- The real fact is that Paul’s instructions to men and women regarding head covering (& uncovering) is simply not fashionable and acceptable to 21st Century western culture.
- So, the question is: should we follow the fashions of the world, or observe the practices given by the Holy Spirit to the church?
" Every scripture [is] divinely inspired, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, fully fitted to every good work." 2 Timothy 3;16-17 (Darby Translation)
THE BIBLE’S WORDS ON HEAD COVERING
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power (a symbol of authority) on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.”
[1 Cor 11:1-16]
Head Coverings
by John Dennison
Clarity of the Context
The only mention of the head covering in the New Testament is in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. Even though God established creation headship and family headship in the Old Testament, He makes no mention of the symbol of head coverings. In the New Testament, the head covering is not taught in Colossians where Christ is Head of the church which is His body (1:18). It is not taught in Romans or Hebrews either where Christ is the head of creation. It is also most noticeable, that head coverings are not mentioned in Ephesians where the headship of the husband is taught.
Within 1 Corinthians, Paul includes the teaching about head coverings specifically in the section of the epistle where he deals with church practices (11-14). Even more precisely, he places it right next to the undisputable church truth of the symbols of the bread and wine in the Breaking of Bread meeting.
Within the section in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, he corrects the practice of women being uncovered and then reminds them that if anyone is against the practice, “we [the apostles] have no such custom, neither the churches of God” (1 Corinthians 11:16). Notice it is the practice of churches and not of families.
Significance of the Symbol
The Old Testament is rich with symbolic sacrifices, garments of the priests, and rituals in the tabernacle and the temple. Yet, there is a clear absence of the symbol of head coverings. The Lord Jesus introduced a new system of spiritual worship (John 4). The only four symbols in the New Testament are baptism, the bread and the cup at the Lord’s Supper, and the head covering of the woman. There are absolutely no symbols connected with the family in the entire Bible.
1 Corinthians 11:3 gives the divine order. Man is head of the woman. However, the principle point is that Christ is head which is why He is mentioned first in the verse. Thus, the spiritual head (man) of the woman is covered and is symbolically out of sight when the women covers her physical head. The man leaves his head uncovered symbolizing that his spiritual head (Christ) is on display in the assembly. The symbolism is not intended to stress that man is head of the woman, but that Christ is head of the man. That headship is on display in a local assembly. Therefore, Paul concludes that a woman “ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels” (v 10 ESV). The head covering is a symbol that the assembly subscribes to divine order, which is of great interest to angelic beings.
Dealing with the Difficulties
Some feel that the appeal to creation in 1 Corinthians 11:7-12 makes this applicable to all of life even outside assembly gatherings. If that were the case, then, we would also have to apply the use of creation as a basis in 1 Timothy 2:11-15 for the silence of the women. To be consistent then, we would have to insist that only men speak in the home or anywhere for that matter. That hardly seems to be what God is intending.
Paul uses creation to show that he is not inventing something new when he distinguishes between males and females in the assembly. God made a difference in creation, making the man before the woman; yet every man is born of a woman. This establishes that, even though the symbols express a difference, both males and females are equally important and necessary in the local church, and also of equal standing spiritually as we are all god's children.
The other confusion comes over connecting the head covering with the prayer of the woman or prayer in the presence of males. Paul deals with one issue at a time as he sorts out the confusion in Corinth. In chapter 11, he clarifies the distinctions in the symbolism of headship. In chapter 14, he deals with the audible participation of women (chapter 11 could have referred to a woman’s personal, silent prayer during assembly gatherings). So, the act of a woman praying does not in itself require the head covering. Nor is it an issue of a man praying. The issue is whether or not it is an assembly gathering where angels are looking on and where the headship of Christ should be on display. Therefore, he is not talking about a man’s giving thanks for food in a home, but an official assembly meeting.
