Responsibility of Headship
The covering of the head is a powerful symbol of
subjection in the Scriptures. The headship authority of Almighty Yahweh is—or
is not—reflected in whether men or women wear coverings in worship. Should
women be covered when in worship today? Should men?
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The Bible teaches that Yahweh is invisible,
has always existed, and is the Head of the universe.
Eventually the laws given to Abraham will
be enforced throughout this entire world. Wars will cease and the full
potential of mankind will be realized as the benevolence of Yahweh is forced
upon this earth by the Son Who will rule with a rod of
iron.
The Bible reveals that mankind in general
will resist the rule of Yahweh and rebel against His government. Yahweh is
calling out a few down through history to be His chosen people.
To those who have voluntarily consecrated their
lives to Him, Yahweh has already revealed in His Bible the way of life He
expects of us. Even little things we dare not ignore, for Yahweh is very
precise in His expectations of His people. This is especially true of the more
obvious and visible doctrines thought to be of no significance by worldly
religions.
Not a New Rule
One of Yahweh’s commands often considered
to be insignificant is found in chapter 11 of 1Corinthians, dealing with headcoverings. This periscope demands a careful examination
and will explain Yahweh’s perception of His creation.
It might be assumed that this chapter
establishes a new set of rules that supersede Old Testament Commandments.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Paul summarizes what is already found in the Old Testament.
Keep in mind as we examine the message of
Paul to the Corinthian Assembly that they lacked the Israelite background. It
was a Gentile Assembly. The people were unfamiliar with customs rooted in the
Old Testament, but were converts from Hellenistic society. The people retained
much of the cosmopolitan Greek culture from which they came.
Ignorance and lack of familiarity is the
reason for the misunderstanding regarding whether women should have their heads
covered for worship and prayer. This is what Paul deals with in this chapter.
To the Corinthian Assembly consisting of
Gentiles newly converted from paganism, Paul writes:
But
giving you this charge, I praise you not, that you come together not for the
better but for the worse; For first of all, when you come together in the
Assembly, I hear that divisions exist among you; and I partly believe it, for
there must also be factions among you, that they that are approved may be made
manifest among you," 1Corinthians 11:17-18 TSS.
The charge Paul had given the Corinthian
Assembly was important enough to bring to their attention and explain the
rationale behind Yahweh’s command.
Let us learn from Paul as we study his
comments in 1Corinthians 11. We will see that the points he makes are
originally found in the Old Testament and are not a "new" or
"Pauline" doctrine.
Paul lays the groundwork for his admonition
in the first verse.
"Be
imitators of me, even as I also am of the Messiah. Now I praise you that you
remember me in all things, and hold fast the traditions, even as I delivered
them to you. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is the
Messiah; and the head of woman is the man; and the head of the Messiah is
Yahweh," verses 1-3 TSS.
The basic thrust of Paul’s writings deals
with the sovereignty of Yahweh and the extension of His jurisdiction to this
earth. This leadership authority affects each of Yahweh’s people, but each one
in a different way. Yahweh is guiding His family into a closer relationship
with Him, and here divulges His plan for both male and female. It deals with
headship.
In the initial verses of chapter 11 Paul
urges us to follow Him even as he follow Messiah. Our
Savior is the Head of every man, we read in verse 3.
Yahweh the Supreme Head
Sovereignty begins with Yahweh, our
Heavenly Father. He is the Head of His spiritual family. He is invisible and
has never been seen by human eyes. Yahweh has placed His Son immediately under
Him in authority.
He has also given to His Son the
responsibility of all judgement, John 5:22. Yahshua’s judging is exactly as the
Father wants, John 8:16. Yahshua is completely subservient to the Father in all
things. Yahshua joyfully continues to do His part in fulfilling the mission
given Him.
The human family also has its own order and
position. The male has been given the responsibility to lead and guide the
family. Just as the Savior is placed under the leadership of the Father, so the
woman is placed under her husband’s leadership. The woman was created to be a
helpmeet and give balance to the man through her femininity. Man is to be
strong; to be the leader of the family and the protector of his wife who is the
weaker vessel, 1Peter 3:7.
