As you are probably aware the singer Carman died. He is about 2 weeks older than me. It reminded me of my wife interpreting “The Champion”. I watched it again and it was obviously a joy. Feel free to download it at: http://kozlowski.org/1991-04-26+1

Then I mentioned slavery yesterday including the kidnappings in Chibok, Nigeria. It happened again today with hundreds at a school and this time one student was killed.

I wonder about what the families go through. Unfortunately, in a very real way, I’m also living it.

I also mentioned a dialog with a new friend, Dave. He offered the question:

On the question of local church assemblies, what is your understanding of 1 Cor 14:34-35? This verse makes sense in the context of organized church meetings but doesn't make much sense if believers are to only gather in homes.

My response is below. Please consider what I wrote and what is said in the voicemail. Do you hear someone pushing his dogma, or someone striving to know the Lord? Is that attractive or scary?

My Lady, I love you!!!

I’m starting my day and have work to do, but you bring up an interesting verse in a context usually not addressed. For reference the LSV is below.

1Co 14:34-35 Your women, let them be silent in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as the Law also says; and if they wish to learn anything, let them question their own husbands at home, for it is a shame to women to speak in an assembly.

There is so much to be discussed about the role of men and women, but our context is the assembly. I’m sure you have been at a meal with a half dozen to perhaps two dozen where you see two things happening. One is a bunch of often simultaneous conversations ranging from pass the butter to how is the weather. During the same meal you will have times when one person is speaking to the group. Then another will start on the same or different subject and a rational dialogue ensues. Other times one person may speak and then it turns into chaos. I suggest this is the context Paul is addressing.

I contend Paul is encouraging small group dialog as seen in verse 29 (“And prophets—let two or three speak, and let the others discern”).

We can also add to this the difference we see from “speak” (“legō”) and “speak” (“laleō”), but that would require a lot more study.

I contend the whole chapter works well in the context of a small gathering at a home with multiple families and individuals.

But turn the tables. What part of any of the chapter imposes the idea of an institutional format? The concept that we need a pulpit, and the authority to speak it represents, is not found in this chapter, or anywhere else.

What has been instructive to me is to take a concept or word that there may be different positions or meanings and try to view a passage in all contexts and see if it makes sense. The blatant example is the word “Israel” which has multiple meanings (Romans 9:6). We should examine each use with each meaning to see what is really being conveyed in the Scripture. In the same way, examine each passage to see if it makes sense from the institutional perspective, or the house assembly (“oikos”) perspective, the latter of which is seen a whole lot of times.