Paul's teaching on women in 1 timothy and 1 corinthians
By Daniel Korol(based on teaching's by Judy Smith and Dr. David Hamilton)
I. BACKGROUND. Judaism, Greek and Roman Culture.
A. Women in the Old Testament
The Old Testament gives us glimpses into the role of women which is a much higher view than the rabbinic view of the first century. She was created from man to stand with him in taking dominion. She participated in worship, in prayers, offering sacrifices, attending the feasts, and hearing the reading of the law. In the religious realm there were no women priests. This is probably to stand as a contrast against the Pagan cultures who had women as god's and priestesses and their worship involved sex rites. In the home the wife was subordinate to the husband, but in the social realms she exercised great freedoms and entered in business, not as an inferior but on par with the men in the community. Proverbs 31 gives the picture of a model wife who is bright, energetic and able to use her mind and hands.
The Old Testament view of women stands in contrast to the Rabbinic picture portrayed in the first century. Women came to be thought of as inferior to males. James Hurley explains this degeneration:
"Our discussion of the role of women in Judaism has presented a situation in which the subordinate role of women within patriarchal and Israelite society has hardened to a considerable degree and in which women have been relegated to a position of inferiority. The rabbis continued many old traditions and produced new ones which they thought would guard their people from sin. Increasingly this meant a separation of the sexes. Perhaps it was this distance which led to suspicion and ignorance, and the ignorance to contempt. As has frequently been noticed, the rabbis spoke most often of women in a depreciating manner. A woman's praise was found in her service in the home; criticism of her cantered around her sexuality and her ignorance."
James B. Hurley, Man and Woman in Biblical Perspective, p.73,74
B. 1st Century Judaism
In first century Judaism, women could not participate in worship in the synagogue. They were seated in a separate section with a separate entrance and their seating was separated from the men's sometimes by iron grating. They were shut up in their own section of the synagogue where they couldn't be seen. For in the synagogue the men came to learn and the women came to hear. The Scripture was read by men and when the men read the scripture they covered their heads whereas the woman had her head uncovered and was silent. Women were forbidden to teach in any school even of the very young children. A woman was not to be trained in the law for "women are of a light mind." To instruct a woman in the law was to cast pearls before swine. A woman's work was to send her children to the synagogue, to attend to domestic affairs, to leave her husband free to study in the schools and to keep house until he returns. The Rabbis had warnings against talking too much to women and a Rabbi could never greet a woman on the street; not even if she were a family member. In the Jewish morning prayer,a man thanked God that he wasn't a Gentile, slave or a woman. Note Paul uses these three groups in his statement in Gal. 3:25.
In Israel, women were pure, the home happy and the family hallowed. The most desired qualities in a woman were: meekness, modesty, and shamefacedness. Modesty was upheld because woman was formed out of man's rib which is always covered.
In spite of these somewhat demeaning statements about women, a Jewish woman was more free to mingle and be involved in religious interests than the surrounding cultures. They were not cloistered in their homes but moved about freely. This can be seen from all the women mentioned in the Gospels and Acts. They were not locked up at home.
Jewish Veiling Practices: from James Hurley's Book Man and Woman in Biblical Perspective. For a more detailed account read his book.
1. The Old Testament does not regulate the veiling of women though it does regulate the hairstyle; a woman would not go about with her hair hanging loose. Though they may have drawn a shawl over their head, they certainly did not have their faces veiled as in Islamic culture.
2. In the Mishnah writing the same word is used for loosing the hair and uncovering the head; thus it is difficult to know which is being referred to.
3. From the Talmud it seems that women did practice having their heads (not faces) covered. This was the practice that came in somewhere between 3 - 6th century B.C. But this does not say that it was the practice in first century Judaism.
4. In Jewish, Greek and Roman culture, loosed hair was not an appropriate hairstyle. Their hair was done up.
C. Greek Culture
A woman's life in Greek culture was more difficult. The place of women in Greek religion was low. In Corinth there was the temple of Aphrodite which had 1000 prostitute priestesses who went out on the streets every evening with their bald heads. In Ephesus the Temple of Diana had hundreds of priestesses called Melissae (bees) who were sacred prostitutes. It is somewhat difficult to know how the average women lived because most records deal with the lifestyles of the wealthy.
A respectable Greek woman in the upper class led a very confined life. She lived in her own separate quarters which only her husband entered. She did not appear at meals and she never went out on the street alone. She could never attend any public assembly. In Greek culture a woman was to remain indoors: to be obedient, to be seen as little, to hear as little and to ask as little as possible. A woman had no independent existence and no mind of her own. Her husband could divorce her at will; his only obligation was to return her dowry.
Because her life was so confined, a Greek woman's life consisted of elaborate dressing and braiding of the hair. Even the Greeks and Romans themselves were shocked at the elaborate love of adornment that characterised their women. The Greek mystery religions had some regulations which are similar to Paul and Peter's guidelines. They said," A consecrated woman shall not have gold ornaments nor rouge, nor face whitening, nor head bands nor braided hair, nor shoes, except those made of felt or skins of sacrificial animals. (Barclay, Letter to Timothy, Titus & Philemon, p.68) Cato the Censor insisted on Simplicity. Lucius Valerius said, "Why should men grudge woman their ornaments and dress? Women can not hold positions of office or priesthood or gain triumphs; they have no public occupations. What can they do but devote their time to adornment and dress?" Epictetus the Philosopher: "When women realise that they are destined solely to be man's bedfellows then they put all hope in that and so devote their time to adornment." Epictetus said we should make them see that they are honoured for appearing modest and self respecting.
