A Symbol of Authority
—1Corinthians 11
Paul addressed a number of issues raised by the Corinthian church. In the chapter we now study, (1Corinthians 11), we are looking at the first 16 verses. Paul discussed head covering and several related elements of the Christian way of life.
1 Christian Imitation
1Cor 11: Verse 1
Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ". (see also Philippians 3:17). All Christians were to imitate the best examples among Christ-like people. Every Christian was meant to set a good example worthy of imitation (1Timothy 4:12). On the other hand, no Christian was to copy the bad examples.
Like Paul, every Christian had the example of Christ to imitate; so nobody could rightly say that there were no suitable examples that Christians could aspire to and follow. Even the good men and women of Old Testament fame, who looked forward to Christ, left examples for all generations after them (Compare Hebrews 11).
2 Christian Tradition
1Cor 11: Verse 2
Paul wrote, "I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you."
Paul, and a number of the Christians in Corinth, had lived much of their lives keeping the traditions that Moses delivered to the Israelites long ago. But those old traditions were replaced with new traditions, delivered by Jesus Christ and his apostles and prophets. Paul called these traditions "the gospel" (1Corinthians 15:1). Christians were charged with keeping these traditions —protecting them and living by them.
Note that the gospel traditions were not observances or fables invented by men, but all the words of life that Jesus taught his apostles, which they passed on —as Paul did to the church at Corinth.
3 Christian Headship
1Cor 11: Verse 3
Paul wrote, "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."
These three headships were not understood by the Corinthian church. In each headship there are two persons who are equals but one is in authority and the other is in submission.
- A man and Christ are equally men, but the man subjects himself to Christ
- A woman and her man are equally human, but the woman subjects herself to her man.
- The Father and Christ are equally God, but Christ subjects himself to the Father.
4 Christian Behaviour
1Cor 11: Verses 4-6
Paul said that when praying or prophesying a woman should cover her head but a man should not. Those who disregarded this rule were dishonouring the head to whom they were subject.
Paul felt strongly about a woman not wearing the head covering. He said that if she won't, then she might as well get completely out of line, and have her head shaved —something shameful to the Corinthian Christians.
5 Christian Relationships
1Cor 11: Verses 7-9
Paul went right back to Adam and Eve to show the relationship between a woman and her man —her head.
- Man is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
- Man is not from woman, but woman is from man.
- Man was not made for woman, but woman for the man.
6 Christian Symbols
1Cor 11: Verse 10
Paul wrote, "For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels".
The head covering was a symbol of the authority to which the woman submitted. A woman praying or prophesying could have appeared to be in authority. Paul said that she should wear a head covering to signify that she was under authority, not exercising it. By the way, although a woman might have had no husband, she was still submissive to God and Christ so the head covering was still appropriate.
Paul mentioned angels. They respect authority and submit to it. Unlike man and woman, angels are neither male nor female, nor were they made of dust and bone. Even so, they care about God’s order on earth.
7 Christian Equality
1Cor 11: Verses 11-12
Paul wrote that man and woman are dependent on each other —woman came from man, and man comes through woman. This showed another facet of the equality between man and woman, but that did not change what Paul said about authority and submission.
8 Christian Custom
1Cor 11: Verses 13-16
Paul completed this discussion with three points, namely a question, an analogy, and a denial.
- Question: "Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?" If the church at Corinth had thought about what Paul wrote, the women would have worn a head covering when they prayed (and the men would not).
- Analogy: "Doesn't nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? However, if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given her for a covering." Some women in the Corinthian church had long hair which helped to distinguish them from men and was a glory to them. In the same way a head covering while praying signifies a beautiful humility.
- Denial: "But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God." By allowing a contrary custom, women praying without a head covering, the Corinthian church was out of step with the apostolic tradition followed by other churches of God.