Do women have to remain silent in church (1 Corinthians 14:33-35)?

We proceed, then, to enquire into what God has said in His Holy Word about the woman speaking in the Church.

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."

Again, in 1 Cor. 14:34 is laid down the imperative regulation that the women are to keep silence in the assemblies, "for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law." They were forbidden even to ask their own husbands there. If they would learn anything, let them ask at home; "for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the assembly." What can be more distinct and peremptory than this? The ingenuity of will, however, has found a supposed loophole. The word "speak," say they, means only to talk familiarly or to chatter. This is wholly untrue. It is the regular word for giving utterance, as may be seen in 1 Peter 4:10-11. Here, "as each hath received a gift," they are called to minister it as good stewards of the manifold grace of God; and the distinction is drawn between gifts of utterance and those of other spiritual service. "If any one speaketh," he is to do so "as God's mouthpiece; "if any one ministereth," he is to do so as from strength which God supplieth, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." Now here it is the same word for "speaking" as is forbidden to the women in the former scripture. It is speaking in public, not prattling. The prohibition therefore is complete. Woman's place is a retired one; she is to learn in quiet with entire submissiveness.

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.

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.

(Vv. 32, 33). Moreover, the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, a statement that excludes all idea of being moved by an uncontrollable impulse. With men speaking under the power of demons it would be otherwise, resulting in unholy excitement and confusion. God is not the Author of confusion, but of peace. Any scene of confusion in the assemblies of God's people is clearly not of God.

(Vv. 34, 35). The liberty of all to prophesy one by one in the assembly does not apply to women. They are to keep silence in the assemblies. Their capability, or otherwise, is not in question. Silence in public on the part of women is according to creation order as well as the law. The woman's sphere of liberty is in the home. To speak in public is to cover herself with shame.

As to women speaking in any way in the assembly, scripture is clear — it is not to be. 1 Cor. 14:34-45 cannot be misunderstood by those who only desire to do the Lord's will. The whole chapter gives the fullest liberty to the saints when gathered together, the only rule being that all must be done to edifying, which I need not say calls for the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit, without Whom nothing can be to profit, or to the Lord's glory. Then we get the exception: "Let your women keep silence in the assemblies: for it is not permitted to them to speak," etc.

Q. 1 Corinthians 11:5. Does it imply that in apostolic days women prayed and prophesied in public? Compare Acts 1:14, Acts 2:17-18; and Acts 21:9. V.L.

A. It is in ver. 18, that we hear of "in public" or in assembly. The early verses of the chapter treat of decorum in females. Wherever they might pray or prophesy, they were bound to walk in the subordination of God's order. But 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, enjoins imperatively silence on the women in the assemblies. They are to be in subjection, as the law also says. If they wish to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the assembly. Compare too 1 Timothy 2:11-14. It is likely that among other disorders Corinthian women spoke in the assembly: if so, the apostle put an end to it. Yet women might prophesy, as Philip's daughters in their father's house, and even then with careful decorum of subjection even outwardly marked. It is certain that they were charged to keep silence in the assemblies of the saints.

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.

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.

p329 MY DEAR SISTER, - I was right in reading the postscript of your sister's letter, for, as I supposed, it shews much more of the state of her mind than all the rest. She has her mind bent on a place of ministry; and I do feel that, blest as she has been, she is on the brink of a precipice, though, as yet, she may not have fallen into it. I do not question that women had gifts. It is evident; the scripture is quite plain. So that all the passages brought to prove this, prove only what is fully admitted, before the real question is touched. Further, that women laboured in the Lord, that is also true, as I doubt not many have most sweetly, even in these days; and for my own part I should most entirely rejoice in it. But that is not the question. The question is about the assemblies of God: and these the word of God is as plain as possibly can be, to forbid it positively. In 1 Corinthians 11 after giving directions for the modesty of the manner of a woman's praying or prophesying, he goes on to speak of their coming together in verse 17: the previous part having nothing to do with an assembly, the directions for which commence with verse 17. He continues on through chapter 14 the question of assemblies, having treated of gifts in themselves, and compared with charity (chap. 13) as necessary to the subject, and resumes fully in verse 23 the assembly; and having spoken of "all assemblies of the saints" - God being the author of peace in them - He says positively, "Let your women keep silence in the assemblies, for it is not permitted unto them to speak." In 1 Timothy 2 the apostle says, "I will therefore that men pray everywhere. … In like manner also that women adorn themselves. … Let the women learn in silence with all subjection: but I suffer not a woman to teach … but to be in silence." Now if the gifts were denied to have been given to women, passages may be produced which plainly shew they had them, and overthrow such denial; but there is nothing whatever to modify these rules. Only two or three prophets were to speak in the assembly; there might be twenty that had gifts in it, but the order of the assembly was such for men: for women it was to hold their tongues. The possession of a gift by a man did not warrant their breaking the rule laid down by the apostle, whose directions were of authority; nor did the possession of a gift by a woman warrant her breaking the rule as to woman. There being neither male nor female in Christ Jesus has nothing to do with gifts in assemblies, but their unity in life and privileges in Christ. No question of expediency can warrant departure from scripture regulations, and departure from them will soon end in sorrow and confusion.