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                 "THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS"

                The Issue Of The Head Covering (11:2-16)

INTRODUCTION

1. Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians addresses many issues...
   a. Some related to conduct as Christians in Corinthian society
   b. Others pertained to conduct in the assemblies of the saints

2. One issue involved women praying and prophesying with their heads
   uncovered...
   a. Covered in depth in 1Co 11:2-16
   b. About which brethren have different views regarding its
      application today

3. Views concerning "The Head Covering" generally fall into two camps...
   a. It was a custom of the church - intended for universal and
      permanent application
   b. It was a custom of society - and Paul's instructions were limited
      and temporary in application

[I understand that Paul was addressing a custom of society, not a custom
commanded by God for the church.  Here are reasons why I believe
that...]

I. THE ISSUE PERTAINED TO SOCIETAL CUSTOM

   A. PAUL'S COMMENDATION...
      1. Note carefully Paul's commendation as he begins - cf. 1Co 11:2
      2. "Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things
         and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you."
      3. If the wearing of a veil while praying or prophesying is
         something required of Christian women because it is God's law
         and not a social custom, it seems strange that he would begin
         by praising them for keeping apostolic traditions when in fact
         they were not!
      -- What they failed to keep was not apostolic tradition, but
         something else

   B. PAUL'S COMMENTS...
      1. Note carefully his comments regarding shame - cf. 1Co 11:5-6
      2. "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. 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."
      3. Paul argues on the basis of "if it is shameful..."
         a. If it was not shameful for a woman to have shorn hair (as is
            the case of some cultures), then Paul's argument here does
            not hold up
         b. He is evidently basing his argument on the cultural
            attitudes of their day, not on what is the revelation of
            God's will on the matter
      -- Paul's argument was contingent on what was considered shameful
         in their society

   C. PAUL'S APPEAL...
      1. Note carefully his appeal to propriety - cf. 1Co 11:13
      2. "Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to
         God with her head uncovered?"
      3. He asks "Is it proper...?"
         a. Again, he reasoned from a sense of cultural propriety, i.e.,
            what was considered proper or shameful in their culture
         b. When it was a matter of divine will, Paul exercised his
            apostolic authority to command, not ask people to "judge
            among yourselves" - cf. with 1Co 1:10
      -- Paul's appeal was based on their own judgment, not God's will

   D. PAUL'S CONCLUSION...
      1. Now consider his conclusion when all was said and done - cf.
         1Co 11:16
      2. "But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom,
         nor do the churches of God."
      3. Paul sought to reason with them on the basis of such things as
         what is proper according to their culture - 1Co 11:6,13
      4. He also reasoned on the basis of what is certainly in harmony
         with scriptural principles
         a. E.g., the headship of man - 1Co 11:3-5
         b. E.g., the subjection of angels - 1Co 11:10
      5. But in the final analysis, if anyone one wanted to be
         contentious...
         a. It was not an apostolic or church custom
         b. It was a cultural issue in which Paul sought to give his
            advice
      -- Neither the apostles or the church of God had a custom related
         to the issue at hand

[Thus I believe Paul dealt with a social custom important to the
brethren at Corinth, but limited and temporary in application.  This
understanding is further confirmed by answering this question:

   Were the women prophesying and praying with heads uncovered
   in the assembly of the saints, or in public places such as
   the marketplace?

Most assume that the issue involved conduct of women in church.  I
believe the evidence suggests...]

II. THE ISSUE PERTAINED TO CONDUCT IN PUBLIC

   A. PAUL'S QUESTION...
      1. Note carefully Paul's question later on in his discussion - cf.
         1Co 11:13
      2. "Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to
         God with her head uncovered?"
      3. This question implies a "no" answer; but if they were being
         asked concerning women in a religious assembly in Corinth, they
         would have answered "yes", for apparently Greek women
         worshipped in the temples with heads uncovered (Nicoll, The
         Expositors' Greek Testament)
      4. However, in Corinth it was a shame to take off the veil in
         public places
      -- The answer ("no") to his question makes sense only if he
         referred to conduct in public places like the market place, and
         not to conduct in a religious assembly

   B. PAUL'S REMARKS...
      1. Note carefully Paul's remarks after concluding his discussion
         - cf. 1Co 11:17-18
      2. "Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since
         you come together not for the better but for the worse. For
         first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that
         there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it."
      3. It is at verse 17 that he begins to discuss matters related to
         the assembly, such as their abuse of the Lord's Supper
         (11:17-34) and the exercise of spiritual gifts (chs. 12-14)
      4. Matters discussed beforehand, such as eating meats sacrificed
         to idols (chs. 8-10) and women prophesying with heads uncovered
         (11:2-16), were issues of conduct outside the assemblies of the
         saints
      -- Paul does not begin discussing matters related to the assembly
         until verse 17

   C. PAUL'S COMMANDMENTS...
      1. Note carefully his commandments concerning women in the
         assembly - cf. 1Co 14:34-37
      2. "Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not
         permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law
         also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask
         their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to
         speak in church. Or did the word of God come originally from
         you? Or was it you only that it reached? If anyone thinks
         himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that
         the things which I write to you are the commandments of the
         Lord."
      3. Since it was shameful for women to speak in church, it is
         unlikely that Paul in chapter 11 was saying that women could
         prophesy in church as long as they wore the veil
      -- Women could not prophesy in the assembly, whether veiled or not

CONCLUSION

1. As I understand the circumstances that prompted Paul's discussion...
   a. Christian women were taking their veils off in public places to
      pray and prophesy
   b. Perhaps those with the gift of prophesy felt they were free to
      disregard societal norms
   c. While not considered shameful in Corinthian society to do so in a
      religious assembly, it was scandalous for a woman to remove the
      veil in public places like the market place

2. The circumstances in Corinth appear to have been similar to those in
   some Muslim countries...
   a. Where Muslim women will veil their faces when they walk in public
   b. But often remove the veils when they enter a private home, or a
      store that caters to women

3. If my understanding is correct, the issue was...
   a. Not:  "Should women put on the veil to prophesy and pray in
      church?"
   b. But:  "Should women take off the veil to prophesy and pray in
      public?"

4. Paul sought to encourage them to act in harmony with the customs of
   their day...
   a. Customs that were in harmony with the scriptural principles of
      headship and subjection
   b. But he acknowledges that the head covering was not custom of the
      apostles or the church

Thus I take his words regarding women and the head covering per se to be
limited and temporary in application.  But the idea of honoring societal
customs that reflect scriptural principles certainly has universal and
permanent application for Christians who seek to glorify God in this
world.  As Paul wrote in the previous chapter...

   "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all
   to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to
   the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all
   men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of
   many, that they may be saved."
                                                   - 1Co 10:31-33
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