Women's Adornment There were as many ways of dressing one's hair as there were bees Hybee. Hair was waved and curled and dyed in fashionable colours; auburn was popular. Some blonde wigs were even found in the Christian Catacombs. Hair for wigs was imported from as far as India and Germany. There were hair pins, and combs of ivory, boxwood, tortoise shell and gold studded with gems. A quotation of Balsdon in James Hurley's book, p. 258, illustrates the elaborate hairdos of Roman women:
"A well known bust of Julia, daughter of Titus, who led the overthrow of Jerusalem in AD 70, provides an example of the elaborate hair-styles which were worn at the Roman court in the first century and set the styles for elsewhere. Balsdon remarks on the bust,
This was the time when, one must assume, hours upon end were devoted to the curling-tongs . . . Curl climbs on top of curl and over the forehead there arose something which at it's best looked like the chef d'oeuvre of a master pastry cook and, at its worst, like a dry sponge. At the back the hair was plaited, and the braids arranged in a coil which looks like basketwork. The towering splendour was to be viewed from one direction only, the front, and women must have manoeuvred at social gatherings, to keep out of view the ridiculous anti-climax which the back of their heads constituted.
Other statues and portraits provide examples of other styles which include some with simple waves, others with complex braids, and still others so complicated that they are thought to be wigs. The elaborate styles were matched by elaborate ornamentation. Gold, jewels and pearls were worn on the body, in the ears and on the hair. In his Natural History the elder Pliny complained of the vast sums being spent on such items."
Purple was the favorite colour for cloth and pearls were loved by all. Julius Ceasar bought one pearl for (British pounds) £65,250. Seneca, in speaking of Greek women, said that some of them have two or three fortunes in their ears. Nero had a room covered in pearls and Pliny said of Lollia Paulina, Emperor Caligula's wife, that she had a dress covered with pearls and emeralds worth (British pounds) £450,000). The parable in Matt. 13:45 is true to life; often a merchant would sell all he had for one pearl of great value.
Greek Veiling
Graeco-Roman Veiling Practices: from James Hurley's Book, Man and Woman in Biblical Perspective, p. 256-259
"Veiling was not required in Graeco-Roman culture in the first century but specific coiffures were important. In Roman culture men had short hair; Greeks had hair a little longer, sometimes shoulder length. Adult women had long hair which was worn up in various styles. For the Roman woman, her hair was where she showed off her dignity and affluence."
D. Roman culture
In Roman law a woman had no rights; they were considered forever a child; they were under the power of their father who had the power of life and death over them or when married they were under the power of their husband and subject to his mercy. Cato the Censor wrote, "If you were to catch your wife in an act of infidelity you can kill her with impunity (with freedom from punishment) without a trial."
A Roman matron was forbidden wine. Ignatius beat his wife to death when he found her drinking wine. Sulpicius Gallus dismissed his wife because she once appeared on the streets without a veil. Antistius Vetos divorced his wife because he saw her secretly speaking to a freed woman in public. Publius Sempronius Sophus divorced his wife because she went to the games. The attitude was: No woman would dare to make a decision for herself.
James Hurley, in his book, p.75,76, states that a woman in Roman culture was the mistress of the home. There were also better relations between husband and wife. Wealthy women could be educated. The higher state of the Roman women affected the large cities in Greece and they adopted some of the Roman views. Christian Woman
With this background one can imagine the incredible courage it took for a woman to become a Christian on her own while her husband remained an idol worshipper. If a husband became a Christian then he could just bring his wife to church with him but for a woman this was not the case. It is into this type of situation that Peter gives counsel to Christian woman in 1 Peter 3:1-6.
Christianity's Effect on Women
Christianity raised the level of women to equality with men as joint heirs and fellow workers in the Gospel. In God's sight woman is equal to man in value and created in the image of God. Women had new freedoms in Christ. They could participate in worship services : they could pray and prophesy. The spirit had been poured out on them and they had received Spiritual Gifts. They were an integral part of the Body of Christ. They could learn the things of God and even discuss them with their husbands. They still had role distinctions as women, but joint submission of husband and wife was recognised. Instead of male domination in the marriage, husbands were to model Christ's loving, serving example before their wives.
Equally sons of God- Gal. 3:28 Fellow workers, Romans 16:3, Philippians 4:3 Could meet in assembly with men and pray and prophesy , 1 Cor. 11 Could teach , Titus 2:3, Acts 18:26, Joint heir with husbands, 1 Peter 3:7 Could discuss the things of God with husbands, 1 Cor. 14:35 Could decide to be a Christian apart from their unbelieving husbands ,1 Peter 3:1,2, I Cor. 7:13 Could hold church offices, Deacons, 1 Tim. 3:11.
Romans 16:1 " I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church of Cenchreae.."
Romans 16:7 " Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners; they are of note among the apostles and they were in Christ before me. (Who are of note among the Apostles). Most agree that Junias is a feminine name and thus the possibility of a woman Apostle. John of Chrysostum said Phoebe was an ordained deacon. Origin said apostolic authority was given for the appointment of women ministers in the church. If there were women apostles in the church then they certainly had a teaching ministry.
Joint Submission: Ephesians 5:21. Interdependence on each other I Cor. 11:11 Wife a helpmate (partner) and also a sister in Christ
