It’s all about… GOD!
It says WHAT? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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It says what? Schpeel (spiel!)
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
How does this fit into the grand story of the Bible?
How does it communicate the truth of the gospel?
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.
This is truly one of the hardest passages I’ve ever tried to exegete. Scholars - some of the best there are - have debated this passage to no end, coming to different conclusions with good reasons to support their ideas. So how do we take this passage and get anything out of it? Well, we’re going to read this passage naturally. There’s nothing to be afraid of in this text. Too often, we read this and get either defensive, upset, righteously fired up, or some other combination like that.
Here’s the thing: this passage wasn’t intended to do that. It even lacks the customary amount of force that Paul might use if he was trying to lay down the law on something. He argues about a cultural item that frankly, died off generations ago. But we approach this and get confused fast. We get up in arms even quicker, and we miss the text. So instead of finding answers, we neglect this passage because it is weird, and scary. I don’t claim to have all the answers this morning. I’m going to do my best to be true to God’s Word and provide clear and concise teaching. For all of us, what we talk about today needs to focus back not on us but on God and serving Him as men and women who are equally saved and part of His family. So, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to give us great wisdom, grace, and humility as we approach this text.
Pray
Here’s the big idea today:
Big Idea: In worship, we must point to the Creator.
We read a passage like this and see rights, or perhaps a violation of them. We read a passage like this and see the humiliation of women. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In truth, especially in the worship service, we need to be thinking not about ourselves, but about others and our Lord. God has designed His church and humanity in order, not for ourselves, but that we might reflect God’s image and bring glory to God. In worship, this is especially important.
So today, As we explore this idea we’re going to break it down into two main ideas: what did it mean for them in their town (or time), and now what does it mean for us in our town (Or time.)
Their Town
Their Town
So to start out, we’re going to do our best this morning to understand what this text would have meant to those in Corinth.
Picture the church in Corinth. Probably meeting in a larger home or homes. They are gathered in a central place as the letter from Paul is opened and read. No doubt this letter would have been read within 1-2 settings. They get to this part. How would this effect the church?
Trying to uncover fully the meaning of everything for them is impossible. But we can understand the context behind much, and this entire passage really does teach us about worship today. So, let’s dive into this.
We need to remember this as we read:
Pick up Bible
The context of this passage is in a spot where Paul is responding to some concerns, and teaching them about orderly worship. (Go through the next couple chapter headings).
So, we need to remember all of this within its original context.
Paul starts this passage with a commendation. Essentially he says “well done! You remembered me, and you’ve held up the teaching I brought to you!” This of course would be the gospel message and living a life pleasing to God. (Considering in verse 1 of 1 Cor 11 Paul tells them to follow him as he follows Christ, he is all about the gospel transforming live and people living for Jesus.)
Then he says this:
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.
Notice something here: Paul doesn’t use the same forcefulness he generally uses in many other places when he’s teaching them or warning them about something. For instance, later on when Paul teaches them about the Lord’s supper, he starts with:
But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.
Ouch. Here’s another one:
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife.
And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
Notice the force of Paul’s words, and for good reason considering the circumstance! But here in 1 Corinthians 11 3, Paul’s forceful is toned down. What does that mean? We don’t need to make more of an issue about head coverings than Paul does. (Kienzler)
That said, what do we make of this whole head idea? If you were to go back and study the Greek word for head, you could literally burn up hours doing exhaustive research. Some people think it means authority, like God is Christ’s authority, or men are their wives’ authority. Some people think it is source, considering that if we look at Genesis 2:21-22 we find the original origin of woman:
So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
Some people think it is “top” or preeminence. Like the idea that someone could be head of a class, but not have authority. Here’s the problem: There’s good research to support all of these views. How then do we understand? I think what Paul is saying here is not out of line with what he teaches elsewhere. In Eph 5 22-23 we read:
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Does this mean that men are superior to women? No! Does this mean all women are subject to all men? I don’t think so. From what we read in Ephesians, it’s clear that within the context of a Christ-glorifying marriage a man should love his wife by practicing servant leadership. Taking responsibility, placing her needs ahead of his, and leading in a way that is good for the whole family. The wife should submit to her husband’s leadership, lean on him, and support him.
I like this quote from Focus on the Family:
When a husband submits to the Lord, leading his wife with a servant’s heart and nurturing her God-given talents, she can confidently submit to him — lean on him and trust his covering. - Focus on the Family.
Does Paul demonstrate that here? In 1 Corinthians 11? I think so. The word for man in Greek, and the word for woman can also mean husband and wife. This makes sense. It’s about relationship. A relationship that reflects, not distracts from, the Creator. When we understand that, we see how Christ submits to God, we all as people of God submit to Christ, and within marriage a wife submits to her husband. What is pictured is a beautiful picture of love and trust, not subservience and domineering.
