Head Covering A Symbol To The Unseen Realm by Greg Gordon

'For this cause
ought the woman
to have power on her head
- because of the angels.'
(1 Cor. 11:10)

Hello there,
This has been an interesting thread to read through.

In regard to the words, 'because of the angels': I have always thought that the head covering was to show that the woman was under the authority of her husband as a protection for her; remembering the action of fallen angels recorded in Genesis 6:-

'And it came to pass,
when men began to multiply on the face of the earth,
and daughters were born unto them,
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men
that they were fair;
and they took them wives of all which they chose.'
(Genesis 6:1,2)

The outcome of that being the contamination of mankind, [Noah only being spoken of as being 'a just man, and perfect in his generation'], bringing God's judgement in the form of a flood, which destroyed the earth that then was (2 Peter 2:4,5).

In Christ Jesus
Chris
 
Hi Lanolin,

I have had that thought too. :)

I should think they would still be under the authority of their Father. Though I really don't know what the situation regarding unmarried women would be. For not all have the benefit of a Father to be their protection, do they? Perhaps someone else is aware of the position of unmarried women within the Church in Paul's day.

In Christ Jesus
Chris
 
Hello again,

The epistles written by Paul
Euphemia said:
The whole crux of this discussion is summed up in your final sentence, and the final five words!
Click to expand...
Hello @Euphemia,

I don't think we should dismiss this instruction lightly, for 2 Timothy 3, describes the times we could well be living in as 'perilous', and our warfare a 'spiritual' one, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph.6:12) The armour itemized in that chapter is for all of us to put on by faith, regardless of our gender, and we are told to, 'watch', and 'pray', making supplication for all saints.

The dangers have not diminished since Paul's day, and the barriers between male and female have blurred. The boundaries which protected both have come down. Relationships are no longer clear cut and solidly founded, and men and women are falling into temptation because of the lack of restraint imposed by order and structure. The way is open for attack both moral and spiritual, and we need to seek the protection afforded us by taking heed to what is written, no matter how seemingly out of date it may seem.

I could have expressed this better, but I think you understand my meaning.

In Christ Jesus
Chris
 
Complete said:
Hello again,

The epistles written by Paul

Hello @Euphemia,

I don't think we should dismiss this instruction lightly, for 2 Timothy 3, describes the times we could well be living in as 'perilous', and our warfare a 'spiritual' one, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph.6:12) The armour itemized in that chapter is for all of us to put on by faith, regardless of our gender, and we are told to, 'watch', and 'pray', making supplication for all saints.

The dangers have not diminished since Paul's day, and the barriers between male and female have blurred. The boundaries which protected both have come down. Relationships are no longer clear cut and solidly founded, and men and women are falling into temptation because of the lack of restraint imposed by order and structure. The way is open for attack both moral and spiritual, and we need to seek the protection afforded us by taking heed to what is written, no matter how seemingly out of date it may seem.

I could have expressed this better, but I think you understand my meaning.

In Christ Jesus
Chris
Click to expand...

Ah, but for those of us in Christ, we know about boundaries, and the lines between them are not blurred. What Paul wrote concerning head coverings was for the CUSTOM of his day. We can take from him the warnings concerning the world's ways and how they can be found trying to wend their way into the Body of Christ, but for us to copy the mode of fashion of first century Palestine, as some would try to influence us to do---not so much.
 
Euphemia said:
Ah, but for those of us in Christ, we know about boundaries, and the lines between them are not blurred. What Paul wrote concerning head coverings was for the CUSTOM of his day. We can take from him the warnings concerning the world's ways and how they can be found trying to wend their way into the Body of Christ, but for us to copy the mode of fashion of first century Palestine, as some would try to influence us to do---not so much.
Click to expand...
Just for clarification, Corinth was not in Palestine. It was in Greece. Not that it changes anything, just fai. (for anybody's information)
 
Well Paul did write about unmarried women in his letter to the corinthians and said they were happier to be unmarried.
 
I would think the covering is because a womans hair is her glory and its distracting the men..or the angels, so better to have it covered.
 
Lanolin said:
Well Paul did write about unmarried women in his letter to the corinthians and said they were happier to be unmarried.
Click to expand...
Hi Lanolin,

Yes, he was speaking in the light of the hope held at that time (during the Acts period), for all awaited what they believed to be the imminent return of Christ. So many sold their possessions, and took stock of possible actions to be taken (including marriage) in the light of what that return would mean for them. That 'return' required the repentance of Israel, which did not come, even after forty long years of an open door. It was finally closed to the nation of Israel (temporarily) at the end of the Acts, and the knowledge of the 'fellowship' of the Church of the mystery of Ephesians was made known through Paul. (Eph. 3:9), to accommodate the change that this made to the Church in existence at that time.

