The Covering (1 Cor. 11:2-16)

1. The Covering(1 Cor. 11:2-16)

2. “Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.” (Dan. 5:6)

3. Exposition

4. New Topic Indicators • “Now concerning the things of which youwrote to me….” (7:1) • “Now concerning things offered to idols….” (8:1) • “Now I PRAISE YOU, brethren….” (11:2) • “Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you….” (11:17) • “Now concerning spiritual gifts….” (12:1) • “Now concerning the collection for the saints….” (16:1)

5. The Principle Of Headship “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman isman, and the head of Christ isGod.” (11:3) • God (Jn. 14:28; 1 Cor. 15:27-28) • Christ (Phil. 2:9-11) • Man (Gen. 3:16) • Woman (1 Tim. 2:11-14)

6. Submission  Inferiority • During the Incarnation, Jesus was submissive to the Father (1 Cor. 11:3; Phil. 2:5-8), but notinferior (Jn. 1:1-2, 14; 5:17-18, 22-23; 10:30; Col. 2:9) • After the Second Coming, Jesus will again be submissive to the Father, but notinferior (1 Cor. 15:24-28) • Women are to be submissive to men (1 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:11-13), but they are notinferior (Gal. 3:28)

7. Submission Is For Everyone • Citizens to rulers (Rom. 13:1) • Wives to husbands (Eph. 5:22-24; Col. 3:18; 1 Pet. 3:1-6) • Children to parents (Eph. 6:1-3) • Slaves to masters (Eph. 6:5-6) • Christians to elders (Heb. 13:17) • Theyounger to theolder (1 Pet. 5:5)

8. Submission Is For Everyone • Christians to one another (Eph. 5:21; 1 Pet. 5:5b) • Christians to special workers(1 Cor. 16:15-16) • The strongto the weak (Rom. 14:1; 15:1-3) • Women to men (1 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:11-12)

9. The Regulations • 1 Cor. 11:4: Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. • 1 Cor. 11:5: But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovereddishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.

10. Dishonor & Shame • Man covered • Dishonors Christ (1 Cor. 11:4) • Woman uncovered • Dishonors Man(1 Cor. 11:5) • As Shameful as being Shorn or Shaved(1 Cor. 11:5-6) Andy Mitchell

11. “Uncovered”  “Shorn” Or “Shaved” • 1 Cor. 11:5: But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. • 1 Cor. 11:6: For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.

12. Hair Length • Shorn [keiro] (11:6) = Short Hair [e.g. “Government Issue”] • Shaved [xurao] (11:5-6) = No Hair [e.g. The Kojak Look] • Has Long Hair [kamao] (11:14-15) = Long Hair [e.g. The Hair Of Women (Rev. 9:8; cf. 1 Tim. 2:9; 1 Pet. 3:3)]

13. The Reasons • Man should not be covered, because he is the image and glory of God (11:7a) • Woman is the glory of man which implies that she should be covered (11:7b) • Woman is from man (11:8; cf. Gen. 2:21-23) • Woman was created for man (11:9; cf. Gen. 2:18)

14. “A Woman Ought To Have…”(Translations of 1 Cor. 11:10) • “authority to have on the head” (MI, BI) • “authority over her own head” (ISV) • “power on her head” (KJV) • “a token of authority upon the head” (YLT) • “a symbol of authority on her head” (NKJV, NASB, ESV, NRSV, NCV) • “a sign of authority on her head” (ASV, NIV)

15. “A Woman Ought To Have…”(Translations of 1 Cor. 11:10) • “a veil on her head” (RSV) • “Something to symbolize her subjection” (Goodspeed) • “a symbol of subjection” (Moffatt) • “a symbol of man’s authority” (Williams)

16. “Authority On Her Head”(Interpretations of 1 Cor. 11:10) • A sign of subjection to man • The woman’s authority to speak • A magical authority against evil angels • An Aramaic colloquialism for “veil” Terry, "No Such Custom," 11

17. “Because Of The Angels”(Translations of 1 Cor. 11:10) • “because of the angels” (KJV, ASV, CEV, ESV, ISV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NRSV, WNT) • “On account of the angels” (GNT) • “because the angels are watching” (NLT) • “because of the messengers” (YLT)

