Fashions change and tastes differ.
Cultural variations abound among Christians of differing nationalities. The
New Testament wisely makes allowance for such things and goes no further
in matters of dress and appearance than to set down the principles of modesty
(I Tim. 2:9) and association--i.e., that we should be careful not to adopt
any appearance that identifies us with grossly wicked people to whom a particular
style or fashion is virtually a badge. This latter would seem to be implicit
in Paul's words in I Corinthians 11:6, where it is probable that the shorn
head refers to the mark of an harlot. Given these two principles, and accepting
that in all things a believer is to adorn the gospel with humility and holiness,
we can usually judge fairly easily which forms of dress and appearance are
becoming to us as Christians. However, there is one item of Christian dress
that the Bible does not leave to be judged in this way. That item is headcovering
in public worship. The New Testament insists that it is required for women
and banned for men. In this age of so-called sexual equality--a misnomer
for the philosophy of radical feminism and anti-Christian humanism--this may
seem strange. It is not strange. The Bible lays down these standards for
very good reasons.
Headcovering for Women
Paul devotes half a chapter to the subject of
headcovering (I Cor. 11:1-16). He gives no indication that he is establishing
a rule merely for the local situation in Corinth. He introduces such words
as shame and dishonouring the head (ultimately Christ, v. 3). These ideas
denote a moral issue of abiding significance, not some merely local question.
Paul also makes a telling reference to the angels of God (v. 10) as a reason
for a woman to cover her head in public worship. He says that nature teaches
the same thing (v. 14). All of this strongly implies that Paul is laying
down a general rule for all Christian churches, regardless of location or
local culture. That conclusion is strengthened by what is said in verse 4.
There the apostle forbids the use of a headcovering for men in worship. Both
the Jews and the Romans had the custom of requiring men to cover their heads
in religious worship. Clearly Paul was not addressing mere cultural questions.
He was settling what is right and proper for Christians in whatever culture
they live. We therefore take what I Corinthians 11 teaches as binding on
us today.
In effect that settles the matter of whether or
not women should wear headcovering in church services. No reputable exegete
or commentator has the slightest doubt that Paul was insisting on the Corinthian
women having a covering on their heads in public worship. We do not know
of any Bible-believing church that would permit its men to wear hats or caps
in public worship. Their reason is that I Corinthians 11:4 prohibits it.
No one doubts that that prohibition is still in force. By what stretch of
exegesis or of logic can the parallel prohibition of women worshipping bareheaded
be counted a merely temporary matter relating to the Corinthians but not to
us? In the light of Paul's clear intention to establish a universal principle
of conduct, how can we ignore the plain teaching that Christian women should
wear a headcovering in public worship? In the Free Presbyterian Church, we
do not. We joyfully accept it.
Judging by God's Standards
One of the reasons for women's headcovering is
the respective roles of men and women in creation and in the church (vv.
7-8). We must be careful not to define a person's worth or dignity by the
godless standards of modern radical feminism or humanism. A woman's true dignity
is in knowing and accepting the place her Creator and Redeemer has accorded
to her. The same is true of a man. Woman's headcovering is an eloquent testimony
to acceptance of God's standards, not man's. The basic principle is laid
down in verse 3: "The head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman
is the man; and the head of Christ is God." Clearly the apostle is not discussing
the issue of what the world calls "equality" or "dignity." He is discussing
the issue of government and authority in the Christian home and the church.
Furthermore, the three clauses in verse 3 must always be taken together.
In other words, Paul is not arguing for male authority over the woman without
regard to man's submission to the authority of Christ. He rather is bringing
men and women to the place of submission at the feet of the Lord. Our homes
and churches would be much happier and healthier places if we all, men and
women, fully acknowledged the Lordship of Christ and obediently served Him
in the role and capacity He has given to us.
