Women Preachers

[Sister Alvear]

Paul spoke of women praying and prophesying in the assembly (11:5). Whatever 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 is saying, it cannot contradict 1 Corinthians 11:5. Luke begins his Book of Acts with the apostles as well as the women praying together, along with the brothers of Jesus. Luke writes:  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk ..a from the city. 

[Sister Alvear]

2 Peter 3:16“…His (Paul’s) letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Paul’s writings must be studied extensively to obtain a proper interpretation. No quick reading of Paul’s writings will lead to a proper understanding. First Corinthians 11:5 is one of the most important passages regarding women in ministry. This text is often overlooked because of other questions.

[Sister Alvear]

When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his
brothers (Acts 1:12-14).

[Sister Alvear]

Remember this letter was written in response to the many questions the church was asking in another letter. 1 Corinthians 7:1 says, "Now for the matters you wrote about…" The Corinthian church wrote a letter asking Paul questions. I believe the passage you quoted was actually Paul quoting one of the false teachings going on in the Corinthian church.

[Sister Alvear]

Paul exclaims "What?" Paul is almost beside himself when he reads back this statement from the letter written to him. Paul is not the one making the statement. Paul is quoting from the letter. The fact Paul exclaims, "What? came the word of God out from you?" shows that the statement came from the Corinthian church, and they were claiming to exclude the women from speaking based on the Law, which they claimed was the word of God. (copied)

[Sister Alvear]

"But they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law." Paul would never use the Law to enforce any behavior. Paul taught that the Law was nailed to the cross (see Ephesians 2:15 and Colossians 2:14), so why would he appeal to the Law to ban women? Paul did not agree with the statement but questioned it.

[Sister Alvear]

In response to this ban on women, Paul says, "Let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command" (14:37). Paul taught and wrote that the women in Corinth could prophesy with their heads covered (ch 11). He also wrote, "For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged " (14:31). All can prophesy. That includes women!
So if all ALL can prophesy then WOMAN CAN SPEAK IN THE CHURCH...FOR PROPHECY according to Paul is to be given IN the church....

[Sister Alvear]

, "In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman". He differentiates between cultural norms and equality in the Lord. His famous statement in Galatians should remove all doubt as to whether or not Paul was a "woman hater" as some have claimed. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:28)

[Sister Alvear]

Sorry, I have not cited the sources but if interested they are easy to look up...I am pressed for time and really nothing I say changes the opinion of those that have already decided what they believe. However just a few nuggets for the others. Of course the Bible and the Bible alone is what we will all be judged by. However all we would have to do is look at recent history and graves that have been uncovered and their markings to know that there were women who took part in the first church and slowly were taken out of office with the merging of the Roman Empire and so called church fathers. The long boring councils in Nicaea, Orange, Trent, Ephesus, Chalcedon, Constantinople and where else...my memory fails me.. Read what they were about....how the trinity doctrine was ingrained and how women were taken from the pulpits and on and on...change after change took place....The church became a complicated instutition set up by Rome and it's evils...
Nicaea

[Sister Alvear]

And once again I am not advocating Women that are unruley and manly...however there is still a place in ministry for God fearing ladies. And a lady that fears God KNOWS how to respect!