What is Paul saying about men and women in the church?
Paul says two things at once, and both are load-bearing. Men and women are equally God's image, equally redeemed, and equally gifted by the Spirit; both pray and prophesy in the assembly. And God has still given the gathered church an order: the teaching office belongs to men, and the meeting is not run by whoever speaks loudest. Paul grounds this not in Corinthian custom but in Genesis, and then refuses to let anyone treat it as his own opinion.
This question arose from studying What is the Spirit's role when the church gathers? and What does a church need from its leaders?.
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What the Scripture says
He argues from Genesis, not from Corinth, and headship is order rather than worth
The first thing to notice is where Paul goes for his reasoning. He does not reach for local custom, and he never says that women in that city happened to be uneducated. He reaches past Corinth entirely: 'For man is not from woman, but woman from man; for neither was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.' That is Genesis 2, not first-century Greece, the chapter where the woman is made for the man as 'a helper comparable to him.' He makes the same move writing to Timothy: 'For Adam was first formed, then Eve.' Ground a practice in creation rather than culture, and you cannot retire it by announcing that culture changed. Corinth is gone; Genesis is not. Now look at what he actually claims: 'the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.' Read that last clause again. If headship meant inferiority, the eternal Son would be inferior to the Father and the gospel would collapse. Paul puts Christ and the woman in one sentence and insults neither, and he does not deny what Scripture says elsewhere: 'male and female he created them,' both in His image. Order and worth are not enemies in God's design, because they are not enemies in God Himself.
But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
For man is not from woman, but woman from man; for neither was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
For Adam was first formed, then Eve.For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.”And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Paul assumes a woman will pray and prophesy, so 'silent' cannot mean 'never speak'
Chapter 14 is the passage everyone quotes; chapter 11 is the key that unlocks it. There Paul assumes 'every woman praying or prophesying' in the assembly, and he regulates how she does it, not whether she may. He told the whole church to want exactly that gift: 'earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy,' because 'he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.' And he says plainly that 'you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted.' Whatever 14:34 forbids, then, it is not the sound of a woman's voice existing in the gathering. Paul does not contradict himself three chapters apart, and God does not pour out a gift in Joel's promise ('your sons and your daughters will prophesy') and then forbid half of it to be used.
But every woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled dishonors her head. For it is one and the same thing as if she were shaved.But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted.For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
The silence is about the teaching office and the judging of prophets, and Paul says the Lord commands it
Set 14:34 inside the chapter. The room is full of speech, and Paul's worry is that it runs over itself: 'Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern.' The instruction about the wives comes in the middle of that regulating, and 1 Timothy states the same rule for the church's ordinary life: 'But I don't permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.' Notice what that describes: authoritative teaching and the public weighing of doctrine, which is the elders' work. An overseer must be 'good at teaching' and hold the faithful word; the leaders are the ones who 'watch on behalf of your souls,' and they give an account. The issue is not a woman's ability; it is an office, and the office carries the accountability. Then Paul answers the objection before anyone makes it: 'What? Was it from you that the word of God went out?' And the sentence that settles the question of authority: 'the things which I write to you' are 'the commandment of the Lord.' This is not Paul's cultural preference, and it is not overruled by ours.
Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern.Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
let your wives keep silent in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as the law also says.Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
But I don’t permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
What? Was it from you that the word of God went out? Or did it come to you alone?What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
What this does not take away, and the women Scripture names
Nothing above makes a woman less. Both are redeemed on the same terms: 'for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' Both inherit the same promise, which is why Peter calls wives 'joint heirs of the grace of life' and warns a husband that dishonoring his wife hinders his own prayers. Scripture then hands women real, named work. Paul commands older women to be 'teachers of that which is good.' Priscilla and Aquila together 'took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately' when Apollos needed correcting. He commends Phoebe as 'a servant of the assembly that is at Cenchreae,' and names Mary, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and Persis among those who labored in the Lord. Philip had 'four virgin daughters who prophesied,' and Deborah is called 'a prophetess' and judged Israel. And the first witness of the resurrection sent to the disciples was Mary Magdalene: 'Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord.' Anyone told that Scripture never lets a woman speak for God should feel the misrepresentation. Those women are not the church's teaching office: God spoke through Deborah and Anna by direct revelation, and Paul's rule concerns who holds the office answerable for the doctrine of the assembly. What is reserved for men is the office of elder, not the voice, the mind, or the worth.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered.Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the assembly that is at Cenchreae,I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
Greet Mary, who labored much for us.Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.
Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately.And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time.And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
Headship is measured by the cross
A man who reads all of this and concludes he has been handed a license to be harsh has not read the rest of the New Testament. Headship in Scripture is defined by Christ, and Christ defines it by dying: 'Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it.' The one holding the authority is the one who goes first into the suffering. Peter adds that a husband lives with his wife 'according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel,' and warns that mistreating her will hinder his prayers. And Paul, in this same letter to this same church, insists that a husband has no authority over his own body either: 'The wife doesn't have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise also the husband doesn't have authority over his own body, but the wife.' Headship that does not look like the cross is not the headship Paul taught.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered.Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
The wife doesn’t have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise also the husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the wife.The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them.Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
As you read, you may wonder…
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Does God have one specific plan for who I marry?→Suffering & God's Will trail“Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”Does God still speak today?→Prayer trail“God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”What does it mean to be made in God's image?→Who We Are trail“God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”We haven't written this one yet. Take it to your church or small group: the Word answers it wherever it is asked. If we study it here later, all the better.
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Verses to meditate on
But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord. For as woman came from man, so a man also comes through a woman; but all things are from God.Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
But I don’t permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
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