Frank

Well, Cheryl, as some of my CBE friends will tell, I see my sharing of “the big picture” as a means of engaging in what Carolyn James describes, in The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough To Break The Rules, as a “Blessed Alliance,” between men and women as equals and partners under God, join their gifts and abilities to spread Christ’s Gospel of the Kingdom and fulfill the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20. So thank-you for letting me cooperate with you in proclaiming, defending, and confirming the Gospel of Christ. And, now with your leave, I will complete my discussion of the “big picture” for 1 Cor 14:33b-35 and 1 Tim. 2:11-15.

As I pointed out in the previous comment (42), when Paul commended the Corinthian congregation for praying and prophesying in accordance with “the traditions” he had passed on to them (1 Cor. 11:2-16), he was referring to the authoritative teaching which he had given regarding “the New Creation in Christ,” which he had set forth in Gal. 3:26-4:7, and which he further developed in 2 Cor. 5:11-6:4, Rom. 4:13-17 and 8:12-21. Furthermore, I agree with the consensus among most NT scholars (e.g., George E. Ladd, Geerhaus Vos, James D.G. Dunn, Gordon Fee, et al), that this tradition is the eschatological heart of Paul’s theology and it colors everything else he has to say about salvation, justification, sanctification, the Spirit’s gifting and calling of people to ministry, the nature and mission of the church, etc. Essentially, according to this “tradition,,” by means of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and his pouring out of the Spirit upon his assembled people (i.e., the Church), the eschatological promise of the Abrahamic Covenant is now being realized as the Old Age Passes away, and the New Age To Come dawns with the coming of Christ and the Spirit, but which will come to full bloom only at the Second Coming. And this fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise is now being manifested in the new family of Abraham, the New Israel, the New Humanity, reconstituted around Christ, the Seed of Abraham. And what this means is that the New Humanity, the Body of Christ, is made up of all who are united with Christ by faith, have received the New Covenant sign of baptism, now live by the Law of Christ and not the Law of Moses, and who are renewed by the Spirit of Sonship and equipped by him to lovingly worship God and serve humanity as did Christ their Lord, the Son of Abraham and the Son of God.

Anyway, this is the tradition Paul has in view in 1 Cor. 11:2-16, which is the first half of the introduction to 12:1-14:32. But he has to gently rebuke a partial misunderstanding of this tradition that appears to exist in Corinth. He reminds them that this tradition does not obliterate natural distinctions existing among the sexes. Rather, it renders these distinctions, however defined by their culture, as invalid as barriers and restraints to both men and women engaging as partners in those ministries for which the Holy Spirit has gifted and called them. For, again, the equal possession of the Spirit and his gifts, is their inheritance right as those united with Christ, the Seed of Abraham and as coheirs with Christ in all the promised blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant: Full membership in the family of God; equal and full possession of the Spirit and his gifts apart from any limitation due to to age, race, gender or social status; and co-rulership of the world with Christ in the future. But Paul gives no word of condemnation or censure here the would lead us to ever believe he forbade men and women praying and prophesying together, as long as the general rules were followed. However, when the general rules are violated, such as 11:17-34 indicates was the case in connection with the Lord’s Supper, not only does he not gently rebuke them, but takes them to task for their ungodly attitudes and practices: “In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good…Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!” ( 1 Cor. 11:16-22, TNIV). And this is something we will want to consider when we look at the conclusion of this literary section, 14:33b-40.

Then in 1 Cor. 12:1-14:32, Paul answers questions in the letter from Corinth, explaining, once again, the origin, nature, and purpose of the Spirit’s gifts, 12:1-31; that the gifts must be exercise out of love both for God and God’s people, otherwise they are useless, even harmful, 13:1-13; and then after distinguishing between tongues, interpretaion of tongues, and prophecy, Paul then reminds them what he had previously taught regarding the “how, when and why” of their employment in congregational worship, 14:2-32. And throughout this section, Paul never says anything that indicates that any spiritual gift is the special privilege of either sex, nor that the Spirit gives men certain gifts that he never gives to women. None of that at all.

That is why, for a long time, when Christians come to 1 Cor. 14:33b-35, it is like a slap in the face. Such is the sterness and discord of the language of these verses with all that has proceeded them, it is not surprising that some have thought them an interpolation from a later commentator who didn’t want women preaching. And unlike the introduction of 11:2-34, there is no commendation, followed by a gentle rebuke, and then a stern censure of outrageous behavior, but an immediate censure of apparently one group. Something out of the ordinary certainly is being dealt with here. But what is it, and why is it being treated in this manner, which clearly departs from Paul’s normal practice in the previous sections? Though I am convinced they were written by Paul, I am also convinced they are not Paul’s own view. For as Gilbert Bilizekian, Cheryl Schatz and others have ably demonstrated, 14:33b-35 is the view held by and being promoted by a Judaizing faction in Corinth, which Paul then sternly rebukes and refutes in 14:36-40. And since Cheryl deals with this in some great detail in her postings on 1 Corinthians 11-14, I refer the readers there if they have questions about this interpretation. It is well worth the read.

Now here is the point of my little exercise on seeing “the big picture.” If we are to properly interpret and apply 1 Tim. 2:11-15, it is not enough to understand the grammar and syntax of this passage alone, though that is very important in itself, and Cheryl is doing a great job in that regard. 1 Tim. 2:11-15 must first of all be understood as regards it place within the total context of 1 Timothy, then within the total Pauline corpus which has proceeded 1 Timothy–i.e., 1 and 2 Thessalonians; Galatians; 1 and 2 Corinthians; Colossians and Philemon; Philippians; and lastly, Ephesians (though some may include Titus as a later witness after 1 Timothy). Since we all believe in the progressiveness of revelation given in Scripture, including that given by Paul himself, there are several questions we need to ask about 1 Timothy in general, and about 1 Tim. 2:11-15 in particular. If this little passage is connected with what Paul has previously taught on men and women praying and prophesying together, in what way? And does 1 Tim. 2:11-15 represent 1) a clear regression in Paul’s teaching and practice on this issue; or 2 ) is it a clear progression in Paul’s teaching and practice on this issue; or 3) is this another example of a special, Spirit-given ad hoc ruling peculiar to certain situations existing in Ephesus and which Paul sought to correct when he wrote 1 Timothy? And so to properly answer these questions, our detailed study of 1 Tim. 2:11-15 must be constantly examined in the light of the greater Pauline corpus, if we are not to lose our bearing and sail off on a false and harmful course. Thank-you for letting me share my observations and comments. I hope they prove both informative and helpful.