Equal in God’s Eyes

“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.  And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”  I Corinthians 14:34-35

The roles of men and women have been the subject of much controversy for a long time, but these days it has even become a greater source of confusion and arguments.  The Apostle Paul had been dealing with some issues in the church at Corinth, Greece, but nothing like what is happening today.  Perhaps he had some insight into the future and was warning the folks in Corinth as to the proper roles of men and women because he realized that not following God’s plan for the family would cause disruption and heartache down the road.  As far as we know, Paul was never married, had no children, and thus what he wrote came from the mind of a bachelor without the experience of raising a family.  There were some things that he admitted were his own ideas, but he had the backing of the Lord as far as the responsibilities of men and those of women were concerned.

He first focused on the men of the church, but he also had instructions for the women which seem to us rather severe and belittling to the fairer sex.  Women were not to speak in the church at all.  He also had written to Timothy (I Timothy 2:11-14) about this same issue, but his focus had been on the subject of authority.  He wrote that Adam was created before Eve which implies that men are the leaders as God intended.  It was Eve who succumbed to the devil’s lie in the garden of Eden.  Adam also disobeyed God, but Adam wasn’t deceived: he knew what he was doing, that he was intentionally disobeying God.  Eve had been told by Adam what God had said about the fruit of the forbidden tree yet she chose to listen to Satan rather than God.  In her disobedience, she also showed a lack of trust in Adam.  Satan didn’t try his trick on Adam because he knew that Adam had been given authority over fish, fowl, cattle, and all animals, thus Satan, in the form of a serpent, was subject to Adam, but not to Eve.  Therefore authority originated with the male species in the garden of Eden by God’s choice and that fact has not changed.  Knowing and understanding God’s plan and intent for His creation caused Paul to be insistent upon allowing the men to be in the positions of authority and not women.  The women of the church were to be able to pray and teach children and other women, but not as an authority figure over the entire church.

We would assume that the chaos in the church at Corinth was the reason that Paul brought up the subject of authority in his letter to the church.  I heard a story years ago that explained Paul’s reasoning.  The men and women sat in separate areas of the church.  The men likely sat up front, and the women in the back.  The women had trouble hearing everything that was said, and, as the story goes, they would yell at their husbands and ask what was being said in the middle of the service.  You can see where this is going.  This would create a chaotic scene in the church, which is a place where order is to rule.   Thus, Paul told the ladies to wait until they got home from church to ask their husbands what was said.  Paul called it a “shame” for women to speak in the church.  If, indeed, this was the case, I can understand why he would say that.  Remember that he was addressing this particular church.  Paul was concerned about the reckless attitude toward authority in the church.

Even though Christ came to earth as a Man, He knows women better than they know themselves.  He understands how they think and feel.  As far as a person’s spiritual life goes, Jesus sees no difference in men and women.  Some of Jesus’ best friends on earth were women–Mary Magdalene, the two sisters, Martha and Mary, and, of course, Mary, Jesus’ mother.  (In case you are wondering why there are so many women in the New Testament named “Mary”, other names like Miriam, Maria, and possibly others are translated from the Greek into “Mary”.)  While the disciples fled at Jesus’ trial and crucifixion, the women were the ones who weren’t afraid to be seen as Jesus’ followers.  After Jesus’ resurrection, the first person He appeared before was a woman, Mary Magdalene, who became His first witness to others (John 20:11-18).  Generally speaking, women’s hearts are more tender than men’s hearts.  God made men and women equal in His eyes, yet gave them different talents, abilities, insights, and purposes. God said that it was not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18), and thus God made Eve as a suitable companion.  He did not take dust from the ground and make Eve first and then make Adam from one of Eve’s ribs.  God made a husband and wife to be one.  When they follow God’s plan for marriage and the family, they are blessed by God.  The struggle for authority in the home or church diminishes the spiritual health and well being of both.