In any kind of communication, written or verbal, understanding the context of a statement is essential to its actual meaning. Seeing and hearing the scriptures being quoted outside of their context so often is incredibly frustrating. I am sure this is a familiar scenario: a verse, usually one that is perceived to be disparaging towards a certain category of people, is surgically extracted from its chapter in order to argue some erroneous point, usually that the said verse is in contradiction with another. This operation is usually performed by the ignorant (unwittingly or otherwise) who only read scripture on the literal level without examining its context. The Bible is the inspired Word of God, but it is also a historical text. Context is imperative! One verse I was asked about recently is 1 Corinthians 14:34-35:
"34 Let women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law saith. 35 But if they would learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church".
If we take these verses out of their context, it appears that St. Paul is making a blanket statement about women not being allowed to speak in church. Is it therefore wrong for a woman to pray the responses during Mass? Is it wrong for a woman to pray the Rosary with the congregation? Nonsense! If the verses are examined in the broader context of Paul's first epistle to the church in Corinth, their meaning becomes much clearer. In chapter 11 Paul reprimands the Corinthians for the disorganised nature of their worship. The Corinthians came together for shameful feasts that took place at the same time as Mass. The rich ate their fill of their own provisions before allowing the poor to participate: some had more than enough while others still wanted (verse 21). Communion unites the faithful, but by their behaviour towards each other the Corinthians made it an instrument of discord and disunity. Our Lord said in Matthew 5:23-24 that no one may approach the Altar of God without first reconciling with their brother or sister. Paul warns them to cease the careless manner in which they celebrated Mass by reaffirming the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (verses 23-26). He instructs the Corinthians to feast and socialise at home and not during Mass, warning them that by not "discerning the body of the Lord" they "eateth and drinketh judgement" upon themselves (verse 29).