Should women wear a covering on their heads?

Many, if not most people, think that Paul is speaking about physical coverings in these verses, such as a hat or a veil. One large church organization takes these verses literally to mean physical coverings on the head, such as women wearing veils. But in reality, these verses are speaking more of spiritual things, rather than the physical. The meaning of these verses goes far deeper than merely putting a veil or hat on one’s head. This is a very important chapter in the Bible and also one that causes much controversy both in and out of the church. Regardless of that, the only way to address this issue is to take this chapter apart, one section at a time, and explain what it really means:

"Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." ( 1Corinthians 11:3)

Much to the chagrin of the Women’s movement, N.O.W., and other women’s organizations, what God is saying here through His Word is that Christ is over the man in authority and the man is over the woman (his wife for example) in authority. This is the way that God made it. And when and why did this happen? With our first parents, Adam and Eve, after they had sinned by believing Satan instead of God. Look in the 3rd chapter of Genesis in the Old Testament:

"Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I ate." To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." " ( Genesis 3:13,16, RSV)

Because of the sins of our first parents, the entire course of human history was drastically changed. Adam and Eve refused to believe God and be in subjection to God’s authority as their "head" but instead put themselves under the authority of Satan the devil by believing him instead of God. The result for women in general would be that they would have much pain in bearing children and also would be under the authority of men (their husbands) for the next several thousand years.

"Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man." ( 1Corinthians 11:4-7, NIV)

Now the chapter begins to speak more in spiritual terms. The covering is not a hat or a veil that one wears on the head, but an attitude that a person has toward the one who is in authority over them. As Paul mentions in verse 3, God the Father is in authority over Jesus Christ, who is the Son and the Word of Spokesman (Logos), and also was the God of the Old Testament. This verse also helps to solidify the fact that there are two beings in the Godhead. Again, this ruffles the feathers of both those who think that there is only one being in the Godhead and others who think that there are three beings in the Godhead (the false concept of the Trinity, which came from Satan).

If Jesus Christ is subject to God the Father, then man needs to be subject to Christ, just as Jesus told His disciples:

"You call me 'Master' and 'Lord,' and you do well to say it, for it is true." ( John 13:13, TLB)

Paul then goes on to speak about a woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered, which could mean two things: not being under the authority of man, and also, not having her head covered with hair of the proper length. He refers to this in verse 6 when he says that it would be a disgrace for a woman to cut her hair too short or shave it off. This type of action also expresses an attitude of rebellion on the part of a woman. Let us continue.

" For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head." ( 1Corinthians 11:8-10, NIV)

These verses will also make many women upset. Adam was created first out of the dust of the ground:

"Then God said, "Let us [two beings] make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." ( Genesis 1:26, RSV).

Then God saw that the man needed a helpmate and created Eve from one of his ribs:

"So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." ( Genesis 2:21-23, RSV)

Paul then mentions a strange thing in verse 10 of 1Corinthians 11. Let's take a look at that scripture again:

" For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head. "

What did he mean here? Simply stated, a woman should have long hair so that heavenly angels can differentiate between a man and a woman, just in case an angel has to quickly intervene to protect a woman ( Hebrews 1:14). This verse has also been open to many interpretations through the centuries.

Continuing in 1 Corinthians :

"In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?" ( 1Corinthians 11:11-13, NIV).

So, though men and women are equals in God’s eye, and joint heirs of eternal life ( 1 Peter 3:7), a woman is nevertheless to be subject to and under the authority (veiled, covered) of the man (husband). It will continue to be that way as long as there are human beings on this earth who are in the flesh.

Continuing:

"Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice nor do the churches of God." ( 1Corinthians 11:14-16, NIV)

So, as women should have long hair, according to what Paul is saying here, it is also a disgrace for a man to have long hair! Long hair on a man or short hair on a woman are both attitudes of rebellion against what God is saying here. And Paul concludes that the Churches of God (the only name for a church mentioned in the Bible) have no other practice.

In conclusion then, a woman should have long hair and be under the authority (veil, covering) of a man because of Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden, when she chose to believe Satan rather than God. But one day this curse will come to an end when all people, both male and female, are born into the family of God.

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