One) Many teach that the woman’s head covering spoken of in the Bible is only a cultural issue.  However, the Bible appeals to principles of creation rather than culture in prescribing that women cover their heads. 

1 Corinthians 11:7 says: “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.”

Two) Some claim that women should cover their heads during church meetings- but not at other times.  

Yet 1 Corinthians 11:5 says: “But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.”

We read later in 1 Corinthians 14:34 that women are to keep silence in the churches.  Therefore, First Corinthians 11:5 could not be a reference to the operation of a church meeting.  This logically means that women should cover their heads outside of the church meeting as well as within it.

Three) Some claim that the head covering prescribed in 1 Corinthians 11 is the woman’s hair itself.  In relation to this claim, they will often point to 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.”

The word for “covering” in 1 Corinthians 11:15 is a different word in the Greek text than the word in the Greek which is used in relation to the women’s head covering elsewhere in 1 Corinthians chapter 11.  This is another example of why even the King James Version (which is probably still the best English translation of the Bible) can be insufficient sometimes and why the original languages ought to be consulted.   There could have been another word used to describe the hair in 1 Corinthians 11:15 in order to prevent confusion.  The hair itself could not be the prescribed covering for the woman.  Note the clear distinction between the woman’s hair and the prescribed covering for her head in First Corinthians 11:6.

1 Corinthians 11:6: “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.”

Four) Some teach that the Apostle Paul’s closing words as he directly addressed the woman’s head covering mean that it is not something which churches should contend for nor insist upon.

1 Corinthians 11:16: “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.”

Note that Paul is rebuking those who contend against the woman’s head covering- not those who contend for it.  Paul himself had just been contending for the woman’s head covering and rebuking those who don’t uphold the principles he set forth in relation to that.  1 Corinthians 11:16 is a statement that a faithful church doesn’t let those who contend against the necessity of women covering their heads prevail among the church.  Churches which don’t teach and practice head covering for women in public are in sin for allowing misrepresentation of God’s order.  

Aaron’s email is: [email protected]

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