I CORINTHIANS 11
There
are some churches who use I Corinthians 11 to teach that a woman should
not cut her hair. I do not believe Paul is teaching this at all.
1. I Corinthians 11:2-16 is about cultural veiling.
In Paul’s day, women could not even expose their heads or faces and wore veils to cover them. If the woman appeared in public unveiled she was deemed immodest To wear a veil was a sign of womanly delicacy and if she went into public assembly she was acting shamelessly. Since we would consider it shameful for a woman to shave her head, Paul was just using that as a comparison. Paul is writing to the Corinthian church concerning the veiling custom of the women having their heads covered or "veiled" when praying or prophesying. The covering he speaks of here means a veil. Bible scholars agree that the issue in this passage is not about hair length, but the wearing of veils by the Corinthian women while praying and prophesying. Most would concur that this passage was cultural in content and if they believe it isn’t, they should teach the necessity of women wearing a literal veil while praying and prophesying.
2. There is not even a direct command in this portion of Scripture concerning women not cutting their hair.
Those who teach this, should also be teaching the custom in those days to not allow women to teach/speak in church, but they don’t. How can they seem to hold to one custom teaching but not the other? This is very inconsistent. These teachings are for Paul’s day and not our own. The fact is, unless there is a direct command that is for our dispensation, we should protect the principle but dismiss the custom. In most of the customs we have done this:
Women keeping silent in church, women not allowed to teach/preach, women not allowed to work, men greeting each other with a holy kiss, and that we should have all things common as in the book of Acts. The church doesn’t insist we take care of widows over 60 that meet the qualifications of I Tim. 5. Or they don’t insist that wives call their husbands "lord". Nor do they insist we drink wine for health purposes. Why not? Because they are things that had to do with the culture of Bible days.
The Corinthian custom was women veiling as a symbol of submission to her head. But veiling, women keeping silent in church, men greeting with a kiss, and the "all things common" customs are over. But the principle of I Corinthians 11:2-16 still remains.
3. The Principle of I Corinthians 11:2-16 is Women should have their heads covered with SUBMISSION and HUMILITY. KEY VERSE: I Cor. 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.
4. Submission and humility is a matter of the heart. A woman can wear uncut hair and still be unsubmitted to her husband and to God.
If I Corinthians 11 is meant to be an absolute ban on all hair cutting by women, some questions need to be answered from the Bible:
1. If hair is the covering Paul is requiring, why is I Corinthians 11 only dealing with women praying or prophesying in the church?
2. If hair is the issue of I Corinthians 11 why doesn’t Paul say directly, "Women, do not ever cut your hair?"
3. If hair cutting by women was to be strictly prohibited, and is essential to salvation, why isn’t there at least one other scripture to back it up?
4. Why insist that this teaching on veiling is not cultural relativism, but other instructions in the same book are? Do you allow women to speak and teach in the church?
5. Why do Bible scholars agree that this is a cultural teaching on veils and is not prohibiting any hair cutting by women today?
6. Is it essential for salvation that a woman keep her hair untrimmed? If it is, what scripture in Acts or the Gospels say this? If it is not, why make it a legalism?
7. Why is it not possible to trim dead ends off ones hair and still have long hair?
8. How can you build a forced church standard upon something like a dress custom from Bible Days?
9. If veiling of the head wasn’t a custom, why did Paul say in Verse 16, "we have no such custom?"
"Hair has long been a source of power and shame; of being humbled and of pride; of modesty and sensuality. It has caused division in the Christian church and for many it has become an unbearable yoke.
If God gives you a conviction of cutting your hair, then don’t do it. We all may be given convictions that separates us unto the Lord. But let us stop judging the whole church and regarding other believers as spiritually inferior because they do not hold the same convictions. Let us be careful not to regard ourselves to "be something, when we are nothing, thereby deceiving ourselves," because we are so intent on preserving a certain traditional distinction (Gal. 6:3). Let us realize that pride can ever so subtly overshadow our good intentions with delusions of superiority and objectives of self-glory rather than giving glory to God.
Because we honestly lack clear scriptural support, let us refuse to use "hair" as a wall around the church that only serves to keep sincere people from being saved. Let us not tempt God to put a yoke on believers that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear. "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they" (Acts 15:11). Perhaps it is time for the church to be concerned more about the "length" of eternity, than the "length" of ones hair. I believe God is more concerning about cutting "dead churches" than He is about cutting "dead ends". We must protect the principle of what Paul was teaching.
