The Role Of Women in the Church- Part 4
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This morning we are continuing a series on the role of women in the church. Specifically, my aim is to teach what the NT has to say about women reading Scripture publically in the church and women praying publically in the church.
Historically, in our circles, this is not something that we have practiced. We have understood the command for women to keep silent in the church as prohibiting ladies both reading Scripture and praying publically in church. And let me say this- I appreciate the concern of people on this topic. It is an indication to me that people in our circles are deeply committed to obeying God’s Word. Your concern for careful obedience to the text is most appreciated!
My question is what does the Bible teach? Are there clear passages in the NT that would help us understand the role of women in the church in regards to public Scripture reading and public prayer?
Part 1- The importance of submission in the local church
Part 2- What God’s Word prohibits women from doing in a local church
Part 3- What God’s Word allows for women in the local church- namely praying and prophesying as long as they are dressed appropriately.
Part 4- What is appropriate dress for women who desire to pray or read Scripture in Church? Does that mean that ladies should be wearing head coverings in church? How can Paul allow woman to pray and prophesy in church and then command them to be silent only three chapters later in I Corinthians 14:34?
Two Resources:
Should Women Wear Headcoverings? by Kenneth T. Wilson
Did Paul Require Veils or the Silence of Women? by James B. Hurley
2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.
Paul commended them because they were obedient to many of his instructions relating to the church as he delivered them, but he still had some issues to clear up.
3 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.
He is primarily addressing the importance of maintaing the functional roles of believers in the public worship of the church. He is concerned that the Corinthians remember the idea of headship. The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Theses functional roles should not be abolished, especially in the public worship of the church.
4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,
One of the ways the Corinthians were disregarding the God intended functional roles of male and female in the church was in the area of head coverings. Apparently, the women of the church felt that their freedom in Christ allowed them to remove their head coverings- even to remove them in the public worship service.
Paul’s point was to show why that was not the case.
In v. 4 he makes the point that is would be shameful for men to wear head coverings in church when they pray or prophesy because it would dishonor his head. His argument rests of what the head covering symbolized in the Corinthian culture. In Paul’s day a head covering both clearly distinguished men from women. Ladies wore head coverings, men did not. So for a man to wear a head covering he would blur the lines of male and female. This would bring him personal shame and dishonor.
Head coverings also showed visible submission to an authority. It was a way for wives to show as a visible sign, the proper-ness of their husband’s headship in the marriage relationship. If a man wore a head covering he would be visibly putting himself under the authority of man. But the head of the man is Christ. Thus he would dishonor his head who is Christ.
5 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.
So too would a woman dishonor herself by blurring the distinctions of male and female, and by claiming that she is free from the functional differences of male and female that God instituted at creation.
It would be a public dishonor to her husband to claim she was no longer under his headship. And God wants Christians to maintain the functional differences between male and female. These differences were not done away with in Christ.
As to our question we said that as long as ladies are dressed appropriately they are free to pray and prophesy (that is to speak a message from God, in our context it is akin to public Scripture reading).
What What is appropriate dress for women who desire to pray or read Scripture in Church? Does that mean that ladies should be wearing head coverings in church?
6 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.
Paul’s point- it is disgraceful for a woman not to cover her head. If the women in Corinth didn’t think it was that big of a deal- Paul said, “well then shave off your hair.”
How many ladies this morning would willingly shave off their hair?
When my kids ask for a hair cut, I always volunteer to cut it for them. They always choose mom to cut their hair though. Why? Because dad would just use the clippers and give them all a buzz cut. They don’t want that! Why not? They think it would look really strange. If my young boys think it would looks strange for them to get their hair buzzed, how much more would it look strange for my wife to get her hair buzzed off?
The same kind of shame that goes along with a woman having her hair shaved is the same kind of shame that is associated with a woman in the Corinthian church not wearing a head covering. Since you would never endure the shame of a shave, neither should you endure the shame of refusing to wear a head covering.
7 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.
Beginning in v. 7 Paul argues for why it is shameful for woman to refuse to wear a head covering. In vv. 7-12 Paul gives an argument from creation.
V. 7- Man is image and glory of God
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Man was created in the image and likeness of God.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
So too was women, both men and women are created equally in the image of God. God’s Word is clear about the idea that male and female are equal in terms of their essence.
Yet God created man and woman different in terms of their function.
That is the point of I Corinthians 11:7
7 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.
Man, in terms of his functional role, was created to be the image and glory of God.
The idea of image in v. 7 indicates the idea of a reflection. Man in his functional role in the church is a reflection of God. So for man to wear a head covering would be to destroy the reflection of God in a service where he is praying to God or delivering a prophetic word from God.
Glory- that which makes impressive or weighty the person or thing that is glorious.
When man obeys God and functions as the head of the church and the head of the marriage he brings glory to God.
So man should not wear a head covering because that kind of dress does not reflect God’s intent in the headship of Christ over man.
On the other hand, woman, in terms of her functional role, was created to be the glory of man. Note, Paul does not say image of man- both men and women are created in the image of God. But, God intended the function of women to be the glory of man.
In what way?
8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man.
Woman is the glory of man in that she was made from man. A clear reference to Eve being made from Adam’s rib.
How else is woman the glory of man?
