1 Corinthians 11- 5th post

The Post that started this all can be found here: Head coverings study

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It is dishonoring to the man when the woman is not covered, beacause of Vs. 9-10.
"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 (a sign of authority) on her head because of the angels." (KJV)

The reason that a woman should be covered, is because it is a sign that she is under authority of the man. If she is not covered, she is saying that she is not under authority of the man. This is true, regardless of the presence of a man. Please look at the chapter carefully. The point is not so much men and women together in spiritual exercise. That may or may not be the case. The point is men and womens spiritual position before God. Prayer, as mentioned in Vs. 5 may occur without, the presence of a man. However, she still should have power (a veil showing that she is under authority) on her head because of the angels, and beacause, as in Vs. 9, she was made for the man. The covering is there show God's order. The womans head is what needs to be covered, in Vs. 5,6,10. The covering then, is not to cover the womans hair, but her head.

Please see, that Pauls main concern is that the womans head be covered. He does not mention in this chapter that a womans hair needs to be covered. If a woman wears a piece of cloth to cover her hair, then what is covering her head? Paul does not mention a covering as having two purposes. It says in verse 5 that a woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered, dishonors her head.

You are covering your hair not your head. This presents a big problem, as you are according to Vs. 5 dishonoring your head.

If her hair is not covering her, Paul is saying, she dishonors her head, and that is just as shameful, as if she is shaved. So if a womans hair isn't covering her, she should be shaved, but if it is a shame for a woman to be shaved, let her be covered. Paul here seems to be putting the woman in a corner, where her only option is to have long hair. I would like to review the definitions of the "cover" words (uncovered, covering, covered, cover); With word in verse 15 the only exeption, the greek word behind them is (or is a version of):

2619 katakalupto kat-ak-al-oop'-to

from 2596 and 2572;

AV-cover 3; 3
Meaning:
1) to cover up
2) to veil or cover one's self`

The word for covering in verse 15 is:

4018 peribolaion per-ib-ol'-ah-yon

from a presumed derivative of 4016; ; n n

AV-covering 1, vesture 1; 2

1) a covering thrown around, a wrapper
1a) a mantle
1b) a veil

They both mean veil, but "peribolaion", used only in Vs. 15, is simply a more descriptive term, which he uses to give physical reference to what he meant earlier in the chapter in his use of the "cover" words.

Please note, that it never says in the entire chapter that the woman needs to be covered, so that the man's glory will not be shown before God. The reason that a woman needs to be covered is not, so that the man's glory will be concealed. The reason she should be covered is to witness to the angels, that she was created for, and under the authority of the man. See Vs. 9+10.

Authority is the whole point of this passage, the womans covering is supposed to show that she is under the authority of the man.


[The phrase, "Because of the angels" in Vs. 10, may be a refrence to the fall. When, both the woman, and the angel, Lucifer were both acting outside of the authority over them. Lucifer, rejecting God's supremacy over him, the woman doing the same with the man, rejecting his authority over her. Thus the covering is a testimony to angels, that as she is under the man's authority, so should they be under God's authority.

Isaiah 44:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Genesis 3:17 ¶ And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

In Ezekiel 28:13-17

"Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy
covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the
jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the
workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day
that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I
have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked
up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.Thou wast perfect in thy ways
from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.By the
multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with
violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of
the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the
midst of the stones of fire.
Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy
wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will
lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee."]