Application of the Answer
The teaching that a head covering is required only for prayer by a woman makes emergency or spontaneous prayer a practical difficulty and impossibility. The teaching that a head covering should be worn 24/7 would also require that a man never cover his head as well. The Bible was written for people in the frozen regions of the north so this would put men in danger of severe frostbite. The only practical belief that allows for consistency and practice in all times and places is that women are to wear head coverings only in the assembly meetings.
by D. Oliver
What is the significance of the two head coverings in 1 Corinthians 11?
THE MOST tenable view is that an uncovered head and a shaved head are equivalent in violating the same truth, the truth of headship as established by God. A woman’s long hair expresses a headship God manifested at creation: the man is the head of the woman. The cultural covering is part of a double symbol; it requires the uncovered head of the man and the covered head of the woman. Together these symbols display a headship that results from Christ’s incarnation and redemption. He is head of the man and the assembly honors that headship by the uncovered head of the man – honoring his head, Christ – and the covered head of the woman – further giving Christ honor by covering her head, the man.
The two coverings relate to the two spheres of headship Paul develops in this passage. A woman’s long hair expresses that not she, but the man has headship. This is a personal and permanent covering. Her cultural covering must be paired with the man’s uncovered head to display that Christ, not man, has headship over the man. This is a cultural and congregational (because it requires others to present this paired symbolism) covering.
Further, in the context (vv 2, 17), Paul connects his remarks about headship with his teaching about the Breaking of Bread, “when ye come together in the church.”
Third, the cultural covering is a “church” matter because the assembly is designed by God as a “pillar . . . of the truth” (1Ti 3:15), in this case, the incarnation and redemption truth of Christ’s headship over the man.
Must sisters cover their heads at weddings and funerals?
No. The Scriptures teach that “cultural head coverings” are part of the testimony when the assembly comes together. Weddings and funerals are not assembly meetings. If a sister chooses to wear a hat, it is unbecoming for any believers to belittle her for her ostensible failure to grasp that this occasion is not an assembly gathering. Nor is the sister who wears this covering indicating that, because of this, she is more spiritual than those who choose not to wear a head covering.
A case can be made that it is advisable for sisters to wear head coverings because the reading of and speaking from the Word of God at these social occasions is related to the assembly’s testimony. Also, a sister may see the value of letting others who do not attend the assembly gatherings know that the assembly still carries out the Bible’s teaching about head coverings, although many other congregations have discontinued that practice. On the other hand, some make the case that sisters with their head coverings unnecessarily alienate unbelievers by making them feel uncomfortable. In either case, the choice is personal. A sister may make either choice with the purpose of honoring the Lord. Romans 14, verse 6 is relevant to this issue.
Should a Christian bride-to-be wear a head covering?
The apparent viewpoint behind this question is that a head covering on the bride expresses that she submits to the new headship relationship she is entering in marriage. In addition, some may suggest that the bride’s head covering honors God’s establishment of headship in marriage. These are interesting and valuable thoughts, but applying these principles as a mandate for a bridal head covering is beyond the Bible’s teaching. The Scriptures do not mandate a bridal head covering.
Many regard a bridal veil as an expression of modesty, perhaps supporting this from Genesis 24:65. Upholding modesty is very important in our culture, but this passage hardly establishes a mandate. If the bride chooses to wear a head covering to honor the Lord, He knows and appreciates her motive. If she chooses not to wear a head covering, she has not sinned. This is a matter of personal choice.
Such matters should never be divisive among believers!
Is the Christian bride’s long hair a sufficient head covering for her wedding?
Yes. The Scriptures only instruct a sister to wear a head covering when the assembly has come together. This, once again, is a personal choice.
A sister’s long hair is her permanent expression of the headship of the man (see question 1). If her behavior during and after the wedding indicates that she respects the headship of her new husband, this is consistent with the “message” her long hair gives. Apart from that, she is disobedient to God and disturbs the beauty of His plan.
Note: some of the content used by permission of thruthandtidings.com
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This page created by Peter Brenner Tuesday November 7, 2023