The usual excuse is a disputed passage from one of the most disputed parts of the NT.
A disputed passage from the disputed part of the NT? Such colorful adjectives. Sounds spooky! As long as I can add a couple of verbs to the mix, count me in!
What this dispute
needs is a little organization. So
let us
organize it,
shall we?
Guards, bring in the disputed passage:
1Cor 14:33-38 As in all the congregations of the saints, 34
women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35If 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. 36Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.
1Tim 2:11-14 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12
I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.
I said “disputed passage”, not “disputed passages”! Why is there two? Didn’t Aloo Hair say passage and not passages?! Guards, send these two passages back to their chambers until we sort out which one is the “disputed passage.”
Scribe, bring me a bible and let’s start at the beginning so that we can get to the bottom of this, instead of starting at the end and just skimming the top.
Question 1: What is the beginning of the bible?
Answer from the Crowd: The book of Genesis, sir.
Question 2: And with whom did the word of God originate in the book of Genesis?
Answer from the Crowd: With Adam, sir, for it is written in Genesis 2:16-17 “God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.’ "
Question 3: And was Adam also the first to misuse the word of God?
Answer from the Crowd: No, sir, it was the woman, for it is written in Genesis 3:6: “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.”
Question 4: And what did this misuse of the word do to the authority of the woman?
Answer from the Crowd: God said to the woman in Genesis 3:16, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
Question 5: Were women prevented from serving in the priesthood in the Old Testament?
Answer from the Crowd: Yes, sir. Of the ordination of the priest of the Old Testament, it is written in Leviticus 8: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Bring Aaron and his sons, their garments, and the anointing oil’…Moses poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him to consecrate him. 13 Then he brought Aaron's sons forward, put tunics on them, tied sashes around them and put headbands on them, as the LORD commanded Moses.”
Question 6: Was there not one woman found among the priests of the Old Testament?
Answer from the Crowd: No, sir, not one.
Question 7: What about the New Testament – whom did Jesus choose as the Twelve?
Answer from the Crowd: Their names are given in Matthew 10:2-4, “These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.”
Question 8: Was there not one woman found among the Apostles of Jesus in the New Testament?
Answer from the Crowd: Not one, sir.
Question 9: So, then, Jesus held to the pattern handed down by Genesis and Leviticus?
Answer from the Crowd: Yes, it appears so, sir.
Question 10: And what was it Paul wrote in the “disputed passages”?
Answer from the Crowd: Paul wrote “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.” And, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man.”
Question 11: And what was Paul’s reasoning?
Answer from the Crowd: He referenced the book of Genesis and stated, “For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.”
Question 12: Paul referenced the book of Genesis?
Answer from the Crowd: Yes, sir, Paul started at the beginning to the get to the bottom of the matter.
Question 13: So, if the scriptures speak in one accord of this matter, what is this entire “dispute” about?
Answer from the Crowd: We don’t rightly know, sir.
Question 14: Did the word of God originate with these doubters, or are they the only people it has reached?
Answer from the Crowd: No, sir.
Question 15: What then shall we do?
Answer from the Crowd: Give this decree: “If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what is written in the bible is the Lord's command. If he ignores it, he himself will be ignored.”