It appears that some of the liberated
Christian woman of
11:3
“The Head” of the body is understood in
our modern world to be the center of our thinking and nervous system. The metaphorical use of “the head” in our
modern language then refers to the control facility or
the leader. This is not the case in the
ancient world. They did not understand
the nervous system so the phrase “the head” would not have meant the top
position, the leader, or the one in charge.
In the ancient world “head” was used to refer to the source of a
river. The head was the beginning. In fact, “arche”
or ‘beginning” is used interchangeably with “kephale”
or “head” in some MSS. An example is
found in a passage about Zeus: “Zeus is the head, Zeus is the middle, in Zeus all is completed.”
Paul then is using “head” with the
ancient understanding of “source” or “beginning” not the modern meaning as in
the “Head of State.”
This verse is not talking about
marriage for it says “every man” and not “husband” or “her man.” This is talking generally about men and
women’s relations.
Also, Paul is not only talking about married women
but all women. This is clear since Paul
does not talk about wives having their heads covered but then mentioning a
different standard for single women.
Christ or “christos”,
“the anointed one” or Messiah, comes from God so it can be said “The head of
Christ is God” or “The source of the Messiah is God.”
11:4
The men were not improperly wearing their
hair, but the woman were.
The men are used as an example to
contrast the woman.
Man is created in the image of
God. The face or head of a man is to
reflect the glory of Christ. To cover
the head of a man is to cover the part that is to reflect Christ.
11:5
Paul does not forbid the practice of
woman prophesying and praying but instead gives directions on how to do it.
Corinthian women were praying and
prophesying in public worship and Paul does not condemn it.
The very fact that Paul is allowing prayer
and prophesying by woman in the church in this verse indicates that we need
more information concerning 1 Corinthians 14:34-35.
A Jewish woman would not appear outside
the home with her head uncovered. The
husband could divorce her for it.
Woman of
A woman with a shaved head was
considered ugly by Jews.
A woman who committed adultery would be
shaved and considered a prostitute.
Christianity is difficult enough to
portray to the world without violating social standards and codes.
11:6
The verb phrase “does not cover her
head” is present indicative middle and is used to express a general
principle.
If she won’t cover her head then cut
off her hair.
When her hair is cut off it is a disgrace to her so if she wants to avoid disgrace, cover
her head.
It is a disgrace not to cover her head
and a disgrace to have her head shaved.
The Corinthian women understood the
disgrace of having their heads shaved but they did not understand the shame of
not covering their heads.
11:7
“Ought”
means
“one ought to, or one is obligated to.”
This word indicates it is the man’s moral obligation.
What is being considered here is
woman’s relationship to man not woman’s relationship to God. The idea is that man was originally created
as the image of God. Woman was created
for man. This is the focus. This verse does not stress women’s standing
before God and so Genesis 1:26, 27 is not stressed.
1 Timothy 2:11-13
11:8
11:9
This verse begins “kai
gar” or “for even” or “yes, even”
11:10
“For
this reason” or “Precisely for this reason” indicates this is the reason
for the heads being covered. And that
reason has just been stated:
“authority” is “exouaia” and means
“the right, the authority” to
perform. So the woman has the right to
pray or prophecy when she is in the right position in God’s and man’s social order.
If the woman is in rebellion she can not pray or prophesy.
“In
Oriental lands the veil is the power and the honour
and dignity of the woman. With the veil
on her head she can go anywhere in security and profound respect. She is not seen; it is a mark of thoroughly
bad manners to observe a veiled woman in the street. She is alone.
The rest of the people around are no-existent to her, as she is to
them. She is supreme in the crowd . . .
But without the veil the woman is a thing of nought,
whom any one may insult . . . A woman’s authority and
dignity vanish along with the all-covering veil that she discards. That is the
Oriental view, which Paul learned at
“Angels”
were considered to be the keeps of universal order. The angels would consider something out of
line and needed to be corrected if a woman was praying with her head
uncovered. Paul again assumes his
readers follow his logic. It seems that
an uncovered woman was a shock to the culture of men and also the standards of
angels.
One other suggestion is that woman
should cover themselves in worship because the angels cover themselves as in
Isaiah 6:2. Men are to stand face to
face but woman like the angels should cover themselves.
11:11
“However”
is used as an adversative. It modifies
the sense of the discussion to emphasize what is essential as this part of the
discussion closes.
11:12
The first woman came from Adam.
All men since have come from woman.
Ultimately, everyone comes from the
Lord.
The point of 11:11, 12 is that there
are some guidelines distinguishing men and women in social order but these
guidelines do not nullify the fact that men and woman depend on each other or
find their “source” or “head” in each other.
11:11, 12 are saying do not make more
of this than is intended because both men and woman are dependent on God.
Men can not look down on woman or think they can
live independent of woman
11:13-14
Paul asks two questions in conclusion:
The second question is to help answer
the first question by providing a counter illustration.
By divine order and natural occurrences
the man is left unveiled because that is what God wanted. Also, by divine order and natural occurrence
a woman is naturally veiled because this is what God intended.
Notice Christianity stays in stride
with what is natural and does not twist or suppress it.
11:16
“Contentious” or “philoneikos” means someone who loves strife.
In Greek,