SUBMISSION AND HUMILITY is what the angels regard in a woman. Women today must be distinctive in their femininity and should have their head covered with submission and modesty. But we must leave the subordination symbols regarding the eastern custom of veiling and uncut long hair as a matter of personal conscience and not absolute church standard." ~~David Wasmundt
1. I Corinthians 11:2-16 is about cultural veiling.
In Paul’s day, women could not even expose their heads or faces and wore veils to cover them. If the woman appeared in public unveiled she was deemed immodest To wear a veil was a sign of womanly delicacy and if she went into public assembly she was acting shamelessly. Since we would consider it shameful for a woman to shave her head, Paul was just using that as a comparison. Paul is writing to the Corinthian church concerning the veiling custom of the women having their heads covered or "veiled" when praying or prophesying. The covering he speaks of here means a veil. Bible scholars agree that the issue in this passage is not about hair length, but the wearing of veils by the Corinthian women while praying and prophesying. Most would concur that this passage was cultural in content and if they believe it isn’t, they should teach the necessity of women wearing a literal veil while praying and prophesying.
2. There is not even a direct command in this portion of Scripture concerning women not cutting their hair.
Those who teach this, should also be teaching the custom in those days to not allow women to teach/speak in church, but they don’t. How can they seem to hold to one custom teaching but not the other? This is very inconsistent. These teachings are for Paul’s day and not our own. The fact is, unless there is a direct command that is for our dispensation, we should protect the principle but dismiss the custom. In most of the customs we have done this:
Women keeping silent in church, women not allowed to teach/preach, women not allowed to work, men greeting each other with a holy kiss, and that we should have all things common as in the book of Acts. The church doesn’t insist we take care of widows over 60 that meet the qualifications of I Tim. 5. Or they don’t insist that wives call their husbands "lord". Nor do they insist we drink wine for health purposes. Why not? Because they are things that had to do with the culture of Bible days.
The Corinthian custom was women veiling as a symbol of submission to her head. But veiling, women keeping silent in church, men greeting with a kiss, and the "all things common" customs are over. But the principle of I Corinthians 11:2-16 still remains.
3. The Principle of I Corinthians 11:2-16 is Women should have their heads covered with SUBMISSION and HUMILITY. KEY VERSE: I Cor. 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.
4. Submission and humility is a matter of the heart. A woman can wear uncut hair and still be unsubmitted to her husband and to God.
If I Corinthians 11 is meant to be an absolute ban on all hair cutting by women, some questions need to be answered from the Bible:
1. If hair is the covering Paul is requiring, why is I Corinthians 11 only dealing with women praying or prophesying in the church?
2. If hair is the issue of I Corinthians 11 why doesn’t Paul say directly, "Women, do not ever cut your hair?"
3. If hair cutting by women was to be strictly prohibited, and is essential to salvation, why isn’t there at least one other scripture to back it up?
4. Why insist that this teaching on veiling is not cultural relativism, but other instructions in the same book are? Do you allow women to speak and teach in the church?
5. Why do Bible scholars agree that this is a cultural teaching on veils and is not prohibiting any hair cutting by women today?
6. Is it essential for salvation that a woman keep her hair untrimmed? If it is, what scripture in Acts or the Gospels say this? If it is not, why make it a legalism?
7. Why is it not possible to trim dead ends off ones hair and still have long hair?
8. How can you build a forced church standard upon something like a dress custom from Bible Days?
9. If veiling of the head wasn’t a custom, why did Paul say in Verse 16, "we have no such custom?"
"Hair has long been a source of power and shame; of being humbled and of pride; of modesty and sensuality. It has caused division in the Christian church and for many it has become an unbearable yoke.
If God gives you a conviction of cutting your hair, then don’t do it. We all may be given convictions that separates us unto the Lord. But let us stop judging the whole church and regarding other believers as spiritually inferior because they do not hold the same convictions. Let us be careful not to regard ourselves to "be something, when we are nothing, thereby deceiving ourselves," because we are so intent on preserving a certain traditional distinction (Gal. 6:3). Let us realize that pride can ever so subtly overshadow our good intentions with delusions of superiority and objectives of self-glory rather than giving glory to God.
Because we honestly lack clear scriptural support, let us refuse to use "hair" as a wall around the church that only serves to keep sincere people from being saved. Let us not tempt God to put a yoke on believers that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear. "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they" (Acts 15:11). Perhaps it is time for the church to be concerned more about the "length" of eternity, than the "length" of ones hair. I believe God is more concerning about cutting "dead churches" than He is about cutting "dead ends". We must protect the principle of what Paul was teaching.
SUBMISSION AND HUMILITY is what the angels regard in a woman. Women today must be distinctive in their femininity and should have their head covered with submission and modesty. But we must leave the subordination symbols regarding the eastern custom of veiling and uncut long hair as a matter of personal conscience and not absolute church standard." ~~David Wasmundt
We often hear about the Scripture saying that if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her.
1Co 11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
Notice, the Scripture states that if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to HER. It says nothing about it being a glory to God.
And here is what it says in Strongs Greek Lexicon concerning "glory".
1391. doxa dox'-ah from the base of 1380; glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literal or figurative, objective or subjective):--dignity, glory(-ious), honour, praise, worship
From the base of 1380
dokeo -
1) to be of opinion, think, suppose
2) to seem, to be accounted, reputed
3) it seems to me
- I think, judge: thus in question
- it seems good to, pleased me, I determined
1Co 11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
Notice, the Scripture states that if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to HER. It says nothing about it being a glory to God.
