What About Women And A Veil?

Text: I Corinthians 11.1-6

I Corinthians 11—

To Understand What Paul Is Teaching…

We Must Understand The Context!

A Series Of Questions From Corinth

“Now Concerning…”

Unity, Inspiration, Building The Body, Marriage: Virgins & Widows, Idolatry, Worship, Traditions, Spiritual Gifts, Resurrection, Judgment, Heaven, Authority Of Teachers

In The Midst Of Teaching About Idols, Authority And Worship…

Do Not Mix Idols With God

Eat What Is Offered…Unless It Offends Because It Was Offered To An Idol

Men & Women Are To Be Submissive To Authority

The “Covering” Was In View Of Heathen Practices Of Idolatry And Shameful Behavior

Specifically: Prostitution

What About This “Veil”?Greek Word “Veil” Is Not In This Text!

The Word Is “Covering” Or “Covered”

Not A Sheer Piece Of Material…

Not A Scarf…

But That Which Wraps Around And Hides From Head To Past The Shoulders

Even More Than A Shawl

Like A Burkha That Moslem Women Wear

Is This What Our Sisters Sometimes Wear?

No, It Is Not

Is Paul Demanding That Our Sisters Wear A Covering?

No, He Is Not!

Basic Lesson Of This Text:

Submission To Authority

Note These Words…

Verse 1: Imitators

Verse 2: Traditions (Precepts Given By Apostle)

Verse 10: Authority

All These Indicate Legislation

Now Contrast With These Words…

Verse 6: IF It Is A Shame

Verse 13: Judge In Yourselves

Verse 16: No Such Custom

All These Indicate Regulation…

Subjective Opinion Or Point Of View

Paul Is Not Legislating This Practice…

He Is Regulating It

And Allowing For Their Own Judgment For Local Application

Verse 3: God’s Chain Of Authority

God

Christ

Man

Woman

Question: Are The Women Being Submissive?

Remember:

Women Took A Leading Role In Idol Worship & Prostitution

Verse 4 & 5:

Two Heads In View:

1-Phsical (That Thing On Your Shoulders)

2-Spiritual (The One To Whom You Submit)

Where Is This Being Done?

NOT In The Assembly For Worship

How Do We Know?

Chapter 14.34

I Timothy 2.8

This Instruction Is Not Dealing With What Women Wear In The Assembly For Worship

Verse 6:

These Are The Only Imperatives Directed Toward Women

They Carry Equal Weight—

If She Is Not Covered…

She Must Be Shorn

If We Demand The One…

We May Equally Demand The Other

Paul’s Point—

You Cannot Have It Both Ways

Either She Is Submissive Or She Is Not

Verse 6:

Paul Used The Word That Means “Since It Is The Case”

What Was The Case??

Being Shorn Was Shameful

Where?

In Corinth

Why?

It Was A Sign Of Idolatrous Temple Prostitutes

Does That Sign Apply Here?

Verse 8-12:

A General Truth…

Everyone Answers To God

Paul Emphasizes His Main Point Again:

Authority!

Question:

How Does A Woman Show Her Submission To Her “Head”

In Corinth: By Either A Covering, Or…

Her Hair (Verse 15)

Verse 13-15: Coverings And Hair

The Covering Is Left To Their Own Judgment

Verse 14: What “Nature” Is In View?

Not “Mother Nature” All Around UsThere Are No Examples From Nature That

Tell Us What Men & Women Are To WearWord Means: “The Accepted Things…Of Thought, Common Sense, Convention,

Custom”Our Customs Or Conventions Say Men Do Not

Wear Long, Effeminate HairThe Same Custom Says Women Do Not Try To

Look Masculine

Both Of These Conventions/Customs…

Are Under Attack In America!

We As Christians May Change Hair Styles…

But We Will Never Accept Sodomy As A Way Of Life!

Neither Shall We Accept Fornication As A Way To Worship God!

One (Fornication) Is Sinful

The Other (Hair Style) Is Not

Interesting Note:

“Hair” Is Not An Anatomical Word

Does Not Necessarily Refer To That Collection Of Cells Coming Out Of Your Head

But Refers To That Which Is Decorative, Feminine

A Woman Ought To Wear Her Hair In A Decorative Fashion That Accents Her Femininity

Interesting Note:

She Ought Never To Try To Allow Herself To Appear Masculine

(The Same Goes For A Man: He Is To Be Masculine, Not Feminine)

Paul’s Grammar:

“IF” She Has Long Hair

Subjunctive—

May Or May Not Be The Case

However: It Must Be Feminine!

Summary:

This Instruction In Not Legislation For The Lord's Church

This Is Not The Same As What Paul Said In 4.17 Or 7.17“even as I teach everywhere in every

church…so ordain I in all the churches”

This Was Specifically For Corinth And The Question They Asked Him