1 Corinthians 14:34-35: Women in the Church

October 24, 2026 Blaize

The passage of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 is one of the more debated texts in the New Testament due to its instructions regarding women in the context of the church. These two verses, within the scope of 1 Corinthians 14, discuss speech gifts and when people should speak or not speak during a church service. The instructions here, in the context of gifts, have the intent of dealing with orderly worship and the proper use of spiritual gifts. Which gift Paul is discussing, however, is at the crux of the issue. Also, there are two scopes to consider: the scope of extent and the scope of application.

The scope of extent addresses how far this text should be applied. There is a broad range of possibilities. At one end is all women in all churches for all time. On the other extreme, this could be addressing a specific concern in Corinth at the time. Paul applies this principle at least twice, namely the church at Ephesus and the church at Corinth. Based on this, the principle cannot be said to be particular to Corinth. Moreover, this idea has been firmly and repeatedly held by the early church fathers who wrote about it as a principle. Churches throughout history have held to the position as well. To this end, it is broadly understood that the scope of extent is universal.

The scope of application addresses to what part of the "church" it applies. This scope, too, has a broad range, applying from the moment that a woman enters the congregation to a specific part of a worship service. It is probably safe to say that Paul is not talking about the entire worship experience or all aspects of church, but rather a specific part of church. These verses would be at odds with other passages where Paul acknowledges women praying and prophesying in the assembly (1 Corinthians 11:5). The context provides some clues. Notice what Paul says in verse 35: if a woman desires to "learn" something, she should ask her husband at home. This seems to imply that this was in reference to the speech gift of teaching, wherein the early church would have someone give an exposition on a passage of scripture. If this is true, then the scope here is narrow: women should not talk during the exposition of scripture when given by a pastor.

Chapter 14 also needs to be framed in the context of the New Testament with supporting passages like 1 Timothy 2:11-13 and 1 Corinthians 11:8-9. 1 Timothy makes a similar statement concerning teaching and authority, while Chapter 11 talks about head coverings. In both passages, Paul appeals to the order of creation as a basis for instructions regarding the roles of men and women within the church, including the exercise of authority and teaching. In Genesis, Adam names Eve, which in Hebrew thought was to show an authority of sorts. These verses are often contrasted with the presence of female leaders in the New Testament. Phoebe, mentioned in Romans 16:1-2, is referred to as a "deacon" of the church in Cenchreae, a port city near Corinth. Priscilla (also known as Prisca), along with her husband Aquila, is repeatedly mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19) as a key figure in the early church. Priscilla, along with her husband, taught Apollos (Acts 18:26), who Paul mentions numerous times in the early chapters of the letter. Junia is mentioned in Romans 16:7, where Paul refers to her and Andronicus as "outstanding among the apostles." Moreover, women are portrayed as important figures in the life and ministry of Jesus, such as his birth and the discovery of the empty tomb.

It is important to note the difference, though, between principles and practices, as it may seem contradictory to think that a church may not require head coverings but still exercises male headship. Churches distinguish between the enduring principles in Scripture (such as male headship in certain church roles) and the specific practices of the time (like head coverings). The principle of headship still applies, but the cultural expression of the principles of modesty and piety (head coverings) does not.

Putting this all together, then, the New Testament shows that while there is one role reserved for men, namely pastoral leadership which entails teaching, women by and large can participate in church leadership in other roles. This view is known as complementarianism. This view holds that while men and women are equal in value and dignity before God, they have different but complementary roles and responsibilities in marriage, family life, and religious leadership. Conversely, egalitarianism, the view that gender does not matter in church leadership, is relatively modern. A formal movement in the 19th and 20th centuries arose in the United States and Europe. The 20th century advanced this movement with the advent of feminist theology. Influential theologians like Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer questioned traditional gender roles. All this led to a shift in many mainline Protestant denominations. They started to ordain women to pastoral ministry. The establishment of Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE) in 1987 helped formalize egalitarian theology.

While complementarianism is the biblical conclusion, it needs to be properly understood. Even though Chapters 11 and 14 and 1 Timothy 2 all talk about male authority, the kind of authority men are supposed to exemplify is anything but misogynistic. Ephesians 5:21-33 unpacks the relationship beautifully. It begins with a call to mutual submission among all believers: "And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ." (v. 21). This mutual submission sets the stage for the specific instructions that follow regarding husbands and wives.

The passage then shows there are different roles of husbands and wives in marriage, drawing an analogy between the relationship of a husband and wife and that of Christ and the Church. Husbands are instructed to love their wives "just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her" (v. 25). This love is characterized by sacrifice, sanctification, and care. When it comes to authority and initiative, the passage suggests that a husband's role as the 'head' is not about domineering control but about being the first to step forward in love, mirroring the way Christ initiates love toward the Church. This headship is characterized by leading in love, being the first to offer forgiveness, the first to serve, and the first to sacrifice personal interests for the good of the wife and family. It's about setting a tone of selflessness and care within the marriage, and by extension, the church.

Lord, let me lead with love in all I do!