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Priscilla: I Corinthians 11:2-16
Head Coverings for Women

Dear God, my Beloved Father, I humbly offer You my praise and gratitude for the new day You have bestowed upon me. I pray that the love, grace, and peace of the Triune God will always envelop and care for me each day. I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me as I contemplate Your Eternal Living Word. May all glory and power belong to You, the Self-existent and Eternal God, now and forever.

Father, I would like to present my meditation on the topic of the head covering for women mentioned in I Corinthians 11:2-16.

2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

Verse 2: The Apostle Paul praised the people of God in the Corinthian Church because they remembered him, obeyed his instructions, and followed his teachings. Despite the stern admonishments he had previously given them, they did not reject him.

3 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.

Verse 3: The Apostle Paul taught the people of God that “the head of every man is Christ,” which means that in the Church, every adult male, from the age of 20 and above, is directly under the leadership of Christ. Younger males are under the authority of their parents or guardians, who are responsible for their upbringing if they do not have parents.

I understand the phrase “the head of the woman is the man” to mean that unmarried women are under the authority of their fathers, brothers, or male guardians. Once they are married, they are under the authority of their husbands. If they are divorced or widowed and do not have a father or brother, they will be under the guardianship of male elders in the Church.

I understand the phrase “the head of Christ is God” to mean that Christ is under the authority of God the Father. Although the Word is God, equal and co-existent with God the Father, when He incarnated as a human, He relinquished His equality and authority with God. Therefore, the human nature of Christ is that of the Son of God and is under the authority of God the Father.

4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.

5 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.

Verse 4 and 5: The Apostle Paul taught that a man who covers his head while praying or preaching the Word of God in the gatherings of the Church dishonors his own head. This is because a man who covers his head has made himself equivalent to a woman. Covering the head is a practice that women do to demonstrate that they are under the authority of men.

I understand that a woman who prays or preaches the Word of God in the gatherings of the Church should cover her head to show obedience to God’s command and respect for the authority of her father, brother, husband within the family, or male elders in the Church. If a woman prays or preaches without covering her head, she dishonors herself, as if she were having her head shaved. She has rejected the authority that God has established over her.

6 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.

Verse 6: The Apostle Paul advises that if a woman in the Church does not want to cover her head, then she should cut off her hair. If she feels ashamed after cutting off her hair, then she should cover her head. This means that cutting off or shaving one’s hair can lead to feelings of shame, which may prompt a woman to comply with the practice of covering her head.

7 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.

8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.

9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

Verses 7 to 10: I understand that men should only refrain from covering their heads while praying and preaching the Word of God. Men are meant to reflect the glory of God, for they are created in the image and likeness of God. On the other hand, women are created from men and therefore reflect the glory of men. The purpose of God creating women is to assist men in fulfilling the tasks entrusted to humanity by God and to multiply and populate the earth. Women should cover their heads while praying and preaching the Word of God in the Church. This signifies the authority of men over women. The act of covering the head for women demonstrates obedience to God’s command and serves as a good example for the angels.

11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

Verse 11 and 12: I understand that within the Church, men and women have equal value and are equal to one another. They need to support and help each other in order to fulfill the tasks that God has assigned to His people on earth. Initially, God created woman from man, but then man is also born through woman. Both are brought into existence by God.

13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

Verse 13: The Apostle Paul urges the people of God in the Corinthian Church to judge for themselves whether it is proper for a woman to pray to God without covering her head. The answer is no; it is not proper.

14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Verse 14 and 15: The Apostle Paul asks whether it is not obvious to the people of God’s conscience that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him. So, if anyone is ignorant of this, their conscience is hardened, and they are spiritually blind. Men are not allowed to have long hair. However, for a woman, having long hair is a gift from God and is referred to as the glory of a woman. The long hair of a woman is like a covering that enhances her beauty. Nevertheless, a woman with long hair should still cover her head whenever she prays or preaches the Word of God in the Church, to demonstrate obedience to the authority that God has established.

16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

Verse 16: The Apostle Paul states that what he has explained about why women should cover their heads and why men should not cover their heads while praying or preaching the Word of God is not a matter for argument. If anyone rejects his teaching and wants to argue, neither he nor the Churches of God will tolerate such arguments.

Father, today’s lesson reminded me of a miracle that You performed in my life a long time ago. While reading this Bible verse, “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,” my heart was filled with confusion and concern because I didn’t cover my head while praying and prophesying in the Church. It seemed that the Christian denomination churches I attended did not accept the practice of women covering their heads during prayer or preaching the Word of God. They believed that head coverings were only applicable to Middle Eastern cultures and customs. They believed that nowadays, women in Your Church do not need to cover their heads. I believed their teaching and did not cover my head.

At that time, I questioned and prayed to You, that if I needed to cover my head while praying and speaking Your Word, please provide someone who would give me a head covering. This event would confirm to me that I needed to cover my head according to Your teachings to avoid sinning. About a week later, suddenly, a guest brought me a purple head covering, which happened to be my favorite color. I recognized it as Your answer to my prayer. I am grateful, Father. May all glory and authority belong to You, the Eternal and Loving God, forever and ever. Amen.

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Priscilla Christian Huynh
05/17/2023