In creating the family unit, Yahweh has
brought together two different human beings having individual goals and needs.
The wife and husband are to complement each other in this delicate family
arrangement. Each is given a special role to fill, and each will find joy and
fulfillment when both adhere to the expectations Yahweh has set for them.
Male Headcovering Improper
The Bible has given us symbolic
representations to show our willing conformity to His precepts and to remind us
that He Himself is the top authority in all things. His Son Yahshua is directly
under Him. On earth, man has the supreme authority over the family with the
wife his helpmeet under him.
We are reminded that Adam (man) was created
first. Woman was taken out of man’s side, not from his head
to dominate, nor from his feet to be trodden down. The woman is from
Adam’s side to be a helping partner, Genesis 2:21-23.
Paul shows that adherence to Yahweh’s
authority is carried out by what is worn on the head during worship and prayer.
Notice Paul’s words:
"Every man who prays or prophesies with his
head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with
her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were
shaved. If a woman does not cover her head she should have her hair cut off;
and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she
should cover her head," 1Corinthians 11:4-6 NIV.
Paul clearly states the woman should cover
her head when worshiping. She should have a covering or veil on her head. He
does not say her long hair is a covering and is all that is needed. In fact,
she is to cover her hair. If she does not cover her hair, then she should shave
off her hair.
Of course Paul knows in having her head
shaved the woman faces dishonor and disgrace. In the 1940’s it was a common
sight in
Pagan Greek and the Yarmulke
Perhaps some of the congregation had begun
following the Jewish tradition of the Greeks in wearing a beanie-type headcovering known as a "kepha"
or "yarmulke." Jewish authorities admit there is no Bible basis
allowing men to wear a head covering as is done today. Wearing a hat came from
the Greek sports custom according to 2Maccabees 4:10-13, Smith-Goodspeed.
The Greek sign of an educated man was
wearing of the hat of Hermes as was done by the philosophers. This yarmulke is
still visible under the tasseled mortarboard worn by the graduating classes
from education institutions. The custom of men wearing a yarmulke did not come
from the Bible, but was adopted from pagan Greek philosophers and assimilated
by Jews.
When a man covered his head in the Old
Testament it was to indicate deep sorrow, such as with David in 2Samuel 15:30,
who covered his head and went barefoot. Other examples are 2Samuel 19:4 and
Esther 6:12. Had it been the custom of men to wear a headcovering,
these Scriptures would not have had to make special mention of their covering
their heads.
Only High Priests Covered
Aaron’s sons did indeed wear a bonnet (cap)
according to Exodus 28:40-41 (also verse 4) when they functioned as priests,
Leviticus 10:6. The average Israelite did not have his head covered either in
the synagogue or
Paul goes on to explain, "A man ought not to cover his head since he
is the image and glory of Yahweh, but the woman is the glory of man, for man
did not come from the woman, but woman from man, " 1Corinthians
11:7-8. Man is to reflect the glory of Yahweh, and the woman is to reflect the
glory of man. Man was first created in the image of Yahweh, and from his side
was taken woman who was made for the sake of the man (paraphrasing verse 9).
Pattern from the Heavens
On earth the woman is positioned next to
the man in the same fashion as is Yahshua our High Priest who is subservient to
Yahweh in the heavens. Therefore, the man does not cover his head, but the
woman, who mirrors the man, does wear a covering on her head out of respect for
the position that Yahweh has given her on earth. She is not to overshadow or
overpower the man. Therefore she covers her glory (her hair).
"For this cause ought the woman to have power [SEC] No. 1849, exousia] on her head because of the angels,"
verse 10. Exousia is from No. 1832 (in the sense of ability) meaning power or authority. The veil
is that authority that propriety required a woman employ to cover herself. This likely implies that angelic throngs are always
witnesses of earthly events and by having her head covered, the woman is noted for her respect for Yahweh and those who are preaching His
Word. Eastern cultures demanded that woman veil themselves as a token of their
being under the authority, protection, and power of their husbands.
