HEADCOVERINGS - 1 Corinthians 11

Hello and welcome to the Women's Weekly Bible Challenge! I'm Lisa Ann Spencer. 

Let's talk about HEADCOVERINGS as an issue that pertains to women in the Bible.  I'll begin by giving an overview of the first 10 chapters of 1 Corinthians, because context is king!  It is a mistake to approach a chapter of the Bible to interpret it without a thorough knowledge of what comes before and after it.  This is a complex passage and this will be a lengthy blog.  Grab your favorite cuppa and let's dig into God’s word.

COMMENTARY OF 1 Corinthians 11 on HEAD COVERINGS

The Apostle Paul spent the first four chapters of 1st Corinthians defending his apostleship given to him by the risen, Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul reminded the Corinthians that it was he who had begotten them through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he told them to be followers of him as he followed Christ (4:15-16). He could say this because of his authority.

 

Paul spends the next two chapters (1 Corinthians 5 and 6) dealing with the sin of fornication and the lack of wisdom among the church to judge righteously in these matters.

 

In chapter 7, Paul begins answering particular questions that the Corinthians had written to ask him regarding marriage (7:1-2) and the subject of avoiding fornication.  We must consider that many Pagans were being saved under Paul’s gospel of grace.  In some cases, their spouses were not saved, and this caused problems for the church.  Paul taught the Corinthians (and us) how to judge righteously in these situations.

 

In chapters 8-9, Paul begins addressing idolatry, because Paganism was the religious system of the world, including Corinth.  It was common for a person to buy meat from the market where it had been offered to devils.  It seems that Paul was seen purchasing meat from the market, so  he had to defend his ministry while teaching the Corinthians (and us) the truth about idols. There were many Jews who were recently saved under Paul’s gospel that had never partaken of this unclean meat.  The weaker brethren, namely saved Jews, were offended by the Gentile brethren eating meat offered to idols. This caused division and confusion, so Paul wrote to teach them how to judge righteously in this situation.

 

In chapter 10 Paul wraps up his commentary on fornication, meat, drink, and idolatry with examples from the Old Testament that were written as a warning to Christians today (10:11). He ends the chapter by saying that whatever we do, it should be done to the glory of God and to give no offense to anyone, saved or lost.

 

Chapter 11 begins with,

 

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

 

Again, Paul commends his authority as an apostle who is writing the commandments of the LORD (14:37).  His use of the words “I also am OF CHRIST” opens this passage regarding headship, because the head of Paul is Christ. Paul praises the Corinthians who are holding to Paul’s authority and keeping the commandments that he delivered to them.

 

² Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

 

Paul is referring to the ordinances that were agreed upon at the Jerusalem Council in Acts chapter 15, the very issues about which Paul has written to correct the Corinthians. (If you are unfamiliar with this meeting, please read Acts chapter 15 along with Galatians chapter 2.)

 

Acts 15:23 and they wrote letters by them after this manner;

The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: ²⁴ Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: ²⁵ it seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. ²⁸ For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; ²⁹ that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

 

³⁰ So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: ³¹ which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

 

Acts 16:4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. ⁵ And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

 

Understanding this context will help us understand the topic of the following passage on head coverings, which begins with a reminder about the chain of authority.

HEADSHIP

 

³ But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

 

The use of the term “every man” by Paul in Romans and 1 Corinthians means “every male and female”.  The head of every man and every woman is Christ.  

📓  NOTE:  If we consider every use of the phrase "every man" by the Apostle Paul, we discover that 73% of the time it refers to both males and females.

The term, “the woman” is a positional name for the wife; just as the term “the man” is a positional term for the husband.  These terms are used to describe the first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve, and the title of their God-ordained role as husband and wife, a pattern that has been the standard to follow since the beginning (Matthew 19:4-8).

 

We are told plainly that the head of Christ is God, and we understand that Christ is equal to God just as the wife is equal to her husband.  Christ has a head, which is God the Father; and the wife has a head, which is the husband. Being under headship does not diminish the value of either, as headship is ordained by God because it brings glory to God.

 

⁴ Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. ⁵ But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

 

In verse 4, “every man” refers to all of the males in the church.  We know this from the context as it is contrasted in verse 5 with “every woman”.  Every woman in this context refers to all women, not only “the woman” or the “wife.”  When a male prays or prophecies with his head covered, he is dishonoring Christ; when a female prays or prophecies with her head uncovered, she dishonors Christ.

 

Several questions arise, such as:  Why would a man cover his head? And with what would he cover it?  The same question arises for the female:  Should a woman have her head covered, and if so with what? The passage assumes that the audience understands these things, but in our modern culture, these things have been lost.

