The teaching of Jesus Christ regarding women in the first-century Jewish world was radical. Christians were initially considered part of the Jewish religion and weren’t even called Christians until the church was established at Antioch. Of course, many of their Jewish brethren considered them mistaken and heretical and Jews. After all, Jesus was a Jew that they knew and who taught in their Synagogues. The earliest church members were Jews.
Jewish Christians went to the Synagogue (appointed place of meeting) on Saturday and to the Temple in Jerusalem. On Sunday these same Jewish Christians worshipped and observed communion [fellowship] normally in a house. Are you one of those that think they gave up their Jewish traditions overnight? Christianity was in its infancy. Judaism provided them the ability to spread the word because Judaism was well established in the then known world and these people were known at their local Synagogue. These people attending the Synagogue with their relatives, friends, and brethren. Judaism is a “nationalistic” religion and they considered themselves God’s people. The first Christian sermon was fifty days after Passover (Pentecost) as a culmination of the Jewish feast of weeks.
Need an example of fellowship? “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:46-47) Would you reject someone with your personal doctrine that the Lord added to the church?
Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, always went to the Jews first. When Paul addressed the Romans he said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) How well would Christ and the Apostles have been received had they walked into a Jewish Synagogue to preach on the Sabbath as Gentiles—forty stripes save one?
During the worship in the Jewish Synagogue women were separated from the men (mechitza - wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechitza).
Today we talk about women keeping silent in the church assembly (ekklesia) or congregation. One of the Jewish silent requirements in the assembly: Women were not allowed to sing because Jewish men are generally not allowed to hear women sing, a prohibition called kol isha. “Given the belief that a woman’s voice should not be heard among men in public, synagogue worship consisted entirely of male participants. Women, if present, were passive listeners, separated from men by a michetza (partition). Sometimes they were ‘secluded in an adjoining room or gallery…[and] they were never to raise their voices.’ Only men did the singing or chanting. Raphael Patai says that Jewish women were not permitted to sing in a synagogue until the Enlightenment (late 1700s) and then only in the Reformed (liberal) synagogues or temples.” Source: How Christianity Changed the World by Alvin J. Schmidt.
“In Orthodox Judaism men are generally not allowed to hear women sing, a prohibition called kol isha. The Talmud classifies this as ervah (literally "nakedness"). The majority view of halachic authorities is that this prohibition applies at all times, and forbids a man to pray or study Torah in the presence of a woman who is singing, similar to other prohibitions classified as ervah.” Wikipedia
Note: This is common usage. Go online and read some of the disputes over these issues in the Jewish community today (very interesting). Christ often corrected common usage, traditions, and Jewish understanding of various scriptures.
Would you like a proof text from the legalist Orthodox Jew? Although people interpret kol isha in several ways, there is still a blatant prohibition. “O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.” (Song of Solomon 2:14)
“News of the suspension from school of Ophir Ben-Shetreet, for performing on the Israeli hit show, “The Voice” in violation of her school’s policy of Kol Isha (the ban of women singing in public) is now well known.
The school’s decision to suspend Ophir is theirs alone. It is also true that schools have the right to discipline students for breaking the rules. No one should fault the school for implementing a standing policy.” Source: morethodoxy.org, 1/31/13 (This is still a big problem for religious Jews today.)
Here is an interesting quote from Julie C. Dunbar from her book Women, Music, Culture: An Introduction. “Biblical references to Jewish liturgical [religious] music, however, reveal an absence of musical roles for women. Liturgical music was a vocally based phenomenon, and the eventual banning of women’s voices from Jewish liturgical worship, referred to in Hebrew as kol isha, was intended to protect men from potential distraction. Musical-liturgical roles of cantor, prayer leader, scriptural reader-chanter, and choir member were strictly reserved for males. Women also were physically separated during services by a curtain or wall, or were sometimes placed in a separate physical location entirely, such as a balcony.
Women continued to be active in non-liturgical music roles by performing in the home as well as at such events as burials and weddings. Still, it was liturgical music—and the work of men who created and performed it—that was documented. The domestic musical involvement of Jewish women in the private sphere remained a relatively untold story until the late twentieth century, and although there is greater involvement of Jewish women in liturgical roles in twenty-first century Reform and Conservative Judaism, Orthodox Jews still practice the concept of kol isha today.
Musical traditions of the Jewish liturgy strongly impacted early Christian liturgical practice. From the musical repetition of texts, to psalm-singing procedures, to the banning of instruments and women’s voices, there were many similarities between the two traditions.”
Merriam-webster: “Chant - to make melodic sounds with the voice; especially: to sing a chant…. Chant - to say (a word or phrase) many times in a rhythmic way usually loudly and with other people.”
Now we turn to the NT teaching of the Apostle Paul. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16)
“Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” (1st Timothy 2:11-12)
“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. 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.” (1st Corinthians 14:33-34)
With just these few verses, and Jewish history, a legalist could easily make an argument for women not to sing (teaching and admonishing one another in spiritual songs) at a church service of the Lord. However, we will not defy your current worldview by trying to make such an argument. I certainly don’t believe women should keep their beautiful voices silent. I suspect their voices ring in the heavenly realm too (however that may come about in a spiritual realm).
