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Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.
For the last few weeks Paul has been correcting the Corinthian church on Christian liberty
All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.
Before that he was warning about sexual immorality.
Now he is getting ready to start a section in communal worship.
But he stops here for a minute to encourage the church
This is a pattern of Paul
This is a good leadership pattern
It seems like sometimes criticism comes easer than praise.
In my lifetime I have seen this go to two cray extremes
The truth is truth and grace work together
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
It’s a balance. We can never forsake the gospel but we can only teach in love. With the others best interest in mind
So Paul has addressed the issue
He has encouraged them to be more like Christ in verse one .
Now he says I praise you. I commend you.
The New King James Version Chapter 11
that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.
That you remember what you have been taught , at that time , what came from Christ through the apostils. In this case Paul.
These traditions paradosis [ an instruction that has been handed down
This is the gospel handed down by mouth and is now written down in scripture for us.
This is not man made traditions. These are not traditions made up by the church and become instrumental to peoples faith
Bad traditions were warned about in the Bible
He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
So Paul say’s I praise you for keeping in your mind on the truth that I have delivered to you.
This is a big deal
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
delivered means to hand over or pass on.
Paul is saying these are not my teachings. These are the teaching s of Christ past through me to you
No personal opinion , or cultural trends. This is the gospel.
Paul says I praise you for following the gospel
But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
We have came up on scripture similar to this in the past and have talked about it in great detail.
This is God’s design. We will go into it more in a little while.
What this is not; as we have just discussed Paul is teaching God’s design passed down to him from other apostle's and originally from God Himself.
I have heard people that claim at points like this in scripture is Paul being chauvinistic. That’s not it.
This is not Paul telling men to rule woman with an Iron hand.
Throughout 1 Corinthians Paul has been teaching:
Knowledge must submit to love (chapter 8).
Rights must submit to the gospel (chapter 9).
Freedom must submit to God's glory (chapter 10).
Now he adds:
Worship must reflect God's order (chapter 11).
Christ is equal to God the Father in everyway but He submits to the Father
Believers submit to Christ
Wives are to submit to her own husband
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
This is God’s design, this is His order. His will.
It is still a chose between honoring God or living our own will
On to head coverings
To be completely honest here there is to me no true definitive answer to the head cover debate.
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.
But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.
For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
For man is not from woman, but woman from man.
Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.
For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.
For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.
But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.
We all know living in this area there are many who believe that head coverings are the answer and I’m not saying there wrong.
I would say there might be a thin line between head coverings and legalism in some of it which is never good. It has to be the choose of the one wearing the head covering, otherwise you are just wearing a hat
There are many scholars that think what Paul is talking about is social or cultural. That could defiantly make sense going back to Paul's earlier writings and being all things to all people
These are the two biggest camps.
Regardless of the deference's there is one thing that is definite, the principle is truth
The biggest thing here and always is to honor God
Worship God according to His will His order
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.
But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.
Paul says to pray we all know this ;speaking to God on behalf of oneself or others.
Prophecy; this is speaking Gods message to God’s people
But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
My reason for bringing this up is that both men and woman were participating in this worship.
The issue is how each one should conduct themselves while doing it
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.
In this church it would be disgraceful for a man to worship God with his head covered.
Was this because pagans did it . Possibly.
Could this be because it blurred the distinctions between man and woman? Possibly
We were created in God’s image. We were created equal in value, but we were not created the same.
We are different in role and design
It could be a rejection of God’s order that Paul talks about in vs.3
The thing we know for sure is Paul’s concern is maintaining Gods intended order in worship
But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
This like in verse four were head has two meanings, The head of the man [Christ] and the physical head of the man
Here it is the physical head of the woman and her relational head {her husband]
The reason for this is that in first century Corinth the head covering likely communicated, modesty, respectability, a recognition of authority, and marital faithfulness
A lady without her head covered might of been thought of as sexually available, or rebellious
This could be in the order of wearing your wedding ring , or dressing modestly.
I think most mature Christian woman agree with the order but maybe not with the head covering.
