"Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" - Jeremiah 23:29

Monday, August 23, 2010

Woman's Head Coverings

Now this is on the subject of head coverings, or prayer coverings whichever name they go by. In 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 we read the verses which are given in support of Christian women wearing coverings. These verses not only tell us that women should wear coverings, but they also tell us why. Up until very recently I believed that a woman’s long hair was her covering, because I did not take the time to seek out what these verses really meant nor perhaps did I want to accept them. But my sister brought this to my attention, and after what she pointed out I realized her interpretation of the scripture is correct. Now it is clear to me, and I’m not sure how I’d missed it before. First of all in 1 Cor. 11:3 we see the order of government or authority as put in place by God.

“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.”

In 11:4-5 we read that a man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonored his head (he dishonors Christ) and that a woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonored her head. (she dishonors man)

Why? We read in verse 11:7-10 that “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. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.”

Now spiritually Men and Women are equal, (Gal. 3:28) but the Holy Bible clearly teaches that men and women have different roles, including that man in the authority structure is head of the woman and is in the position of authority over her.

So the Bible clearly states that woman must wear a covering, so we ask, Is her hair her covering?

"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. 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." - 1Co 11:5-6

In verse 5 and 6 we see Paul saying that if a woman be not covered then she should be shorn and if she be not covered then she should be shaven. So it should be obvious that long hair is not a covering enough. If the long hair was a covering it would make sense to substitute long hair for covering in verse 6. But if you do this then it would read "if she does not have long hair let her cut her hair" That does not make sense. It only makes sense if a covering is understood to be a covering of cloth. But you say what about verse 11:15 which says a woman’s long hair is her covering? The long hair is a part of her covering (the natural part)…but not enough as we can see in verses 5-6.

Again, if long hair is the covering described in verse 5 and 6, then we should be able to substitute"long hair" for the word "covering" and the verse should make sense. I have done this below.

What "long hair is my covering" proponents claim it says (the logical equivalent) -

But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with short hair dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. - 1 Corinthians 11:5

What the scripture says-

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. - 1 Corinthians 11:5

What "long hair is my covering" proponents claim it says (the logical equivalent) -

For if the woman have her hair cut, let her also have her hair cut: but if it be a shame for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved, let her be covered. - 1 Corinthians 11:6

What the scripture says-
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. 1 Corinthians 11:6

Hello! if the woman has her hair cut she already has her hair cut (shorn)!

We can see that long hair is not the covering described in verse 5 and 6 because it is logically impossible. Long hair is not equal to covering.

Now you say what about verse 11:13 which says “Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?” Is not this saying that we can judge and choose ourselves weather or not a woman should pray uncovered? No. Paul just finished telling us that a woman who prays with her head uncovered dishonored man, (and by implication when she dishonors man she also dishonors Christ and God.) He is asking this to get us to think about it and realize that no, it is not comely that a woman pray uncovered.

Also in Isaiah 47:1-3 we see that a woman without a covering is a shameful thing. "uncover thy locks...thy shame shall be seen"

The Old testament mentions women having head coverings (Numbers 5:18, Genesis 24:65, Deuteronomy 21:12). Also, in these verses a woman with her head uncovered is understood to be a shameful thing (this can be seen by reading the verses in context).

Also, some insights into the reference of angels in 1 Cor. 11:10 can be seen in 1 Cor. 4:9, Ecclesiastes 5:6, Matthew 18:10, Luke 1:19, and Hebrews 1:7-14. I think the point is that the angels are watching us, and so we must do what is proper, because they will observe it.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." -Romans 12:2

Now for some practical considerations. Even today is society many men take off their hats when they pray, and that is right, but the women should also put on coverings. Should women wear coverings only when they pray or prophesy, only in Church, or when? The scriptures say to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), also we find nothing in the chapter limiting the command to a church service. Basically anytime a woman is out of bed she should wear a covering. How big should the covering should be? It should be big enough to be easily noticeable (Are we ashamed of it?). It should also cover the hair. I reasoned this because the reason in the scripture for wearing a covering is because woman is the glory of man, and because of that she should be covered. In scripture the woman’s hair is described as her glory so perhaps the point of the covering is to cover her glory, that is her hair. So I believe the covering should be large enough to cover the glory of her hair. Either way we cannot simply ignore what God has commanded through the Apostle Paul.

Also, 1 Corinthians 11:16 should be viewed in light of Romans 2:8-10

We must also consider history and the witness of the faithful.


Tertullian (160 - 215 A.D.) said, "It behooves our virgins to be veiled from the time that they have passed the turning point of their age."

Hippolytus (170 - 236 A.D.) said, "And let all the women have their heads covered with an opaque cloth."

Augustine (354 - 430 A.D.) said, "It is not becoming, even in married women, to uncover their hair, since the apostle commands women to keep their heads covered."

Martin Luther (1483 - 1546 A.D.) said, "The headcovering is a protection from being out of relationship with God. By fulfilling the commands, the women have a sense of peace and love in their relationships with God."

“The matter of head covering belongs to God’s government. For those who do not know God’s government, it is impossible to exhort them to have their heads covered. They will not be able to understand how much is involved in this matter. But those who have seen God’s government in God’s revealed Word are able to appreciate the tremendous connection between head covering and God’s government. God has shown us that there are three different heads: God is head, Christ is head, and man is head. This is not a matter of being brothers and sisters; it is basically a governmental arrangement. Grace is concerned with brothers and sisters, but government is different. God has sovereignly willed that the head of Christ is God Himself, so Christ must obey; the head of man is Christ, so man must obey; and the head of woman is man, and so woman should have the sign of obedience on her head.” - Watchman Nee:

“Do you think you and I have sufficiently considered that we are always looked upon by angels, and that they desire to learn by us the wisdom of God? The reason why our sisters appear in the House of God with their heads covered is ‘because of the angels’. The apostle says that a woman is to have a covering upon her head, because of the angels, since the angels are present in the assembly and they mark every act of indecorum, and therefore everything is to be conducted with decency and order in the presence of the angelic spirits.” - Charles Spurgeon

“Though the many authors differ on various issues associated with headcoverings, one important issue upon which they are all agreed is that Paul was not commanding the women in Corinth either to let their hair grow long so as to use their long hair as a headcovering in worship, or to neatly place their hair upon their heads as a headcovering in worship, but rather to place upon their heads a fabric headcovering when they worship before the Lord. This conclusion is reached by scholars from various denominational backgrounds, from different geographical locations, and from many periods of church history. The wearing of fabric head coverings in worship was universally the practice of Christian women until the twentieth century. What happened? Did we suddenly find some biblical truth to which the saints for thousands of years were blind? Or were our biblical views of women gradually eroded by the modern feminist movement that has infiltrated the Church of Jesus Christ which is “the pillar and ground of the truth.” - Robert Charles Sproul

According to many sources Head Coverings have been worn by Christian women except in relatively recent times. It should be obvious that the growing influence of feminism and the general turning away from God of those who call themselves Christians is why the woman's covering as well as many other Biblical teachings are often neglected.

If this has not convinced you the Link below presents a very good argument on the subject.

http://www.monergism.com/Spinney,%20Robert%20-%20Should%20Christian%20Women%20Wear%20Head%20Coverings%20Today.pdf

Posted by Hans at 7:07 PM
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 23, 2012 at 3:08 AM

    Hi, I'm looking for the source reference for the RC Sproul quote. Would you have it?

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    Replies
    1. HansSeptember 23, 2012 at 5:34 PM

      No Sorry I do not have it.

      I think it likely appeared in an old issue of a devotional written by Sproul, but I've been unable to locate it.

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