1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (WEL) Let your wives stay quiet in the congregations, for it is not allowed for them to speak but to be under authority as even the law states.
35 If they want to learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is shameful for women to speak in the congregation.
V34 Let your wives stay quiet in the congregations, for it is not allowed for them to speak but to be under authority as even the law states.
Evidently, some women were loudly interrupting the meeting for various reasons. Order in the meeting is required. Paul writes about church order in exercising spiritual gifts; now he writes about church order for the individual believers.
Guzik comments: “Again, because Paul assumed the right of women to pray and prophesy under proper authority in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16, the context suggests speak refers to either the judging of prophecy (something for the leadership of the church to do) or to disruptive speaking.
“i. Alan Redpath points out that Paul uses the Greek verb laleo, which means, “to talk, question, argue, profess, or chatter.” Redpath says, “It has nothing to do with prophecy or prayer; it is not public speaking as such.”
V35 If they want to learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is shameful for women to speak in the congregation.
Shameful to interrupt the meeting for commenting, questions, etc. Women can speak, pray, sing, etc. in a church meeting, but there must not be disruptions like asking questions.
The Greek word for asking/ask is G1905 ἐπερωτάω, eperōtáō, which means (Thayer) “to accost one with an enquiry, put a question to, enquiry of, ask, interrogate; to address one with a request or demand; to ask of or demand of one.”
The talking from these women was not just polite questions; there was a demanding tone. It is this that is wrong.
We learn:
- Church order.
- About demanding questions.
Questions:
- How is your speech in a church meeting?
- How do you respond to demanding questions that interrupt the meeting?