The Erudite Wife: Discipleship Within the One-Flesh Union
1 Corinthians 14:33-38
Wives, it ought to be routine homelife to cultivate your husband's spiritual leadership and your mind by asking him questions about God.
#discipleship
#marriage
#home
Published December 24th, 2019; Updated May 1st, 2020
Main point summary
Discourse
Phrase
Notes
notes
Main point summary
Wives, you are called to enrich your husband's role as spiritual leader through seeking one-on-one discipleship. Do not disregard this God-given mandate.
Discourse
editing
NT
1 Corinthians 14:33-38
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mine
Ὡς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῶν ἁγίων
As in all the churches of the saints,
αἱ γυναῖκες ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις σιγάτωσαν•
the women must be silent in the churches.
locative
οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτρέπεται αὐταῖς λαλεῖν,
That is , they are not permitted to speak,
ἀλλʼ ὑποτασσέσθωσαν,
instead they must be submissive,
καθὼς καὶ ὁ νόμος λέγει.
even as the Law also says.
comparison
negativepositive
ideaexplanation
εἰ δέ τι μαθεῖν θέλουσιν,
but if they desire to learn
ἐν οἴκῳ τοὺς ἰδίους ἄνδρας ἐπερωτάτωσαν•
then they may speak to (ask) their own husbands at home.
conditional
αἰσχρὸν γάρ ἐστιν γυναικὶ λαλεῖν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ.
because it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
ground
ἢ ἀφʼ ὑμῶν ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξῆλθεν,
Did God ask you for advice while he was writing his word?
ἢ εἰς ὑμᾶς μόνους κατήντησεν;
Do you think that he has made known his will only to you?
series
Εἴ τις δοκεῖ προφήτης εἶναι ἢ πνευματικός,
If anyone considers himself to be a prophet or spiritual,
ἐπιγινωσκέτω ἃ γράφω ὑμῖν ὅτι κυρίου ἐστὶν ἐντολή•
then he should recognize that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.
εἰ δέ τις ἀγνοεῖ,
If anyone disregards/ignores this,
ἀγνοεῖται.
then he is disregarded/ignored.
inference
A woman must not speak in church (most likely specifically during church meetings/services). But she can speak with her husband (male authority) at home .
According to verse 36, Paul is expecting that the Corinthians will disagree with his instructions in verses 33-35, and may even disregard him entirely (see verses 37-38). Therefore he poses these two rhetorical questions as a means to persuade the Corinthians to reconsider their stance and repent of any defensiveness.
Disregard/ignore the person who disregards/ignores these God-given instructions, especially those who elevate their own thoughts or so-called prophetic words to the level of inspired, God-breathed Scripture.
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discourse
Phrase
1 Corinthians 14:33-38
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Ὡς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις
Comparison
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τῶν ἁγίων
Epexegetical
αἱ γυναῖκες ... σιγάτωσαν•
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ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις
Locative
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οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτρέπεται αὐταῖς λαλεῖν,
Ground
ἀλλʼ ὑποτασσέσθωσαν,
Negative
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καθὼς καὶ ὁ νόμος λέγει.
εἰ δέ τι μαθεῖν θέλουσιν,
Condition
ἐν οἴκῳ
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τοὺς ἰδίους ἄνδρας ἐπερωτάτωσαν•
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αἰσχρὸν γάρ ἐστιν γυναικὶ λαλεῖν
ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ.
Locatiive
na28
[ex. Purpose of 4b]
ἢ ... ὁ λόγος ... ἐξῆλθεν,
τοῦ θεοῦ
Possessive
ἀφʼ ὑμῶν
Source
ἢ ... μόνους κατήντησεν;
εἰς ὑμᾶς
Destination
Εἴ τις δοκεῖ προφήτης εἶναι
ἢ πνευματικός,
ἐπιγινωσκέτω ἃ γράφω ... ὅτι ... ἐστὶν ἐντολή•
ὑμῖν
κυρίου
εἰ δέ τις ἀγνοεῖ,
ἀγνοεῖται.
L- σιγαω M- imperative T- present V- active P- 3rd N- plural W- they must be silent
L- επιτρεπω M- indicative T- Present V- passive P- 3rd N- singular W-
L- εξερχομαι M- indicative T- 2nd aorist V- active P- 3rd N- sing. W- he/she/it went out
Genesis 3:16
same word in 1 Cor. 11:6; Ephesians 5:12; and Titus 1:11 similar word in Ephesians 5:4
the phrase "the churches" appears 4 other times in this letter (1 Corinthians 4:17; 7:17; 11:16; 16:1) Each time, Paul uses this phrase to express his practice of being consistent and teaching the saints how they ought to act/conduct themselves. So in this light, it is fitting that the phrase "as in all the churches of the saints" be the beginning of the sentence, not the end of the preceding sentence.
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀκαταστασίας ὁ θεὸς ἀλλʼ εἰρήνης. Ὡς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῶν ἁγίων
αἱ γυναῖκες ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις σιγάτωσαν• οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτρέπεται αὐταῖς λαλεῖν, ἀλλʼ ὑποτασσέσθωσαν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ νόμος λέγει.
εἰ δέ τι μαθεῖν θέλουσιν, ἐν οἴκῳ τοὺς ἰδίους ἄνδρας ἐπερωτάτωσαν• αἰσχρὸν γάρ ἐστιν γυναικὶ λαλεῖν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ.
ἢ ἀφʼ ὑμῶν ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξῆλθεν, ἢ εἰς ὑμᾶς μόνους κατήντησεν;
Εἴ τις δοκεῖ προφήτης εἶναι ἢ πνευματικός, ἐπιγινωσκέτω ἃ γράφω ὑμῖν ὅτι κυρίου ἐστὶν ἐντολή•
εἰ δέ τις ἀγνοεῖ, ἀγνοεῖται.
phrasing
Notes
An essential prayer which can be drawn from this passage is this: Wives, ask God to give you the desire to learn. When he gives you this desire, then let it pour out by asking your husband honest questions about the Bible, God, the Christian life, the spiritual condition of your relationship, etc. If your husband is slacking in his role as the pastor of your home, then I plead that you consider doing the following: - Ask God to bless your effort to stimulate your husband's responsibility to be the spiritual leader in the home. He may feel a healthy burden to find the answers to your questions, thereby providing the groundwork for strengthening his faith and yours. - Do not be discouraged if he exhibits lack of attention to your prodding questions. Instead, express gratitude to God for opening your eyes to the seriousness of understanding biblical truth and pray that the same miracle happens in your husband's heart. Love is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4) and patience in this case can be substantially rewarded (Hebrews 11:6).
Comments
Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.