1 Corinthians “Church Purity in a Polluted Culture” Part Corinthians 11:2-16 “Head Coverings and Worship”

Introduction The local church was perhaps the only fellowship in the Roman Empire that welcomed all people, regardless of nationality, social status, sex, or economic position. Some of the women flaunted their “freedom” in the public meetings by refusing to cover their heads when they participated. 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 2

Text (11:2-16) “I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you. Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.” 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 3

Text (11:2-16) “And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.” 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 4

Text (11:2-16) “For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head. In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.” 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 5

Text (11:2-16) “Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.” (1 Cor 11:2–16 NIV) 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 6

Timeless Principles Vs. Cultural Application So how do we interpret such passages that seem to be obscure to us today? 1.Look for the timeless principle or principles that God the Holy Spirit meant for us to learn in the passage. 2.Seek to understand how this timeless principle was applied in the culture that it was written, and whether that application means the same today. 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 7

Commendation(11 :2)

“I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you. Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.” 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 9 Though the Corinthians were not following the traditions regarding women, the Lord’s Supper, and spiritual gifts, the situation in the church is not hopeless.

The Principle Stated (11:3)

12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 11 “I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you. Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.” The Greek word for head (kephale), generally means the ruling or sovereign part of the body, with the preponderance of meaning in ancient Greek literature referring metaphorically to authority.

Christ Submits to the Father “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 5:30 ESV) “saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”” (Luke 22:42 ESV) 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 12

Father and Son Send the Holy Spirit “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” (John 15:26 ESV) “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7 ESV) 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 13

The Principle Stated (11:3) “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen 1:27 ESV) Timeless principle: God has created an order, a hierarchy that He Himself follows. The man is under the authority of Christ, the wife is under the authority of her husband, and Christ is under the authority of the Father. Timeless principle: God has created an order, a hierarchy that He Himself follows. The man is under the authority of Christ, the wife is under the authority of her husband, and Christ is under the authority of the Father. 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 14

The Principle Applied (11:4-6)

12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 16 “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.” (1 Cor 11:4–6 NIV) It was a disgrace for a man to wear a head covering in that culture because that was what women wore, and was an act of worship of their pagan gods.

The Principle Applied (11:4-6) 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 17 “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.” (1 Cor 11:4–6 NIV) It was a disgrace for a woman not to wear a head covering in that culture because that was what a man did and it connoted sexual availability, or simply that she was unmarried.

The Principle Applied (11:4-6) 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 18 “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.” (1 Cor 11:4–6 NIV) In Jewish law, a woman proved guilty of adultery had her hair cut off (Num. 5:11–31).

The Principle Defended (11:7- 10)

“A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head.” (1 Cor 11:7–10 NIV) 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 20 The man, in light of the Corinthian culture, was not to have his head covered because he was the image and glory of God, and doing so would mar that image. A woman’s (a wife’s) glory and image was derived from and complementary to that of the man (her husband).

The Principle Defended (11:7-10) “A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head.” (1 Cor 11:7–10 NIV) 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 21 For a woman to exercise her freedom to participate in the church without the head covering, the sign of her authority (exousia, a liberating term) would be to bring the wisdom of God into disrepute by the heavenly host. “For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.” (1 Cor 4:9 ESV) “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.” (1 Tim 5:21 ESV) “It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.” (1 Pet 1:12 ESV) “For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.” (1 Cor 4:9 ESV) “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.” (1 Tim 5:21 ESV) “It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.” (1 Pet 1:12 ESV)

The Principle Harmonized (11:11-12)

“In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.” (1 Cor 11:11–12 NIV) 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 23 Men and women together in mutual interdependence, complementing each other, bring glory to God (cf. 10:31). Neither should be independent nor think themselves superior to the other.

The Principle Responded To (11:13-16)

“Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.” (1 Cor 11:13–16 NIV) 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 25 The bottom line is can you tell the difference between men and women in worship?

The Principle Responded To (11:13- 16) “Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.” (1 Cor 11:13–16 NIV) 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 26 The Corinthians were simply to hold the line against self-indulgent individual excess in the name of freedom.

Conclusion

Conclusion 1.Are we willing to submit ourselves to our designated headship that was designed by God? 2.Are we willing to maintain, promote, and proclaim gender distinction as God’s design for mankind and His glory? 12/23/2015 EBFC Semon Series: 1 Corinthians 28