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THE WOMAN'S HEAD COVERING

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The passage in 1 Corinthians, chapter 11 concerning the head covering has long been debated by equally sincere Christians. The main issue being: Should a woman have her head covered with a veiling while she is praying (or prophesying) or is her hair given to her as a covering?

Among conservative Mennonite, Amish and other Anabaptist groups their stand is that a woman should wear a veiling or cloth covering in addition to long, uncut hair. This article will reveal to the serious Christian the truth of this matter and settle the issue from the Scriptures without a doubt about what God is telling us in His Word.

The groups mentioned above believe that women should wear a covering all the time, even when she is not praying. There are primarily two reasons they believe this---headship submission and because the Bible says we are to "pray without ceasing." Some Christian women even wear their coverings while taking a shower and while sleeping at night. They are very sincere and are to be commended for their desire to obey the Word of God as they see it, but as you will clearly see in this article, they are sincerely deceived. 

Although some of the more conservative groups of this persuasion wear what they call a "covering," it only covers the back half of their head. When viewed from the front, as in a photograph of about a dozen women in a Mennonite Bible school that this writer saw, only two or three "head coverings" could be seen. If I did not know for a fact that the other women had on a "covering," I would never have concluded that from looking at the photograph. Much of the hair is visible from the front and side, yet they claim that their heads are covered (when they pray). This is a mockery of what the Word of God teaches, even though their intentions may be honorable. Their one-half to two-thirds "covering" is in reality only a symbol or token of a physical covering.

Many of these Anabaptist groups are divided on the size and style of the covering, the color, whether the material should be opaque or transparent, whether or not it should have tie strings and if so should they be tied or hang loose, and if they are untied should they hang in the front or the back.

This sounds ridiculous, and indeed is, but Christian families and groups have been divided on everyone of these issues for generations. The sad thing about the whole issue is that they have missed the truth of the Scriptures on this, and Satan and his demons have had many a bellylaugh as they have sown discord among the brethren.

Concerning the idea that since we are to "pray without ceasing" women should have their heads covered with a veiling all the time, if this is true, then men should never wear hats, because it dishonors a man's head (who is Christ, v. 3) to pray with his head covered (v. 4). The head of man is Christ, but the head of woman is not Christ, it is man (v. 3).

There are some Christians, for example some conservative Holiness and Pentecostal groups, that believe a woman's hair is given to her as a covering and the women in these groups wear long hair. But they have only most of the truth about this passage of Scripture---there is another important point that God reveals to us in His Word.

The key to understanding this passage of Scripture in 1 Corinthians 11 concerning the head covering is this: Long hair is given to a woman for a covering (v.15) and it is a shame for a woman to have short hair (v.6); therefore, if a woman is not covered with her long hair, then she must put a veiling or covering over her head when praying or prophesying---otherwise she is not only in a shameful condition but she dishonors her head (husband or father).

So, here are the truths concerning the head covering:

First, the head of man is Christ and the head of woman is man, not Christ (v. 3). 

Second, it is a shame for a man to have long hair (v. 14).

Third, every man praying or prophesying with his head covered with a veiling or with long hair dishonors Christ, who is man's head (v. 4).

Fourth, every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered (having short hair or without a veiling if she has short hair) dishonors her head, that is, her husband or her father (v. 5).

Fifth, it is a shame for a woman to have short hair (v. 6).

Sixth, man is the glory of God, and woman is the glory of man, not God (v. 7).

Seventh, a woman should have long hair because it is symbolic of her husband or father or spiritual head having authority over her, and because of the angels (v. 10). 

Eighth, long hair is given to a woman for a covering (v. 15). The Greek word used in this verse is peribolaion and means "that which is thrown around; a covering." This word is used here and in Hebrews 1:12. In the NASB in 1 Corinthians 11:15 peribolaion is translated "covering," and in Hebrews 1:12 it is translated "mantle." This clearly shows that a woman's long hair is given to her as a covering, just as though it is a cloth covering. If a woman has long hair she is covered. If she has short hair, she is not covered, and should have a cloth covering (peribolaion) on her head when she prays or prophesies.

Concerning the Mennonite women mentioned above, all of those women have long hair (their hair is not cut from birth), so they are already covered according to God. Their long hair is a covering for when they pray and it is symbolic of their subordination to their husband or father.

Questions And Answers:

1. Didn't Jesus have long hair?

Contrary to modern artists' conceptions of Jesus' appearance, there is no reason to believe that He had long hair. Jesus is the Word, and His written Word says that it is a shame for a man to have long hair.

Drawings and sculptures of men during the time of Jesus' earthly ministry reveal that men did not generally have long hair. History records that, even among infidels if a man had long hair he was considered a homosexual or, at least, effeminate. God tells us in the Word, "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?" (1 Cor. 11:14).

2. What about Samson? Doesn't the Bible say that he had long hair? Samson had long hair because of a Nazarite vow that he took. It was a shameful, humiliating thing for anyone who took such a vow, which included much more than just wearing long hair. Men with long hair today, even those who claim to be Christians, are not growing long hair because of a Nazarite vow.

