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Don't lose your head! (1 Corinthians 11:2-16)
Dave Sunman, 4 June 2017
Part of the Freedom to Live By series, Sunday Morning service
We live in a world of diminishing distinctions between men and women in terms of work, roles in society and even in aspects of gender identity. When we come to a passage like this one, with its history of use in keeping women in submission, it can raise strong feelings. How do we read this passage well? How do we make sense of its teaching in a different time and culture? What does God want to say to us today about what it means to be a man or a woman in the 21st Century?
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1 Corinthians 11:2–16 (Listen)
2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.
(ESV)