The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (NASB)
Women are to keep silent in the churches – The problem is that we think of Paul as a modern day Christian, and we read his letters from a modern day Christian paradigm. But the fact is that Paul was a 1st century Jew with a 1st century Judaic paradigm and worldview. And if we aren’t 1st century Jews with that same Hebraic worldview, then interpreting his letters is going to be difficult, especially when we only have Paul’s side of the story and have no idea what the questions were or problems facing the congregations. But for some reason, we read his letters and think we’ve got it all figured out. And so, if you’re a conservative Christian church, then women aren’t allowed to speak or hold positions of authority. Continue reading “Paul, a First Century Jew”