What About Order?

Today we are going to deal with a challenging text:

READ 1 Cor 11:2-16.

How to handle challenging texts:

Prescriptive (imperative) vs. Descriptive (indicative)

understand the text in its context

find the principle being addressed

BE CAREFUL not to be dismissive with the “descriptive” texts

invite the illumination of the Spirit of God as we study

Order Among Equals

v1-3

Headship

head of man is Christ- indicates necessity of humility

head of wife is husband- indicates complementarian economy

1 Corinthians 11:11 “11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman;”

Ephesians 5:21 “21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

head of Christ is God- indicates order among equals of the Trinity

Philippians 2:5–8 “5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross

Complementarian vs. Egalitarian

To the Religious and the Rebellious

From the Danvers Statement…

The Fall introduced distortions into the relationships between men and women (Gen 3:1- 7, 12, 16).

In the home, the husband's loving, humble headship tends to be replaced by domination or passivity; the wife's intelligent, willing submission tends to be replaced by usurpation or servility.

In the church, sin inclines men toward a worldly love of power or an abdication of spiritual responsibility, and inclines women to resist limitations on their roles or to neglect the use of their gifts in appropriate ministries.

Redemption in Christ aims at removing distortions created by the sinful state of humanity.

Head Coverings

v 4-10

Prescriptive (imperative to the Corinthians) language that points to clear lines of identity in the created order and to cultural propriety

Jewish culture wears veils at this time, like other cultures do to this day.

Descriptive (indicative to us) language that points to the principle of honoring the distinctives of men and women in a spirit of love and respect of our fellow human beings.

It also has some reference to angels (Gen 6?)

Women were not to flout conventional boundaries of propriety and tarnish their witness. Be a beautiful Godly woman and reflect the glory of the grace of God in your family, church and community.

v 6

Paganism- temple of Aphrodite

1000 female prostitutes, and male cross-dressing prostitutes

shaved head, no veil

objects of worship to Aphrodite

v 7

Men are not to stand idly by, while the world around them burns

Men, it is a good thing to be a man. Be a Godly Man and fulfill your purpose in creation.

Men Without Chests

In his book, The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis builds a case for the fact that society seems to be gravitating toward two extremes: the head (intellect) and the gut (visceral emotion). What we lack is heart (compassionate, mindful, brave, noble, industrious, adventurous) to govern the two.

Men Without Chests

“In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.”

-C.S. Lewis, Abolition of Man

Paul calls for the matter to be settled. Both men and women are to humbly take up their roles in God’s Kingdom for the sake of His glory.