Gifts and Order – 1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Gordon Fee notes three main views on the part of this passage that talks about women keeping silent in the churches: (1) that Paul is forbidding disruptive speech, (2) that Paul is prohibiting inspired speech other than prophecy, and (3) that Paul is quoting some of the Corinthians and rejecting their view.  None of these views makes sense of this passage.  My good friend, Andrew Spurgeon, has yet another view in his commentary, that Paul’s commands were “permissive commands” in which Paul was allowing the actions of women not speaking in church, but not requiring it.  He was yielding to the sensitive consciences of some in the congregation who thought it was wrong for women to speak.  But I find the solution that Fee opts for and I describe below as most satisfying.

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order.  (1 Corinthians 14:26-40 ESV)

Paul now gives specific instructions for the Corinthians to help them bring balance to their imbalanced focus on tongues speaking.  Everyone can bring something to the public worship meeting but it must be for the purpose of building others up.  Hence, only two or at the most three should speak in tongues and only if there is a translation.  Two or three prophets may speak while the others weigh their prophecies for accuracy.  But if someone gets a word from God while another is speaking let the first one be silent and remember that prophecy is not ecstatic utterance that the prophet cannot help but speak.  No one must hijack the meeting with non-stop speaking.

The next paragraph about women makes little sense in this context.  Paul has already told women they can prophecy in the meeting as long as their head is covered (ch. 11).  And here, though some have argued that he is urging silence only in the use of tongues and/or prophecy, that would contradict what he said in ch. 11, and what he says is simply, “keep silent…for they are not permitted to speak.”  They cannot even ask questions until they get home.  Paul does not believe it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. 

There is manuscript evidence that this paragraph is not originally from Paul but was added by someone.  If you remove it, all struggles making it fit the context are gone, and Paul’s next words about his advice on gift usage coming from God and a requirement to keep things in order, make perfect sense.  So the passage would read, “God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.  Or was it from you that the word of God came?“

The principle of gifts being for the purpose of building others up requires the kind of order Paul commands.