1 Corinthians 11:4-10?

Question

This verse speaks of women covering their head while praying or prophesising. If we do not cover our heads, we are dishonoring ourselves. It also states that women ought to have a sign of authority on her head. What would a woman use to cover her head..a sign of authority sounds like a crown..Does this still apply today? Why or why not? And do you think this means a veil even though it does not state to cover your face, but only "on her head"? Any thoughts on these verses?

The verse states that if you do not cover your hair she should have her hair cut off or shaved off..therefore, I am guessing it does not mean hair.

Answer 1

in order to understand this verse, you must understand the Corinthian culture. Paul writes this letter to Corinth, a city known for it's immorality with specific intentions. Paul's advice applied directly to the cultural situation in Corinth, where unruly women were disrupting the worship services. Because the culture showed it as a sign of disrespect, Paul is basically saying respect the worship services. It's kind of like saying don't wear a low cut shirt or short skirt to church because that is considered disrespectful in our culture.

People get confused when they don't understand the culture of a civilization in the Bible. Another example is when Paul is telling a city (I can't remember which book...sorry!) that woman should keep their long hair and men should keep short hair...the opposite would be sinful. Paul does not mean that girls with short hair are sinners! At that time and place short hair for women was a way to display the fact that you were a prostitute. The same would apply to men- only long hair showed that they were male prostitutes. Paul is not condemning those with the wrong kind of hair! He is againt prostitution.

When I first became a Christian, I wondered why the Bible just couldn't be straightforward with what it said. Though that question may never be answered, I strongly believe that it shouldn't stop anyone from becomming a Christian.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

My wife is Russian and the Russian Orthodox church does the veil thing. These churches are not obeying the scripture by making veils mandatory for women:

Paul said this:

16: But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

The church is forbidden making this a requirment because it is not a custom of the church.

But a veil or hat is a symbol for a woman covering. Her real covering is her husband. Can a woman walk around with her husband on her head? No. By wearing a veil it shows she is submitted to het husband. But again this is not a requirment but was the tradituon of the Corinthians. In fact this was only a small group of gentile believers. The church stared Jewish and the Jews have males cover their heads and the women do not. So the practice was a custom of those in and around the city of Corinth not the Old Testament or God's people.

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Answer 3

1 Corinthians 11:15
but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.

From this I think we women are suppose to have long hair as our covering.

1 Corinthians 11:16

If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice-nor do the churches of God.

I think this means we are suppose to still follow this.
Many Christians today believe that was the custom then, so we don't have to follow this.

A lot of the churches that do follow this, follow the New Testament on the outside, but not on the inside.
Meaning they get so caught up in the legalism, they forget or choose not to remember the fruits of the spirit.

Or they add more regulations that are not implied in the Bible.

I have really struggled with this myself.

But for the reasons above, I pray with a covering in my home or at church. I've decided not to follow the letter of the law so close that it would make other women feel less of a woman of God then they in fact are.

I suggest doing what you think God wants. Pray about it. Whatever you decide, do it in love.

Answer 4

Cover your head with Christ ... that’s the long and short of it.

Here's why:

Matthew 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

It's important that you know who are the they in the above verse. They = Ne-phil-im, which means fallen ones (from naphal, to fall - 5307 in your Strong's Concordance). In other words, the fallen angels, the ones who left their place of habitation (heaven) and came to earth.

At the 6th trump, which you can read about in the Book of Revelation, the order is issued to boot antichrist from heaven to earth. Those fallen angels will also come here with their leader, antichrist, who is none other than satan.

And, just like in the days before the flood, they will be seducing women. Only those, however, who do not have God's seal in their forehead, which means in their mind.

So, cover your head with Christ ... cus those pretty boys love women.

Lest the above scare some of you, the following verse, used in Christ’s name, of course, should empower you:

Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Answer 5

The apostle Paul, drawing on the principle of the primary headship of God, the Head of Christ, and the relative headship of the man over the woman, sets forth the principle governing the Christian congregation, namely, that the woman should recognize the God-ordained headship of man by wearing a head covering, “a sign of authority,” upon her head when praying or prophesying in the congregation.

Answer 6

I'm pasting a modern paraphrase of this text for you, hopefully this might help to clarify. It's a hard passage!

1 Corinthians 11 (The Message)
To Honor God
1-2It pleases me that you continue to remember and honor me by keeping up the traditions of the faith I taught you. All actual authority stems from Christ. 3-9In a marriage relationship, there is authority from Christ to husband, and from husband to wife. The authority of Christ is the authority of God. Any man who speaks with God or about God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of Christ, dishonors Christ. In the same way, a wife who speaks with God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of her husband, dishonors her husband. Worse, she dishonors herself—an ugly sight, like a woman with her head shaved. This is basically the origin of these customs we have of women wearing head coverings in worship, while men take their hats off. By these symbolic acts, men and women, who far too often butt heads with each other, submit their "heads" to the Head: God.

Answer 7

I've been learning about this in New Testament survey. I'm trying to remember the stuff...uh...it was part of the Jewish custom i believe...But Corinth was far from Jewish, and most of the Church were Gentiles....Covering the head probably means to have hair on your head because back then, Corinth was Hellenistic and they believed in many gods. and they had these temple prostitutes and when a man went to worship they would "visit" with the prostitute...this is not the Christian God obviously...and one of ths signs of these prostitutes was a shaven head.
So Christian women in that town were probably asked to cover their heads to not get mixed up in that stuff...i'll ask my professor to explain it again.

Answer 8

The answer is further down:

1 Corinthians 11:15  But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Her hair is her covering. You don't need a man-made covering! Use what GOD gave you!

GOD bless

Answer 9

Although I believe the bible is the word of God, I also believe there are some of Paul's opinions in the New Testament since at the time he wrote these epistles he wasn't necessarily intending them to be scripture. This particular one seems to be indicative of his cultural upbringing. There are however, several Christian religions that have women wear a head covering during certain religious ceremonies.

Answer 10

A woman has always a "spiritual covering" over her head. As a child, it is her father. As a wife, her husband. As she is older and her husband dies, the church is to be her covering. It doesn't clarify on her remaining single of her father remains her covering.
I believe in Scripture this is not routinely physical. It does mention her long hair as a covering, but a wise woman (wife) will be submissive to her husband AS UNTO THE LORD. When she honors those over her, she honors the Lord.