And here is what it says in Strongs Greek Lexicon concerning "glory".
1391. doxa dox'-ah from the base of 1380; glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literal or figurative, objective or subjective):--dignity, glory(-ious), honour, praise, worship
From the base of 1380
dokeo -
1) to be of opinion, think, suppose
2) to seem, to be accounted, reputed
3) it seems to me
- I think, judge: thus in question
- it seems good to, pleased me, I determined
Basically, it seems good to her, it pleases her to have long hair. Sounds like a personal preference to me.
Absolutely NOTHING to do with salvation nor is GOD concerned with the length of hair AT ALL. That is not what is taught here in this chapter. For us today, it's all about the principle of submission. And like I said, if a church feels this is about something else, and want to follow exactly what Paul is teaching here concerning HIS time, his culture, then they should be teaching the ladies should wear literal veils. That is the covering Paul speaks of here.
Absolutely NOTHING to do with salvation nor is GOD concerned with the length of hair AT ALL. That is not what is taught here in this chapter. For us today, it's all about the principle of submission. And like I said, if a church feels this is about something else, and want to follow exactly what Paul is teaching here concerning HIS time, his culture, then they should be teaching the ladies should wear literal veils. That is the covering Paul speaks of here.
LONG HAIR ON MEN
1 Cor 11:13-15
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
As you read in the previous article, I Corinthians 11 is about cultural veiling. The covering spoken of by Paul was a literal veil. He then basically uses the hair being a woman's covering just as a comparison to show that just as it is a shame for a woman to shave her head bald today, it would be a shame for a woman to pray and prophecy unveiled, because of the custom (explained in previous article) then in Paul's day.
Also mentioned then is the man should be uncovered (not be veiled), and the comparison using his hair was stating that even nature considers long hair on a man to be shameful. Not sinful but shameful.
Even though Paul is speaking culturally here, the principle of submission is very much addressed as well. And this is where we must protect the principle but dismiss the custom.
No it is not sinful for a man to wear long hair, and we should not judge a man OR woman by their appearances, for it is the heart that matters. But beings that since nature has kept up a distinction between the sexes in how they wear their hair, shouldn't we do the same?
A woman's hair is a natural covering; to wear it long is a glory to her; but for a man to have long hair, or cherish it, is a token of softness and effeminacy. Note, It should be our concern, especially in Christian and religious assemblies, to make no breach upon the rules of natural decency.
Anyways bottomline is, this Chapter has nothing to do with hair length on a person. Paul is teaching about cultural veiling that was done in his day and the basic principle taught for us from this cultural custom is submission.
A woman should be in submission to man, but man also must be in submission to Christ. In this chapter it shows the rightful order of the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Think about it. We definitely see how things do not go well when Christ is not the head of the family and it is very shameful for both man and wife when their roles in the family are switched. I find it VERY shameful for a man, to allow his wife to "run the show". It is very shameful for her to usurp authority in her life, for if she is not in submission to her husband, she would then not be submitted to God.
1 Cor 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.
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
As you read in the previous article, I Corinthians 11 is about cultural veiling. The covering spoken of by Paul was a literal veil. He then basically uses the hair being a woman's covering just as a comparison to show that just as it is a shame for a woman to shave her head bald today, it would be a shame for a woman to pray and prophecy unveiled, because of the custom (explained in previous article) then in Paul's day.
Also mentioned then is the man should be uncovered (not be veiled), and the comparison using his hair was stating that even nature considers long hair on a man to be shameful. Not sinful but shameful.
Even though Paul is speaking culturally here, the principle of submission is very much addressed as well. And this is where we must protect the principle but dismiss the custom.
No it is not sinful for a man to wear long hair, and we should not judge a man OR woman by their appearances, for it is the heart that matters. But beings that since nature has kept up a distinction between the sexes in how they wear their hair, shouldn't we do the same?
A woman's hair is a natural covering; to wear it long is a glory to her; but for a man to have long hair, or cherish it, is a token of softness and effeminacy. Note, It should be our concern, especially in Christian and religious assemblies, to make no breach upon the rules of natural decency.
Anyways bottomline is, this Chapter has nothing to do with hair length on a person. Paul is teaching about cultural veiling that was done in his day and the basic principle taught for us from this cultural custom is submission.
A woman should be in submission to man, but man also must be in submission to Christ. In this chapter it shows the rightful order of the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Think about it. We definitely see how things do not go well when Christ is not the head of the family and it is very shameful for both man and wife when their roles in the family are switched. I find it VERY shameful for a man, to allow his wife to "run the show". It is very shameful for her to usurp authority in her life, for if she is not in submission to her husband, she would then not be submitted to God.
1 Cor 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.
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