Paul made this statement: “Let your women keep silence in the churches” What you had going on in the church was, out “here” behind the curtain, you suddenly hear someone shout, “George.  Ask him ‘this.’”  He says to learn at home; amen?  You would have women, then, some of these wives…  How many of you know that by asking a question, you can refute a statement that was made?  Amen?  Did everybody get that?  Now, you have the men discussing a subject, and some woman asks a question which is refuting it.  Then who is trying to insert doctrine into the church?  Women cannot usurp authority; amen?

We see it over in Timothy.  That is another part of the subject.  To answer the question of women, we first know that women were very, very influential in the church, in the ministry of Jesus.  Women are able to function virtually in every capacity that does not put them into a position of final authority.  So, if we can register that, that will help us a lot.  They can be given great areas of responsibility, but they do not set the doctrine, and they are not the final authority in the church.  You cannot.  It is not God’s will that that be the case.

Can they be prophetesses?  Can they speak in the meetings?  Yes.  Yes, that takes place.  What Paul is speaking to here…  We know that in Christ there is neither male nor female, but there is a husband and wife.  Distinctions are made clear regarding what a wife’s role is in being submissive to her husband, both socially, secularly, and within the community.  It is a shame for a woman, then, to try to speak up over “here,” on her own, and begin to question the discussion that is going on among the men.  That is a reproach on her husband.

What does Paul go on to say here?  What does it say?  “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 anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”  We took time to speak about that and qualify some of those things that were happening.  The proper orders are given here.  There was no usurping by these questions that were really debating and arrogance from their role of submission.  It is your husband’s job to get the doctrine, come home, and teach it to his family.

That is why we have men’s meetings and not women’s meetings; amen?  That is why we have, once a month, questions and answers.  It is to give an opportunity for many of these things to be addressed and answered so that the whole body can receive ministry, both men and women.  If you will, look at Chapter 11, verse 5 of Corinthians, and Chapter 14, verse 34.  Both passages reveal and imply the woman making herself present, and putting herself in the forefront, by asking questions and drawing attention to herself.  I think that it is just a very simple way to address a very specific problem.