What did ancient culture consider a plague of Israel regarding women?
Ancient culture regarded a plague of Israel as a talkative widow or a virgin who wasted her time in prayer. This attitude reflected the surrounding culture's view of women, not Paul's doctrine, which opened freedom to women and set womanhood free through Christianity.
Les explains that ancient culture called a talkative widow, or a virgin who wastes her time in prayer, a “plague of Israel.” He notes we would never dream of saying that today, but this was the attitude. Les insists Paul was not anti-feminist; Paul’s doctrine opened the world of freedom to the woman, and Christianity is what set womanhood free. He also points out that even today in the Middle East, an unveiled woman is open to verbal abuse, snide remarks, and various types of attack, while a veiled woman retreats into a world all her own, and even the boldest men recognize she is not to be touched. Therefore, with the culture in view, Paul tells the Corinthian believers to be careful how they handle this situation lest the world misinterpret.