Prayer and Headcovering

1 Corinthians 11

Vs. 1 "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

Paul is instructing the Corinthians (and all who read this) to follow Christ to the extent he did. He was willing to give his all to Christ that he might gain eternal life. Are we willing to lose our life that we might save it? Mark 8:34-38

Follow: To obey; to observe; to practice; to act in conformity to: It is our duty to follow the commands of Christ.
Follower: 2. One that takes another as his guide in doctrines, opinions or example; one who receives the opinions, and imitates the example of another; an adherent; an imitator. 3. One who obeys, worships and honors.

Are we receiving the opinions of Paul? Are we imitating his example? Are we allowing him to guide us as he allowed God to guide him?

Vs. 2 "Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you."

Paul followed and passed on the ordinances that God gave him. God's word is true and unchanging.

Ordinance: A rule established by authority; a permanent rule of action.

God has/is the final authority. He is the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2) He is not the author of confusion but of peace. (1 Corinthians 14:33) Jesus is the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. (Hebrews 5:9) Jesus taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Matthew 7:29)

Author: 1. One who produces, creates or brings into being; as, God is the author of the Universe. 2. The beginner, former, or first mover of anything; hence, the efficient cause of a thing.
Authority: 1. Legal power or a right to command or to act. Power; rule; sway.

As Paul continues into verse 3, he is passing on the ordinances that God gave him. He explains Godly order.

Vs. 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."

I think everyone would agree that Paul is not talking about the body part that sits on our neck containing our brain.

Head: the first place; the place of honor, or of command

Hence, the man has the place of honor over the woman, Christ has the place of honor over the man and God has the place of honor over Christ.

Vs. 4 "Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head."

Here there are 2 different heads mentioned in one verse. The first one refers to his body part on his neck and the second one refers to Christ who has the place on honor or command.

Dishonour: to disgrace; to bring reproach or shame on; to stain the character of; to lessen reputation.

Why would a man want to bring reproach or shame on Christ???

Vs. 5 "But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head; for that is even all one as if she were shaven."

Here God is telling the woman she should put something on her physical head to cover it when she prays. When she doesn't do that, she is dishonouring her head (her husband or father). She is bringing reproach and shame upon him. Why would she want to do that??

Vs. 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."

Shorn: Having the hair cut off.
Shave: To cut or pare off something from the surface of a body by a razor or other edged instrument, by rubbing, scraping, or drawing the instrument along the surface.

So, if a woman doesn't cover her head when she prays or prophesies, she should cut her hair off. But if it's a shame for her to be bald or have short hair, she should cover her head.

Vs. 7 "For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, for as much as he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of the man."

Glory: Honourable representation of God.

When we see a man, do we stop and think about the fact that he is made in the image and glory of God? Man is an honourable representation of God. The woman is to bring honour and praise to her husband or father.

Vs. 8 "For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man."

Man was not formed from the woman, but the woman was formed from the man.


Vs. 9 "Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man."

God made man first and gave him dominion over the things of the earth. As the animals came to Adam to be named, there was none found to be an help meet for him. So God caused a deep sleep to come over Adam. God took a rib from Adam and made Woman, specifically for Adam. Thus, God made woman for the man.

Vs. 10 "For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels."

Angel: a messenger; one employed to communicate news or information from one person to another at a distance, but appropriately, a spirit or a spiritual intelligent being employed by God to communicate his will to man.
Power: Influence; that which may move the mind;

When the woman is obedient and covers her head when she prays or prophesies, she has power (influence) on her head (husband/father) because of the angels (ministering spirits sent from God). Think of the influence the church could have if everyone of it's members were to follow this God-given order!!!

Vs. 11 & 12 "Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God."

The first woman was made from the first man, but all males since then, came by the woman; but all things are from God.

Vs. 13 "Judge in yourselves; is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?"

Comely: Decent; suitable; proper; becoming; suited to time, place, circumstances or persons.
Judge: To discern; to distinguish; to consider accurately for the purpose of forming an opinion or conclusion.

Consider the information accurately to form an opinion or conclusion; is it suitable or proper that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

Vs. 14 & 15 "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But, if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering."

Her hair is a covering of her head that she be not shamed by being shorn or shaven. If her hair was the covering for her to put on when she prays, it really wouldn't be necessary to discuss a woman covering her head. If hair is a covering for prayer, how could she pray with her head uncovered and why would God tell men not to cover their head when they pray????

Vs. 16 "But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God."

Contentious: Apt to contend; given to angry debate: quarrelsome; perverse.
Contend: to strive or strive against; to struggle in opposition.

So many people will read this verse and say, "See we don't have that custom." But it says, "But if any man seem to be contentious..." Are you contentious? Only those who are contentious don't have that custom. The definition of contentious does not sound like the description of a Child of God. Or, is he saying that we have no such custom of being contentious?