1 Cor 11:2-16
It just so happens that one of my seminary courses this summer is Hermeneutics (how to study and interpret Scripture). That means I’m wrapping up 10 weeks on learning principles for wading through complex passages like the one in today’s reading (by actually practicing on easier ones), and it also means I’m no expert.
Paul is just coming from a section in his letter where he challenges the Corinthians to follow his example in following Christ. Despite their tendency to claim, “I am allowed to do anything,” Paul instructs them that not everything is helpful or beneficial, and that even their expressions of righteous freedom should be limited or restrained for the sake of protecting the witness of the body of believers, for the glory of God.
He then addresses their practices in worship. Women had apparently begun participating in worship without covering their heads. Their head covering was, at least in part, a symbol of chastity. In the Jewish culture, the women who did not cover their heads were assumed to be prostitutes. In 1st century Greco-Roman culture, women with shaved heads or men with long hair might be assumed to be participating in pagan rituals. Therefore, Paul is likely saying, “Just as you should be witnesses for Christ in what you eat, it is important to be good witnesses in the way you worship. Don’t make yourselves look unfaithful or like you’re devoted to pagan gods. Instead, dress and conduct yourselves in ways that reveal the honor and respect that you have for God.”
There’s plenty more here, but I think one of the principles for us is to mark ourselves as worshipers of the One True God. Despite Paul’s references to the submission of women to men, he goes on to emphasize the interdependence of men and women for believers in Christ. So, our worship, what we eat and don’t eat, and even our relationships are defined by our relationship with our Savior and intended to bring glory to Him.
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4 comments:
This was one of those passages I read and then was looking forward to reading what someone more experienced thought. Thanks for the insight!
Ditto Jackie. I thought about how women and men used to wear hats as a common practice when I was growing up. Women, of course, wore them in church. Now it is so uncommon that you stick out if you wear one even on Easter Sunday. Kind of sad. I love hats.
But as I read this I understood why there used to be a demand on women to wear something on their head if they entered a cathedral in Europe. I understand why we see women pictured so often in churches or cathedrals with head coverings.
Styles change. But how do we understand Pauls words here. If we are to believe that all in the Bible should be lived up to-- esp. the new testament, then are those of us women with short hairdo's ( cut like men) doomed, and young men with long hair condemned? We say--"but this was the culture of the times." Does that argument then hold true with the other pronouncements that Paul makes about sexual immorality? This is important considering what is happening in our own culture with gay rights and same sex unions. Just asking!! Anyone want to tackle this one? :)
Laurie -
You're question is an important one. I have not done the extensive study that should be done to fully answer this question. But one key to answering this question is to let Scripture interpret Scripture.
I would argue that Scripture consistently teaches that homosexuality (along with many other things) is evidence of sin. I think we see this in the narrative of Genesis 19 regarding Sodom and Gomorrah, as well as in the letters of Paul. The fact that Scripture identifies this practice as sinful in both Testaments, in different cultures, separated by centuries, would indicate to me that we cannot assume that the Bible's perspective was culturally specific on this point. (I feel a little uncomfortable saying that without also noting that the Bible seems to speak with greater frequency about sexual immorality - including heterosexual immorality - than it specifically addresses homosexuality, which suggests that the issues for our society today are much bigger than this one area.)
Because Scripture has not addressed the issue of head coverings in great detail (in my quick search, I couldn't find any references to it anywhere outside of 1 Cor. 11), we must ask, is Paul's issue with the Corinthians this specific behavior, or is there a broader principle that we're supposed to apply? Why were the head coverings so important?
I agree with you that it can be dangerous to assume too quickly that since our culture is different than theirs that we may not need to apply the teaching of the Bible to us. Still, the Epistles in the New Testament, were written to specific people in a specific context, and we must try to understand that context in order to best understand the meaning of God's Word and how we are to apply God's Word to our lives.
I apologize for this lengthy and yet incomplete response, but I hope there's enough here to suggest the answers are available to us, as we continue to ask good questions like this and search the Scriptures for God's wisdom.
Thanks Brian for clarifying an important question. It is one of those questions that anyone who wants to 'dis'the Bible, Christianity or at least conservative Christianity, they would be sure to bring up, as in, "you no longer demand that womens heads be covered but it says they should be in the Bible." Their argument would be that we also (consevative Christians) pick what we want out of the Bible just as we often accuse the more liberal sects of Christianity of doing so. Having said that, I think you answered my retorical question well, that there is a consistant argument about sexual immorality throughout the Bible.
I often rely on what I call the 'common sense argument', which goes something like this: if Jesus were standing right in front of us, what do you honestly think he would say about most of the things that we do in this culture that at one time were considered sin, but now are considered part of the way people live by our culture
(everyone does it) or it has become part of a lifestyle. This would include so many things from porn to gay relationships. It is a difficult situation that we are in, but if Jesus were standing here face to face with us as we present the arguments as to why these very things should no longer be condemned, can we really believe that he would agree with that thinking? I think that we would be silly to believe that our Lord who died for our sins would now find those sins less sinful.
It is sad to see a culture headed in this direction but sadder still to see churches following like sheep behind the culural staff.
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