OLD TESTAMENT HEAD COVERINGS

 

We must look to scripture to help us better understand this passage.  In the Old Testament when men covered their heads it was because of mourning and shame. (See 2 Samuel 15:30, Esther 6:12, Jeremiah 14:3-4.)  The Bible does not tell us what they used to cover their heads, but we can safely assume it was their garments. Moses covered his head with a vail when he spoke to the children of Israel because his face shone and the children of Israel were afraid to look at him. (See Exodus chapter 34.)  This is a very unique situation and not a common custom.

 

Were there saved men in the Corinthian church praying or prophesying with their heads covered? If they were in the Lord, there would be no cause to do so, and it would dishonor Christ.  Later in this passage, Paul brings up the topic of “hair”.  Is it possible that men were praying or prophesying while covered with long hair; if so, why?  Again, we can only compare scripture with scripture to try to discover a biblical interpretation (Isaiah 28:10).

NAZARITE VOW AND LONG HAIR

 

We can read about the vow of the Nazarite that could be taken by males and females (Numbers 6:1-3, 18).  Female examples include Samson’s mother in Judges 13:5-7; Samuel’s mother, Hannah, in 1 Samuel 1:11; and John the Baptist’s mother, Elisabeth, in Luke 1:15. This vow included growing the hair for a predetermined amount of time, then shaving the head and burning the hair in the fire with the peace offering unto the LORD.  The Apostle Paul joined in with a group of four men who had taken such a vow in Acts 21:23-26.

 

Remember that the topic of this passage is headship.  It would cause confusion in the local church if men were covering their heads with a garment or with long hair while praying or prophesying. This old Jewish custom of making a vow and growing the hair long would no longer be applicable under the new doctrine delivered to the church by Paul. It would cause confusion, and it would not glorify God.

 

The second half of verse 5 states that a woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered is the same as a woman with a shaved or shorn head (bald or very short hair).  This helps us understand that Paul is not talking about being covered with hair.  Paul is not saying that it’s okay for a woman to pray or prophesy as long as she has long hair; Paul is saying that it is a shame for a woman to pray or prophesy, as a teacher or as a person of authority, in the local church. Continue reading to understand this truth.

A PARTICULAR WOMAN

 

The next verse causes me to think that Paul is addressing a particular woman, just as Paul had to address the sin of a particular man in 1 Corinthians 5:1.  I believe the Corinthians wrote to Paul to receive additional instructions on how to deal with this woman.  Just as Paul instructed the Corinthians to deliver that fornicating man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (5:5), Paul is instructing that woman to be shamed.  If she refuses to submit, she might as well be shaved since she is usurping the position of a man in the local church by teaching publicly.

  

⁶ For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

 

MIRIAM AND THE SHAME OF LEPROSY

Why is it a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven? We have to go to the Old Testament and compare scriptures to gain understanding.  A woman would be shaved for two reasons:  the plague of leprosy, which represents sin (Leviticus 13:29-33); and as a captive woman who had been humbled (Deuteronomy 21:10-14).  Our understanding of this difficult passage is enlightened when we consider that Miriam was cursed with leprosy in Numbers Chapter 12 when she put herself forward as a prophetess.  The scripture does not explicitly say, but we understand from the laws regarding leprosy that Miriam would have been shaved after 7 days, and though pronounced “clean,” she would bear her shame until her hair grew back. We are not told if Miriam had a husband, but she had a brother who was a prophet of God.  It was out of order for her to usurp Moses’ authority, so God punished her accordingly.  Again, these things were written for our examples (1 Corinthians 10:11).

 

We can understand that Paul’s point in this passage is concerning headship and not about physically covering the head with hair or a garment. The point is made clear by the following verses:

 

⁷ 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. ⁸ For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. ⁹ Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. ¹⁰ For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

 

When Paul uses the term “the woman” in verse 10, he is likely speaking of a particular woman and not necessarily “a wife”.  If she were a wife, she would already be covered by a husband, and Paul would have addressed her husband as the authority in this situation; that is unless she had a Pagan husband who was not saved, which is also a very real possibility.  Paul indicates that “the woman” needs to have “power” on her head because of the angels, so we know that this woman has no authority over her to cover her.

ANGELS

 

Paul has already mentioned angels twice in this letter to the Corinthians.  He said the Apostles are a spectacle unto the angels (4:9), indicating that they are watching Paul as he fulfills his charge over the doctrine delivered to the church.  Paul also stated that the church will judge angels (6:3), therefore the church needs to learn how to judge righteously for the angels' sake.  This particular woman is causing confusion for the church and the angels.

