Why did Paul expect women to be subdued in the Corinthian church?
Paul expected women in the Corinthian church to be subdued because God ordained that the husband rule over the wife as part of the curse, and the man remains head of the family and of the woman. That order carried into Paul’s thinking and church practice, so women were to recognize male headship in church services.
Les teaches that in verse 16 God told the woman her desire would be to her husband, and the husband would rule over her. Les says that is the way God commanded and ordained it. All through the Old Testament the woman was, by our way of thinking, almost overly subdued, and this remained part of Paul’s thinking as he dealt with the Corinthian church. Women were to recognize that the man was still head of the family and head of the woman, and that she was to be subdued under those services in the church. Paul further insisted that what he wrote were the commandments of the Lord.
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
Why did Paul tell women to be silent and not take authority in the church?
Paul told women to remain subdued, not talkative, and not to take authority in the local church because he was writing in the light of his culture and day. The purpose was to keep a mood of subservience, not slavery, recognizing the husband as head of the house, a principle going back to Eden and Eve's eating the fruit first.
What were the women in the Corinthian church to recognize about the man's role and their own submission?
Women in the Corinthian church were to recognize that the man was still the head of the family and head of the woman, and that she was to be subdued under those services in the church. This order rested on God's command that the husband rule over the wife.
More Questions
What did Paul tell the women in Corinth to watch?
Paul told the ladies in the church to watch their languages, speaking, and behavior.
Why did Paul tell women to remain subdued and not take authority in the local church?
Paul wrote his instructions for women in the church (remain subdued, don't be talkative, don't take authority in the local church) in the light of the culture and the day and time in which he was writing.