18. “Because Of The Angels”(Interpretations of 1 Cor. 11:10) • An allusion to the evil angels who lusted after the “daughters of men” (Gen. 6:1-4) • An allusion to the angels who sinned when they did not keep their proper domain (Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4) • An allusion to good angelswho would be offended at any breach of these instructions

19. “Because Of The Angels”(Interpretations of 1 Cor. 11:10) • An allusion to the fact that since angels submit to and recognize authority, women should as well • An allusion to the fact that since the angels reverently veil their faces before God (Isa. 6:2), women should as well

20. Mutual Dependence(1 Cor. 11:11-12) • “The woman was from the man” • Eve, was created from Adam’s rib (Gen. 2:21-23) • “Even so the man also is through the woman” • All men are born into the world through women (Gen. 3:20; Job 14:1)

21. “Nature”(Phusis) Thayer: “fr. Hom. Od. 10, 303 down; nature, i.e. a. the nature of things, the force, laws, order, of nature; as opp. to what is monstrous, abnormal, perverse….nature, i.e. naturalsense, native convictionor knowledge, as opp. to what is learned by instruction and accomplished by training or prescribed by law…(i.e. the native sense of propriety)…1 Cor. xi. 14…. b. birth, physical origin…. c. a mode of feelingand acting which by long habit has becomenature…Eph. ii. 3…. d. the sum of innate properties and powers by which one person differs from others, distinctive native peculiarities, natural characteristics….”(#5449, 660-661)

22. “Nature”(1 Cor. 11:14) • That which is innate or inborn (cf. Rom. 1:26; 2:27; 11:21, 24; Gal. 2:15; 4:8) • That which is established by custom or long practice (cf. Eph. 2:1-3)

23. Nature Teaches… • If a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him (11:14) • If a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her (11:15)

24. “Nature” Paul Marsh: “Differing cultures have had differing concepts as to what is fitting, but as a generalization the statement is still true. Most men, whether eastern or western, wear their hair short in contrast to their womenfolk.” (“The First Letter To The Corinthians,” The New Layman’s Bible Commentary, 1444)

25. “Nature” Mike Willis: “The exact manner in which nature has distinguished between man and woman’s hair is not clear; men can grow long hair and some men can grow it in abundance. Whether by chance or something else, however, women have generally worn their hair longer than men; cases in which a man’s hair is longer than that of the woman have been the exception and not the rule. Thus, nature has distinguished between the sexes so far as the hair is concerned, whether that is learned by long established habit or by something innate.”(“1 Corinthians,” Truth Commentaries, 307)

26. Two Coverings A Permanent Covering:Her hair is a covering [peribolaion] (1 Cor. 11:15) A Temporary Covering: A covering [katakalupto] while praying or prophesying (1 Cor. 11:5-6, 13)

27. 1 Cor. 11:16(Translations) Literal • KJV: “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.”(cf. ASV, NEB, ISV, NLT, GNB, Wuest) • NASB: “But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.”(cf. RSV, NIV, ESV, Goodspeed, Williams) Interpretive

28. “If Anyone Seems To Be Contentious”(1 Cor. 11:16) • Frank Jamerson: “He [Paul] may have appeared to be contentious (when he was not, cp. 1 Cor. 12:22; Gal. 2:6), because he was binding these things on the Corinthian women when he did not bind them in other places.” (“A Brief Study Of The Veil,” 8)

29. Is The “Anyone” Paul?(1 Cor. 11:16) • This man “seems to be contentious” because he is contentious just as the man who “seems to be religious” (Jas. 1:26 KJV) is religious (cf. Acts 17:18; 1 Cor. 3:18; Heb. 12:11) • The “any man” is distinguished from the “we” [the apostles] and “the churches of God”

30. “We Have No Such Custom”(1 Cor. 11:16) • While the Corinthians had to respect their local custom, the apostles and other churches elsewhere did not have that particular custom • If a man was contentious about Paul’s instructions, he needed to realize that he was flying in the face of the accepted custom [i.e. practice] of the apostles and the churches of God

31. “Literal” Is Not Always Best • 2 Ki. 9:8: • KJV: “For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:” • NKJV: “For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab all the males in Israel, both bond and free.

