Should Women Be Silent in Church?
There is a prohibition against women being pastors.
"But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence" (1 Timothy 2:12).
So women should not be pastors, both teaching and enforcing that which is taught.
And women must be totally silent.
Just kidding. The King James "in silence" is the Greek "en hesuchia", which, within the context, is more accurately rendered as "having a quiet demeanor".
In a parallel scripture (2 Corinthians 14:34) the King James "keep silence" is from the Greek "sigao" more correctly rendered within the context as: hold their peace.
As we approach the end, women will be prophets, prophesying events to take place (Joel 2:28). Men need to get used to the fact that women are going to be prophets (prophetesses). And women need to be sure that their head is covered when they prophesy (1 Corinthians 11:5-9). They should not have a short butchy haircut.
Older women are to teach the young women (Titus 2:3-5).
It is certainly okay for women to correct and offer constructive criticism to elders and evangelists who need more knowledge of the way of God. This is exactly the help that Aquila and Priscilla gave to Apollos (Acts 18:24-26).
Also, your sons and daughters shall prophesy in the last days (Joel 2:28). This happened in the first century AD (Acts 2:17, Acts 21:9), and it will happen in the years just ahead of us.
When these women prophesy, they will not be remaining silent.
Traditionalists may ask, "Why did Paul exhort the women to be quiet?"
During the time of the apostles, the Sabbath services occurred in synagogues, men separated from the women by a barrier running down the length of the building. Obviously, the women were the ones with the babies and children. So, thanks usually to a baby crying, a woman might shout to her husband on the other side of the barrier, "What did the speaker just say?" It was disruptive. That is the reason Paul said let them ask their husband at home (1 Corinthians 14:35).
Let us be careful, as we approach the end, to be willing to give up our prejudices and our pre-conceived ideas in order to have a better grasp of reality. Only through breaking free from set patterns and traditions of men can we be ready for the wonderful kingdom of God.
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Copyright 2008 Wily Elder
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