Also, we will not contradict the teaching of Paul when it comes to women teaching the word (speaking in the worship service of the church) but change direction and consider “private” versus “public” speaking in general.
We would like to consider just a few verses where Christian women did speak publicly without any condemnation in the scripture or the controversy encountered by trying to consider 1st Corinthians 11:5 (praying and prophesying by married women). While this may defy the worldview of some we would still like to present the evidence or simple facts as presented in the scriptures. The New Testament provided examples of women prophesying publicly.
Also, some promote arguments that don’t fit reality. Many women don’t have husbands and they aren’t asking questions at home because they know more than many men when it comes to religious issues. When we quote scriptures do they actually fit the context of reality? Perhaps they fit our imagined reality?
The great evangelist Philip (one of the seven) had four virgin daughters we can read about in Acts 21. “And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy [Young’s Analytical Concordance – publicly expound].” (Acts 21:8-9) Their prophesying wasn’t labeled private or public because the word used (according to Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible) denotes public speaking. Evidently, these four virgin women could speak the word. Did they do it at home where the Saints often assembled for worship? Did they ask some man or even Philip? Philip could certainly preach with great results. I suspect his four daughters could too.
Prophesying is an ability that is joined at the hip with speaking publicly. One cannot prophesy without doing so publicly. It’s kind of like that old joke: “How many of you speak publicly or are you just talking to yourself again?” Even if it is considered private by some it can quickly become public through the rumor mill. For example, we may recall sermons we have heard on private versus public confessions of fault where individuals have not only ruined their reputation but the reputation of others (that could be a sin in my opinion because it may damage the influence of others for good). How we confess sins may make a big difference. We can just imagine some of the “public confessions” some preachers have witnessed over the years. I recall a sermon on “public confessions of fault” by Lynwood Smith when I was a boy many years ago. Know doubt, he had heard it all and I suspect others had too.Do women give public confessions of fault in the worship service? Do they speak publicly in this instance?
At what point does prophesying go from being something private to public (1, 2, 3, 4 or more people)? Do you need two or three witnesses to confirm that you are speaking “publicly?” At what “location” does private versus public apply? Would it be at home (where first century Christians worshiped) or at a restaurant or auditorium or on Facebook or Twitter? Please explain to me the difference between speaking publicly and privately or even why this is an issue with some in the church today. Have we manufactured an issue because it doesn’t match our long held habits, beliefs, and current day practices?
Things are changing fast. Perhaps you have heard of Klout.com (influence your world). Many people put their Klout score on their resume. Why? Companies may now want to know how influential potential employees are online and if they are good prospects for employment. (Thankfully, I don’t have to worry about this issue but your children may have to deal with it.) In certain fields you may not get hired if your Klout score is too low. Are you an influential man or woman?
Can a woman send a message on her smart phone to hundreds of people all at one time? Yes! That message is not private even though it is one small message quickly distributed to many. I suspect some women have expressed religious opinions in a “public forum” called Facebook or Twitter or some blog post or some public text message. Some events are now performed by videoconference. My wife and I were invited to a religious videoconference that was “worldwide” and not just local or national.
In Acts chapter 2, beginning at verse 17, we read about the prophecy of Joel coming to pass. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [Young’s Analytical Concordance – publicly expound], and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens [Strong’s – female slave or servant] I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Did the Lord pour out his spirit on a handmaiden giving them the ability to prophesy [publicly expound]? Virgins aren’t usurping authority over their husbands because they have no husband. Women have a responsibility to teach. Did sons and daughters prophesy [publicly expound]? If not teaching Apollos (like Priscilla and her husband in Acts 18:26) then other women and children perhaps? If a woman doesn’t have a husband could she ask a question at a bible study in her home with several male members present? Could she teach them if they didn’t know what they were talking about? How do you define your worship service and does it fit the pattern of the first-century church?
Some of these issues remind me of the situations that Christ often found himself in with his audience at the Synagogue. “And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.” (Luke 13:10-17)
Would we have learned women keep silent (when they could save souls) because we are a legalist? Do we tend to overlook some history and some scriptures? There again, this is not about the worship service and the general assembly of the local church (ekklesia) where Paul forbids women to teach. Why create a problem like that? We certainly want to exhibit the proper respect for the inspired word of God and the teaching of the great Apostle Paul. We want to understand and apply the word correctly. Do we have the ability to make those distinctions or not? Is it more important to heal on the Sabbath, loose an ox, or save a soul from hell? “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” (James 5:20)
Frances Jane van Alstyne née Crosby (March 24, 1820 – February 12, 1915), more commonly known as Fanny Crosby, was an American mission worker, poet, lyricist, and composer. A lifelong Methodist, she was one of the most prolific hymnists in history, writing over 8,000 hymns and gospel songs, with over 100 million copies printed. This is despite her being blind from shortly after birth. Crosby is also known for her preaching, teaching, and her rescue mission work. By the end of the 19th century, she was "a household name". Source: Wikipedia What an amazing woman! You will recognize many of her hymns in the church service. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16)
In Conclusion, Paul is obviously talking to the men regarding the proper conduct of the worship service in 1st Corinthians 14. In verse 1 Paul says, “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.” This is the same Greek word used for the daughters of James in Acts 21:9 and means publicly expound. Taking verse 10 out of context: “There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.” Let the women have their voice.
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