reason for the interpolation in chapter fourteen.
To instruct women in public-speaking protocol only to then restrict them to absolute silence among fellow believers is a ridiculous contradiction...and completely out of character for a man who, throughout his ministry, endorsed and honored women as leaders.
Another, not insignificant, reason to consider that verses 34-35 might be interpolations (forged inserts) is the break in continuity. 1 Corinthians chapter 14 deals with the subject of prophesying and speaking in tongues from start to finish. The only exceptions being the jarring diatribe against women in verses 34-35, without which the entire chapter would read seamlessly on the topics of prophesying and speaking in tongues:
29: Let the prophets
speak two or three and let the others judge 30: If anything be revealed
to another that sits by let the first hold their peace 31:
For you may all prophesy
one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted 32:
For the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets 33: Indeed
God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all churches of the saints
34: Let your women keep
silence among the Out-Called for it is not permitted to them to speak but they
are commanded to be under obedience as also says the law 35: And if they
will learn anything let them ask their husbands at home for it is a shame for
women to speak among the Out-Called
36: What came the
word of God out from you or came it to you only 37: If any are
deemed as prophets or spiritual let them acknowledge that the things that I
write to you are the commandments of the Lord 38: But if any be ignorant
[let them] be ignorant 39: Wherefore brethren covet to prophesy and
forbid not to speak with tongues 40: Let all things be done decently and
in order.
Two Points
- There is no law that says women must be under obedience
- There is no scriptural precedent that says it is a shame for women to speak in public
1
Corinthians 14:31 reveals at least three things. 1.) Every
member of the Body of Christ has liberty to speak publicly to other members of
the body of Christ without asking permission from hierarchical group
leadership. 2.) Women are not excluded from publicly and authoritatively
preaching and teaching to other members of the Ekklesia (Body of Christ) 3.)
Women are not excluded from speaking publicly to men, and men are not forbidden
to learn from women.
Verses 34-34 blatantly contradict verse 31 (along with myriads of other verses and passages). Verse 31 is just one of many scriptures that proves complementarian male
headship is an unscriptural paradigm that exalts itself against the knowledge of God...and that verses 34-35 must be forgeries.
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