Paul told the Corinthian women to be silent and subdued primarily because of the city's pagan, prostitute-filled culture—not because he was anti-feminist.
In pagan Corinth, 1,000 temple priestesses came into the streets every night as prostitutes, and public, talkative, unveiled behavior marked them. Les Feldick teaches that silence and subdued behavior were the deliberate opposite of those street women, so the church would not be mistaken for them.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 — This is the exact passage where Paul instructs women to keep silence in the churches and to ask their husbands at home.
The Apostle Paul's instruction to the Corinthians is explicit. In 1 Corinthians 14:34, he writes: "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." The next verse continues, "And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." Paul then caps the whole discussion with verse 40: "Let all things be done decently and in order." Scripture itself does not supply the Corinthians' local background in this passage; it simply commands silence, obedience, and home-learning for the women of that church.
Les Feldick begins by pushing back on the idea that Paul was anti-feminist. He points out that Paul commends women in Romans 16 and that Christianity is what set womanhood free. The reason for the silence instruction, he says, is Corinth itself. It was a wicked, wicked city of gross immorality. From the temple of Aphrodite on the bluff above the city, 1,000 female priestesses came down into the streets every night as prostitutes. In that atmosphere, an unveiled woman in public was identified with prostitutes, who would flaunt themselves by removing their head coverings. Les says this was also the thinking of the culture: the Greek philosopher Sophocles said 'silence confers grace upon a woman,' and the Talmud called a talkative widow one of the plagues of Israel. So Paul wrote in the light of that culture, day, and time. The women's silence and subdued behavior were the complete opposite of the street prostitutes' public, talkative conduct. And verse 35's instruction to ask husbands at home was part of that same cultural setting.
No. Les says, 'Don't ever accuse the Apostle Paul of being anti-feminist.' Paul's doctrine opened up the world of freedom to women, and Christianity is what set womanhood free. Paul commends many women in Romans 16 and entrusted the letter to the Romans to Phoebe, a woman. In this passage, he is not denying women a role in the church; he is dealing with the circumstances in Corinth.
Corinth was a wicked city with gross immorality. On the bluff above the city stood the temple of Aphrodite, and every night 1,000 female priestesses came down into the streets as prostitutes. The men of Corinth were confronted with that every night of the week. Paul was writing to a small church living under that daily pressure.
In that culture, a woman who appeared unveiled in public was sending a signal: prostitutes would flaunt themselves by removing their head coverings and unveiling their profession. The cultural attitude, echoed by philosophers like Sophocles, was that silence conferred grace upon a woman. Les explains that silence and subdued behavior were the complete opposite of the public, outspoken conduct associated with prostitutes, so Paul told believers to be careful how they handled these customs.
Les says today we are not bothered with the same cultural situation, so custom has completely changed our interpretation of some of these things. But Paul's principle remains: believers should be careful how they handle cultural situations lest the world misinterpret them. The veiled woman in the Middle East, for example, retreats into a protected world, while an unveiled woman is open to abuse and attack.
The Context: Wicked Corinth and Temple Priestesses
Les explains that in wicked Corinth, 1,000 temple priestesses came into the streets each night as prostitutes, so Paul's command for women to keep silence had a specific reason in the face of that culture.
The Cultural Attitude Toward Women
Les shows that Paul was not anti-feminist, pointing to Romans 16 and noting Greek philosophers of the day said silence confers grace upon a woman.
Unveiled Women and Prostitutes
Les explains that a woman appearing unveiled in public was seen as flaunting herself like a prostitute, so Paul addressed women's behavior with that cultural mindset in view.
The Daily Reality of Prostitution in Corinth
Les emphasizes that 1,000 female priestesses from Aphrodite's temple went into Corinth nightly, which is why Biblical language about prostitutes is explicit.
The Talmud's View of Talkative Women
Les cites the Talmud listing the talkative widow as one of Israel's plagues, showing the attitude women faced when Paul wrote.
Christianity Set Womanhood Free
Les says never accuse Paul of anti-feminism; Paul's doctrine opened up the world of freedom to women, and Christianity set womanhood free.
Paul's High View of Women in Ministry
Les notes Paul commends many women in Romans 16 and entrusted the Roman letter to Phoebe, showing women were not excluded from the church.
The Protective Role of the Veil
Les explains that in Middle Eastern culture a veiled woman is protected from harassment, while an unveiled woman is open to abuse, so Paul told believers to be careful how they handled these customs.
1 Corinthians 14:34: 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.
This is the exact command Paul gives to the Corinthian women regarding silence in the church.
1 Corinthians 14:35: And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
Paul directs women who want to learn to ask their husbands at home instead of speaking in the assembly.
1 Corinthians 14:40: Let all things be done decently and in order.
This is the broader principle of orderly worship that Paul applies to the entire discussion.
Yes, in 1 Corinthians 14:34 Paul wrote, "Let your women keep silence in the churches," and verse 35 told them to ask their husbands at home. Les Feldick shows this instruction came in the context of wicked, morally corrupt Corinth.
No. Les says Paul's doctrine opened up freedom to women and Christianity set womanhood free. Paul commended many women in Romans 16 and entrusted the letter to the Romans to Phoebe, a woman.
In Corinth, 1,000 temple priestesses came into the streets nightly as prostitutes. Public, talkative, and unveiled behavior was associated with those women, so Paul urged the church women to behave in the opposite way so they would not be identified with them.
Watch the Teaching: Tongues, Prophecy & Order in Worship - 1 Corinthians 14:14-40 Explained