32. “Literal” Is Not Always Best • Phil. 2:1: • KJV: “ If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, • NKJV: “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,

33. “Literal” Is Not Always Best • Phile. 7: • KJV: “For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.” • NKJV: “For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.”

34. Commentators On 1 Cor. 11:16 • Interpretation #1 [Local Custom] • ??? • Interpretation #2 [Rejecting Precedent] • Barnes, Clarke, Farrar, Henry, JFB, Johnson, Lightfoot, Lipscomb, Lowery, Macknight, Marsh, McGuiggan, Morris, Vincent, WBC, Willis, Zerr

35. Interpretations

36. Universal Command Local Custom Long Hair Is Covering Spiritual Gifts Covering Of Spiritual Head Two Basic Positions Required Not Required

37. The Proper Attitude James Needham: “It should not matter to us what God wants, and we should be anxious to do whatever He requires.” (Emphasis added, “The Woman’s Covering,” 14)

38. Six Important Questions • What? (Veil or Hair) • Why? (Custom or Command) • Who? (Inspired or Uninspired) • Where? (Assembly or Anywhere) • How? (Spoken Prayer or Silent) • When? (Praying or Prophesying only, While Worshipping God) Gary Fisher

39. Interpretation #1 The Covering Was A Universal Command

40. Arguments For A “Veil” • Paul’s instructions concerning headship (11:3) are universal and not subject to custom or culture • Paul’s instructions concerning the head covering (11:4-5) grow out his instructions concerning headship (11:3) • Paul bases his argument on things that transcend culture and custom

41. Basis For This Instruction • The Nature of Man (11:7) • Man is the image and glory of God • Woman is the glory of man • The order and purpose of creation (11:8-9) • Woman was created from man (cf. Gen. 2:21-23) • Woman was created for man (cf. Gen. 2:18) • The Angels (11:10) These Things Have Nothing To DoWith Culture Or Custom

42. Angels… • Subject to Christ (1 Pet. 3:22) • Cannot die (Lk. 20:34-36) • Behold the Father’s face (Mt. 18:10) • Observe the saints (1 Tim. 5:21) • Minister to the saints (Heb. 1:14) • Protect believers (Psa. 34:7; 91:9-11) • Rejoicewhen a sinner repents (Lk. 15:10)

43. 1 Cor. 11:8-9:8For man is not from woman, but woman from man. 9Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. 1 Tim. 2:11-13:11Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve. The Order Of Creation • Same argument in both passages • If one doesn’t apply, neither does the other Andy Mitchell

44. Arguments For A “Veil” • Paul’s appeal to the Corinthians’ personaljudgment and nature are secondary arguments designed to corroborate what he has already taught (11:13-15) • Paul’s appeal to apostolic precedentindicates that this was not just a local custom at Corinth (11:16) • There is historical evidence that Christian women wore a head covering

45. Even Nature Teaches 13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering. (1 Cor. 11:13-15) • Paul’s Argument: The natural covering [the hair] illustrates the propriety of the artificial covering [the veil] Donahue

46. No Such Custom • Book written for Corinthians and “all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord….” (1:2) • Same things taught in all the churches (4:17; 7:17; 14:33) 1 Cor. 11:16: But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God. Donahue

47. Uniform Teaching • “Speak the same thing” (1 Cor. 1:10) • “I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Cor. 4:17) • “So I ordain in all the churches” (1 Cor. 7:17) • “In all churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 14:33) • “As I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also (1 Cor. 16:1) • “Walk by the same rule” (Phil. 3:16) Andy Mitchell

48. Catacomb Pictures Marvin R. Vincent: “The testimonies of Tertullian and Chrysostom show that these injunctions of Paul prevailed in the churches. In the sculptures of the catacombs the women have a close-fitting head-dress, while the men have the hair short.” (Word Studies In The New Testament, 3:248)

49. Catacomb Picture

50. Catacomb Picture