Long Hair to Be Covered
From what we have read thus far, does
1Corinthians 11:13-16 summarize Paul’s discussion here about leadership saying
that a woman’s hair is given to her for a covering and she needs nothing else?
If Paul went through all this just to prove that a man should be bare headed
and that a woman’s long hair shows that she need not cover her head, he wasted
many words. Notice:
"Judge
for yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to Yahweh with her head
uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long
hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her
glory? For long hair is given her as a covering. If anyone wants to be
contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the Assemblies of
Yahweh," 1Corinthians 11:13-16 NIV.
A man is not to have flowing locks or long
hair because it is disgraceful to him. But a woman’s flowing locks are a glory
to her. Paul does not mean that a woman’s hair is the only covering she needs.
He is making the point that we should follow nature. Man has short hair,
indicating no veil or covering. Woman has long hair, a veil is needed.
Paul points out that long hair is a woman’s
glory. "But if a woman have long
hair, it is a glory to her: for [her] hair is given her for a covering" (1 Cor. 11:15). Her hair gives her a special glory (SEC No. 1391 "doxa"
meaning "glory as very apparent") and is translated as dignity,
glory, glorious, honor, praise, and worship.
A woman’s hair is a glory to her and is
given her as a covering (Greek peribolaion) or mantle (as something thrown around as a
wrapping) of dignity, glory, honor, praise and worship. Her appearance is
altogether lovely because her long hair enhances her dignity in a glorious way,
says Paul. She should wear a veil to cover and subdue her glory (her hair) so
that she does not out "glory" her husband!
Understanding the Greek
Because of the confusion caused in
translating the Greek text, it is difficult to determine what is exactly meant.
Let us examine the exact words in the underlying Greek text.
The word uncovered in verse 5 is akatakaluptos in
the Greek; the prefix "a" means "not," as the "a"
in our "amoral" means not moral and akatakalupto means not covered. But the word covered appears twice in verse 6
and is from the Greek katakalupto,
meaning to cover up. The Greek root in no way means to have long hair but
defines a covering over the hair in verse 5, 6, and 7.
In verse 15 covering is from the Greek peribolaion. It
means a mantle, vesture, something thrown around one like a mantle or veil. Peribolaion appears only one more time, in Hebrews 1:12, where it appears as an outer
covering. The sense is that a woman’s hair frames (peribolaion—is placed around) her
face much like a frame enhances a picture.
Old Testament Examples
It was the custom of the women of the Bible
to cover their heads with a veil. An example can be found in Numbers 5:12-31
where the husband uncovers the head of his wife whom he suspects is unfaithful.
As long as her head was covered she was considered faithful. Women in the
Assembly should wear a head covering to show that they are in subjection to
Yahweh’s Word, the Logos, the Messiah and willingly conform to Paul’s picture
of True Worship.
Other examples of women having their heads
covered are Genesis 24:65, Rebekah; Songs of Solomon
5:7 (a type of Yahshua the king and the Shulamite virgin representing the Assembly).
Paul ends his exhortation saying that in
the assembly the men are to be bareheaded and the women are to wear a covering
over their glory, which is their long hair:
"But
if anyone is contentious [anxious] to dispute the matter—Moffatt],
we have no such custom [I for my part have recognize no other practice in
worship than this—Goodspeed], neither the assemblies
of Yahweh," 1Corinthians 11:16.
While some may want to dispute the
conclusion given above, Paul does not dispute the issue. Clearly, women are to
cover their heads in the assembly. Ladies should have their heads covered with
a veil or a hat out of respect for Yahweh, respect for Yahshua, and respect for
the brothers and sisters gathered to worship Yahweh.
© 2007 Yahweh’s Assembly in Yahshua
2963 County Road 233, Kingdom City, Missouri 65262
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