MEN AND WOMEN ARE EQUAL IN THE LORD

 

Paul goes on to say some encouraging things so that the church does not forget that women and men are equal in the LORD.

 

¹¹ Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. ¹² For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

 

Paul writes that the woman is “of the man” just as Paul is “of Christ.”  This refers to the chain of authority as it hearkens back to creation when the woman, Eve, was taken out of the man, Adam.

 

 IS IT COMELY?

Paul is teaching the Corinthians to judge righteously based on what he has just taught them, and based on the natural order of God’s creation.

¹³ Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? ¹⁴ Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? ¹⁵ But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

 

Paul’s point in this passage is to remind the men and women of something that they already know. The Corinthians understand that it is unnatural for men to have long hair and for women to have short or shorn hair.  Paul is using this as an illustration to drive home the point of headship and God’s order.

 

WOMEN PRAYING and PROPHESYING

We need to go to scripture to learn what is meant by a woman praying and prophesying. Scripture has preserved a few such prayers for us.  Miriam the prophetess led singing in Exodus 15:20-21; Deborah the prophetess (Judges4:4) sang in Judges 5:1-31; Huldah the prophetess prophesied in 2 Kings 22:14-20; Hannah prayed and prophesied in 1 Samuel 2:1-10; Mary the mother of Jesus prayed in Luke 1:46-55; Anna the prophetess spoke to all in Israel who looked for the Messiah in Luke 2:36-40; and many daughters and handmaidens prophesied of the wonderful works of God when He poured out the Holy Ghost upon Israel in Acts 2:11-21. Philip the evangelist also had four virgin daughters who did prophesy (Acts 21:9), although we are not told what they did prophesy.  Very likely it was the same thing that the daughters and handmaidens prophesied on the day of Pentecost.

📓 NOTE:  The common thread among these women is that they are of the nation of Israel and not of the Gentiles; and, they each had a husband or brother who was a covering for them. Also, the women who were prophesying did so in small, private assemblies (with Miriam being the exception) and not in the congregation — although God saw fit to preserve these prayers and prophecies in His word for all eternity.

 

The sign gifts were still operating in 1 Corinthians, though one of Paul’s purposes in writing this letter is to inform them that the gifts would cease (13:8).  It is highly likely that certain Jewish daughters and handmaidens were continuing to prophesy in the church service at that time, or that female Gentile converts were prophesying according to the spiritual gifts. 

We know that the Corinthian church shared a wall with the Jewish synagogue, and the sign gift of tongues was operating to provoke the unbelieving Jews next door to jealousy (Acts 18:7; Romans 11:11; 1 Corinthians 14:20-22).

 

ORDER IN THE CHURCH

The Corinthians were carnal babes in the Lord, and they needed correction from the Apostle Paul to learn how to judge righteously in these situations and to bring about order in the church service. Using his God-given authority, Paul is putting an end to the confusion caused by women who continue to prophesy publicly.

 

1 Corinthians 14:34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. ³⁵ And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. 36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? ³⁷ If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. ³⁸ But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. ³⁹ Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. ⁴⁰ Let all things be done decently and in order.

 

A woman who did not have a husband at home (or who did not have a believing husband) to act as a covering for her would need to be disciplined by the authority of church leadership.  This difficult passage found in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 is very likely such a situation.

When Paul says in verse 13, “judge in yourself, is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?” he means for them to consider what their conscience already understands.  The answer to this question is no, it is not comely for a woman to pray unto God uncovered.  Of course, the situation in question is in the local assembly where the church is gathered to learn the doctrine and be edified. 

 

If this passage was the only passage where Paul dealt with the expectations of women in the local assembly we might continue to be confused about Paul’s meaning; but by comparing this passage to another passage in Paul’s letters, we understand that Paul is speaking of headship and authority.

 

1 Timothy 2:12  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

 

Even though the church is not under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14), Paul clearly writes COMMANDMENTS unto the church body regarding proper order in the church service (1 Corinthians 14:37).  Even though we are under grace, no one is without law unto God (1 Corinthians 9:21).

 

The LORD wants the Corinthians to grow up and understand how to make righteous judgments.  This is the desired character of a mature believer.  We have the completed word of God in our hands and we should all seek to learn the doctrine and put it into practice so that we can make righteous judgments that are pleasing to our Father. The only way this is possible is by using the mind of Christ to judge, which requires dedication to the study of His Word rightly divided (Isaiah 28:10; 2 Timothy 2:15). Thankfully, while we are in the process of growing up into Him and learning how to judge rightly, God’s grace reigns over us. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy article.  If you have any questions or comments please REPLY below.