3. What about some of the pictures of great Christians such as John Wesley who sometimes wore a long wig?

There have been times when it was a worldly fad or trend for men to wear long hair. This can be seen in contemporary times with the advent of the "hippie" movement in the 1960's. This came about as a result of rebellious youth who were frustrated with parents (including mothers working away from home) who neglected and did not discipline their children and youth, hypocrisy of authority figures, and suchlike. Also, widespread television, satanic rock music, Hollywood, and the liberal press catered to and fed this rebellious spirit, with men wearing long hair (and women wearing shorter hair) being only one manifestation of the rebellion.

Concerning John Wesley and other Christian leaders of his time, England had for many years a trend of men having long hair or long wigs, including the British Parliament, judges, etc. This carried over to Revolutionary America and the early leaders of this nation which, incidentally, was born out of rebellion against the King of England.

Why Wesley and other Christians adopted the worldly style of their time is a mystery to this writer. However, our doctrines should not be based on what Christians in any era do, but rather on what does the Word of God teach. "Let God be true, but every man a liar," (Rm. 3:4). God says it is a shame for a man to have long hair.

4. Well, who can say what is long hair and what is short hair?

If you are willing to dismiss or try to negate these truths from God's Word with an argument like that, you are not sincere. Paul told the Gentile Christians in Corinth that if they wanted to be contentious about this, then Christians did not even have that practice in the other churches, (including the churches of Jewish converts in which they definitely held to the practice of women being covered with long hair, 1 Cor. 11:16).

Common sense would dictate that if there is any question about whether a man's hair is too long, then it is probably too long. Today, in the United States, with women wearing pants, when observed from behind while walking down the street, oftentimes it is impossible to determine whether the person is a man or a woman. Today, hair length does not distinguish a man from a woman. If a woman lets her hair grow out without cutting it, then doubtless it would then be considered long hair. If a man lets his hair cover his ears like the rebellious British rock group known as the "Beatles," then his hair is too long.

The generally conservative masses in the United States (even non-Christians) in the 1960's were in agreement that those performers had long hair for men. The issue with God concerns a masculinity-femininity dichotomy. God wants humans to be distinctively male or female in their appearance. It is an abomination to God for a woman to dress like a man and vice versa (Dt. 22:5).

A woman's long hair is given as a glory to her. It is a shame for a man to have long hair. One of the major contributing factors to rebellious youth is the lack of a dominant male figure in the home. In many cases the father and mother dress very much alike, hair length is about the same (in some cases the father has long hair and the mother has short hair), and the spirit of Antichrist is perverting the truths of God's Word.

Not too many years ago the term "tomboy" meant something. It defined a girl who acted like a boy, playing boys' games, climbing gym sets and trees, etc. Today, one rarely hears that term. Likewise, the saying "we know who wears the pants in the family," has very little meaning and is rarely heard in this perverse generation of the last days. Much more could be written about this, but that is not the purpose of this article.

There are some cultures in which women wear veilings over their heads (and some also cover their faces). This is because of their concept of modesty for women. It has nothing to do with the Christian teaching in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. There certainly is nothing wrong with women dressing this way for modesty's sake. And there should be a greater degree of modesty even among conservative Christians in this country. But the purpose of this article is to deal primarily with the head covering when praying and prophesying and what God has to say to us about it in the New Testament.

So, let us take a look at the pertinent verses in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 concerning the head covering:

"But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man [not Christ]; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered [with a veiling or with long hair], dishonoureth his head [Christ]. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered [with short hair or without a veiling if her hair is short] dishonoureth her head [husband or father]: for that is even all one as if she were shaven [if she does not have long hair she might as well be shaven]. For if the woman be not covered [with long hair], let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven [and it is], let her be covered [with a veiling if not with long hair]. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head [with a veiling or with long hair], forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man [not God]. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power [a symbol of subjection] on her head because of the angels [because the angels are in a hierarchy in subjection to God]....Judge in yourselves: is it comely [proper] that a woman pray unto God uncovered [without long hair or without a veiling if she has short hair]? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her [long] hair is given her for a covering" (1 Cor. 11:3-15).

In summary, it is a shame for a man to have long hair. Likewise, it is a shame for a woman to have short hair. A man praying or prophesying with long hair or with a covering on his head dishonors Christ. A woman's long hair is given to her as a covering. A woman praying or prophesying without long hair or a veiling on her head if she does not have long hair dishonors her husband, or her father if unmarried.

When a Christian man with long hair prays he violates the Word of God. When a Christian woman with short hair prays without a cloth covering she violates the Word of God.

 
In case you didn't notice, this lady's head is NOT covered.

There is nothing wrong with a woman wearing a head covering for modesty's sake or for weather protection or because she has short hair and wants to pray or prophesy. There is nothing wrong with a woman wearing a head covering for myriad other reasons, but there is something wrong with a woman claiming that her head is covered by wearing a cloth or doily or "cap" that only covers the back two-thirds or back half or back third of her head. A woman who does that is lying, or delusional, or making a mockery of God's Word.

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