Why does Paul sound so hard on women in 1 Corinthians 11?
Paul’s tone reflects the first-century Corinthian setting, where pagan and Hebrew attitudes often demeaned women. The surrounding culture prized female silence, as Greek and Talmudic quotes illustrate. Scripture also shows Paul commending women who helped his ministry, proving he recognized a role for women in the Church.
Les explains that when Paul in this portion of Corinthians sounds as though he is coming down hard on women, we must remember the circumstances in Corinth. Corinth was a pagan city, still probably closer to the Orient than to Western civilization. Many things that were part and parcel of the Hebrew, as well as the pagan, attitude toward women are probably epitomized in two quotes. Sophocles, a Greek philosopher before Paul’s time, said, “silence confers grace upon a woman,” meaning the best thing a woman can do is be quiet. Out of the Talmud, the Jewish writings and really a commentary, comes another statement: “The talkative widow and the virgin who wastes her time in prayers are one of the plagues of Israel.” Les says he is not promoting this, but is showing that this was the attitude prevalent when Paul was writing. At the same time, Les points out that Paul in Romans 16 commends so many women who helped him in the ministry, and he certainly recognized that there was a role for women in the Church.