Page 87 - Sarah's Children

13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with
head uncovered?
14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair,
it is a dishonor to him,
15 but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is
given to her for a covering.
16 But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice,
nor have the churches of God.

Again we see that Paul begins by declaring his topic. In verses 2 - 6 he states that he
is speaking of holding firmly to the traditions he has delivered to them, and the
particular tradition he addresses is regarding headship and the practice for women
to have their heads covered while praying or prophesying and men to have their
heads uncovered. Again, just as in the prior passage, he concludes by summarizing
his topic, “But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor
have the churches of God.” Paul begins and ends by saying that he is speaking of the
traditions or practices of the churches of God.

In between the introduction and conclusion of this topic we can see that Paul has
followed the same pattern as the previous passage. He gives weight to his exhortation
by giving examples from scripture and from nature. Paul states that man should not
cover his head because he is the image and glory of God, but woman should cover her
head because she is the glory of man. He further states that man does not originate
from woman, but woman from man and that woman was created for man, not man
for woman. These are scriptural arguments given to support the tradition he
delivered to the Corinthians that women were to have their heads covered while men
remained uncovered.

In verse 13 Paul switches to giving natural examples to support the practice he is
proclaiming. He identifies the next examples with the phrase “does not even nature
itself teach...” Compare this to the previous passage on ministerial support, “I am not
speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also
say these things?” It is Paul’s habit when leaving his main topic to give examples, to
lead into the examples with an introductory phrase; “does not even nature itself
teach”, “does not the Law also say these things.” It is plain that this is not Paul’s main
point, but merely arguments and examples given to add credence to his instructions.

What is the natural example he gives regarding the practice of headcovering?” He
gives the example of women having long hair and it being a glory to them, but men
having long hair being a shame to them. As we look at this passage, it is clear that
hair is not Paul’s topic. Hair is simply the natural example he employs that the
Corinthian women might more readily understand and accept the tradition of the