Page 88 - Sarah's Children

church that women should cover their head while praying or prophesying.

We are not to confuse Paul’s natural illustrations with the actual subject of his
discourse. In the passage from I Corinthians 9 on ministerial support, we would be
mistaken if we said Paul was really talking about oxen, farmers, or soldiers. In I
Corinthians 11 we would be mistaken if we were to say Paul was talking about hair.
Hair is merely mentioned as an example to support his teaching that women should
have a sign of authority on their heads to testify that they are content with Yahweh’s
governmental order.

Again, as we look at the pattern Paul uses, his main topic is proclaimed in the
opening verses. In chapter 9 he discloses that he is talking about a minister’s right
to obtain a living from the gospel. In chapter 11 he clearly is speaking of headship,
government, and the practice of covering the head. Note that in verses 2 - 6 of I
Corinthians 11 the word hair is never mentioned, for hair is not the topic. In every
occurrence the word Paul uses for head is kephale which is properly interpreted as
head. In fact this word is used all the way down to verse 14 where we finally have a
mention of hair which is the Greek word komao, which is defined as tresses of hair.

If Paul had meant to declare that the tradition of the churches of God was that
women wear long hair, he would have declared this in his topic statement. However,
this word is nowhere used until he gets to the portion of his discourse where he is
using natural examples to support his topic that women should have a covering on
their heads. So we see that hair is not Paul’s subject at all, for it is nowhere present
in the matter he lays out in his introduction. Wearing a covering on the head as a
symbol of recognition and submission to Yahweh’s governmental order is his topic.

Furthermore, it is not hair that Paul is declaring to be a sign to the angels, it is the
wearing of a covering on the head, a covering deliberately placed there to make a
statement of agreement with Yahweh’s governmental order.

How easy it would have been for Paul to begin this discourse by saying “Every man
who has long hair while praying or prophesying, dishonors his head. But every
woman who has short hair while praying or prophesying, dishonors her head.” But
he did not say this. He does not even mention hair until he gets to the end of his
discussion and he chooses to give a natural illustration to support the practice of the
church.

To discern Paul’s topic we must limit ourselves to that which he states when he
introduces his topic: “Every man who has something on his head while praying or
prophesying, dishonors his head. But every woman who has her head uncovered
while praying or prophesying, dishonors her head.”