I’d be happier if 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 wasn’t in the Bible.  It’s notoriously difficult to interpret and discusses women’s head-coverings, not a hot-button issue today!  But, walking through the entire letter, we can’t detour.  Furthermore, the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write it for a purpose that transcends the first readers.

THE PROBLEM

As will be evident from the text, women are praying and prophesying in the church without head-coverings.  This customary distinction between the sexes is considered disgraceful.

Dr. Gordon Fee surmises: “Probably this is related to their being pneumatikos (“spiritual”) and to their somewhat overrealized eschatology.  It seems difficult to understand Paul’s answer unless their spiritualized eschatology also involved some kind of breakdown in the distinction between the sexes.  Already they had arrived in the Spirit; they were already acting as those who would be ‘like the angels,’ among whom sexual distinctions no longer existed.  As part of their new ‘spirituality’ they were disregarding some very customary distinctions between the sexes that would otherwise have been regarded as disgraceful” (The First Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 498).

Paul wants them to wear head-coverings . . .

BECAUSE IT IS SHAMEFUL NOT TO.

I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.  But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head (11:2-6).

After praising the church, he sets out this foundational principle:  “ . . . the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God”.  “Head” here refers to authority.  This isn’t a matter of superiority/inferiority but role or function. If a man prays or prophesies with his head (literal) uncovered he dishonors his head (Christ).  But if a woman prays or prophesies with her head (literal) uncovered she dishonors her head (the man).

Furthermore, if she has her head uncovered “it is the same as having her head shaved.  In Roman society, a shaved head signified an unfaithful wife.  So “she should cover her head.”

 BECAUSE WOMAN WAS CREATED FROM MAN.

A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.  It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.  Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.  For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God (11:7-12).

God created both male and female in his image (Genesis 5:1,2).  But he created woman from man and for man. So, as God-created, man is to honor God. Woman created from and for man is to honor man.  The head-covering, therefore, signifies she is honoring man.

“ . . . because of the angels” may mean that angels, as guardians of the created order, are watching women who are disregarding that order.

That Paul isn’t subordinating women to men is clear from the interdependency that exists between them.

BECAUSE IF A WOMAN PRAYS WITH HER HEAD UNCOVERED, IT’S IMPROPER.

Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?  Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God (11:13-16).

Here Paul appeals to their reason.  By “the very nature of things” he probably means “the way things are” in their culture.  Since a woman “by the very nature of things” has long hair “as a covering”, she naturally should not pray or prophesy without a head-covering.

Some are being “contentious”, and Paul refutes their probable claim that “other churches do it.”  He tells them wearing head-coverings is the custom in all the churches

WHAT CAN WE TAKE AWAY?

If women are to be subordinate to men, men must be leaders.  Blessed is the family (and the church) where the man sings to the Lord with all his heart, who lifts his hands in adoration, who prays aloud his praise, who exercises spiritual gifts.  This is especially important today when many divorced women fill our churches.

Sadly, that’s often not the case.  If the worship leader calls for only women to sing, then only men, the difference is night-and-day.  Women sing out; men hesitate.  Where are those strong male voices exalting the King?

I’m not dismissing the important role of women.  Where would our churches be without them?  Often they are most responsive to the Holy Spirit in worship.  Often they are the first to lift their hands or pray aloud.  They should complement men’s lead, not replace it.

Paul reproved the Corinthian women for removing their head-coverings.  Maybe he should have reproved the Corinthian men for allowing it.