Paul and Women

Galatians 3

ASV – ²³But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. ²⁴So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor. ²⁶For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. ²⁷For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. ²⁸There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.

NRSV – ²³Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. ²⁴Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, ²⁶for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. ²⁷As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

By Marg Mowczko

• Extracts from her Paul’s Theology of Ministry: 1 Corinthians 14:34–35
  • The Quotation–Refutation Theory
    • Paul quotes the Corinthians in 14:34–35 and then refutes them in 14:36–38.
    • Another approach to reading these verses is to understand that verses 34–35 are what the Corinthians are thinking; that these two verses don’t represent Paul’s thoughts. According to this theory, Paul quotes the Corinthians in verses 34–35 and then reprimands them in verses 36 to 38. This is called the quotation-refutation theory.
    • An important part of this theory is the first word of 1 Corinthians 14:36. The King James Bible and the Revised Standard Version are two of the few English translations that have the exclamation “what!” in verse 36. [It is not in the NRSVUE.]
      • ³⁵  … for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
      • ³⁶ What? (η) came the word of God out from you? or (η) came it unto you only?
      • ³⁷ If any man think himself to be a prophet, or (η) spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. ³⁸ But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
• The Structure and Language of 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 at Marg’s Blog.

By Bart Ehrman

• 1st Post – Knowing Paul’s Views of Women… Extract follows.
  • Paul’s attitude toward women in the church may seem inconsistent, or at least ambivalent, from one of his letters to another.  Women could participate in his churches as ministers, prophets, and even apostles.  But they were to maintain their social status as women and not appear to be like men.  This apparent ambivalence led to a very interesting historical result.  When the dispute over the role of women in the church later came to a head, both sides could appeal to the apostle’s authority in support of their views.
• 2nd Post – The Silencing of Women: 1 Cor. 14:34-35 as an Interpolation. Extract follows.
  • Moreover, it is interesting to observe that these harsh words against women in 1 Cor 14:34-35 interrupt the flow of what Paul has been saying in the context.  Up to v. 34 he has been speaking about “prophecy” and then does so immediately afterwards again in v. 37.  It may be, then, that the verses were not an original part of the text of 1 Corinthians at all but originated as a marginal note that later copyists inserted into the text after v. 33 (others inserted it after v. 40).  However the verses came to be placed into the text, it does not appear that they were written by Paul.  Who then wrote them?  Evidently someone living later, who was familiar with and sympathetic towards the views of women advanced by the author of the Pastoral epistles.