Making sense of Paul's teaching on covering or uncovering our heads, is a perfect exercise in disciple for dividing the word of God correctly. And the simple way to rightly divide the word of truth, is to first rightly divide between what is written and what is not, and teaching only what is written, without inserting what is not written.
First we know that God does not make His commandments from the traditions of men, since Scripture does not come by the personal traditions and will of man. (2 Peter 1:20-21)
And so, let's see what Paul is teaching with that in mind:
Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
The context is ordinances of Christ given to His apostles for His churches. There will be an ordinance made for us to follow.
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.
The heads spoken of are God, Christ, men, and women.
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
God is for the first time in Scripture saying that the head being covered or not, has to do with worshipping and honoring Him. The covering of the head is all that is spoken of, and nothing of how.
The word covering here (kata) is completely generic without any specifics. It only means that which pertains to the head. At this point, it could include ears, because ears pertain to the head, and cover some of the head, depending on how big the ears.
But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head.
For the first time what covers the head is made more general (Katakalupto), which also refers to darkness and mystery.
For that is even all one as if she were shaven.
And now the covering for the head is specified by hair.
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.
Once again, only hair is referred to in covering the head, other than possibly the ears.
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.
Men ought not to cover their heads with hair, but rather be shorn or shaven. Women are to cover their heads with hair, or be shamefully shorn or shaven.
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
What is the power on a woman's head, that the angels respect?
For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
All things having to do with the head and covering is that of God: natural grown hair, and not artificial things of man.
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
Once again, only hair is spoken of on the head, and we see long hair is a shame to the man. And it is said by Scripture to be according to natural law and creation of God. That does not include man-made things, nor man-made traditions about things men make.
But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
And so, the power on the woman's head is her long hair given by God as a glory to her. Here is where all the worship and honor is spoken of, in power and glory, which is only the long hair of a woman.
And, for the first time a man-made covering for the head is even hinted at (Peribolai), is not even accepted as a proper covering of the head to honor God. Paul says the only acceptable covering thrown around the head to worship and honor God with, is long hair given by God to a woman.
And so, a man-made cover is not even agreed with by Paul, as the only thing that can wrap around the head, but hair is given by God to do the same for women.
Hair in Scripture is taught as being according to the head, hides the head, and is thrown around the head when long enough.
The only specific thing mentioned in all the teaching of covering and uncovering hair, as being honor to God or shame to the head, is hair.
First we know that God does not make His commandments from the traditions of men, since Scripture does not come by the personal traditions and will of man. (2 Peter 1:20-21)
And so, let's see what Paul is teaching with that in mind:
Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
The context is ordinances of Christ given to His apostles for His churches. There will be an ordinance made for us to follow.
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.
The heads spoken of are God, Christ, men, and women.
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
God is for the first time in Scripture saying that the head being covered or not, has to do with worshipping and honoring Him. The covering of the head is all that is spoken of, and nothing of how.
The word covering here (kata) is completely generic without any specifics. It only means that which pertains to the head. At this point, it could include ears, because ears pertain to the head, and cover some of the head, depending on how big the ears.
But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head.
For the first time what covers the head is made more general (Katakalupto), which also refers to darkness and mystery.
For that is even all one as if she were shaven.
And now the covering for the head is specified by hair.
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.
Once again, only hair is referred to in covering the head, other than possibly the ears.
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.
Men ought not to cover their heads with hair, but rather be shorn or shaven. Women are to cover their heads with hair, or be shamefully shorn or shaven.
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
What is the power on a woman's head, that the angels respect?
For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
All things having to do with the head and covering is that of God: natural grown hair, and not artificial things of man.
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
Once again, only hair is spoken of on the head, and we see long hair is a shame to the man. And it is said by Scripture to be according to natural law and creation of God. That does not include man-made things, nor man-made traditions about things men make.
But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
And so, the power on the woman's head is her long hair given by God as a glory to her. Here is where all the worship and honor is spoken of, in power and glory, which is only the long hair of a woman.
And, for the first time a man-made covering for the head is even hinted at (Peribolai), is not even accepted as a proper covering of the head to honor God. Paul says the only acceptable covering thrown around the head to worship and honor God with, is long hair given by God to a woman.
And so, a man-made cover is not even agreed with by Paul, as the only thing that can wrap around the head, but hair is given by God to do the same for women.
Hair in Scripture is taught as being according to the head, hides the head, and is thrown around the head when long enough.
The only specific thing mentioned in all the teaching of covering and uncovering hair, as being honor to God or shame to the head, is hair.
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