This is order . This is God’s design
The New King James Version Chapter 11
for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
Paul says that a woman worshiping with her head uncovered , would be like shaving her head.
In the culture of the day that could signify being caught in adultery or a loss of feminine identity [ there is that thought again man and woman are different]
For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.
Paul is making a point here by comparing head coverings and shaving your head
Paul is saying that if shaving off your hair is shameful than worshiping without a head covering is shameful
You can kind of go here also with dressing modestly. I’m sure there would be other examples as well but the main point is to honor God in your worship.
What does His word say about it
or worship should
1. honor Christ
2. respect God’s design [ men and woman are equal but deferent
3.avoid rebellion; Christian freedom is not independence from God authority
4. consider what we communicate; our actions send messages to others, especially in worship
For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
For man is not from woman, but woman from man.
Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.
For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.
For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
This to me is a beautiful passage of scripture about Gods creation and design.
How it all works together in perfect unity.
God created human kind 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.
Man created to display God’s rule and character
Man was created fist but no man has existed since without woman
God’s design is not greater than or lesser than . It is order
Adam didn’t have a helper comparable to him so God gave him Eve as a helper that was comparable but not the same.
Woman reflects God’s wisdom as well as man and is the perfect helper for man . Man was not designed to be alone
The word helper here is ezer [AY-zer] in Hebrew
This word means one who comes along to assist, or one that provides needed strength or support
ezer in Hebrew does not imply inferiority .
Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
Eve was not created a servant of man.
She was created complementary to man, and an ezer
and all is from God
I don’t want to skip vs 10
For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
This is a scripture that is difficult to understand and I’m not sure I can explain it
When this say’s ought to have . This is obligated or has a responsibility
A symbol of authority on her head
What Does "Authority on Her Head" Mean?
What Does "Authority on Her Head" Mean?
View 1: A Sign of Submission to Authority
View 1: A Sign of Submission to Authority
This is the traditional interpretation.
The covering functions as a visible acknowledgment of God's order.
The head covering symbolizes:
Respect for God's design
Recognition of headship
Honor toward her husband
This is why many translations add:
"a symbol of authority"
The symbol points beyond itself to the authority structure Paul discussed in verse 3
View 2: A Sign of Her Own Authority
View 2: A Sign of Her Own Authority
Some scholars point out that exousia normally means authority possessed, not authority received.
Under this view:
Paul is saying a woman has the right and authority to pray and prophesy in worship while wearing the covering.
The covering then becomes a sign that she is participating appropriately within God's order.
This interpretation has gained support because the Greek text simply says "authority."
"For this reason the woman ought to have authority on her head."
The word authority here means freedom to act
View 3: Authority Exercised Under God's Order
View 3: Authority Exercised Under God's Order
Many modern scholars combine the two ideas.
The covering symbolizes:
Recognition of God's authority structure.
A woman's honorable participation within that structure.
This view fits well with the larger context.
The physical covering becomes a visible expression of a spiritual reality
Because of the angels
Most scholars believe this is because scripture teaches that angels observe God’s work among His people
to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,
Our worship is important
God’s plan , His will is important
Even heavenly beings are observing our response to God
worship should honor God’s design
God’s order is good
Men and woman glorify God through faithful participation in their God given roles
So now Paul has laid down the basis for His argument and then leaves them with a question
Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
Doe’s your worship appropriately reflect Christ
Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.
Paul is saying here ;don’t go beyond the natural order of things
He brings up hair length here for men and women, but he does not give an example like a man’s hair should not touch his collar or a woman's hair should go to her waist
The point is honor God in how He created you male and female
You are different and that is good it is by design . Honor God in being what you were created to be
But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.
Paul now say’s I have given you everything I have on this argument
vs. 13 he say’s judge for yourself, use your decrement
Don’t argue over it.
There are a couple deferent views about what Paul really means by this statement
Paul might mean this is my view I have apostatic authority
Many scholars and its my personal belief that what Paul is saying is it,s not our custom or the custom of the church as a hole to be contentious about this matter
But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.
