1 Corinthians 11:8-16

Custom or Command ~ part 2

Open your Bible to…

1Cor. 11:16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

The NLT renders it…

1Cor. 11:16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, all I can say is that we have no other custom than this, and all the churches of God feel the same way about it.

Pray

Intro

√ Custom or command?

As I mentioned last week this section of scripture is both interesting and controversial!

The controversy revolves around the question of Paul’s intent.

Did he mean…

To establish a new commandment, a law, by which Christians are to conduct themselves throughout the Church Age?

Or was he simply providing Godly wisdom to his friends at Corinth who were struggling with how to balance their freedom in Christ with the customs of the culture?

The answer is important!

Because, if Paul was in fact giving Christians a commandment then we certainly want to heed it.

On the other hand, if he is simply giving Godly counsel the Corinthians regarding how to balance their freedom in Christ with the cultural customs of day then we want to know that so that we don’t let anyone foist a legalistic dogma on us!

We’ll pick up where we left off last week and look at the 2^nd and 3^rd reasons that Paul gives the gals at Corinth for continuing to honor the customs of their day.

Creation (vs. 8-12)

1Cor. 11:8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man.

1Cor. 11:9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.

1Cor. 11:10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

1Cor. 11:11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.

1Cor. 11:12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.

√ Creation

Paul’s second argument for why the gals at Corinth should continue covering their heads in public worship was to point out that God made a divine order within His Creation.

That is, Paul reminds us that Man was created first (Gen. 2 & 1 Tim. 2:13), and that Woman was created from Man, and for Man…

…therefore Paul argues, man was ordained by God to a place of spiritual leadership in the home, community and church.

That divine order was recognized by both the pagan Greeks and God-fearing Jews in the 1^st Century.

The head covering was a socially recognized symbol of that relationship between men and woman.

As Paul writes in vs. 10…

“For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head…”

While the gals in the church at Corinth may have been correct that their freedom in Christ liberated them from the bondage of manmade symbols…

…nonetheless the symbols were important and to disregard them was to bring discredit to Gospel message.

Ex. Wedding bands

A wedding ring is not Biblical, nor is a God ordained law that married couples have to exchange rings for God to recognize their commitment to one another.

Rather, the rings are a cultural symbol of that commitment.

It took me a while to get used to wearing a ring as I’ve never been much for jewelry.

However, I learned to wear a ring because it communicates to everyone around me that I’m a married man and that’s an important truth in my life and to my wife.

The point is that symbols are important and even though we’re free in Christ of the traditions and manmade symbols of society none the less there are times when it is appropriate to honor those traditions so as not to undermine the work of the Kingdom.

Ex. Taking your hat off when the Star Spangled Banner plays

√ Order and equality

But, please understand that order doesn’t imply inferiority as Paul makes clear in vs. 11-12…

“Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.”

Rather there is a partnership as well as headship in God’s creation…

Men and woman are one in Christ (Gal. 3:28).

One cannot do without the other.

And, as Paul points out in vs. 12 though the first woman was created from man all subsequent men have come from woman!

So, men and woman are equal before God!

Never the less God has established an order as seen in the Creation of humans.

Therefore, in view of the customs of the day where a shawl worn by a woman symbolized her submission to the authority of her husband…

…the Christian woman at Corinth ought to do the same so as not to discredit or disgrace the Gospel message.

√ Because of the Angels

I’ll bet the end of vs. 10 caught your attention!

“For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.”

There are all sorts of opinions and interpretations of this verse, some of them are pretty wild!

For example; some have suggested that the holy angels might be so attracted to the beauty of human woman that they would be tempted to lust after them!

Therefore, it is suggested that woman should cover their heads so as not to distract the angels.

Kind of comical really because the logic is so flawed! Those same angels who would supposedly tempted by a woman with an uncovered head would also see those same woman with nothing on at all in their homes!

I’m thinking if angels are tempted by a woman without a shawl then they would really be pushed over the edge watching a woman bathing!

The reality is that it is very likely that angels are not sexual beings as indicated by Jesus in Matt. 22:30 and therefore would have no sexual attraction to human beings.

Here’s what I think is the more reasonable interpretation…

The context of these verses is Creation.

Angels are part of God’s Creation.

Paul’s point is that just as woman was created for man, so the angels were created for God.

When Angels worship they demonstrate their submission and reverence to God by covering their faces and their feet! (ref. Isaiah 6:2).

Therefore, it would be appropriate for the gals at Corinth to show the same reverence toward God by covering their heads when worshipping.

√ Angels among us

Paul’s comments about angels also imply that the holy angels participate in, and learn from our public worship services!

That there are literally angels among us ~ not just in the outfield ~ but here this morning in our worship service!

1 Peter 1:12…

“To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”

Eph. 3:10

“to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places”

So, because the holy angels know their place in God’s creation and show respect for God when they worship, and in view of the fact that they are watching how we respond to the Grace of God in our worship…

…ought not the Corinthian ladies also show some respect for God in the way they worship?

Ap. Worship is a serious thing!

Please don’t ever make the mistake of thinking that the worship part of our service is just the “warm up” to the main event, or that it is for your entertainment!

Worship is primarily for God!

Teaching is primarily for us.

God…

Enjoys our worship

Deserves our worship

We were created to worship Him

So, we ought to worship God and show respect for Him by being here when the worship starts and participating in it.

Don’t visit with your friends, or clip your toenails, or stuff your iPod ear buds into your ears.

Participate in the worship service by singing to God and making the lyrics your prayer, praise and worship to God.

