I Corinthians 11 is a very misunderstood chapter in the New Testament. Some people think it means women have to wear a bonnet of some sort in church or have long hair to be holy. But that’s not what Paul is talking about.
Paul is speaking about authority. The order in a normal Christian family is God first, the husband submits to God’s leading, the wife submits to her husband’s leadership, and the children submit to their parents. Let's look at it!
I Corinthians 11:3- 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.
We understand from Colossians 3:20 and Ephesians 6:1 that children are to obey their parents.
The real issue at hand is a woman’s requirement to be in subjection to authority. In God’s government, there is a clear chain of authority: a woman is subject to her husband, a husband is subject to Christ, and Christ is subject to God the Father.
Then Paul speaks about spiritual things- praying and prophesying. There's a little more to it, but I'll get to that a bit later.
I Corinthians 11:4- Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
Every man who is in submission (the act of submitting to the power of another) spiritually to someone other than God is dishonoring God. This means that all those people who are out there following instructions from a priest, a pastor, a counsellor, or anyone else, instead of God is disgracing God. We can ask for guidance from a pastor or a parent, but ultimately, we should pray and ask God if this is what He wants us to do and follow His direction.
When you pray in church, you are praying to God. When you prophesy (preach) you are doing it in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. You shouldn't write your sermons based on the political winds of the congregation. God tells you what to preach and you preach it!
But women aren't to hold positions of authority over men in church.
I Corinthians 14:34- Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
This, again, is speaking about positions of authority. Women aren't to remain mute in a church service. They are supposed to sing and pray and even teach, just not in positions of authority over men.
I Corinthians 11:5-6- 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.
And this is where they go haywire! They jump from spiritual authority to head coverings? Look at what Paul is trying to say!It is humiliating for a woman to have short hair. Just ask any cancer patient and they will tell you the most devastating thing is having your hair fall out in clumps. Paul is stating that going out from under the God ordained structure of spiritual authority for your life is degrading!
I Corinthians 11:13-15- 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.
Nature, as in the animal kingdom, teaches us that the male is the most colorful and flamboyant. The male birds have the most decoration. The male lions have the mane, not the female. Paul is referencing your natural instincts here. Throughout history, and many different cultures, women have had long hair and men have had short hair.
So, if it's a shame for a woman to have short hair, then Paul is equating that same thing to a woman praying in rebellion by taking a spiritual position that she shouldn't have.
But, why? Why is it this way?
I Corinthians 11:10- For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
Notice he doesn't say a hat, a scarf, a headdress. He says power. He's emphasizing that it's spiritual authority that he's talking about.
What do the angels have to do with this? Well, way back in Genesis 6, there were some angels who got to looking at human women and began to want what human men got- a physical relationship with them.
Genesis 6:1,2,4- And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
Women who are rebellious are easy prey for lustful angels. And, these angels aren't how the movies make them appear- tall, handsome, and powerful. When angels rebel and leave their first estate as messengers and soldiers of God, they become completely depraved. Satan is absolute evil, as are all the angels that fell.
They are seeking for someone who isn't under God's protection. A rebel, who is willing to commit an abominable sin with them. A sin so bad that God destroyed almost all creation for it!
I Timothy 3:1- This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Paul's letter, the book of I Timothy, was written to a young pastor with the intention of instructing him on how the church should be ordered. He wants Timothy to know what kind of church he should build, and there is nothing more important, in terms of the church's organizational structure, than who is qualified to lead.
God has called men to the office of "pastor" or "elder" or "deacon" or whatever other position of authority you have in your church.
This doesn't make a woman an inferior creation.
I Corinthians 11:7-9- 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.
God created a man first and then the woman (Genesis 2:18; 3:16). The actual order of creation is very significant because it shows who is to be in authority. The Bible also says that Eve was created as a helper and companion for Adam, rather than vice versa,
Man was made in the image of God, and he answers directly to God for his family. Woman, however, was made for the man. She is a completely unique creature. She is the "glory" of the man. His most absolute treasure.
This doesn't make her less. It makes her precious.
I Corinthians 11:11-12- 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.
Woman was made for the man, but man cannot exist without the woman. With no females the species would cease to exist. Paul is stating that they are a special creation which is to be treasured, not abused.
Now, let's clear up what "spiritual authority" means. Because some people think that all women should be married or stay at home with their parents until they are.
I Corinthians 7:8-9, 28- I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
Paul said it would be best for the unmarried to remain unmarried. It's best for the widow to remain without another spouse. If all women should marry, then Paul wouldn't be stating that he would have those who could focus solely on the Christian life of being a witness and missionary remain single!
There are many wonderful examples of single female missionaries- Gladys Aylward, Amy Carmichael, Charlotte "Lottie" Moon, to name a few.
The problem, however, is that when women are single they are more apt to go rogue than when they are married. Why? Because women were created to be helpmeets. Their design was to enrich the lives of their husbands and to bear children so that the human race didn't die out!
Women are always seeking that connection to someone. Most have a strong desire to have a child. Paul knew this, and that is why he tells Timothy such.
I Timothy 5:14- I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
Why would Paul state that he advises the younger women to marry? Because of the propensity for sin.
I timothy 5:13- And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
Paul knows how influential women can be. They can be the cause of war. They can encourage revolution. And they can be the most faithful partner in the Christian life that a man has ever had.
Paul never once rebuked Priscilla for helping out Aquilla. In fact, he pleaded with Christians he knew to treat the women who helped him in the work respectably!
Phillipians 4:3- And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
They were his fellow laborers, not his servants. They helped him to accomplish his calling and were honored for it.
I Timothy 5:1-3- Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. Honour widows that are widows indeed.
So, there is something specific about this spiritual authority that goes beyond just a woman being under a male authority figure. Let's see what else the Scripture has to say about it.
I Timothy 2:12- But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
In this verse, Paul is speaking about women pastoring over a congregation with men in it. A woman is not to be in spiritual authority over men, nor are they to hold the office of Bishop, Pastor, Elder, or Deacon.
Some churches may not knowingly defy the Word of God, but that is what they are doing when they install women as pastors. That’s because they either don’t know what the Bible teaches on the subject, or have been deceived by one of the many false, alternative positions on this subject.
He admonishes women to teach other women. There's a time and a place for "women preachers" and it's in an all female group or a group of children.
God called men to be the spiritual leaders. All of his disciples were men. There were women in the company, yes, but they weren't sent out to spread the word like the men were.
Therefore, Paul is specifically referencing spiritual authority in a church setting.
I Corinthians 11:1-2- 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.
All Christians are called to be followers of Christ. They are to obey the Scriptures and seek God's guidance for each decision in their life. They are to tell others the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and win souls from the clutches of Satan.
In the book of Corinthians, Paul has to rebuke these Christians for all the heresies that they've been performing, accommodating, and accepting. They're boasting of having false gifts. Claiming preferential status because of who helped convert them. Ignoring grievous ongoing sin in the congregation. and even debasing the memorial of the Lord's Supper.
These people had so much wrong! And Paul had to call them out on all of it.
So, when Paul is speaking about the order of spiritual authority in the church, why would people make it apply to a head covering and then turn that into a doctrine? Especially when it's not stated as a precept in any other epistle.
Let’s look at what the Scriptures are saying, comparing scripture with scripture. Otherwise, we not only fall into the temptations of the Devil, but we join him in his work.
Search the Scriptures. Study the Word. Lest Jesus' admonition apply to us- “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” (Matt. 22:29)
