Instructions for Public Worship
Disclaimer: There are various interpretations of this passage.
1 Corinthians 11:4-16 NLT
4 A man dishonors his head if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. 5 But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. 6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.
7 A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory. 8 For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. 9 And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. 10 For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.
11 But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. 12 For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.
13 Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? 14 Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair? 15 And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. 16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.
Examine the scriptures:
Review:
1 Corinthians 11:3 (NLT)
But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
Paul was addressing the “Everything is permissible”, we can dress and do as we please mentality.
1 Corinthians 11:4-16 NLT
Begin with verse 16.
16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.
- Paul based many of his comments on common customs in the churches and in the culture.
4 A man dishonors his head if he covers his head while praying or prophesying.
Praying according to pagan customs.
Roman men sometimes covered their heads while worshipping pagan gods.
Out of respect to Christ (God), a man prayed with his head uncovered.
Or
This signifies a different role for men than for women.
5 But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head,
The preponderance of evidence points toward the public head covering of women as the universal custom in the first century in both the Jewish culture and the Greco-Roman culture.
A symbol of a subordinate relationship to her husband.
In the first century Roman society, the woman’s head covering was a sign of marriage.
Today women wear rings to show that they are married.
A married woman praying with her head uncovered was a sign of loose morals.
For this is the same as shaving her head.
- In the first century in both the Jewish culture and the Greco-Roman culture it was a disgrace for a woman to pray in public without covering her head.
6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair!
In that culture, only a prostitute or feminist would shave her head.
But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.
- Corinthian women showed respect for and submission to their husband by covering their heads during public worship.
7 A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory. 8 For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. 9 And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man.
- The roles of men and women differ.
1 Corinthians 11:3 (NLT)
But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
10 For this reason, and because the angels are watching,
Matthew 18:10 (NLT)
10 “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.
Ephesians 3:10 (NLT)
10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
- Our actions do not go unnoticed.
a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.
- Corinthian women showed respect for and submission to their husband by covering their heads during public worship.
11 But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women.
Husbands and wives are dependent on each other. This is not a display of superiority.
There is no superiority. Just different roles.
One is not more important than the other.
One was not more spiritual than the other.
- Husbands and wives are dependent on each other.
12 For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.
13 Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head?
14 Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair?
15 And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering.
Deuteronomy 22:5 (NLT)
5 “A woman must not put on men’s clothing, and a man must not wear women’s clothing. Anyone who does this is detestable in the sight of the Lord your God.
- Simple interpretation. A man should not try to look like a girl and a woman should not try to look like a boy.
16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.
I simply say that we have no other custom than this.
Throwing off the head covering was an act of insubordination.
Maintain their distinctive feminine hairdos.
When custom dictated, women should wear a head covering.
Related scripture not tied to customs.
1 Timothy 2:9-10 (NLT)
9 And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. 10 For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do.
1 Peter 3:1-5 (NLT)
1 In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over 2 by observing your pure and reverent lives.
3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 5 This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands.
