THE POSITION of WOMEN and the WEARING of VEILS - 1 Cor

THE POSITION OF WOMEN AND THE WEARING OF VEILS - 1 Cor. 11: 3-16

Basic Facts For Understanding The Passage

1. Paul is dealing with a problem.

Vs. 2: Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.

·  “Traditions” here has reference to inspired truths “passed down” either orally or by written document by the apostle Paul and Paul praises them for holding to those truths.

However, there is a problem; vs. 3: But I want you to understand…

·  Paul is going to lay down a foundational truth that some of these brethren apparently didn’t understand or they apparently didn’t obey.

2. The basis of the problem and the central issue of the passage: God’s divine order.

Vs. 3: But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

·  This is God’s divine order.

·  “Head” denotes authority and what Paul is teaching is the principle of subordination; being subject to the authority and leadership of another.

3. Other facts to understand:

·  The wearing of veils is secondary in this passage; women wearing veils was common at the time.

·  The veil was an essential article of clothing in the female’s attire; this is not something that men wore.

·  Paul is going to use the practice of wearing veils, which was unique to women, to illustrate the foundational truth of subordination that he speaks of in vs. 3.

·  This passage does not teach that women are inferior to men and it does not give any man the right to be abusive or domineering over a woman.

Subordination And The Veil.

Vs. 4: Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying, disgraces his head.

·  Paul is using an absurdity here to make his point.

·  In verse 10 we are told that the woman’s “covering or veil” was a symbol of someone’s authority; it is a symbol of subordination.

·  When Paul says “for a man to pray with his head covered, that it is a disgrace to him” Paul is speaking of the veil that was a part of the woman’s attire; he is saying, “Any man who wears a woman’s veil or who dresses or acts like a woman” while praying or prophesying disgraces his head.”

·  It is not likely that men were doing this; what Paul seems to be doing is setting up his case to make a point to some of these women.

·  By speaking of a man wearing a “woman’s veil”, an idea that would be absurd to the women, Paul is going to tell the women that when they reject their position of subordination, the position that God has ordained for them, they are just as absurd.

Vs. 5-6: But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying, disgraces her head; for she is one and the same with her whose head is shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head.

·  If a man were to appear publicly wearing a woman’s veil, essentially rejecting his maleness, a position that God has given him, it would be shameful.

·  What about a woman who refuses to wear her female attire thus rejecting her femaleness, a position that God has given her, is she any less disgraceful?

·  The man is not to act so as to deny the place God has given him and neither is the woman.

·  This is true also of a woman ignoring the place that God has given her in His divine order of leadership and authority.

·  Apparently some of the women had been given the gift of prophesy and as a result they were getting carried away with it and ignoring the order of subordination that God had established.

·  This is why vs. 3 explains the problem.

Vs. 7-9: For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9 for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake.

·  Since the veil or head covering speaks of subjection, then it is the female rather than the male who should wear it.

Vs. 10: Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

·  Because of the truth of vs. 7-9 and because the veil spoke of subjection, the woman ought to wear a “symbol of authority” on her head.

·  This is speaking of the man’s authority over her; the veil was a symbol that “man had authority over the woman.”

·  “Because of angels” – See Jude 6; Paul is reminding the women of the danger they put themselves in when they reject their position of subordination.

Vs. 11-12: In these two verses Paul says that there is a mutual dependence between male and female; this was God’s design.

·  At the end of verse 12 he says, “It was God who gave the woman and the man their respective roles”; the point is, the woman’s subordination is God’s design.

Vs. 13-15:

“Judge for yourselves…”

·  This is an appeal to their common sense.

“Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with head uncovered?”

·  Is it proper for the woman to remove her symbol of subordination; to defy God’s design of subordination and assume the role of the man?

Vs. 14: Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,

·  “Hair” is the Greek word “kome” and not “thrix.”

·  “Thrix” spoke of the actual physical hair…hair from the scalp.

·  “Kome” refers to the hair as an ornament; he is referring to the way the women wore their hair.

·  Paul is speaking of being womanish; wearing your hair like a woman; length is secondary here.

·  Paul is saying, “Isn’t it a dishonor for a man to act like a woman?”

Vs. 15: …but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

·  When a woman maintains her femaleness, when she maintains her divine position of subordination as God designed, it is a glory to her.

Vs. 16: But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.

Conclusion: This passage of scripture is about God’s design of subjection and subordination; vs. 3. Apparently some of the women in Corinth were not keeping that design and Paul uses the common practice of women wearing veils to make his point. This is not a passage that commands the wearing of veils. This is not a passage that speaks against a man who has long hair. It does speak against a man acting like a woman. This is not a passage that says women are inferior to men. This is simply a passage that tells us that God has ordained a divine order of leadership and authority and it is a glory to women to observe and keep that divine order.

Some ways this applies today: 1. Women being in positions of leadership over men in the church and worship assemblies. 2. The marriage relationship; Eph. 5: 21ff.