Just further thoughts.
Thank you, Lanolin,
In Christ Jesus
Chris
 
It should be noted that the same arguments against applying the scripture with @Euphemia uses - i.e. that what Paul was addressing was a custom and linked to the prevailing religious practice of the pagans - is used by others to negate Romans 1:27. Now, I don't want to get into a discussion of that principle, not least because that topic is banned here on the forum. However, it should serve as a warning against tying anything the apostles taught to the time and place that it was taught and leaving it there. It's perfectly possibly to practically obey the words of the Lord to the early church without making ourselves seem like oddities within our own time and culture. I wouldn't think it was necessary for sisters to wear the same style of head-coverings as the Greeks of the early church - after all, the scripture specifies a head-covering, not a head-scarf or a head-square in particular. In my experience, sisters (and particularly younger sisters) tend to move with the times - for example, the recent resurgence of the fashion for cloche hats was taken up with some enthusiasm. Where I would draw the line - personally - would be at 'fascinators' which really don't cover the head at all. Of course, the more elaborate millinery that some sisters wear does really verge on decadence; but then, who am I to judge, as a man? I think that that's a personal exercise for sisters - and brothers as well, about what they wear in and out of assembly.
 
Euphemia said:
How on earth does one negate Romans 1:27?
Click to expand...

There are many people who claim that it refers only to the practices of a specific cult at the time in which Paul was writing, and therefore the apostle's condemnation of those activities is specific and contemporary, not general. That's where I feel the danger lies in taking this sort of approach to any of the teaching of the epistles. Of course, Paul and the other epistle writers addressed things which were arising at the time, but in doing so he brings out principles which have a general and continual application. The word of God is a living and operative, it guides us in all things.

I appreciate that many brethren want to guard against the rigid implementation of rules. Formalism and ritualism are dangerous. However, if we stay faithfully 'in the word' and take up everything with understanding of the underlying principles, then we will be kept from the deadness of mere outward form. I'm not sure if "underlying principles" is the best expression, but what I want to convey is that there are things behind the commandments of the Lord concerning the church which are not immediately apparent to the superficial observer. We have to search them out. The Lord always rewards diligence is searching out the truth - not only for the sake of acquiring knowledge, but out of affection for Him. If we love Him, we want to learn more about Him and His desires. There's an immense amount of blessing in that.
 
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Grant Melville said:
There are many people who claim that it refers only to the practices of a specific cult at the time in which Paul was writing, and therefore the apostle's condemnation of those activities is specific and contemporary, not general. That's where I feel the danger lies in taking this sort of approach to any of the teaching of the epistles. Of course, Paul and the other epistle writers addressed things which were arising at the time, but in doing so he brings out principles which have a general and continual application. The word of God is a living and operative, it guides us in all things.
Click to expand...

The general principle is for us to be modest in our attire.

I appreciate that many brethren want to guard against the rigid implementation of rules. Formalism and ritualism are dangerous. However, if we stay faithfully 'in the word' and take up everything with understanding of the underlying principles, then we will be kept from the deadness of mere outward form. I'm not sure if "underlying principles" is the best expression, but what I want to convey is that there are things behind the commandments of the Lord concerning the church which are not immediately apparent to the superficial observer. We have to search them out. The Lord always rewards diligence is searching out the truth - not only for the sake of acquiring knowledge, but out of affection for Him. If we love Him, we want to learn more about Him and His desires. There's an immense amount of blessing in that.
Click to expand...

There is a "deadness of mere outward form" in the wearing of a head covering, according to ancient Middle Eastern dress codes.
 
Euphemia said:
The general principle is for us to be modest in our attire.
Click to expand...
That would be true, but the head-covering isn't to do with modesty. A woman is given long hair in lieu of a veil, that is modesty. The head-covering is a sign of authority, and connected with the glory of God. If we took this to be an exhortation to modesty, setting aside the apostle's explanation of the practice in the earlier part of the chapter, we would still be left wondering what a man uncovering his head had to do with modesty.

Euphemia said:
There is a "deadness of mere outward form" in the wearing of a head covering, according to ancient Middle Eastern dress codes.
Click to expand...
If we understand and value the truth inwardly, then the outward form isn't dead - it's reflective of what's inward, surely? If a brother or a sister understands the values the principle of authority and how we glorify God through by recognising it, they uncover or cover their head, respectively. Both the man and the woman are acknowledging divine authority by their actions.

By this way of thinking, we could dismiss the need for every outward expression of Christianity as merely outward. It's true that if something is merely outward, then it's of no value. But God forms us inwardly, and that formation is displayed outwardly - or it should be, if I'm not hiding my light under the couch or the bushel. If it wasn't for what's outward, coming into expression in the words and actions of the believer, there wouldn't be a Christian testimony at all in the world.
 
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