ACC ~ 1 Corinthians 14 v33 - 40

OVERVIEW:

The present church is like a woman who retains only the outward signs of her former prosperity, displaying the empty boxes and caskets in which she once kept her wealth (CHRYSOSTOM). By saying that he handed on nothing of his own, Paul indicated that what he was writing came as a command from God (AMBROSIASTER). After the fall, Eve’s desire is destined to be toward her husband (CHRYSOSTOM). While her mouth is now restrained (ORIGEN), it is destined to sing as a harp the Creator’s praise (EPHREM THE SYRIAN). When women are insolent, their husbands receive the blame (AMBROSIASTER). In ordering the church, God seeks husbands who are as lovingly attentive as the women are orderly (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, CHRYSOSTOM). Good order is upbuilding (ORIGEN, BASIL, CHRYSOSTOM, FULGENTIUS). All should aim for patience that the laws of peace are not broken (AMBROSIASTER, AUGUSTINE).

14:33 | A God of Peace

AIM FOR PATIENCE. AMBROSIASTER: Those who are called in peace ought to aim for patience, so that the laws of peace are not broken. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

EMPTY BOXES THAT ONCE STORED WEALTH. CHRYSOSTOM: Truly, the church was more like heaven in Paul’s time, because the Spirit governed everything and moved each one of the members in turn. But now it seems we have only the symbols of those gifts. We also have only two or three speaking in the service, but these are only a pale shadow of what prevailed then. The present church is like a woman who has fallen from her former, prosperous days and who retains only the outward signs of that prosperity, displaying the boxes and caskets in which she kept her wealth, but which are now empty. This is true not only in the matter of gifts but in life and virtue as well. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 36.7.

14:34 | Women Should Be Silent in Church

HOW ARE WOMEN TO KEEP SILENCE? ORIGEN: If this was the case, what are we to make of the fact that Philip had four daughters who prophesied? If they could do it, why can we not let our own prophetesses speak? We may answer this question as follows. First, if our prophetesses have spoken, show us the signs of prophecy in them. Second, even if the daughters of Philip did prophesy, they did not do so inside the church. Likewise in the Old Testament, although Deborah was reputed to be a prophetess, there is no indication that she ever corporately addressed the people in the way that Isaiah or Jeremiah did. The same is true of Huldah. COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 4.74.6-16.

DESIRE TOWARD HER HUSBAND. CHRYSOSTOM: Where does the law say this? In Genesis [3:16]: “Your desire shall be toward your husband, and he shall rule over you.” HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 37.1.

EVE’S MOUTH WILL YET SERVE. EPHREM THE SYRIAN: The serpent is crippled and bound by the curse, while Eve’s mouth is sealed with a silence that is beneficial, but she will also serve again as a harp to sing the praises of the Creator. HYMNS ON PARADISE 6.8.

14:35 | Asking Questions at Home

WOMEN VEILED IN CHURCH TO APPEAR HUMBLE. AMBROSIASTER: It is shameful because it is contrary to discipline for them to presume to speak about the law in the house of God, who has taught that they are subject to their husbands, when they know that men have the primacy there and that for them it is more fitting to be free to pray while holding their tongues. If they dare to speak in church, it is a disgrace, because they are veiled in order to appear humble. Moreover, women like this show that they are immodest, which is a disgrace to their husbands too. For when women are insolent, their husbands receive the blame as well. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

WOMEN ORDERLY, HUSBANDS ATTENTIVE. CHRYSOSTOM: A woman is softer of mind than a man and more subject to being flooded with emotion. Thus he sets husbands as protectors for the benefit of both. Paul calls for husbands to be attentive and for women to be orderly. In this way husbands would have to communicate with their wives about exactly what they heard. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 37.1.

LET PARADISE OPEN. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: I wish to see each man’s earnestness and each woman’s devotion. Burn out impiety from your mind, put your soul on the anvil and your stubborn infidelity under the hammer. … Then let the gate of paradise be opened to each man and each woman among you. CATECHETICAL LECTURES 15.

