With just a few more weeks in our study through 1 Corinthians we now conclude our look at spiritual gifts and turn to the resurrection (NT334 Unit #12, 1 Cor 14:26–15:28.) One debated topic in this section is the meaning of Paul’s command in 1 Cor 14:34 which includes “women should keep silent in the churches.” Of the various explanations presented in segment 66 (textual variant?, related to elders?, related to lack of education?, this is another Corinthian slogan?) which explanation or combination do you find most compelling?
Thank you. If you have any other questions to discuss as a group, comments on this epistle, or ways we need to apply this section please post them here!
- Also Dr. Bloomberg what are you doing with Junia being called an apostle in Romans 16:7?
- Paul uses "apostle" as a spiritual gift, not to mean one of the Twelve closest followers of Jesus. An apostle was a "sent one," more or less equivalent to what we might call a missionary or church planter. Andronicus and Junia may well have been a husband and wife church-planting team. This poses no problem even for complementarians like Wayne Grudem who takes the same approach.
- As for all your other texts, I don't want to create a thread where I triple the length of your post! You make a lot of good points, although some of the passages are a little more complex. One of the advantages of Bible college, seminary, or even a good program of self-study is that it exposes you to a fuller range of options for the controversial passages and you understand better why good and godly people disagree the way they do. You still have to decide what you believe but you can hold it a little less dogmatically.