Paul says in verse 4-6 that a man praying or prophesying with his head covered is disgraceful. The opposite though is true of women, to the point that to do so would be like shaving off her hair.
Why? Well apparently this is how our respective “heads” are honoured with the Corinthian context. In Jewish and Roman cultures, men prayed in the temples with their heads covered. In Greek culture, men’s heads were uncovered. It seems, based on the whole of this passage, that the common practice for everyday life was that men came with their heads uncovered, and women came with covered heads. Some sort of veil or scarf on their head. This was common practice for everyday life. This wasn’t a special dressing up, but rather was a common way of dressing. So it was to be the same with the church. Regardless, Paul appeals to culture here and notes that for a women to show up with an uncovered head would be like shaving off her hair. Most women are not keen on that. It’s part of a woman’s beauty. There’s also the added layer that removing one’s head scarf in public could very well have been suggesting that a woman was “available.” Maybe a little bit like removing one’s wedding ring. A head covering actually protected her from unwanted advances from men.
So we move into vv 7-10
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.
What is this whole idea about the glory of another all about?
Remember the big idea:
Big Idea: In worship, we must point to the Creator.
Part of reflecting the Creator and focus on Him is to reflect His created order. What we should not read here is the universal submission of all women to all men. Men are not better than women, nor visa versa. Paul makes this abundantly clear in verses 11-12. So what is he saying?
I really like the take that comes from a woman named Barb Orlowski, based on Gordon Fee’s research:
The simple answer is that “She is thus man’s glory because she “came from man” and was created “for him.” She is not thereby subordinate to him, but necessary for him.
She exists to his honor as the one who having come from man is the one companion suitable to him, so that he might be complete and that together they might form humanity.”
So, we as humanity bring glory to Jesus Christ, who is our head. Male and female together show the image of God. As we see at the very beginning, man needed woman.
The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.
So God makes a companion, a helper - not a subordinate, but an equal with different roles that compliment him. Here’s Adam’s response:
Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
Adam goes “whoa!” “Finally, someone for me. This is my companion.”
It’s a together thing. So the glory for man in woman is that they are the complete picture of humanity and image of God together.
This leads us to verse 10. This is a hard passage to understand. What’s going on here? Who cares about angels?
We’re not really sure, but it could be that Paul is getting at the idea that angels are present within the gathered worship assembly of God’s people. Jewish tradition may have found it’s way into Paul’s thinking here. We are joined as we worship God with angels gathered around.
By having authority over her own head, the wife exercises her own will and desire to honor her husband. Her words are of equal value in the church. Her intent, as with all the members of the church, is to bring glory to God in worship.
1 Corinthians 1. Husbands and Wives and the Glory of God (11:2–16)
Ciampa and Rosner explain, “By wearing her veil during public worship the woman signals her own status as created by God even while covering up any trace of human glory in the presence of God and his angelic court.”
To the people of this time, Paul wasn’t squishing rights or making big claims about the inferiority or superiority of one sex to another. We tend to see that if we’re not careful. But Paul does appeal to the created order in saying that especially in worship, we must reflect our Creator. God has created both men and women in His image.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
There no doubt about that. But men and women compliment each other. We are supposed to have different roles, be different, and even dress different. Paul points to culture and says, this is how this distinction in dress is carried out. Keep it, don’t distract from the worship service. Women are equally allowed to share prayer or prophecy, even as men do. Yet Paul advocates to not blur the lines in an attempt at new found freedom in Christ. Yes, they are free from idol worship. Yes, they are free from the world, yet this doesn’t mean they are free from the way God has created things to work. God has given us a beautiful picture within marriage of Christ and the church. I think this is reinforced here.
Our Town
Our Town
Ok, after all of that, hopefully we understand now better what is happening in their town. Now, the goal is to cross the bridge, and carry over the theological principle that Paul wants us to get out of this. Is it about head coverings for all time? I don’t think so. Clearly this is a cultural thing for that time and place. Is it about the inferiority or superiority of one gender to another? Again, that doesn’t seem to be anywhere in the text.
So, how do we take this and apply it to us today in 2024?
Big Idea: In worship, we must point to the Creator.
Remember where we’re at in this book: Paul has just talked about freedom. Freedom from idol worship, freedom from the darkness with idol worship. Freedom to eat whatever, and even in chapter 9 we see freedom to restrict our own freedom for the sake of another whose conscience might be weaker. Only, this freedom doesn’t allow us to throw out how God has designed things to work. Similarly, in chapters 11-14 of 1 Corinthians Paul addresses right practices in worship. Here he starts with this admonishment to so act in a way that isn’t going to distract us from worshipping God.
