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HEAD COVERING
If head covering is important, why do we not observe it today?
First Word
As a teenager I led the
music in the Baptist Adult Sunday School and all the ladies wore hats.
Mr. & Mrs. Eubanks
always made a “Late Entrance” and set down front. He had a dapper moustache, bowtie and a Movie
Star suit. She looked like a Model and
usually had a different LARGE hat on every Sunday. Being the nut that I am; I welcomed them “LATE”
into the service
and would describe her HAT
in detail with laughter coming from everywhere.
Hats were in and I was a
HOOT.
Customs
- Fiction
and Fact
- Sometimes it is hard to separate Jewish Customs from Jewish Myths
and there is differencing opinions among the smart people; so I have
pulled “my take” out of the commentaries, letting the chips fall as
they may.
- In Talmudic times,
women wore their hair long, braded and pined up and covered
their heads as a sign of modesty and chastity to avoid attracting men’s attention
to their beauty - Exposing a woman’s hair was considered a humiliation. –
Outward dress indicated inward humility and still does today.
- The
Jewish, Roman & Greek custom was for women to wear veils during
worship. The Greek’s headdress
consisted of nets, hair-bags, kerchiefs and sometimes a shaw that covered
the whole head. – Greek women DID appear in public without a head covering
and apparently there were some exceptions that existed for them in Church.
– A Jewish woman always wore a head covering in PUBLIC.
- Hair was considered a
woman’s glory and it was
shameful for a Christian Woman to cut it. - Hair that was hanging
loose or disheveled suggested that they were in mourning or perhaps
gave the impression of adultery. - Interestingly in
- Paul was urging the
Church in
- A woman without a
head covering was actually going against the social convention of the day
which was distressing to some and was actually disrupting the worship
services.
- Single
women
were not required to have a head covering, making it perfectly clear the
marital status of a woman and the authority that was over her.
- I just can’t leave it
here without mentioning the “Gnostic
mindset”; that a woman was considered inferior to any man; her
father, brother and her husband.
Isa 3:16 -17 – Covered heads are a symbol of modesty & chastity
16 "The women of Zion are haughty, walking
along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping
along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
17 Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads
of the women of Zion
NIV
Background
- Paul is writing to a
DIVIDED CHURCH at
- The custom of head covering
was a common practice among the Churches, but we do not know how far ranging
this SOCIAL CUSTOM was practiced.
- His dissertation
about women covering their heads in submission is quite lengthy and
controversial. - NYOBS 10.05 THE PLAYERS – THE LADIES
- Since man was made in
the image and glory of God, he should not cover his head when he worships;
it would dishonor Christ. - Men must not preach with their hats on. – A
covering on a man’s head would seem to indicate another authority coming
between man and Christ.
- Interestingly, a
covered head seen in Church denoted that it was a “WOMAN” praying or prophesizing and if her head was uncovered,
it was symbolic of refusing to honor the source of her existence; i.e. she
was made from the rib of a man, and this brought dishonor upon her own
head as if it was shaven. The
head covering indicates the authority that exists above the woman, yet she
is sill under Christ. – Man rules; he is active – Women ministers; she
is passive.
- Just as the moon is
illuminated by the sun, the woman is illuminated with light “from God”
that shines through the man. – Woman was made through the medium of man
who was as if it were a veil between her and God. (I know you just totally rejected that statement)
- Interestingly, the first woman
came from man, and ever since man comes from a woman.
- The woman without a
head covering symbolically throws off her token of submission; reaching
for superiority, not keeping the “Rank” that God has chosen for her. –
Woman was made for man, not man made for the woman. (it’s in the book)
- Women were said to be
the GLORY OF
- A woman is “the
glory of man” and as a sign of man’s authority over her should cover
her head during worship “Because
of the Angels”. – It was their common belief that “Ministering
Spirits” (good; un-fallen angels) were present at
Christian assemblies.
Eph 1:22 -23 – God made Christ the head of the Church
22 And God placed all things under His (Christ) feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the
church, which is his body,
23 the fullness of him who fills everything in
every way. NIV
1 Cor 11:3-13 – Women
should cover their head in worship
3 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.
4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head
covered dishonors his head.
5 And every woman who prays or prophesies
with her head uncovered dishonors her head - it is just as though
her head were shaved.
6 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.
7 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.
8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from
man;
9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for
man.
10 For this reason, and BECAUSE OF THE ANGELS,
the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head.
11 In the Lord, however, woman is not independent
of man, nor is man independent of woman. - For as woman came from man,
12 so also man is born of woman. But everything
comes from God.
13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a
woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? NIV
Gen 2:21 -23 – A Women is the GLORY of her husband.
21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall
upon Adam and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the
flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from
man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23 Adam said this is now bone of my bones,
and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken
out of Man. KJV
Because of the Angels
- I want to stop here
for just a moment to point out that the Torah has a record of the
Angels coming down from the heavens to earth and taking the “daughters of
men” for their wives and they bore children that were Giants; The
Nephilim. NYOBS 22.30 - GIANTS
- With that being said,
the custom was to cover the heads of women so the angels would know
that they were “under the authority of a man” and would not bother
them.
