Page 34 - SABBATH

Headcovering, a Sign to the Angels

nowing that the first Sabbath violation occurred in heaven among the angels, we should
Knot be surprised to find there are more scriptural passages that relate to this original sin
among them. One of the most enlightening and least understood scriptures is found in
Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians. It is in his discourse concerning the issue of
headcovering.

I Corinthians 11:10
Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of
the angels.

Why does Paul instruct the Corinthian believers that it is the custom of the church for
the women to have a covering on their heads, and what specifically does he mean when he
says “because of the angels”? To find out we must look at this issue of headcovering and see
what it symbolizes. The passage in which we find these words begins in this way:

I Corinthians 11:2-3
Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and hold firmly to the
traditions, just as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that Christ
is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head
of Christ.

The apostle Paul commends the Corinthian believers for holding to the traditions that
he delivered to them as being the traditions of the churches of God. The word rendered as
tradition here is also properly interpreted as precept and ordinance. It refers to the
doctrines and practices of the church. As an apostle, Paul was instrumental in establishing
the church in Corinth. In this foundational role, he delivered to them the basic doctrines
and practices of the church as revealed by the Holy Spirit and proclaimed by the apostles.
At the end of this passage on headcovering, Paul concludes this matter by stating:

I Corinthians 11:16
But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the
churches of God.

Throughout his discourse on headcovering, which covers 15 verses, Paul is speaking
of that which is the teaching and practice of all of the churches of God. He begins by
commending the Corinthians for adhering to these traditions that he delivered to them, and
he concludes by rebuking anyone who would be contentious and disagree with these
traditions. He states, “we (referring to the apostles) have no other practice, nor do the
churches of God.” The custom of the church is to practice headcovering as Paul describes
it in this passage. There is no other custom. No other practice is taught or accepted.
Paul establishes in these words that headcovering is not a Corinthian matter. It is the
practice of all of the churches of God. He concludes that it is not proper or acceptable to
have any practice other than that which has been delivered to them and described to be the
practice of the churches. This is a universal matter. It is something that includes the whole