This semester I am co-teaching Psalms and Wisdom Literature (which was basically handed over to me), and Biblical Interpretation (which due to scheduling conflicts, as mostly been me thus far). Both classes are with the Bachelor of Divinity year 2 students, so we have plenty of time to get to know one another.
Today in Biblical Interpretation, in which we had just finished discussing relative and absolute (for the audiences of the original books only, and for all of us, respectively) messages, one of the students raised his hand and said, “Madam, according to 1 Corinthians 14:34, don’t you think that you shouldn’t be teaching this class?”
1 Corinthians 14:34 says “women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law says.”
I thanked him for illustrating our earlier point about the importance of understanding the context of the original message. And I noted that we were in a classroom, not in church. 🙂
Verse 35 notes that “If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.” In my quick explanation, I noted that it was rather novel for women to be in church in the first place, as they had been separated in the Temple, and that the noise was from them asking questions in church, hence Paul’s instruction in v. 35 for them to ask questions at home.
He was engaged all lecture, so I really don’t think he has a problem with me. I think he just likes to push the envelope.
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