Let All Things Be Done For Building Up

Meditations in First Corinthians

June 21, 2022

Orderly Worship 

Let All Things Be Done For Building Up

1 Corinthians 14:26b

Read: 1 Corinthians 14:26-40

The role of women in the church is still debated as evidenced by the continuing debates in the Southern Baptist Church, and others. For me, Acts 21:9 is helpful in discerning God’s will in this matter. Luke is describing Paul’s journey to Jerusalem and their stop in Caesarea where they stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist. Luke notes, “He (Philip) had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.” Some people have read verses 34-35 and concluded Paul is commanding that women are forbidden to speak in public worship services. However, to reach that conclusion, you would have to discard chapter 11 (as well as many other places in the Bible) where Paul clearly expects women to provide leadership in worship through praying and preaching. Some scholars suggest that these verses were added as an editorial comment by a scribe copying the manuscripts. Others suggest that Paul wrote these verses, but that he was addressing a peculiar situation in Corinth that concerned an issue other than worship leadership.

In Paul’s description of worship, he introduces the inclusion of an exhorter that is still practiced in some churches. An exhorter was a speaker who followed the preacher, who encouraged the congregation to apply the lessons proclaimed by the preacher to their daily lives. The situation in Corinth involved interaction during the service between the exhorter and the congregation. It is known that while St. Augustine was preaching, he was often interrupted for questions or comments. I had that happen a time or two while I was preaching – for me, another disconcerting moment.

My Takeaway: I have two takeaways today. First, I do not know for sure what Paul had in mind with his discussion of women in worship, other than this surely is not a prohibition on the leadership of women in the church. Secondly, if we practice the lesson from the beginning of chapter 14, we will find our right path:

 Let love be your highest goal!

1 Corinthians 14:1a

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.