Then let’s do it already! Holy cow man. I’m old. I don’t have that much time left. What are you waiting for?
Why understand the supporting verse first? It’s not that important to the concept. I think it reinforces the idea but it’s illogical to try and debate the secondary verse before the primary. You know this. Everyone reading this knows this. You’re desperate to not deal with 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 because you know it’s ironclad and you’re going to have to admit you’re wrong or demonstrate that you care about your dogma more than truth.
Let’s get to the main even! I want to see you squirm and twist and dangle in the breeze until I get bored and take this victory back to the other thread and make some more hay.
Hey having two wives keeps me busy. I am glad to move forward.
What is the assembly. I believe it to be the body of Christ. That being said I also see it as a plurality. 1 person cannot assemble. Two people can assemble. I also don't see one family as qualifying as the assembly. The man as the head represents his family. When two or more men and their families get together I see that as the assembly. If I have a man over for Shabbat I see that as the assembly. Colossians shows us that Christ is the head of His body, the assembly so the assembly is His body. Philemon shows us that people assembled in homes. History also tells us that many assembled in small home fellowships.
Can a woman speak in an assembly?
These are the verses in question.
34¶Your women in the assemblies let them be silent, for it hath not been permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law saith;
35 if they wish to learn anything, at home their own husbands let them question, for it is a shame to women to speak in an assembly.
What is Paul teaching here? Is he teaching that a woman should not utter a sound in the Assembly or that she should be subject in the Assembly?
for it hath not been permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law saith;
Paul here contrasts the women speaking with being subject. The contrast exists because he is addressing women wanting to exercise authority or even going to some other authority to receive their teaching. This should not be so. If the woman has a question she should ask her husband at home. Timothy echoes this same concept. A woman does not exercise authority over a man. We find this same concept in practically all of Paul's letters to the assemblies. The concept we don't find is a woman not being allowed to speak in the Assembly. This concept also seems to be missing from the Torah as well. Why does Paul say this is as the law says though? Because he is addressing authority structure not the ability of a woman to utter a word in the Assembly. He is calling for an orderly Assembly. The law does not teach us anywhere that a woman cannot speak in the assembly, it does however teach us by example the authority structure that God put in place. A woman is to be subject, as the Law says.
Do we have any examples of a woman speaking in an assembly? Yes.
Acts 5
1¶And a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2and did keep back of the price -- his wife also knowing -- and having brought a certain part, at the feet of the apostles he laid it.
3And Peter said, 'Ananias, wherefore did the Adversary fill thy heart, for thee to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back of the price of the place?
4while it remained, did it not remain thine? and having been sold, in thy authority was it not? why is it that thou didst put in thy heart this thing? thou didst not lie to men, but to God;'
5¶and Ananias hearing these words, having fallen down, did expire, and great fear came upon all who heard these things,
6and having risen, the younger men wound him up, and having carried forth, they buried him.
7¶And it came to pass, about three hours after, that his wife, not knowing what hath happened, came in,
8and Peter answered her, 'Tell me if for so much ye sold the place;' and she said, 'Yes, for so much.'
9¶And Peter said unto her, 'How was it agreed by you, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? lo, the feet of those who did bury thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee forth;'
10and she fell down presently at his feet, and expired, and the young men having come in, found her dead, and having carried forth, they buried her by her husband;
11and great fear came upon all the assembly, and upon all who heard these things
.
Here we see Sapphira being addressed by Peter while having the other apostles assembled. Peter asks her a question and its by his leading that she speaks in the Assembly. Notice great fear came upon the whole assembly.
Luke 2
22¶And when the days of their purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present to the Lord,
23as it hath been written in the Law of the Lord, -- 'Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord,'
24and to give a sacrifice, according to that said in the Law of the Lord, 'A pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.'
25¶And lo, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name is Simeon, and this man is righteous and devout, looking for the comforting of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him,
26and it hath been divinely told him by the Holy Spirit -- not to see death before he may see the Christ of the Lord.
