1 Corinthians 11:1-16

                                                             1 Corinthians 11:1-16

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.  Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.  But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God, Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. For 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 was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels,  Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.

There are certain passages of Scripture that are difficult for us to handle.  This is certainly one of them.  The passage is clear, however, the application of the passage is not widely practiced in most western churches.  There are two possible explanations for this.  First, it could be that many of us are wrong in not following the letter of this practice.  Second, it could be that the culture in which we currently live is different enough that a head covering is not necessary in our churches today.  Whichever of these is true, there are some principles that might be helpful.

 

TRADITION: Paul makes it clear that the use of head coverings by women was an important part of the traditions that Paul delivered to the church when he went to them.  Paul wrote to believers in a different time and a different place and the traditions of those places and in those times were very important to consider.  When my wife and I went to Israel there were place where we went where she was required to be covered and where I was not permitted to touch her.  We currently live in Brazil where there are different traditions.  I recently spoke in an Indian village where the traditions were even more different.  The point is that Paul is speaking about the importance of being deferent to the traditions in the places where we are.

 

SUBMISSION: The practice of head coverings in for the principle of submission.  There is an order to creation and the Lord has established men as leaders of the home and the church.  This is a servant leadership that should reflect the loving and sacrificial leadership found in the Trinity.  It is not a question of worth or intelligence but of order and reflecting the Lord in Whose image we were created.  In the church and in the home, God wants us to live lives of submission to Him and the authority He has established.  Women are to demonstrate sweet submission to the men who are servant leaders in the church and home.  

 

INTENTION: The use of head coverings was a symbol of submission.  The intent was and continues to be to reflect the creation order that was established by God.  The use of a head covering was to be a physical demonstration of a spiritual reality that was readily accepted and even expected in the culture.  The intent was not to humiliate the woman or to attract attention to her.  The use of head covering in a church today is likely very appropriate and important in certain cultures.  However, in other cultures it might be humiliating and have just the opposite effect.  It may be something that draws attention to her which is not the intent of the principle.  Perhaps today it would be better for women in western cultures that are participating in the church service in some way should find another symbol that would signify submission without being humiliating.  Maybe in the west the use of a modest dress would be a more appropriate symbol of submission.

 

APPLICATION: Be sensitive to the cultures in which God gives us opportunities to minister.  Exercise servant leadership as men and sweet submission as women.  It the public worship services, churches should consider what the appropriate symbol of submission might be in that particular culture.