Lecture 24: Gender Roles (Part 2)

Letters of Paul

Part10

X. Gender Roles

A. Hair

1. Greco-Roman men: long hair = homosexuality

2. Greco-Roman women: short hair = "masculine" partner in lesbian relationship

3. Jewish men: but recall Nazirites

4. Jewish women: changed penalty for convicted adulteress

B. Head Coverings

1. Greco-Roman men: Roman priest: toga pulled over head for worship

2. Greco-Roman women: "bun"/veil – sign of marriage vs. Greek priestesses in ecstatic frenzy

3. Jewish men: reverse of later use of yarmulke

4. Jewish women: "veil" – sign of marriage?

C. I Corinthians 14:26-40: General Commands Regarding Worship (esp. v. 26)

1. Tongues (27)

2. Interpretation of tongues (28)

3. Prophets and Evaluation (29-33a) [silencing the women (33b-38)]

4. Conclusion regarding prophecy and tongues (39-40)

D. 1 Timothy 2:11-15

1. Women must learn (11)

2. Paul's prohibition (12): not "a or b"

a. One, not two practices (Payne)

b. Both + or – (Kostenberger)

3. First rationale (13)

4. (Second rationale?) or setup for v.15 (14)

5. Balancing good news (15)

E. Statements of Rationale

1. Creation (I Corinthians 11:3, 7, 8-9)

2. God's sovereignty via angels? (10)

3. Redemption (11-12)

4. Propriety, nature, common practice (13, 14, 16)

5. Common practice (I Corinthians 14:33b)

6. Law (34)

7. Redemption (Ephesians 5:23, 24, 25)

8. Creation (1Timothy 2:13)

9. Fall? (1Timothy 2:14)

F. Concluding Comments

1. Need to learn to disagree in love and to make room for multiple models

2. Cf. Baptist/paedobaptist debate as an analogy

3. Gift/office distinction crucial (and controversial)

4. If prophecy includes preaching, 1 Corinthians 11:5 dare not be neglected