by Timothy W. Burnett
It is important to remember that the letters were reproof and correction to the church in Corinth. The main emphasis has been on edification for the church and keeping things in order. We will see this in the very last verse of chapter 14 where it says, "Let all things be done decently and in order." Given this information, we can safely understand that something was very much out of order during the church assemblies.
In verses 26-33 all of the believers were told to take turns when giving a prophecy or speaking in tongues with interpretation (manifestation of the spirit). They were told this for the same reason they were told to let their wives keep silent in the church. It appears that even the men were out of order. Somebody might have started giving a prophecy and all of a sudden somebody else could have jumped in and started doing the same, or even criticizing the one speaking. the problem was definitely not limited to women.
But what about the women? They were very likely also jumping in and interrupting their husbands and others. They would have spoken out loud in a very disorderly manner contributing to the confusion in the church.
Are women literally not allowed to speak in the church? What God gave all of mankind through our Lord Jesus Christ is also available to women. Some of the gift ministries are teacher, pastor, minister, etc. The church starts and continues in the home. If the woman is not permitted to teach and speak in the church, then she is not permitted to speak to and teach her children. God set up the marriage between two believing saints so that the wife is the helpmate. Part of being the helpmate is teaching the children as well as helping to teach and minister to others in the church.
We learn that the women are to be obedient. Guess what? Men are also to be obedient. The Old Testament referred to the woman being subject to the man. This did not give the man the freedom to rule over the woman as a strong king over his country. Instead, the man is called to love his wife as Christ Jesus loved the church. We would all benefit greatly from rightly dividing God's word on the relationship between the husband and wife.
1Corinthians 14:33-34 is not an open invitation for men to restrain wives from teaching and speaking in the church. It does lovingly urge the men to teach and instruct be example as well as word. Like the men, their wives were also out of order in the church, and needed to be repreoved and corrected. Don't let these verses distract us from the rest of God's word and from understanding the minsitry of reconciliation He has given to all people, including women.
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