Why does Les quote ancient statements that demean women?
These ancient statements are quoted to illustrate the prevalent first-century attitude toward women, not to endorse it. They show the Greek philosophical and Talmudic backdrop that shaped how Paul's Corinthian readers heard his instructions, helping explain why his words sound harsh without promoting the demeaning view.
Les explains that he is not promoting these statements; he quotes them because they capture the attitude prevalent when Paul was writing to early Christian people. He first notes Romans 16, where Paul commends many women who helped him in the ministry, showing there was a role for women in the Church. Then, because Paul's Corinthian passage sounds hard on women, Les points to Corinth's pagan setting, closer to the Orient than Western civilization. The Sophocles quote—"silence confers grace upon a woman"—reflects Greek philosophers. The Talmud quote about the talkative widow and the virgin who wastes her time in prayers as plagues of Israel reflects Jewish writings. Les uses both only to show the backdrop, not to promote the demeaning view.