Now, let's recall again the text: "Let her be covered." That is God's decree.
All right, let who be covered? That is question number 4. "Who is to be covered?" If this is for Mennonites only, as some wrongly suppose, then it ought to read "let every Mennonite sister be covered." But the text has in it no such limitation. This is not a denominational teaching. This is a Bible teaching.
Already in verse 3 we are being prepared to think in a much broader scope, for there, where the principle is in focus, it is stated that the head of EVERY man is Christ. No exception is made. Christ is the authority figure for every man, whether or not he obeys Him, Christ is his head. And, by the same token, man remains woman's God-appointed head, whether or not she submits. And then when we come to the application, verses 4-6, again it's EVERY woman and EVERY man, indicating the widest possible application, conveying the idea that this practice is intended to be universal. There's also no reference here to marriage, which eliminates the idea that this is applicable only to women who are married. You may sometime be confronted with that idea. Really, the headship of man over woman is an aspect of God's government in this world. And, as such, it is not limited only to life in the Kingdom of God. But, since judgment begins at the house of God, Paul is here singling out an instance that would constitute a violation in the context of church life.
I'm driven to the conclusion that EVERY woman who wants to take her God-assigned place under man is duty-bound to signify that purpose of heart by being covered. "Who is to be covered?" SHE is to be covered -- the woman who recognizes and submits to her God-ordained place in God's arrangement.
Growing out of this is a fifth question: "With what shall she be covered?"
An increasing number of voices are responding to this question with this easy answer: "With her hair. Let her be covered with her hair." But this answer simply cannot survive close scrutiny. To begin with, at the time of this writing [of 1 Corinthians 11] there was practically no need in Christian circles for a plea to retain the hair covering. Long hair had been the long-accepted practice, and to my knowledge was not even being challenged.
Furthermore, those who claim that this passage has in view no other covering but the hair are knowingly discrediting about 1900 years of Christian practice and Biblical scholarship. For that long of time, the wearing of an additional covering was taught and practiced on a very wide scope. Those who argue for the hair only are thereby implying that in respect to this issue the Christian church started out wrong and has been wrong for most of her history. I'm not ready to believe that.
Verse 15 does speak of long hair as "A" covering, nature's covering, but it's not "THE" covering called for in verses 5-6. And that conclusion is substantiated by the fact that, in the Greek, the word for covering in verses 5-6 is not the same word as is used in verse 15. And this difference comes to light in a number of the more reliable modern versions. They actually use the term "veil" in verses 5-6.
But a careful reading of verse 6, even in the King James Version, should convince anyone that another covering beside the hair is in view. Let's right now take a moment to look at that verse. Verse 6: "For if the woman be not covered". Let's stop right there. If, as some claim, the hair is the only covering in view, than this clause would envision a woman whose hair has been removed, right? "For if the woman be not covered." That envisions a case where the hair has been removed, if the hair is the covering called for. Now, look at the next clause: "Let her also be shorn." Now you have a problem on your hands, for how can you remove something that has already been removed? How can there be two successive removals of the same thing? What the statement really means is this: a woman ought to wear both the hair covering and the sign covering, or none at all. If she refuses to be veiled, she deserves a second mark of disgrace: that of being shorn.
And here is a still further consideration: If the only covering in view is the hair, the Christian man would need to remove his hair in order to comply with God's will.
Now remember the question was "With what shall she be covered?" Here are possible ways of stating the simple answer. She is to voluntarily cover her head with a material covering. It ought to be distinguishable from protection coverings. It ought to be identifiable as one that carries religious significance. To think of it only as a symbol allows for it to become too small. The terminology employed here requires that it be also a covering, that which "covers". Although it is a symbol, it must be a symbol that covers.
And now I raise question number 6: "When is she to be covered?" And in response to this, I can imagine someone saying, "Well that's an easy one, your answer's right there in the text. 'Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head'. There's your answer ? she's to be covered when she prays or prophesies." As far as it goes that's an acceptable answer, but I don't think the evidence is conclusive that this practice is to be limited to such times. That would reduce it to a "devotional covering" or a "worship covering", when actually the larger context supports the view that it's primarily a "headship covering". And, since the headship of man extends to all of life, and since the world so much needs the awareness that the covering creates, isn't it logical to conclude that the wearing of the covering should be constant?
But why does Paul single out times of praying and prophesying? That is a valid question. Although we can't know for sure, it may be that those were the occasions when the Corinthian women were beginning to think that they would be justified in throwing off their veil in the name of their newfound Christian liberty. I'm simply suggesting that Paul might have received reports of violations occurring at such times. If so, that would explain why he would name these specific times.
Students of the Greek language have pointed out that the words of my text, "Let her be covered," are in the present active imperative form, so that, by grammatical structure, it really means "let her continue to be covered."
