Question:
Can women answer questions, if asked, in a Bible study or Sunday school class in light of 1 Corinthians 14:34?

Answer:
1 Corinthians 14:34 is not referring to a Bible study or Sunday school, but is speaking of “assembly meetings.” The verse says: “Let your women keep silence in the churches,” which means when “the whole church be come together into one place” (verse 23). Just because a meeting is held in the meeting hall, does not mean it is an “assembly meeting.”

“Assembly meetings” are special times the assembly is told in the Scriptures to gather together, and we have direction for only four “assembly meetings” in the Word.

“When ye [the assembly] are gathered together” is mentioned regarding (1) the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11:18-26); (2) prayer (Matthew 18:19,20); (3) ministry from the prophets (1 Corinthians 14:23-29); and (4) discipline (1 Corinthians 5:4-13). These special “assembly meetings” are meetings when the assembly depends on the Spirit of God (not gifts) to lead in worship, prayer, etc. And the women are to keep “silent” (i.e. not address publicly) in these meetings.
Since the Sunday school and the Bible study are not mentioned as special assembly gatherings, they are not “assembly meetings.” However, many assemblies have found it very profitable to have these “activities of the assembly” to give opportunity for the use of the gifts of teaching, etc. in a weekly Sunday school and Bible study for the profit of all. The Sunday school work with the children is where women are specially fitted, and the older women are “teachers of good things” and “teach the young women” (Titus 2:3, 4).
God has an order for His work to be done, and all is to be “done decently and in [that] order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). God says that His order for man and woman is not changed because of our place in Christ, nor because of the gifts He has given each of us.
God has given man and woman distinct and special places in creation, and the Lord wants us to show these distinct places in public when “praying and prophesying” (1 Corinthians 11:2-10). “I will therefore that men pray every where…Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (1 Timothy 2:8-12). God has given woman the place of being “the glory of man,” and God has given man the place of being “the image and glory of God” (1 Corinthians 11:7). Man’s place is to represent God when praying and prophesying, and woman is not to usurp man’s God-given place by teaching and praying in public in the presence of men.So in answer to the question: A well-taught sister knows she is not under law and she may be free before the Lord to ask a question, but may have difficulty answering a question where men are present for she does not want to usurp man’s authority by teaching. She would gladly “teach” if there are no men present, or if she is in a home Bible study setting as Priscilla, with her husband Aquila, instructed the eloquent Apollos in the privacy of their own home. May the Lord give each of us a desire to be guided by the Word as to what, how, and where we speak, so that we are truly the Lord’s servants by being guided by His Word in His precious work.