27And he came in the Spirit to the temple, and in the parents bringing in the child Jesus, for their doing according to the custom of the law regarding him,
28then he took him in his arms, and blessed God, and he said,
29'Now Thou dost send away Thy servant, Lord, according to Thy word, in peace,
30because mine eyes did see Thy salvation,
31which Thou didst prepare before the face of all the peoples,
32a light to the uncovering of nations, and the glory of Thy people Israel.'
33¶And Joseph and his mother were wondering at the things spoken concerning him,
34and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, 'Lo, this one is set for the falling and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against --
35(and also thine own soul shall a sword pass through) -- that the reasonings of many hearts may be revealed.'
36¶And there was Anna, a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, she was much advanced in days, having lived with an husband seven years from her virginity,
37and she is a widow of about eighty-four years, who did depart not from the temple, with fasts and supplications serving, night and day,
38and she, at that hour, having come in, was confessing, likewise, to the Lord, and was speaking concerning him, to all those looking for redemption in Jerusalem
.
We see Anna the prophetess coming and speaking about the Christ to all those looking for redemption. Context shows us that at bare minimum we had Simeon and Joseph present, but it speaks of many others as well.
Matthew 28
1¶And on the eve of the sabbaths, at the dawn, toward the first of the sabbaths, came Mary the Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre,
2and lo, there came a great earthquake, for a messenger of the Lord, having come down out of heaven, having come, did roll away the stone from the door, and was sitting upon it,
3and his countenance was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow,
4and from the fear of him did the keepers shake, and they became as dead men.
5¶And the messenger answering said to the women, 'Fear not ye, for I have known that Jesus, who hath been crucified, ye seek;
6he is not here, for he rose, as he said; come, see the place where the Lord was lying;
7and having gone quickly, say ye to his disciples, that he rose from the dead; and lo, he doth go before you to Galilee, there ye shall see him; lo, I have told you.'
8¶And having gone forth quickly from the tomb, with fear and great joy, they ran to tell to his disciples;
9¶and as they were going to tell to his disciples, then lo, Jesus met them, saying, 'Hail!' and they having come near, laid hold of his feet, and did bow to him.
10Then saith Jesus to them, 'Fear ye not, go away, tell to my brethren that they may go away to Galilee, and there they shall see me.
'
Here we see an Angel and Yeshua command the Marys to go speak to the disciples about His resurrection. Do 11 disciples count as an assembly? I would say so.
We have a few OT accounts as well. Deborah and also Huldah the prophetess. In NT we also have Priscilla and Aquila pulling aside Apollos to point out a few things that needed to be understood.
I believe we see women speaking in the Assembly through the scriptures.
Can a woman prophesy? I see that Paul teaches in this very chapter that prophesying is for the edifying of the assembly. It'll be pretty hard to edify the assembly if you can't speak.
I see no issue with a woman singing to God in the assembly, bringing a song that God has given her. I see no issue with a woman prophesying, assuming she is under authority and all is done in an orderly manner.
I see our Bib fam retreats as an assembly. When we came together and Andrew and his wives played and sung for us, I saw no shame or issue with that. When we were assembled and Steve's wife directed the younger women to be submissive to their husbands I saw no shame in that. When women shared something they wanted prayer for I saw no shame in that either. When Julie talked about her struggles I saw no issue with that. When you comforted Julie I didn't see that as shameful. It was beneficial instead of telling her she should be ashamed for speaking in the Assembly.
I think that a woman can tell her children to be quite in the assembly and that wouldn't be forbidden either. A woman is not to be disruptive or asking questions but is to be subject as the Law says. Nowhere does the Law say that a woman cant speak in the assembly. Where there is no law, there is no transgression. Paul stated that the law supported his statement. The law supports authority structure from beginning to end. Where does the law talk about a woman not speaking in the Assembly?