What About Women And A Veil? Text: I Corinthians 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 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 Us There Are No Examples From Nature That Tell Us What Men & Women Are To Wear Word Means: “The Accepted Things… Of Thought, Common Sense, Convention, Custom” Our Customs Or Conventions Say Men Do Not Wear Long, Effeminate Hair The 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