Paul: Apostle, Misogynist?

“I’m not bad.  I’m just drawn that way.”  Jessica Rabbit

Plenty of criticism is heaped on post-restoration church leaders.  There seems to be a tendency to hold them up against an impossible and inaccurate standard of perfection while giving a pass to figures in the Old and New Testaments.  But is that fair?  Wouldn’t OT & NT leaders have the same shortcomings when viewed from our “enlightened” modern perspective?

Paul’s writings are some of the best literary achievements in the Bible.  His writings are poetic, ambiguous, and reveal a fascinating picture of emerging Christianity in far-flung parts of the globe.  However, there are also many cringe-worthy statements about women attributed to him, leading me to believe that either Paul did not like women or his statements were altered by misogynistic editors.

Here are some of the statements about women attributed to Paul:

• 1 Cor. 14: 34-35:  Let your ^awomen keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to ^bspeak; but ^cthey are commanded to be under ^dobedience, as also saith the law.  And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to ^aspeak in the church.  (Maybe I could tell the exec secretary this next time I am asked to give a talk!)
• 1 Cor. 11: 5-13, 15 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is ^aeven all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a ^ashame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.  For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.  For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.  Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.  For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.  Nevertheless neither is the ^aman without the woman, neither the ^bwoman without the man, in the Lord.  For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.  Judge in yourselves: is it ^acomely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?  But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.  (Archaic fashion advice?  Temple reference?)
• 1 Tim. 2: 11-12 Let the woman learn in ^asilence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to ^ateach, nor to ^busurp authority over the man, but to be in ^csilence.  (Can we just go home during Relief Society?)
• 1 Tim. 2: 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being ^adeceived was in the ^btransgression.  (But of course, in our enlightened perspective, we believe that Eve was the brains of this outfit.)

Yet, to be fair, we also have evidence that he was very successful in terms of female converts:

• Acts 17: 4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout ^aGreeks a great multitude, and of the chief ^bwomen not a few.  (The important women, probably those with the best self-esteem, found his preaching valuable).
• Acts 17: 12  Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.  (So, honourable Greek women believed his preaching).

And he has quite a few interesting things to say about marriage as well:

• 1 Cor. 7: 9-10 ^aBut if they cannot ^bcontain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to ^cburn.  (On a given day, though . . .) 
• 1 Cor. 7: 28  But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.  (“Trouble in the flesh” doesn’t sound promising.  I hope there’s a cream for that.)
• 1 Cor. 7: 33-34  But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.  (Really?)  There is difference also between a wife and a virgin.  The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.  (Really??  This leads me to believe that Paul was not married.)
• 1 Tim. 5: 11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; (So, unmarried people are naturally more spiritual, and young widows are all sexed up?)
• 1 Cor 7: 1-2 (Paul answers special questions about marriage among those called on missions—Paul extols self-discipline). (I find this preface to chapter 7 unconvincing based on a lot of what follows, but maybe that’s just me.  I agree that it makes more sense if you limit the context to that, but I am not convinced that is upheld by what is written.)  Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: ^aIt is good for a man not to touch a woman.  (Cooties?)  Nevertheless, ^ato avoid ^bfornication, let every man have his own ^cwife, and let every woman have her own husband.  (Ever the romantic . . .)
• 1 Cor 7: 35-39  And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.  But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.  (Say what?  Flower of her age – is this menopause?  This sentence makes more sense if it you substitute “if she be deflowered” instead of “if she pass the flower of her age.”  Is this a mistranslation?  Does this mean you should get married if you break the law of chastity?)  Nevertheless, he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. ^aSo then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better. 
• 1 Cor 7: 39-40 The ^awife is bound by the ^blaw as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will (I think I saw this episode of Law & Order); only in the Lord.  But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.  (This sentence seems like the byproduct of paper being expensive and having no erasers).
• 1 Cor. 11: 3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the ^ahead of the ^bwoman is the man; and the ^chead of Christ is God.  (Sounds like typical patriarchal order talk; it also sounds like Paul was single).

But, on the flip side, Paul comes out in defense of marriage, sort of, by saying that a sign of apostacy in the latter days would be ”^aForbidding to ^bmarry“  (1 Timothy 4: 3).  (So, it’s not better to abstain after all?  Or did someone else edit Timothy than edited Corinthians?  Yes, they did).

Paul also said some very progressive things about equality in marriage, including inter-faith marriages.  1 Cor. 7: 12-16  But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an ^ahusband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.  For the unbelieving ^ahusband is ^bsanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is ^csanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.  But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us ^ato peace.  For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt ^asave thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?  (This is an example of Paul’s writing at its best.  He uses symmetry to hold women and men equally accountable and to show how marriage blesses lives).