Do women have to remain silent in church?

Here it is plainly laid down that a woman is not to speak in the Church. The expression, "in the church," or "in the churches," is used five times in this chapter and it always means the gathering of Christians in assembly, the coming together of the whole Church. In such an Assembly meeting women are not to speak at all, but are to be in silence and under obedience.

In I Corinthians 11:5 the apostle speaks of a woman praying or prophesying. This passage permits such activity by a woman but does not indicate where it was to be exercised. The 14th chapter distinctly says such ministry of women is not permitted in the Assembiy, but that there she is to keep silent. It is quite evident, then, that it is outside of the Assembly that a woman is to pray and prophesy. Acts 21:8, 9 speaks of Paul's company coming to the house of Philip the evangelist. This man had four daughters who prophesied. It would certainly seem from the context that they prophesied at home and not in the Assembly; this was quite in order.

The first scripture we turn to is the well-known passage in 1 Cor. 14:34-35: "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 anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the Church." Here it is plainly laid down that the woman is NOT to speak in the Church, or assembly. It must be understood that "the Church" here is not a building, or edifice of any kind, but the assembly of God's saints, His people. The expression, "in the Church," or "Churches," is used five times in this chapter (vers. 19, 28, 33, 34 and 35), and it always means the gathering of the Christians in assembly. The place — whether it be a special building, a hall, a private house, or even the open air — is of no importance, as it is not the place, but the persons and purpose of the gathering.

This being understood, we next inquire what the "silence" mentioned here means. Does the apostle mean silence in an absolute sense, or a "conditional silence" as some have suggested, in their efforts to justify the practice of women preaching, praying, or testifying in Christian gatherings? A glance over the chapter down to the 34th verse, makes plain that the apostle is giving instruction to the men as to the exercise of their gift. He says in verse 23, "If therefore the whole Church be come together into one place," etc. They were to speak only one at a time; and two or three speakers was to be the limit; the others were to judge. "Ye may all prophesy one by one," he says. They had carried their speaking to an excess, evidently, for he says in verse 26, "How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, everyone of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying." Whatever the exercises mentioned here may have been, the brethren were abusing their liberty, with too much speaking. This he proceeds to correct, down to end of verse 33. Then he turns to the sisters, and commands that they "keep silence in the Churches." There is no attempt to regulate the manner or frequency of their taking part (as with the men); he simply commands they should be silent, saying, "It is not permitted unto them to speak."

Women were to be silent in the assembly: it was not permitted to them to speak. They were to remain in obedience and not to direct others. The law moreover held the same language. It would be a shame to hear them speak in public. If they had had questions to ask, they might inquire of their husbands at home.

Note that the others who listen are to "judge." That is, even in days when inspired utterances by direct revelation (see verse 30) were given in the assembly, those who listened were to do so with discernment. They were not to receive without testing what they heard. They were never to adopt the attitude of: — "Oh, everything that dear brother A — says must be right!" Such an attitude is a direct incitement to the devil to pervert the ideas of brother A — and so encompass the fall of many. It is a disaster for brother A — as well as his admirers. There is liberty for all the prophets to prophecy, though not of course on any one occasion. If on any given occasion a prophet may have something to say and yet no opportunity occurs, he must restrain himself and wait on God till the opportunity comes. He himself is to be master of his own spirit and not mastered by it.

Verses 34 and 35 deal with the silence of women in the assembly. The instruction is very plain and the word used for "speak" is the ordinary word and does not mean "chatter" as some have made out. This regulation cuts across the spirit of the age, without a doubt. But if that be a reason for ignoring Scripture, there will not be much Scripture left that is not ignored.

But in verse 34 the assembly (not simply the women) is told that the women are to keep silence in the assembly, being not permitted to speak. It is not left to the woman to decide whether or not she will obey this Scripture: the assembly must not permit her speaking. Her place is not public, but under subjection, as the law also taught. These words are no less plain than the simplest gospel verse, and if one should refuse this, how can he trust those verses that give clear assurance of his salvation? Even asking questions in the assembly is not permitted: they may learn at home by this means, from their husbands. Of course, if they do not have a husband, it is elementary that they are not forbidden to ask someone else in private circumstances. But it is a shame for women to speak in the assembly.

It is sometimes said that the word "speak" in this passage means to "chatter," gossip, or whisper during service, and that this was what the apostle was prohibiting. But this is a very erroneous and misleading statement which is not at all correct. Young's Concordance shows that it is the Greek word "laleo" which is used here and in the whole chapter. It is translated "speak" throughout this chapter and 241 times in the New Testament. It means to talk or speak. Thus in the same sense that the prophets are to speak two or three (v. 29), the women are not to speak in the Assembly. It is the same word in both cases.