- Other commentaries
say that a woman’s uncovered head symbolically is insubordination to the
divine order of headship or is a refusal to acknowledge the authority of
their husband and is offensive to the good “Ministering Angels” that attend the services. – I do not know how they know that.
- I can only say that it
was a CUSTOM of the Church regardless of the reason.
Gen 6:1-4 – Because of the
Angels – Then Nephilim - Giants
1 When men began to increase in number on the
earth and daughters were born to them,
2 the sons of God (Angels) saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they
married any of them they chose.
3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not
contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and
twenty years."
4 The Nephilim (Giants) were on the earth in
those days--and also afterward--when the sons of God (Angels) went to the daughters of men and had children by them.
They were the heroes of old, men of renown. NIV
Gen 6:4 – KJV - GIANTS
4 There were giants in the earth in those days;
and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of
men, and they bare children to them KJV
Jude 6 – ANGELS left their
assignments
6 And the angels which kept not their first
estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting
chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. KJV
Heb 1:14 - ANGELS are ministering spirits in the assemblies
14 Are not all angels ministering spirits
sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? NIV
Husbands and Wives
- Since Husbands, wives
and marriage is not mentioned in Paul’s discourse, I don’t think Paul is
talking about husbands and wives at all, but more about submission.
- Desire
to Rule
- When Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit from the tree of Knowledge
of Good and Evil, God said that the woman would want to rule over the
man, but she would not.
- The husband is not
complete apart from God and the Wife is not complete apart from her
husband – a wife CANNOT find
- I’ve
just got to say it. – If the Husband lets God be the head of his
life, then the wife will have an AWESOME RIDE, an unparalleled marriage,
and the two shall truly become one. – They are both dependent upon each
other and TOGETHER dependent upon God.
Gen 3:16 – You will desire to rule over your husband
16 To the woman he said, "I will greatly
increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you."
NIV
Eph 5:24 – Wives submit to your husbands
24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives
should submit to their husbands in everything. NIV
Eph 5:23-24 – The Husband
is the head of the wife
23 For the husband is the head of the wife
as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the
Savior.
24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives
should submit to their husbands in everything. NIV
Women’s Liberation Movement
- It
is “my opinion” that Jesus had sent a silent message that, Women had
the same right as men, to listen and to be a part of Spiritual Matters. - The
- PERHAPS the disuse of
the head dress was because of the desire to abolish sexual distinction and provide spiritual equality between the woman and the man while
in the presence of Christ.
- Hold
on now
– Don’t get upset – Even
Paul said that when someone comes to Christ, they are a
- In verse 11 and 12;
Paul, not wanting to be misunderstood says that man and woman are equal in
the Lord and mutually dependent.
- From the time of
Paul’s conversion to Christianity and his entrance as an Apostle was a
period of some three years in which the Church had grown in it’s diversity
of converts.
- I think its somewhat
missed, that it was Paul that was called to the Gentiles as Peter
was called to the Jews. So the
Church was composed of mixed
cultures.
- Evidently some “emancipated” Corinthian
women had dispensed with the wearing of the veil in public worship. - Paul
is addressing headship or authority starting with addressing that God is
the head of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ is the head of man and man is
the head of the woman.
2 Cor 5:17 -18 - If anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATION
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to
himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: NIV
Gal 1:17-18 – Paul starts
his ministry some THREE years later.
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem Arabia and later returned to Damascus
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem
Rom 3:29 – God is the God of the Jews and the Gentiles TOO .
29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the
God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too NIV
Acts 9:15 – Paul is chosen
to carry the message to the Gentiles
15 This man (Paul) is my chosen instrument
to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel
Acts 28:28 – The Gentiles
WILL LISTEN
28 "Therefore I want you to know that God's
salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will
listen!" NIV
1 Cor 11:11-12 – Man and
woman are equal before God
11 In the Lord, however, woman is not
independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. - For as woman
came from man,
12 so also man is born of woman. But everything
comes from God.
Men’s Head Covering
- The “Tallith” came along AFTER
the apostolic era and should not be confused with the Skullcap. – It’s
a Jewish prayer shawl placed over the head that has special
twined and knotted fringes known as “astzitzit” attached to its
four corners - It was worn to show one’s
unworthiness and sense of reverence for God. Traditionally most were made
of wool.
- The
Tallith
was actually more than a prayer shawl, but an outer wrap or mantel; when
spread over another person it meant they were taking them under their
protection. This is seen in
scripture when Ruth
asked her kinsmen-redeemer Boaz
to spread his garment over her; to come under his protection. The fringes of
the Tallith were made of 32 skeins which is the numerical value of the
Hebrew letters that spell “HEART”. –
I
give you my heart.
