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1 Corinthians 14:33-36 – Chiasm
There is debate about the existence, purpose, and interpretive qualities of chiasms yet I still think they serve beyond being a neat organizational outline. Maybe they can even help in controversial texts such as 1 Cor.14:34-35:
A – As in all the churches of the saints,
B – The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak,
C – but are to subject themselves,
D – just as the Law also says.
C’ – If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home;
B’ – for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.
A’ – Did the word of God originate from you, or did it come to you only?
- In D we learn Paul again uses creation as his reason for order between makes and females; and here it is the central point. Paul’s rules are not based upon culture.
- In A, A’ we can see how this chiasm might even help with punctuation. Some versions such as the NASB connect “As in all the churches of the saints” with the phrase preceding: “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” According to this chiasm, it goes with the section dealing with women speaking and is the counterpart to “Did the word of God originate from you, or did it come to you only?” Verse 33 makes the same point as verse 35, except v.35 is somewhat negative and sarcastic.
- In A,A’ this chiasm also helps in discussing manuscript variations. Some manuscripts place vv.34-35 after v.40. No manuscript totally excises these verses. Fee points out that “Those who wish to maintain the authenticity of these verses must at least offer an adequate answer as to how this arrangement came into existence if Paul wrote them originally as our vv. 34-35” (First Corinthians [NICNT] 700). In a footnote he adds, “The point is that if it were already in the text after v. 33, there is no reason for a copyist to make such a radical transposition.” The chiastic arrangement shows an “adequate answer” for the traditional arrangement suggesting removing the text destroys the arrangement.
- In B, B’ we see several repeated concepts: women/woman; churches/church; not permitted and improper; speak
- In C, C’ we can connect the submission to these women being married and thusly asking their husbands at home.
Putting this together, the women speaking improperly were wives. This falls in the middle of speaking of prophets so these are prophets and their wives.
Therefore one very possible and simple meaning is the wives were interrupting, possibly correcting and judging, their husbands and Paul says (I think sarcastically) that if you are going to be out of subjection with questions then be out of subjection at home.
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