Remember, there are angels present here so let’s worship as if we were in heaven because one day we will be and we’ll be able to see the angels as we worship together before God’s throne!

Nature (vs. 13-16)

1Cor. 11:13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

1Cor. 11:14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?

1Cor. 11:15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.

1Cor. 11:16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

√ Nature

In Paul’s final argument for a head covering he calls the Corinthians to consider nature where we observe that God created a natural distinction between male and female.

That is, generally speaking it is true that woman naturally have longer hair than men.

Not that men can’t grow long hair, but as a general observation of the natural order of things woman have longer hair than men.

For example, from 7^th to 12 grade I didn’t cut my hair, yet I could never get to grow past my shoulders.

Paul’s point is that God created a distinction between men and woman that is manifest in the physical differences seen in nature.

Their anatomy is different, their emotional make up and responses are different, and in general their hair is very different.

So, with regard to the issue of head coverings for woman, Paul calls his friends at Corinth to look at nature and observe the natural difference between woman and men…

…and to make sure that they aren’t blurring the gender lines by tossing aside the social customs of the day.

Ex. Transgender look

Remember that the society of 1^st Century Corinth was heavily influenced by the gross immorality of the Temple of Aphrodite.

The temple prostitutes did their best to blur the gender lines because sexual perversity was in vogue in the Roman Empire at that time.

At the time of Paul’s writing the Emperor himself was set to marry one of his male slaves, Sporus, whom he had castrated, dressed as a woman, and renamed “Sabina” after the wife he had recently killed!

Unfortunately some of the Christians at Corinth took their cues from what was fashionable in the culture and threw aside the traditional dress that clearly defined the sexes.

Ap. Don’t blur the gender line

Our society and much of Western culture has fallen prey to the same spirit that infected 1^st Century Corinth.

Rather than recognizing the clear gender distinctions that God created…

…the world system is trying to dismantle those distinctions by promoting a transgender class of people

You see it manifest in the fashion styles that promote a…

Boys and men wearing woman’s pants and make up.

Girls and woman with crew cuts and wearing men’s clothing.

The poor kid at Target!

Here’s the deal, God really isn’t concerned about whether or not men wear skirts and woman wear pants…

There are no Biblical laws that dictate what is and what is not gender appropriate clothing, only that they are distinct.

In fact pants weren’t invented until the 18^th Century!

There’s nothing feminine about a Scotsman in a kilt tossing a caber at you!

Or a Roman Legionaries tunic!

Rather, the issue that Paul is addressing and for which there is a Biblical law is that we are not to blur the gender line…

“A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the LORD your God.” ~ Deut. 22:5

The Corinthians and their modern counterparts might loudly protest…

“But all things are lawful for me”

To which Paul would again reply…

“But all things are not beneficial”

So, in view of the fact that God created two different genders and that we see that truth in nature…

…let’s be careful not to blur the gender lines by adopting fashions that would cause people to be confused about our gender.

√ How long is long?

Once more we need to take a look at the context of Paul’s instructions.

There are those who take this scripture as a total prohibition against men having long hair…

…and of woman cutting their hair short.

The question is…

“How long is long?

The point is that “long” and “short” are very subjective. Notice that Paul doesn’t write…

“Ladies, don’t cut your hair shorter than waist length”

Nor does he write…

“Guys, keep your hair cut close to the scalp and your neck shaved.”

In fact, look throughout the Bible and you’ll discover that God doesn’t give one verse to define how long a woman’s hair should be…

…or how short a man’s hair should be!

If the length of our hair was that important to God you’d think there would be some verses in the Bible with that information!

Further more a look at the Greek culture of the 1^st Century and you’ll discover that the “short” hairstyle worn by the Greek men was shoulder length!

So what we might call “long” was considered “short” by the people to whom Paul was writing.

The point here is that Paul’s instructions were meant to emphasize that their should be a discernable difference between men and woman!

Remember the context!

Paul’s writing to Christians in Corinth where the faddish style of the pagan people was a unisex, or transgender look.

To that end Pau’s advise is that the believers in Corinth should make sure that they weren’t blurring the gender lines that God created…

…which are revealed in part by the natural way in which hair grows on men and woman.

√ Is long hair sinful?

Once again I’d suggest that we can’t take this one section of scripture out of context with the rest of the Bible.

For example, look at the Old Testament Law and you’ll find a special ordinance for men who desired to set themselves apart for service unto God.

It is called the Vow of the Nazarite (ref. Numbers 6 & Judges 13).

Part of the vow taken was that the man was not to cut his hair.

In fact God told Sampson’s parents that they were never to cut his hair!

The point is that it can’t be sinful for a man to have long hair else God would never have ordained a law that would require a man to grow out his hair!

Close

√ Custom or command?

So, in conclusion I would suggest that the proper interpretation of this section of scripture is that Paul is addressing a specific issue of conflict at the church in Corinth.

That he was simply providing Godly wisdom to his friends who were struggling with how to balance their freedom in Christ with the customs of the culture.

That he in no way meant to enact a new law for Christian people in every culture and in every age because…

Not one of the 613 laws in the Old Testament require a woman to cover her head.

Neither Jesus nor the other apostles even speak on the subject of head coverings.

Nor are there any other verses in all of Scripture that define what is appropriate for the length of one’s hair.

And, Paul concluded his comments by writing…

“But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.” ~ vs. 16

That is, don’t fight over the issue but rather be sensitive to the culture in which you’re called to minister.