A man dishonors his head if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering. (I Corinthians 11:4-6 NLT)
In the previous lesson, we studied ...that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. (I Corinthians 11:3) Now, Paul explains the application of this order and authority within the church, regarding head covering. The wearing of head coverings was a common practice within the Jewish and Roman cultures. "Jewish tradition requires men to cover the head as a sign of humility before God, and women, as evidence of modesty before men, although the Bible does not explicitly command either men or women to cover the head." (read "Covering of the Head")
Even though God does not explicitly command it, Paul strongly suggested it. A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory. For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority. (I Corinthians 11:7-10 NLT)
The historical example of this is practice is when Abraham's eldest servant of his house went to Abraham's homeland to find his son, Isaac a wife. When the servant returned with Rebekah, Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. (Genesis 24:63-67)
The head covering showed that the woman was united with one man, similar to what a wedding ring represents today. God is the head of Christ; Christ is the head of man, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory; and man is the head of his wife, for woman reflects man’s glory. But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God. (I Corinthians 11:11-12 NLT)
We must thank God for leading Paul to add this scripture. Woman are not irrelevant or unimportant, because every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God, even the Son of God. One time when Jesus was speaking, ...a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” (Luke 11:27) As we explained in the previous lesson, women are not weak, or without feelings or opinions or input. Remember, Paul started out saying, a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head. Women were allowed to pray and prophesy in public and in the church; they just had to do it in a way that didn't dishonor their husbands and therefore God.
Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair? And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches. (I Corinthians 11:13-16)
To summarize, Paul was saying that man should not cover his head while praying or prophesying, or worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. Woman should cover her head while praying and prophesying to show she is under authority, meaning united to one man. But as Paul concluded, we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches. This was a custom the early churches practiced because of how women were treated back then, and even up until the early 1920's. The covering protected women from men who would do harm to them, by showing she was under authority, united to, married to one man.
Do women have to wear a "covering" on their heads? The Bible does not explicitly command either men or women to cover their head. Should women cover their heads? It's a personal preference, based on the custom of God's church that her husband and she attends. We just have to keep in mind that if we remain single, the ...unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. ...how she may please her husband. (I Corinthians 7:32:34) For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority. (I Corinthians 11:10 NLT) Or at the least, a wedding ring on her finger, because her hair has been given to her as a covering.
In the previous lesson, we studied ...that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. (I Corinthians 11:3) Now, Paul explains the application of this order and authority within the church, regarding head covering. The wearing of head coverings was a common practice within the Jewish and Roman cultures. "Jewish tradition requires men to cover the head as a sign of humility before God, and women, as evidence of modesty before men, although the Bible does not explicitly command either men or women to cover the head." (read "Covering of the Head")
Even though God does not explicitly command it, Paul strongly suggested it. A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory. For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority. (I Corinthians 11:7-10 NLT)
The historical example of this is practice is when Abraham's eldest servant of his house went to Abraham's homeland to find his son, Isaac a wife. When the servant returned with Rebekah, Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. (Genesis 24:63-67)
The head covering showed that the woman was united with one man, similar to what a wedding ring represents today. God is the head of Christ; Christ is the head of man, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory; and man is the head of his wife, for woman reflects man’s glory. But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God. (I Corinthians 11:11-12 NLT)
We must thank God for leading Paul to add this scripture. Woman are not irrelevant or unimportant, because every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God, even the Son of God. One time when Jesus was speaking, ...a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” (Luke 11:27) As we explained in the previous lesson, women are not weak, or without feelings or opinions or input. Remember, Paul started out saying, a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head. Women were allowed to pray and prophesy in public and in the church; they just had to do it in a way that didn't dishonor their husbands and therefore God.
Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair? And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches. (I Corinthians 11:13-16)
To summarize, Paul was saying that man should not cover his head while praying or prophesying, or worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. Woman should cover her head while praying and prophesying to show she is under authority, meaning united to one man. But as Paul concluded, we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches. This was a custom the early churches practiced because of how women were treated back then, and even up until the early 1920's. The covering protected women from men who would do harm to them, by showing she was under authority, united to, married to one man.
Do women have to wear a "covering" on their heads? The Bible does not explicitly command either men or women to cover their head. Should women cover their heads? It's a personal preference, based on the custom of God's church that her husband and she attends. We just have to keep in mind that if we remain single, the ...unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. ...how she may please her husband. (I Corinthians 7:32:34) For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority. (I Corinthians 11:10 NLT) Or at the least, a wedding ring on her finger, because her hair has been given to her as a covering.
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