In relation to this question, I would conclude with these remarks. The veiled head does not necessarily signify that "here is a soul that is presently praying or prophesying." Rather, it signifies that "here is a woman who seeks to honour God in all of life." So, it's not really a prayer veiling, but a woman's veiling, worn to show that the wearer is in God's order. Let's think of it in those terms. Not a "devotional covering". Not a "worship covering". But a "woman's covering". A "headship covering". That, I think, is the main thrust of the passage as a whole.
Shall we come before the Lord in prayer? Or have you made up your mind? If you think that I am boring or irrelavent, or that I do not know what I am talking about visit www.successmagnet.org In part FOUR I will give you food for thought.
For more on this subject please write this ministry: Living Waters For Thirsty Souls, 40 Wood Corner Road, Ephrata, PA, USA, 17522
(Channelled)Roy? this week you learned something about yourself. You learned... Read More
Real nobility feeds on its own intrinsic value, as a... Read More
Can you imagine Biblical "End-Times" prophecies happening in your lifetime?... Read More
Is being purified only for the men of the cloth?... Read More
The second chapter of John's Gospel offers a most interesting... Read More
Who said religion has to last a lifetime?When I was... Read More
The Emmaus Journal The Standards Of This World Are Not... Read More
Welcome to the website: All about Jesus, I hope you... Read More
In the year 2005, the American Constitution has put into... Read More
These 7 judgments will more than likely occur during the... Read More
The new Pope is not expected to break ranks with... Read More
The Dead Sea Scrolls continue to be found and there... Read More
We are soon to celebrate once again the National Holiday... Read More
This article was in response to an email about someone... Read More
WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?A Catholic woman reported to me that a... Read More
Talent is defined as: "Natural endowment or ability of a... Read More
Many Christians often wonder, "How should we pray?"I'm going to... Read More
From the late 1970's through the 1980's, my wife and... Read More
True freedom of religion must include an individuals right to... Read More
This passage begins (2:1-4) with a call to unity that... Read More
DEAD SEA SCROLLS: - Dr Norman Golb is a top... Read More
To be awakened to the realization of one's True Self... Read More
With the passing of Arafat, the Middle East will take... Read More
RESPONSE TO PAULINE CHRISTIANITY: - The whole of Christendom is... Read More
What does your church teach regarding the subject of Widows... Read More
As the clock ticks down to the fateful day of... Read More
For it is written in the book of 2Timothy 3:16... Read More
John 16:2-3:16The Death of an American, The Death of Decency.... Read More
... Read More
The flesh is the part of us that resists our... Read More
The Catholic Church is kind of like a forest sometimes.... Read More
"I want to know how God created this world. I... Read More
This article was inspired by a book by E. W.... Read More
Why does every one believe that Jesus is the son... Read More
After the 1000 years are up in the Millennium Kingdom,... Read More
The Caribbean is the site of another thing which some... Read More
Being in the Ministry for a few years now, I've... Read More
DÉJÀ VU (Where have I heard this before?)(Note: May I... Read More
Much confusion surrounds the person of one "Melchizedek" found in... Read More
Matthew 24:34-24:35 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall... Read More
Many cities have large Catholic Church presence and well-established Lutheran... Read More
The Christian Church believes that at the close of the... Read More
There is no doubt in my mind that the quality... Read More
The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but... Read More
Biblically speaking, holding philosophical beliefs that contain internally self-refuting contradictions... Read More
Real nobility feeds on its own intrinsic value, as a... Read More
Over the last week I have received dozens of heart-rending... Read More
Daniel 2:44-11:35To begin with, what is prophecy? It's the study... Read More
Isaiah 59:19 declares: "...when the enemy comes in like a... Read More
As believers, we have a responsibility to care for those... Read More
'Showers of Wisdom' is taught by JiGong, the Heavenly teacher... Read More
The dictionary explains strength as being endurance, force, bravery, spirit... Read More
Isaiah 43;19 declares: "Behold, I will do a new thing,... Read More
The modern historical era of liberal theology basically encompass four... Read More
... Read More
French & Dutch Reject EU Constitution & British Table It-We... Read More
You all know the big dogs that carry rum to... Read More
If the Church is raptured off the face of the... Read More
The Sun god, Mithras, was the most widely worshipped deity... Read More
Clothing says a great deal about one's profession, and this... Read More
In our last study, we looked at understanding prayer. In... Read More
MAN: Good afternoon Professor Knowledge. Let me cut to the... Read More
Religion is so many things. From what we can see... Read More
It's Saturday night. You're sitting at home. Your phone has... Read More
The Path Is Winding:Ever wonder why things that happen in... Read More
Stories have been told about the only thing that saved... Read More
Religion |