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).
Paul continues his instruction in chapter 14. In verse 26 he states that "When you come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation: let all things be done to edification". To prophesy is to speak or write by divine inspiration, usually in relation to the scriptures. Imagine the scene in the church at Corinth as everyone tried to speak in tongues and prophesy all at once. Indeed, in verse 23 Paul said that if a non-Christian walked into the gathering they would think they were all mad! One of the things Paul wanted to accomplish with this Epistle was to introduce some guidelines for the worship. His guiding principle is that gatherings should be edifying. Paul says that speaking in tongues can only be edifying if someone is there to interpret (verse 5). He would rather speak 5 words that can be understood than 10,000 that cannot (verse 19). In verse 27 he says no more than 3 people should speak in tongues. If no one present is able to interpret (a gift of the Holy Spirit) then the speakers should keep silent and speak to God alone (verse 28). Those who prophesy should do so one by one, so that all may learn and be exhorted (verse 31).
Women keeping silence in church makes a lot more sense when we understand this subtext in 1 Corinthians. Paul is not saying that women do not have the authority to speak in Church. Indeed, this notion would directly contradict what Paul said earlier in chapter 11:5 where he specifically references women praying and prophesying in Church. Rather, in accordance with the rest of chapter 14, Paul is trying to create more ordered worship in the church at Corinth. When he says that "it is not permitted [women] to speak", he uses the Greek λαλέω (transliterated: laleo). It can be used to mean a speech or announcement, but it usually means to babble, to make a vocal utterance or to hold conversation. Importantly, it is the same word used to refer to those speaking in tongues, those who are accused of babbling away in church to the detriment of the congregation in the first half of the chapter. Paul does not single out women!
In 1 Corinthians 11:35 he says that if the women want to learn something they should ask their husbands when they get home. This verse makes it clear that some women were promoting further disorder in the liturgy by interjecting with comments and questions. The questions themselves were not wrong because they wanted to learn, but it was inappropriate to disrupt the service with them. This is the "shame" St. Paul talks about in verse 35. Can you imagine someone interrupting the consecration at Mass because they did not know what was happening? It is good that they want to find out, but it is not an appropriate time to do so! Finally, in saying that women should ask their husbands these questions when they get home, Paul is not placing a limitation on who can answer questions, he is merely giving husbands as an illustration. It is true that most women would have asked their husbands, but there were surely some single women in the congregation. Those women may have asked family members or trusted friends, including other women.
Christians and non-Christians alike may balk at 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. However, when viewed in the context of its chapter and the broader context of the epistle it is apparent that, far from condemning women's participation in worship, Paul is simply exhorting the Corinthians to a more ordered and edifying form of worship.
Women keeping silence in church makes a lot more sense when we understand this subtext in 1 Corinthians. Paul is not saying that women do not have the authority to speak in Church. Indeed, this notion would directly contradict what Paul said earlier in chapter 11:5 where he specifically references women praying and prophesying in Church. Rather, in accordance with the rest of chapter 14, Paul is trying to create more ordered worship in the church at Corinth. When he says that "it is not permitted [women] to speak", he uses the Greek λαλέω (transliterated: laleo). It can be used to mean a speech or announcement, but it usually means to babble, to make a vocal utterance or to hold conversation. Importantly, it is the same word used to refer to those speaking in tongues, those who are accused of babbling away in church to the detriment of the congregation in the first half of the chapter. Paul does not single out women!
In 1 Corinthians 11:35 he says that if the women want to learn something they should ask their husbands when they get home. This verse makes it clear that some women were promoting further disorder in the liturgy by interjecting with comments and questions. The questions themselves were not wrong because they wanted to learn, but it was inappropriate to disrupt the service with them. This is the "shame" St. Paul talks about in verse 35. Can you imagine someone interrupting the consecration at Mass because they did not know what was happening? It is good that they want to find out, but it is not an appropriate time to do so! Finally, in saying that women should ask their husbands these questions when they get home, Paul is not placing a limitation on who can answer questions, he is merely giving husbands as an illustration. It is true that most women would have asked their husbands, but there were surely some single women in the congregation. Those women may have asked family members or trusted friends, including other women.
Christians and non-Christians alike may balk at 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. However, when viewed in the context of its chapter and the broader context of the epistle it is apparent that, far from condemning women's participation in worship, Paul is simply exhorting the Corinthians to a more ordered and edifying form of worship.