14:36 | The Recipients of God’s Word

FILLED WITH VANITY. AMBROSIASTER: Paul issued the Corinthians with this reproof because they were so elated with vanity. The suggestion was that if they did not obey the words of the faith, there would be no one who would believe. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

ARE YOU THE ONLY ONES? CHRYSOSTOM: Here Paul introduces the example of the other churches, indicating that Corinth has no right to claim exceptional status. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 37.2.

PROPHETESSES RESTRAINED IN SPEAKING TO THE PEOPLE. MONTANIST ORACLES: It is attested that Deborah was a prophetess. And Mariam, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel and led the women. But you would not find that Deborah addressed the people as Jeremiah and Isaiah did. You would not find that Huldah spoke to the people although she was a prophetess. CATENAE ON PAUL’S EPISTLES TO THE CORINTHIANS 14.36.

14:37 | Acknowledging a Command

A COMMAND OF THE LORD. AMBROSIASTER: Paul is alluding to the false apostles mentioned above, by whom they had been misled. They were teaching things which people wanted to hear but which were not of God. By saying that he was handing on nothing of his own, Paul was trying to indicate that what he was saying came from God and not from men. He therefore preaches consistently, with a clear conscience because he does not desire to please men but God. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

14:39 | Prophesy and Speak in Tongues

RECOGNIZE FOR WHOM THE APOSTLE SPEAKS. AMBROSIASTER: Anyone who does not recognize that what the apostle says is from God will not be recognized on the day of judgment. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

EARNESTLY DESIRE PROPHECY. AMBROSIASTER: In order to console them after all his rebukes, Paul calls them brothers and encourages them to have a desire to prophesy, so that by frequent discussion and exposition of the divine law they may become better equipped to be able to learn that what the false apostles were teaching was perverse. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

14:40 | Decency and Order

NOTHING DISORDERED. ORIGEN: Therefore he wants all these to be set in order by you, nothing disordered, nothing restless, nothing indecent. … Therefore, now our true high priest, Christ, also wants his hands to be filled “with finely composed incense.” HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 9.4-5.

WHAT IS DECENT? AMBROSIASTER: Something is done decently when it is done peacefully and with discipline. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

WELL-ORDERED WAY OF LIFE. BASIL: Paul is referring to the decent and well-ordered way of life in the society of the faithful, where the relationship which obtains among the members of the body is maintained. THE LONG RULES 24.

GOOD ORDER BUILDS UP. CHRYSOSTOM: Nothing builds up as much as good order, peace and love, just as nothing is more destructive than their opposites. It is not only in spiritual affairs but in everything that one may observe this. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 37.4.

RESISTING DISSENSION. AUGUSTINE: Those who make dissensions and disturbances in the church are the ones who seem to be what they are not. LETTER 169, TO EUODIUS.

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE LAWGIVER. THEODORET OF CYR: Law and order come first. Let us also dedicate ourselves to this principle as members of the fellowship of the great Lawgiver. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 264.

DISORDERING GOD’S ORDER. FULGENTIUS: If we take a closer look at the origin of sin, I think that it is nothing else than the inordinate love by a rational creature of the things set in order by God. TO MONIMUS 1.20.2.

THE CONFESSION OF FAITH 1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-7

OVERVIEW: Christ could not have died for sinners if he had been a sinner himself (CHRYSOSTOM). That he died for our sins according to the Scriptures (AMBROSIASTER) is testimony to his sinlessness. He did not die the death of sin but of the body. We become brothers and sisters through the work of Christ in his earthly life, death (CHRYSOSTOM) and resurrection (AMBROSIASTER). All our works are meaningless without the gospel (PELAGIUS). The justice Christ embodied when he died for us is greater than our sins (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM). He made his life an exchange for the life of all (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). The Father does not suffer loss when he gives what is his own to the Son (AMBROSE). The Corinthians needed to be reminded of what they knew and to have their errors in understanding corrected (CHRYSOSTOM). The Fathers debated as to who was included in the resurrection appearances (ORIGEN, CHRYSOSTOM, OECUMENIUS, AMBROSIASTER) but agreed that many witnesses attested the resurrection truthfully (CHRYSOSTOM). We are to remember the events of the death and resurrection of Jesus according to the unbiased testimony of the apostles (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, HILARY OF POITIERS, AMBROSE, BASIL).