When we come into this place as believers, this is a sacred space. Last week we ended our main worship set with the Doxology. We sang without piano, without any accompaniment actually. Just our voices. Did you feel how amazing it was? Have you ever been in worship, and as you feel the collective body of believers worshipping God does it ever stir your soul? To be together in this place, worshipping our God is no small matter!
Think for a minute about Paul’s statement again in verse 10:
That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
Because of the angels. If indeed angels are here with us, even now, as it seems is likely, how amazing is that! I read this recently on this subject:
They are viewed as beings who worship God along with the church and who are offended by a lack of proper decorum from those in the church (see
Can you imagine the fact that part of the heavenly host gathers with us, to praise God with us as we worship here together?? This is a great blessing to us!
In our worship however, if we start to take our eyes off the One who deserves our praise and worship and put it on ourselves, we quickly derail the entire body. Paul addresses several ways this can happen in the Corinthian church: inappropriate dressing as we read, inappropriate use of the gift of tongues, and inappropriate handling of the Lord’s supper. Indeed, all of these are serious matters!
When we worship together, we should be pointing to our Creator. To the One who made us, saved us, and has establish His divine order on how we as people are to live. How our relationships are supposed to look.
Few things are more distracting than someone - man or woman - who chooses to dress in a way that brings more attention to them than anything else. Notice, Paul doesn’t specify “get all dressed up.” He says “follow the customs you’re used to.” Or at least, a custom that is appropriate in demonstrating the difference between men and women. This is a celebration of how God has designed two sexes. Not one, but two. Both men and women speak here in Corinth. But that doesn’t stop them from continuing to reflect a good design that God made. Moreover, their speech or the way they dressed was supposed to point to God, not them.
In the same way, right now we also must live, dress, and speak in ways that honour God. Especially in this gathering we need to be careful not to bring attention to ourselves in a way that distracts from God. For the Corinthians, it had to do with head coverings. Today, we don’t have that cultural thing anymore. But in what other ways do we distract, maybe without even realizing it? How can we potentially dress, or act or speak in ways that detract from the worship service and focusing of our Lord. Let’s go a step further: do we recognize and respect different traditions about dress in our worship?
Here in Canada, men and women dressing in pants and t-shirts and coming to worship is fairly common-place. Great! But what about in a country where this is not the case. Would you be willing to worship with other brothers and sisters in a different country or context, even if they asked you only to wear a dress, or for us men a suit and tie? The reality is, even though we have the freedom to not do that, for the sake of keeping our eyes on God we must not draw attention to ourselves. Instead, we choose to point to the Creator by dressing appropriately, and celebrating the differences between men and women. This is not a bad thing - it’s God-ordained!
Conclusion
Conclusion
Let’s recap for a minute:
Big Idea: In worship, we must point to the Creator.
Paul addresses something that isn’t easy for us to understand. This passage has been taken out of context. We read it and get up in arms over rights. We read it and end up seeing inferiority or subordination where there isn’t any. We grossly mis-use this text, or milk it for more than it is saying.
Paul speaks to the Corinthians about a practice that is cultural: covering one’s head in worship. That said, he gets at an underlying principle as old as creation itself: The created order of humanity. We are made in the image of God and are to give God glory. Woman is man’s glory because she was created from him, and together they complete the human race. She is necessary for him, but not subordinate to him. In marriage, which Paul pictures here in appropriate dress, husbands lovingly servant-lead, and wives lean on and trust that leadership, submitting to and supporting it.
However, the main thrust of this passage isn’t about us, but about God. Don’t distract from God in the way you speak, or act, or dress! This is the main thing we carry over today. We don’t wear head coverings anymore. In fact to do so might actually cause distraction. But, we do act, live, speak, dress in ways that do not draw attention to us, but put the spotlight on Jesus Christ. He is who we should be bringing glory to! This worship setting is a sacred space. It’s a place where we gather and seek God and meet with him as a corporate body. Even the angels join us!! So we should treat it as such.
This passage isn’t an easy one, but we see the gospel here in how Jesus is reflected as the one who we worship. He is the One who saves, and the focus of our praise. We are the redeemed people! We live in freedom and new life! So let’s live that out in our lives and worship, bringing glory to God!
To end this morning, I want to get practical. We have been fairly technical, getting into the real meat of the passage. But that doesn’t matter if it doesn’t apply to us. So, here’s what we’re going to do to end this morning. I’m going to call Hubert back up, and I’m going to ask him to lead us in worship with this last song. As we do, I want to encourage you to stand, or sit, or get on your knees if you wish. You can come to the front, or stay in your pew. But right now, we’re going to take time to give 100% of our attention to God, and praise Him. Don’t look at what others are doing. Don’t worry about it. But praise God. Join together in worship by engaging with the entire community in praising God. This is how we will end this morning.