Some may bristle against verses 34 and 35 that women are to keep silent in the churches. However, this is not an isolated nor mistaken command. 1 Timothy 2:11-15 likewise commands: “A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.”
Paul recognized that there would be those who personally thought for various different reasons that women should be allowed to teach in the worship services. Paul recognized that they would have strong personal opinions that would seem logical, and therefore he emphasizes the importance of this law by sarcastically commenting in verse 36: “Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?” In other words, God’s law did not originate with the Corinthians, they only were blessed to receive it. Therefore, the Corinthians did not have the basis of justice and equity in their personal lives through which they could create God’s laws or amend God’s laws or revoke God’s laws that they did not like.
Now and then, we need to get past a fear of women to get to a fear of God. We need to worry more about what God would think about our search for loopholes to get around this command to excuse our disobedience than we need to worry about what a talented woman in our church may think about our presentation, obedience, and support to this law.
Our fear of God can increase through a reminder of Uzza’s story. The LORD had make strict commandments on how the holy ark of the covenant should be approached and transported. But, the people did what was right in their own eyes. It seemed as if they were doing good, and they “were celebrating before God with all their might”. And, Uzza prevented the ark from falling off the cart. But, here is what we read in 1 Chronicles 13:1-10.
“1 Then David consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, even with every leader. 2 David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is from the LORD our God, let us send everywhere to our kinsmen who remain in all the land of Israel, also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they may meet with us; 3 and let us bring back the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” 4 Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
5 So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6 David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the LORD who is enthroned above the cherubim, where His name is called.
7 They carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8 David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, even with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals and with trumpets.
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it. 10 The anger of the LORD burned against Uzza, so He struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.” 1 Chronicles 13:7-10.
In applying Uzza’s story to this command that women should be silent in church, it may look right in everyone’s eyes that women should be allowed to teach in church. The women may be doing good. The women may be celebrating before God with all their might. The women may prevent some bad things from happening to the church. But, all of this does not excuse or allow us to break God’s commandment and allow women to teach in church, and if we allow it to happen, the anger of the LORD may burn against us too.
Now, there certainly may be forgiveness, but let us be careful that whether it be women being silent in the churches or some other specific matter. “… all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.”
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 