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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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DIFFICULTIES IN CHURCH WORSHIP (CH 11-14): THE USE AND ABUSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS (CH. 12-14) 1Co 14:34-40 (2/22/12) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. THE PURPOSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS WAS
EDIFICATION (1Co 14:1-12) II. THE PERSEPCTIVE ON TONGUES THAT IS MATURE
(13-20) III. THE PURPOSE(S) FOR TONGUES (21-26) IV. THE PRINCIPLES FOR THE USE OF TONGUES AND
PROPHECY (27-33) V. THE PROCEDURES CONCERNING WOMEN IN THE
CHURCH (34-36) A. Women must not Speak in Tongues or
Prophesy in Church (34) 1. We come to another highly debated
passage. It is debated on the level of those who take offense at women’s
submission to the authority of men in the home and church. It is also debated
on the level of the passage itself in an attempt to identify the context and
its interpretation. 2. Based on the immediate context we can
assume that some women were part of the disorder at Corinth by speaking in
tongues, prophesying, and asking questions disrupting the service. Therefore,
Paul gives the imperative (command) that women are to keep “silent” (sigaō
fr. sigê - silence, not speak) specifically “in the churches.” a) This would mean that women could not make
use of tongues or prophesying during the church service. b) Since the context refers to spiritual
gifts in the church, he was not demanding they could not speak (lale,ō - can mean normal speaking) at all and under any circumstance. This “speaking” (lale,ō) was the speaking of tongues and prophesying, to which the verb
(lale,ō) was also combined with the phrase “speaking (lale,ō) in tongues” (1Co 14:39). c) Paul does give permission to women to
pray and prophesy under other circumstances as long as they wore head
coverings (1Co 11:4-5) and fell in line with other biblical limitations. 3. But the next phrase, (lit.) “let them be in subjection” captures another intent in
addition to disrupting the service. These women were not exercising subjection
(hupotassō - to arrange under
or rank under, i.e. subject) to the leadership of men in the church. This correlates with
other Scripture expounding on the same concept (1Ti 2:12-14). a) A woman was not to teach men or exercise
authority over them (1Ti 2:12a). Therefore men were to lead the service as
their divinely appointed responsibility. Instead they were to be “quiet” (hesuchia fr. hesuchios - to be tranquil and still,
i.e. quiet much like the admonition to be “silent” in 1Co 14:34). They were to be quiet from teaching
and exercising authority over a man (1Ti 2:12b). b) Paul did not base this view on culture or
local traditions, rather upon the divine design of man and women from the
beginning (1Ti 2:13 cp. Gen 3:16). c) Adam was not less culpable because he
entered into sin (and plunged the entire human race into sin) with full
understanding of God’s command, not being deceived like Eve (1Ti 2:14). (1) Eve was not suited by nature to assume the
position of ultimate responsibility. When she stepped out from under the protection and
leadership of Adam, she was highly vulnerable and fell. (MAC in loc.) 4. Paul refers to the Law, not as an exact
quote, but its general implications to show this same divine design for
leadership from the fact that the leaders (Num 17:2-9) and priests were men
(Exo 24:1; 28:1; Lev 1:5). This coincides with New Testament teaching on the
spiritual leaders of men (1Ti 2:8; 3:1-2 mias
gunaikos andra - “one woman man”). There is not one example of a female
apostle or a record of a female preaching to men. B. Women must Learn from their Husbands at
Home (34) 1. This next verse is interesting because it
may prove that the disruption coming from women was not only in spiritual
gifts, but in asking disrupting questions at inappropriate times. 2. It is good to have questions and “learn”
(manthanō, learner or disciple
(mathêtês), cp. 1Co 14:31)
and be edified at church, but everything must be in order and according to
God’s design. 3. The design for women was to ask their
questions at home (oikos - house or dwelling) and receive biblical
answers from their husbands. This emphasizes the need for the husband to be
biblically and spiritually knowledgeable so that he can assume his God given
role as spiritual leader. 4. Paul states that it was “improper” (aischro,s
- shameful and disgraceful) for them to disrupt the service in an usurping manner. 5. Women are certainly able to teach other
women and children. They also are certainly able to pray together with men
and in appropriate venues to share their thoughts from the Scriptures in the
presence of men. But women during the church service are to assume the role
of quietness and submission (1Co 14:34-35; cp. 1Ti 2:11) and not assume
leadership over men no matter how gifted. a) It is not coincidental that, like Corinth,
many of the churches today that practice speaking in tongues and claim gifts
of healing also permit women to engage in speaking ministry. Many charismatic
groups, in fact, were begun by women, just as many of the cults that have
sprung from Christianity were founded by women. When women usurp man’s
God–ordained role, they inevitably fall into other unbiblical practices and
delusions.MAC in loc. VI. THE PARAMOUNT CONCLUSION ON TONGUES AND
PROPHESY (36-40) A. The Church’s Authority was to Come from
the Word of God (36) 1. There is a touch of godly sarcasm and
reproof to the Corinthians in general in vs. 36. Paul asks them the basis of
their authority (as he will be asked by the Corinthians cp. 2Co 12:11-13) to
do the things they were doing in regard to spiritual gifts. 2. He rhetorically asked them if they were
the ones from whom the revelation of the Word of God “came out” (exe,rchomai - come or go out).
In other words he asked if they were authoritative apostles who could claim
dogmatic truth and revelation for their practices. Did this divine revelation
come to them alone (monos) and not to other apostles including
himself? B. A True Prophet will Agree with an Apostle
of God (37-38) 1. The litmus test for their prophetic gift
depends on whether or not they agree with a bona-fide apostle, like himself. 2. If they were true prophets they should
“recognize” (present imperative of epiginoskō - fully know) Paul’s authority and the truth of his words. 3. Being an apostle, Paul’s words are
Scripture, originated and inspired by God (2Ti 3:16 cp. 2Pe 3:15-16). 4. So if a person at Corinth, who claimed to
be a prophet, did not recognize (agnoe,ō - not know or disregard) Paul’s authority or words, they
themselves would be disregarded or demoted (agnoe,ō
- not know or disregard).
And this from apostolic authority as another principle for the church. C. The Church is to Seek Edification through
the use of Spiritual Gifts (39-40 1. In conclusion, Paul summarizes what he
has stated, namely that they were to “earnestly desire” the gift of prophesy
(esp, forth-telling, including preaching and teaching) because it edifies the
church, whereas tongue does not. 2. However, since tongues would be a genuine
spiritual gift, until it ceased in and of itself (1Co 13:8), it was not to be
forbidden. Nevertheless it was to be limited with the principles that Paul
gave in chapter 14. VII. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS A. Women in leadership over men open the door
for deception. B. Pseudo prophets lead to pseudo
spirituality. C. The Word must be the church’s authority
over popular practice, experience, or strong opinion. D. However, we must pursue edification
through the use of spiritual gifts. |
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