'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. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church'.1 Corinthians 14:34-35(KJV)
The same Paul who wrote the above letter to the Corinthians also wrote to them in 1 Corinthians 11.5 thus ' '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'.
In the new testament the gift of prophesy is not the same as one occupying the office of a prophet or a seer as it was common in the old testament.In the analysis of the gifts of the spirit in 1 Corinthian 14,It is quite clear that the gift of prophesy is the same as the gift of preaching.In order word,gift of prophesy is also known as gift of preaching or teaching.
Now if that is the case,does it mean that Paul the Apostle was contradicting himself by recognizing that a woman can preach or teach (pray or prophesy) according to 1 Corinthians 11.5 and that the same woman is not permitted to speak in the church according to 1 Corinthians 14.34-35? Paul did not contradict himself at all,it is only some people who have simply refused to search the scriptures in-dept that have misunderstood the Apostle.
Now if that is the case,does it mean that Paul the Apostle was contradicting himself by recognizing that a woman can preach or teach (pray or prophesy) according to 1 Corinthians 11.5 and that the same woman is not permitted to speak in the church according to 1 Corinthians 14.34-35? Paul did not contradict himself at all,it is only some people who have simply refused to search the scriptures in-dept that have misunderstood the Apostle.
Let us look at 1 Corinthians 14.34-35 again.Paul referred to 'women' which is plural.Paul was not referring to only few women who probably had gift of teaching.May be at most they had 2 or 3 women who were gifted in the area or preaching in a particular assembly.He was only referring to the congregation,for he heard that in the Corinthian church,certain women were used to interrupting the service.The way their seats were arranged in those days was such that the women were in separate wing while the men were at another wing in any place of worship.Even in our world today,some religion or churches still practice this kind of seating arrangement.So certain women would leave their place to meet their husbands in order to ask them questions or to discuss domestic issues even while the service was in progress.That kind of attitude could interrupt the flow of the spirit and engender indiscipline in the church.That was the reason Paul wrote to them that those women should be cautioned and that if they had any question to ask their husbands, that it should be done after the service or whenever they get home.
God had promised in Joel 2.28 that 'And
it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon
all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men
shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:'
The above verse was also quoted by Apostle Peter in Acts 2.17-18
The word daughters underlined in the passage above is a proof that women are not excluded from partaking in the end time outpouring of the Holy Spirit.They are not excluded from participating in moving the church forward.They are not excluded from performing active roles in the church today.God bless you.
Paul the Apostle may have been misunderstood by many believers.
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