Women Silenced! Probing Problematic Punctuation By Peggy Brown
(3)
Do you speak a foreign language? Honestly now, can you actually have a conversation with someone using only their language? If you can, then you know you reached a significant communication milestone when you begin to get the jokes. You know – those common words that mean one thing to the budding literal linguist, but actually mean something very different to the colloquial locals?
My own experience with the Thai language has helped me with some of the challenges of understanding Koine Greek. Neither Thai nor Greek use punctuation – or even spaces between words or sentences! Nope, you have to know where to look for the clues to things like quotations and sarcasm and idiom. And the only way to learn is to read and listen to native writers and speakers and make a lot of embarrassing mistakes in conversations.
Well, Bill Kinnon, recently had a link to a great piece about Women in Ministry from Rebecca Groothuis. Terrific article! And the video from NT Wright, which I've seen in a number of other places, is worth watching more than once. But I just have to say that both the article and the video, while wonderfully supportive, are missing something that has been foundational for me for the last 29 years of processing this debate. I was recently surprised to learn that Scot McKnight has apparently missed this, which would have been perfect for inclusion in Appendix 3 of his book, The Blue Parakeet....
So, what am I talking about? Read BibleGateway’s Today's New International Version of I Corinthians 14: 26-39, emptying your mind about how you've read it before.
Good Order in Worship
26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church; let them speak to themselves and to God. 29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord's people. 34 Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 36 Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 If any think they are prophets or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38 Those who ignore this will themselves be ignored. 39 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
While I am no Greek scholar, I do know quite a number of them. And it interests me that so few of them seem to have considered what I'm about to pass on from my favorite scholar for your consideration. Serious consideration, now.
This entire passage concerns orderliness. The entire book concerns orderliness, really. And Paul is addressing issues that have been brought to his attention concern a lack of orderliness among the Christians at Corinth.
(What I wouldn't give for a copy of the account to which Paul is responding!)
I used this translation because it does two very good things. First, it keeps all of verse 33 together, which helps tremendously. When added to the front of verse 34, 33b dramatically changes the meaning of what follows – rendering it very confusing. Now, my friend, who has been known to read aloud from the Greek NT and translate into English on the fly (ditto with the Hebrew OT), reads this in such a way as to make it absolutely clear what he thinks Paul is doing. He reads verses 34 and 35 in a different voice – and with a decidedly condescending tone.
Now, go back and read verse 36 and see that the first word is rendered "Or." What Dr. Bartchy does when he reads that verse, after finishing his "quotation" in verses 34 and 35, is this: starting with a sarcastic "What?" he continues with "Did the word of God originate with you?" (Not!) And so on, with the rest of the verse.
Clearly, this suggests that Paul is quoting what had been reported to him. There were some who were having trouble letting the New Covenant supersede the Old Covenant. (Their descendants are, unfortunately, still alive and well today!) And rather than approving of the quoted text, Paul is saying that it is not to be accepted, but that which he had taught and written is to be considered from the Lord ... and those who ignore this will remain ignorant and their opinions disregarded.
Reading in this Greek/English Interlinear is helpful in showing how Dr. Bartchy is not the only one to view the text this way. Why this is not the common translation.... Sigh! This makes so many of the stumbling blocks of apparent conflicts with what Paul has written elsewhere just disappear. And on more topics that this one, you can be sure!
It makes ultimate sense to this wee Abbess, and I decided I couldn't remain silent about it one more day….
Peggy Brown is an over 50, broken-down, white woman with an amazing husband and three awesome young boys. She has served Christ in many amazing ways and places over the past 40 years, with official sanction and without it. Many brothers have encouraged her journey, for which she is eternally grateful. Many brothers have discouraged her journey, for which she has suffered greatly—but God has been faithful to redeem those wounds and bring good out of them. She yearns to be exactly what God perceives her to be and to respond appropriately to what the Holy Spirit puts in her path – and can be found blogging about the Purple Martyrdom as The Virtual Abbess.
I have been arguing for just such a reading of this passage for some time. It solves many problems with the text, not the least of which is that the traditional reading has Paul declaring the law to say something that it never says!
Throughout the book of 1 Corinthinans, Paul repeatedly quotes the Corinthians with a sarcastic tone. This is merely one more instance. Attributing the "women must remain silent in the churches" to the Corinthians helps reconcile the passage with the rest of the letter which clearly speaks of women prophecying and praying in public.
I'm really encouraged to see others advocating this reading. Thanks!
Posted by Nate Dunlevy | Posted at 06/23/2009 9:12 PM
I have sent Peggy a technical (and rather dull!) article from "the bible translator" that explores the possibility of this passage in Corinthians being a quote from the Corinthian's letter to Paul, then Paul's response. It suggests that the passage could be translated as follows:
'"Some of you say, "Women should be silent in the churches, because they are not permitted to speak. As the Jewish law says, they should be subordinate to men. If there is anything they want to know, they should wait until they get home and then ask their husbands. It is a shameful thing for women to speak in church"
What kind of thinking is that? You are acting as if the word of God can from you! And you men, don't ever think that you are only ones who received this word.'
Until a copy of the Corinthian's letter to Paul shows up, we are making our best guesses... but this interpretation does make some sense when we remember Paul has just done a carry-on about how women need to cover their heads while praying and prophesying in church.
Peggy Brown is an over 50, broken-down, white woman with an amazing husband and three awesome young boys. She has served Christ in many amazing ways and places over the past 40 years, with official sanction and without it. Many brothers have encouraged her journey, for which she is eternally grateful. Many brothers have discouraged her journey, for which she has suffered greatly—but God has been faithful to redeem those wounds and bring good out of them. She yearns to be exactly what God perceives her to be and to respond appropriately to what the Holy Spirit puts in her path – and can be found blogging about the Purple Martyrdom as
Throughout the book of 1 Corinthinans, Paul repeatedly quotes the Corinthians with a sarcastic tone. This is merely one more instance. Attributing the "women must remain silent in the churches" to the Corinthians helps reconcile the passage with the rest of the letter which clearly speaks of women prophecying and praying in public.
I'm really encouraged to see others advocating this reading. Thanks!
'"Some of you say, "Women should be silent in the churches, because they are not permitted to speak. As the Jewish law says, they should be subordinate to men. If there is anything they want to know, they should wait until they get home and then ask their husbands. It is a shameful thing for women to speak in church"
What kind of thinking is that? You are acting as if the word of God can from you! And you men, don't ever think that you are only ones who received this word.'
Until a copy of the Corinthian's letter to Paul shows up, we are making our best guesses... but this interpretation does make some sense when we remember Paul has just done a carry-on about how women need to cover their heads while praying and prophesying in church.