Ruth 3:9 – Spread your
garment over me
9 "Who are you?" he asked. "I am
your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment
over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer."
NIV
Deut 22:12 – Tassels on the four corners of the cloak
12 Make tassels on the four corners of the
cloak you wear. NIV
SKULLCAP – RABBIT TRAIL
- In the earliest of
times there was no established practice or law for a man to cover his head;
but in Babylonia, the Jews would get up in the mornings and place a handkerchief
on their head while they recited the blessing; “Blessed is He who
crowns Israel with glory”.
- The
Talmud
speaks of “Fear of Heaven (God)” and “The Shechina is above my head” (God’s glory) – It associates the
covering of the head as reverence and respect for God’s glory.
- A RESPECTED
fifth-century scholar said “I
never walked four cubits with an uncovered head, because God dwells over
my head”. - As time moved on “Scholars” would cover their
heads to identify themselves as “God Fearing” and this quickly spread to
the common man.
- This practice in
- CHRISTIANS were
observed going to Church bareheaded and the Jews often avoided the
practices that were common among the Christians; therefore the Jews thought
it best not to go bareheaded.
- In the middle ages it
was the German custom to doff your hat to a government official, so the
Jews wore a small skullcap called a “yarmulke”
under their hat so their head would not be uncovered for even a moment
when they doffed their hat. – (The Jewish book of
Why)
- The
skullcap
has no religious significance in “Jewish Law”; therefore a non-Jew can wear
a yarmulke in a Jewish service. – TRADITION and CUSTOM sometimes tops the
scriptures and you may find practices that are; just because “they always
did it that way”.
- TODAY Orthodox Jews believe the
head should be covered at all times – Conservative
Jews believe the head should be covered just during prayers and
many other Jews believe
it’s just optional.
After Thoughts
a)
The
Father and Son are united in the Godhead, but the Son is answerable to the
Father, so the man and woman are both united in God, but the woman is answerable
to the man.
b)
Man
was created first to be the administrative head and the woman was created to be
the helper wife. Women have a place, but it is not the man’s place – Woman was
created for man; man was not created for the woman, however man was not
complete till God gave him a woman.
c)
God
has established the man and woman as equal, but with different God given
positions and special functions; treating each other with mutual respect and
admiration.
d)
Neither
a man nor a woman is an “independent being”; the origin of both comes from God.
- They were made with distinct sexes that are physically observable and that
are mutually dependent upon each other. – A woman should not try to look or act
like a man and vice versa. – The distinction is not to be blurred as we see
with Lesbians and Homosexuals.
e)
God
is the God of order with peaceful decorum in worship and as well as in the
daily life.
f)
Man
made in the image and the glory of God should not veil that glory in his
act of worship.
- Paul was writing to a
Church that was surrounded by licentiousness, advocating that the
Christian should exhibit modesty, humility with actions that are fitting
and orderly with the Christian social customs...
- Paul has laid out the
SYMBOLISM for the CUSTOM and ends his dissertation by making this
statement; Judge for yourselves:
Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? – It
is his opinion that the
- It
seems unfair
to me to apply the tradition in
- Our
Salvation
is not based on how long ago we accepted Christ as our Savior. - Salvation
is based on IF we have accepted
Him. - It’s not how we were
baptized or how we are buried or if we covered our head during worship
services; Salvation is Jesus Christ plus nothing else.
That’s the GOOD NEWS of the GOSPEL.
Gen 2:18 – God gave man a helper – a wife – a woman
18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the
man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." NIV
1 Cor 14:40 - Everything should be done fitting & orderly
40 But everything should be done in a fitting and
orderly way. NIV
In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Prov 11:14
I
am grateful for those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical
information, and scripture verses.
Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further that I
otherwise ever could have.
A Commentary – Critical,
Experimental & Practical - Eerdmans
Bible Almanac; The – Packer Tenney White
Baker Commentary on the
Bible – Walter A. Elwell
Bible Commentary – F.B. Meyer
Customs and Folkways of
Jewish Life – Theodor H. Gaster
Expositor’s Bible
Commentary; The – Frank E. Gaebelein
Guide Post - Lent – Max Lucado
Harpers Bible Dictionary – Harper & Row
Illustrated Encyclopedia
of Bible Facts – Packer-Tenney White
Jewish book of Why; The – Kolatch
Matthew Henry’s Commentary - Zondervan
New International Version
Bible – NIV
New Unger’s Bible
Handbook; The – Gary N. Larson
Paul & His Letters – John B. Polhill
The Message Bible
Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries - Leon Morris
Vincent’s Word Studies of
the NT – MacDonald
Webster’s New World
College Dictionary - Webster
Why Do Catholics Do That? – Kevin Orlin Johnson
Wikipedia
Wycliffe Bible Commentary;
The – Pfeiffer & Harrision
Zondervan Pictorial
Encyclopedia of the Bible; The - Tenney
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