9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
This is pre-fall. God’s original design was that the woman would be a helper fit for man. The idea is that the woman would be man’s companion- she would complement man. So the original idea in God’s creation is when man fulfill his created function (headship) and woman fulfills her created role (complement), then they can bring glory to God exactly as God intended. There is a wonderful companionship that is expressed together by bringing God worship and praise!
Always remember, this idea is a difficult one to grasp because of the curse of sin.
16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”
They experienced a change in their relationship with each other (Gen 3:16). Apparently, the natural headship that Adam had over Eve gave way to tension between them, resulting from (a) the woman’s new tendency toward independence and freedom from her husband’s headship and (b) the man’s new tendency toward authoritarian leadership.
10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
A man should not have his head covered when praying or prophesying in church because he is the image and glory of God.
But a woman is the glory of man- in what way? In that she was made from man and for man- for his reason she out to have a symbol of authority on her head. Literally, the text says- she ought to have authority on her head.
Debated verse:
It is significant that Paul does not use “head covering” here in v. 10. He uses the word “authority.” The fact that Paul did not specifically refer to the head covering in v. 10 indicates that the issue is not the exact use of the head covering but the larger issue of the disregard of distinctions. I think this clearly shows that head covering were appropriate due to the cultural conditions in Paul’s day. Paul wanted the ladies to wear head coverings because in their culture the head covering was a visible sign of that they were embracing the headship of their husbands and their own created roles given them by God.
Issue: Authority- whose authority? Is it a symbol of her husbands authority on her head? Or is it a symbol of her own authority on her head.
Probably a reference to the women’s freedom or authority not the man’s. It is the idea of the woman’s authority or freedom to allow her to participate in corporate worship. She can pray and prophesy in the church, while still submitting to God’s functional roles for her as given in creation.
Issue: because of the angles?
At least five different options-
Angles = pastors and the head covering prevents sexual immorality?
Evil angels may lust after women?
Good angel may be tempted to lust?
Good angels are guardians of the created order so we should not offend them?
Good angels are present in worship, so women should conduct themselves properly so as not to offend them!
11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.
Clarification:
Men and women are different in function, but equal in essence!
Paul is taking special care to highlight the equality of both male and female. All of the talk about headship is in terms of function, not essence. This is exactly mirrors the relationship in the Godhead.
3 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.
Father, Son, Spirit- equal in essence, different in person.
13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?
Second argument for why it is shameful for a woman to refuse to wear a head covering. Vv. 13-15 Argument from nature.
14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.
Nature is probably that which is inherited from one’s ancestors or the natural feelings of their contemporary culture.
The culture of Paul’s day taught that as a general rule, men have short hair and women have long hair.
Long hair for women in Paul’s day was a glory to them. In what way? In that it was given to her as a covering which distinguishes her from a man, allowing her to function properly in her created role.
Does long hair replace head coverings? Probably the idea was long hair was a covering for women in the physical realm, which is taught by nature, so she should also have a covering in the spiritual ream, which is the head covering.
16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.
Contentions, argumentative, quarrelsome-
A woman who refused to uphold the functional differences that God intended was being contentious. There is no place for that in the church!
Summary:
Paul is asking for appropriate dress in the church- that is dress that reflects God’s intent in the headship of Christ over man and the headship of men over women.
Head coverings were a cultural symbol of that intended function order. Head coverings no longer server this purpose today. So I do not believe ladies are required to wear head coverings in church.
We must be careful that we do not dress in any way that denies God given male and female distinctions and roles.
So ladies as long as you are careful to dress in this manner- you are free to pray and read Scripture in a public worship service.
One final question!
How can Paul allow woman to pray and prophesy in church and then command them to be silent only three chapters later in I Corinthians 14:34?
29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.
Issue: The nature of prophecy!
Thomas Schreiner
“In the early church women who had the gift of prophecy would declare authoritative and inerrant words of the Lord. Such prophecies are not the same as the gift of preaching, which is a combination of the gift of teaching and exhortation (1 Tim 4:13).
13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.
Those who prophesy are in a sense passive vehicles who transmit the revealed word of God. Teaching draws upon the apostolic tradition and explains that tradition to those gathered.”
I Cor 14:29 argues for this understanding of prophesy. There is a difference between simply speaking a prophesy and the weighing what is said. Apparently, after someone spoke a prophesy then others were to evaluate it, question it, interpret it, apply it!
30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
Paul is concerned that proper order be maintain in the worship service.
33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.
Scripture does not contradict Scripture.
I Tim 2- Women are not permitted to teach or exercise authority over men- they are to learn in silence- the idea of a quiet and teachable spirit.
I Cor 11:5- Women can pray and prophesy in church as long as they are dressed appropriately. Simply praying or reading Scripture does not violate Paul’s command that they do not teach or exert authority.
So now, the command that woman remain silent does not contradict Paul’s earlier statement in chapter 11. Rather, I think the prohibition is that women were not to participate in evaluating the prophets. Why? Because these kinds of questions might cause the ladies to publically exert a kind of moral authority over the adult men during the public worship service. So, the women were to remain silent and not question the prophets in the public church setting.
But that doesn’t mean they could not ask questions!
35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
They were to wait till they got home and ask their husbands. What about unmarried women? Ask a father or spiritual father figure, but don’t do it during the public service. Because then the women might exert authority over the man. And this would be shameful for the woman to speak in that manner during church.