Expert: Dr Don Howe - 3/13/2010

Question
Referring to 1 Corinthians 11:10, why is it said that "For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels"? What is the relationship between a woman and the angels? What about man?

Thanks.

Answer
Eddie, this is a good question. Thank for asking. To really understand 1 Cor. 11:10, you are going to have to see what God has to say in verses 1-9, as they lead up and help to explain verse 10. Let’s rightly divide the Word of Truth.

1 Cor. 11:1 states “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” The Corinthian Christians were considered a Wild Bunch. They were us to doing what they wanted and did not always listen to Paul. So is telling them and US that should be an imitator of him as he is an imitator of Christ. All Christians need to be imitators of Christ, just like Paul.

1 Cor. 11:2 states “Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.” Paul was being sarcastic to the Corinthians as they were not always remembering him in everything he wrote. But they did as saw fit at times. But he is praising them for this time they did remember what he wrote held firmly to the traditions. He is not speaking traditions coming from man but the practices and teachings the Apostles received from Christ.

1 Cor. 11:3 states “But I want you to understand that Christ  is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. In the use of head, Paul is referring to “the idea of headship and authority. It means to have the appropriate responsibility to lead, and the matching accountability. It is right and appropriate to submit to someone who is our head” (David Guzik).
  Paul is talking about three examples of leadership, authority, and accountability. Christ is the authority and head of man, the man is the authority, responsibility, and head of the woman, and God is head of Christ.
  This does not mean that women being under the authority of men does has nothing to being unequal or inferior. David Guzik keeps this in proper perspective “It is essential to understand that being under authority does not equal inferiority. Jesus was totally under the authority of God the Father (John 5:19; 8:28), yet He is equally God (John 1:1; 8:58; 10:30). When God calls women in the church to recognize the headship of men, it is not because women are unequal or inferior, but because there is a God-ordained order of authority to be respected.
  Some feminists try to take this verse out of context and imply that Paul is saying women are inferior to men, but Paul is giving the order of authority that God has laid down for us.

1 Corn. 11:4 states “Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head.” This is an interesting verse. Because of the order that God has given concerning the headship, when a man prayed aloud publicly or exercised  the gift of prophesy by declaring a revelation from God, he was to have his physical head uncovered so that he would no dishonor himself and his spiritual head, which Christ Jesus.  
  “The idea of a head covering was important in this (and many other) ancient cultures. To wear the head covering (or, veil in some translations), was a public symbol of being under the authority and protection of another” (David Guzik). Clarke states “It was a custom, both among the Greeks and Romans, and among the Jews an express law, that no woman should be seen abroad without a veil. This was, and is, a common custom through all the east, and none but public prostitutes go without veils.” Even as today, among some, to wear a hat or some other kind of head covering is a picture of humility and modesty, so the head covering had an important cultural meaning among the ancient Corinthians.
  Some translations use the word “veil.” Fee states “The use of the word ‘veil,’ . . . is an unfortunate one since it tends to call to mind the full veil of contemporary Moslem cultures, which covers everything but the eyes. This is unknown in antiquity, at least from the evidence of paintings and sculpture.”
  If a man was praying or prophesying with his head covered he would saying “I am not in authority here. I am under the authority of others.” Because God has established that the head of woman is man (1 Corinthians 11:3), it would be dishonoring to Jesus (his head) for a man to say this with the wearing of a head covering.”

1 Cor. 11:5-6 states “But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. For if a woman does not cover her  head, let her also have  her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have  her hair cut off or her  head shaved, let her cover her  head.”
  In Corinthian church, the women had been doing their own thing in church.  In meetings of the Church had expressed this ‘do your own thing” principle by throwing off their distinguishing dress. More importantly, they seem to have rejected the concept of subordination within the church and with it any cultural symbol which might have been attached to it. According to Paul, for a women to throw off the covering was an act not of liberation but of degradation. When she does this she dishonors herself and her spiritual head, the man.
  In Jewish law, uncovering the head was the mark of adultery (Numbers 5:11-31). In the Greek world, it could be the mark of a prostitute or lesbian.
  “Among the Corinthian Christians, there were probably certain “spiritual” women who declared that since Jesus, they did need not demonstrate with a hairstyle or head covering that they were under anyone’s authority. In essence, Paul says to these women: “If you are going to forsake your head covering, go all the way and shave your head, and identify yourself with the women of the world, in all their shame” (David Guzik).
  So if woman prays or prophesy with her head uncovered she is like the rest of the women in the world. The same thing is said of Christians who are Church on Sunday, but sin like the devil the rest of the week.

1 Cor. 11:7-8  states “For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man.”
  A man is not to uncover his head when praying or prophesying in the assembly as he is the image and glory of God and the woman is glory of the man. The woman originated from the man.
  “The reason first stated is found in 1 Corinthians 11:3: the head of woman is man. God has established an order of authority, the principle of male headship, both in the church (1 Corinthians 11 and 1 Timothy 2) and the home (Ephesians 5:23)” (David Guzik).
  To state it in another way. The man was not to have his head covered because he was the image and glory of God. Paul based this conclusion on Genesis 1:26-27. A woman’s glory and image is derived from (1 Cor. 111:8) and complementary to that of the man (her husband). Man was God’s authoritative representative who found in woman a divinely made ally in fulfilling this role (Gen. 2:18-24).

1 Cor. 11:9 which states “for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake.” Here Paul  is saying that the restating “for indeed” that a woman is created for the man’s sake.
  Poole states “Simply put, Adam was created for Eve, but Eve was created for Adam – and this principle applies to every “Adam” and every “Eve” through history. Genesis 2:18 declares God’s intention in creating Eve: I will make him a helper comparable to him. Eve was created to be a helper to Adam, meaning that Adam was “head” over Eve, and she was called to share and help his vision and agenda. Genesis 2:22 says, He brought her to the man. Adam was not brought to Eve, Eve was brought to Adam – her head. It is an idea offensive to the spirit of our age, but the Bible in this passage clearly teaches that (in the church and in the home) man was not made for the benefit of woman, but woman for the benefit of man. “For the man, signifies to serve and help the man.”

1 Cor. 11:10 states “Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.” This the verse you referenced. The word “because” in the Greek is dia means thorough, on account of, or on this account. So just as the angels were under authority of God, so on this account (dia), a woman is also to have a symbol of authority on her head.
  The veil was a sign of being under authority. This sign was more than a mere token without real meaning. Rather, it was to be a reflection of a lifestyle that both husband and wife practiced. Angels practice on this account (dia) this being under authority and they are referred to here for the purpose of setting an example for us. The Bible reveals that there are ranks when it comes to angels. They too must live in harmony with God’s order.
  So the very angels set the an example of being under authority.

  Eddie, I hope this helps you understand what God’s authority for men, women, and even angels. Always keep scripture in context when doing biblical interpretation.

  Blessings,

Dr Don Howe, RN, PhD, ThD