A Symbol of Christ's
Authority
In elaborating on this basic statement of principle
(v. 3), Paul adds another in verses 4 and 5: men who pray or prophesy with
a covering on their heads dishonor their head, even Christ. Women who pray
or prophesy without a covering on their heads dishonor their head, the authority
God has placed over them. Here is the importance of the headcovering. To
reject it is rebellion against God's order of government in His church. It
is as bad as a woman coming to God with a shorn head, which was the shameful
badge of the harlot (vv. 5-6).
"Because of the Angels"
There is another reason for the headcovering.
It is worn as a symbol of submission to authority "because of the angels"
(v. 10). The reference to angels reminds us that in worship we are dealing
with an unseen world and that we should order our behavior not in accordance
with the prevailing ideas of this present evil world, but with the enduring
standards of rectitude that God has ordained. Angels are present at the church's
worship, and they cannot dismiss inappropriate attire as a matter of little
importance. Rejection of God's ordinance regarding headcovering is inappropriate
in the sight of angels because it savors of rebellion against the divinely
ordained structure of authority. The angels personally witnessed the havoc
such rebellion wrought in their own ranks and in the garden of Eden. Thus
they cannot regard as unimportant any rejection of something that God has
established as necessary to the church's worship.
Furthermore, the angels' very presence in our
worship services teaches some very important lessons. We may consider two.
First, it teaches us that a headcovering for Christian women in the worship
of God is not demeaning to women. Angels are superior in rank to humans (Psa.
8:5), and they cover themselves before the Lord (Isa. 6:2). How then can
any Christian woman look upon God's ordinance that she wear a headcovering
as an imposition, or injurious to her dignity? The second lesson is that we
should gladly accept every ordinance of God for our worship and service. Though
superior in rank to men, angels willingly submit themselves to be servants
of believers (Heb. 1:14). Clearly then, no Christian woman should reject
the God-ordained symbol of her submission to His authority as an infringement
of liberty or a denial of her dignity.
All Glory to Christ
The real beauty of Paul's teaching that women
must, and men must not, cover their heads in public worship is that it lays
all human glory and authority where it properly belongs: at the feet of Christ.
A woman's hair is her glory (I Cor. 11:15). It is right that she should
cover it in worship, for there all the glory must be Christ's. Men declare
the same truth by not covering their heads. To this day men remove their
headcovering in the presence of a superior authority. So it is here. By
different actions, men and women join together in testifying that all glory
and honor belong to Christ.
An Objection
Some object that a woman's "hair is given her
for a covering" (v. 15) and she needs no other. This is to fly in the face
of all Paul says. Those who believe that the covering of which he speaks
is merely the woman's hair need only substitute hair for the covering in verses
5 and 6 to see how meaningless and impossible their argument is. Paul has
made it clear that he is speaking of a covering placed on the head. In verse
4 covered literally means "having something on his head." That is Paul's theme.
Nature gives a woman a veil in her hair. "It is a glory to her because it
is a veil. The veil itself, therefore, must be becoming and decorous in a
woman" (Charles Hodge).
Actually, there may be an additional thought in
verse 15, which literally reads, "Her hair is given her instead of a covering."
In this verse covering is a new word. In Hebrews 1:12 (its only other appearance
in the New Testament) it is translated "vesture." It signifies something
thrown all around a person, and Paul may be saying that Christian women have
no need to wear the demeaning total covering some religions impose on their
women.
The Sole Christian Custom
The only proper response to a Biblical teaching
is joyful acceptance and submission. If people want to contend against us
despite what I Corinthians 11 says, then our answer must be the same as Paul's:
"If any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the
churches of God" (v. 16). The apostle ends all argument with a statement
of divine authority. He says that the churches of God have no such custom
as women engaging in public worship without a headcovering, or men doing so
with one, no matter what other groups may think about our practice.
A Joyful Gospel Testimony
In the Free Presbyterian Church we believe we
should obey God rather than men--or women! That is why we follow the only
custom on this matter that God ever established in His church--that men should
not engage in public worship with their heads covered, and women should
not do so without their heads being covered. To us this is no legal bondage
but a joyful gospel testimony to the sole glory of Christ in His church.