In particular, in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, women are not allowed to speak in the assembly. This command should not be seen as a prohibition against idle chatter. The Greek verb used in the original text, "laleo," is never used to mean idle chatter in the New Testament. It should be understood in the same sense as in the rest of the chapter (1 Corinthians 14:2, 3-6, 9, 11, 13, 18, 19, 21, 23, 27-29, 39). It's the same word used in 1 Peter 4:11: "If any one speak -- as oracles of God." This command means that she cannot address the assembly on behalf of God or to God on behalf of the assembly. This role is reserved for men.

Of course, if she is alone, a woman can address God in prayer in the same way a man can, and God can also use her for prophesying.

If woman has no scripture authority for publicly evangelizing the world, what place has she as a teacher or speaker in the assembly of the saints? Women could prophesy, but not in the assembly when gathered together. 1 Corinthians 11 tells us what she did, and that she should have a covering on her head when doing it. 1 Cor. 14 tells us when she should not prophesy in any sense of the word. “Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted to them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also says the law … for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church.” (1 Cor. 14:34-35.) It is not permitted to them to speak, is one reason; it is a shame for them to speak in the Church, is another. How far these Corinthians had got astray! They were allowing what was unlawful; they were suffering what was shameful. Some might have pleaded ignorance of what was unlawful. Could any have pleaded ignorance of what was shameful? Here, however, men have endeavoured (where have they not?) to evade the direct teaching of the Spirit by interpreting “in the church” of what are called church meetings. To those subject to the Word such an interpretation can have no weight. The tenor of the chapter, and the use of the word “church” throughout it, forbid all thought of such a meaning. To explain away in such a manner the apostle’s injunctions is a perilous thing. On some matters mentioned in this epistle he gave his advice; on this he made known the commandment of the Lord (ver. 37).

It is well to remark the place accorded to revelation, when the assembly met together; It took precedence of everything. If a prophet was speaking, and the Spirit revealed something to another, the first was to hold his peace. A fresh revelation from God at any moment was in season, and opportunity was to be offered for its promulgation. Yet women, even if prophets, were to be silent in the assembly. Philip’s four daughters, whilst prophesying outside of the meeting, would have been disorderly if attempting to speak within it. And no plea of a divine revelation would have availed them to have averted the censure of the assembly, or of the apostle; the Word clearly shewing that the Holy Ghost would at such a time use only the men.

Besides assembling for worship and edification, believers met for prayer. What place had the women in the general prayer meetings? That women might pray, 1 Cor. 11 tells; but that women must be silent in the general prayer meetings, 1 Tim. 2 makes clear. For as 1 Cor. 14 gives us the assembly met for edification, 1 Tim. 2 gives us saints met for prayer. For whom they might pray outside the range of the Church, and their perfect freedom in prayer having been first mentioned, we have next stated who should lead in prayer, and who are to be silent. “I will therefore that the men pray everywhere.” And as to public teaching before men he is equally explicit. “Let the woman learn in quietness, with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority (or, to have dominion) over the man, but to be in quietness.” (1 Tim. 2:8, 11-12.) In the assembly she was to be silent; elsewhere, before men, to be in quietness. In such terms does he regulate such meetings. And from such we learn, that he would have regarded a female leading in prayer before men as usurping, or exercising authority over the man. How differently he viewed this from what some do in these days! But he goes further, and assigns reasons for what he has said, carrying us backward in thought to the creation, and then leading us onward to the fall. “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” The very order of creation forbids her acting in such a way, as well as what took place at the fall. We should learn from the fall her unfitness for such a place; we should see from the history of creation that it never was her place.

26 What is it then, brethren? Whenever ye come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edification. 27 If any one speak with a tongue, [let it be] two, or at the most three, and in turn, and let one interpret; 28 but if there be no interpreter, let him be silent in an assembly, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others discern; 30 but if there be a revelation to another sitting by, let the first be silent; 31 for ye can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all be exhorted. 32 And spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not [a God] of confusion, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints. 34 Let the women be silent in the assemblies; for it is not permitted to them to speak, but let them be in subjection, as also the law says. 35 But if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in an assembly. 36 What! did the word of God go out from you, or reached it unto you alone? 37 If any one seems to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge the things which I write to you, that they are [the] Lord's commandment. 38 But if any one is ignorant, let him be ignorant. 39 Wherefore, my brethren, seek earnestly for prophesying, and forbid not the speaking in tongues; 40 but let all things be done becomingly and in order.

Yet in the meeting we attended seven men and five women took part. Not more than three men, if subject to the Lord, should have spoken, and the women should have kept silence. And this is proved in the very chapter where instruction as to tongues speaking is given. And remember the chapter is one strong rebuke against the prominence these believers were giving to tongues.