Head Coverings: History, Context, and Exegesis — Carlton C. McLeod

Text today is first corinthians chapter 11, and we're going to start at verse 2. We're going to run all the way through verse. All the way down through verse 16 for those who visiting with us. Thank you for being here today.

We appreciate you didn't we have a good time at our anniversary last week. I mean if we had a wonderful time and somehow we got the whole church in here. I don't know how we did that but we did that and so God is merciful and.

And we had a good time, and we ate hot dogs and everything went well, so thank you all for serving. I'm still trying to get over submission. But we will keep keep praying about that if you missed it last week.

The Question of Head Coverings in Worship

Then you have to ask somebody today. We want to talk about head coverings. Somebody say head coverings. That is our scripture that is our text and yeah I was kind of messing with y 'all because I wanted you to see How crazy it looked for me to step up here with a hat on my head.

And so as you'll as you'll probably notice as we go through the passage of scripture There is there is a section of this text that we agree with in a section that we apparently don't. And so as a matter of fact I recall being a Hampton University.

I was joking around with the pastors this week. They cared about two things if you were a man at Hampton University cared about two things number one pay your tuition on time and To take that hat off your head.

I remember that very very clearly so anyway We're going to a first Corinthians now chapter 11. Verse number 2 the Apostle Paul to the saints at Corinth. And as he notes in chapter 1 and to the saints of God everywhere now I commend you because you remember me in everything and Maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you, but I want you to understand.

I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ. The head of a wife is her husband and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head but every wife.

Some translations say woman there who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head. Since it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a wife will not cover her head. Then she should cut her hair short.

But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head. Let her cover her head. Normally by now y 'all have started to say amen to the scripture. Yeah, yeah, then I know okay here.

We go verse 7 for a man ought not to cover his head. Since he is the image and glory of God. But woman is the glory of man. For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless in the Lord. Woman is not independent of man nor man of woman or as woman was made from man. So man is now born of woman and all things are from God.

Judge for yourselves. Is It proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered. Does not nature itself. Teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him. But if a woman has long hair it is her glory.

For her hair is given to her for a covering if Anyone is inclined to be contentious. We have no such practice. Nor do the churches of God. Wow yeah, that's a good time look at your neighbor say my my my.

That's a good time for a my my my father. Thank you for the reading of Holy Scripture this morning. Lord help in Jesus name. Amen as you sit down just give somebody have I say help Lord help. Help Lord just really really need help.

Just help all around my mind. Have you ever wondered though? Have you ever wondered? Why we tell men to take their hats off inside? Okay, we grew up like this right most of you grew up. And how many by show of hands how many men have ever had either a man or a woman or your grandmama or somebody to?

Say boy take your hat off man. Will you please remove your hat okay? So this is pretty calm so we so we got this part if you ever wondered where that came from it came from here. It came from the Word of God that that tradition if you will that that thing of men removing your hats.

Why I wanted to come up because it looks ridiculous in a church sanctuary looks ridiculous for a man to have his hat. I have a hat on his head. We were joking around this week. This was a collaborative effort.

We were working so hard as an elder team to try to figure this out. And so as we were joking around this week pastor Rodney Wilson said he wanted to start a male in is a movement as opposed to feminism.

So he was walking around talking about power to the people men put your hats on. That didn't work out too. Good so pray for pastor Wilson. But I will say as we start and I got to move somewhat quickly because there's a lot in here that I but I want to Try to cover it in one message if I can to get it on record in one message.

But as I want to just say that initially going into this I was very biased to this. You know have anybody any of you admit to? Reading a passage of scripture knowing that you have some of your own presuppositions going in so I knew going in that I didn't like This I didn't want to hear this.

I really didn't want to deal with this. I was looking away looking for a way to skip over this and about the last thing I wanted to do is to apply our normal exegetical hermeneutical patterns to this passage of scripture.

Reading the Passage in Its Original Context

But over the last several months I was literally studying this for months to try to get prepared for this this morning and over the last Several months I you know by the grace of God. I forced myself to just look at the text honestly.

So what I want to do for you today is look at the text honestly somebody say honestly I need you for a moment to kind of drop all the you know 21st century biases to see exactly what The original hearers heard and from there we can figure out what it means for us.

And so let's just start out by a few things. That's very clear from the passage that we don't really have to spend a whole lot of time with first of all. It's very clear from the passage, and we can get it right out of the way that it is not a sin somebody say not a sin.

Not a sin for a woman to wear a head covering either in worship or in public not a sin whatsoever. It's very clear from the passage that Paul was talking about an actual head covering. We'll cover that when we get to the exegesis, but that is not a sin at all the question.

Is not whether it's a sin to wear one. The question on everybody's mind here today is it is it is is it a sin? To not wear one and we'll try to work our way to some conclusions as we close second. Let me tell you how I'm attempting to approach these very controversial passages.

Like I always do or like we always do that was the challenge the challenge was to just do. What we always do that was so hard here for cultural reasons. I think Who wrote it Paul right who did he write it to the church at Corinth and by extension everyone who would read the epistle.

You know in other words. What does it mean? What did it mean to its original hearers therefore? What does it mean for us now? What is the context? What does the passage mean for us? What is God saying to his to his church and so the same?

Questions that we ask every time we approach a passage of scripture that deals with marriage or money or Deciphering our children or whatever is the same way we were trying to deal with this. Are you with me so far?

The Historical Practice of Head Coverings

Okay, third. Let's also lay this out. This is not debatable, and if you want to debate it You know okay cool, but it just from what I've learned. This is real easy from the time of the Apostles. Until approximately the mid 20th century that is your grandmother's heyday.

Okay for most of you Christian women covered their heads in worship and many times in public as well. Look at these quotes. We'll look at them in other words. This was not considered a cultural thing all the way up in the 1950s and 60s.

Are you with me? Okay, this did not at all matter of fact. I went to the the batters box on this one. I went to the pinch hit on this one. I call my mama. So look at your neighbor say sometimes you got to call your mama.

My mother's we 70 this year. I call my mama. I said mom tell me about grandma and great-grandma my mom said oh. This is oh yeah, you didn't go to church without something on your head if you was a woman.

Grandma's we will get a whipping for trying to go in church. That's someone I hate. We put something on our head grandmama taught us that and mama taught us that and I said mom when did you start to see?

That fade she said somewhere as I was coming up in about 20 25. Maybe 30 years ago I started to see it fade. And we will wear hats to shift the hats and we will wear hats and then then the hats really became not about a covering.

But about a fashion show. And I can't get no help now. It was about how we look as opposed to the meaning behind the thing and I said and now what do you say? Mama said now we don't really see anything.

And so I just want you know this is really not into from a time a time perspective. The entire history of the church saw this scripture as not controversial at all, but very clear and very simple. It's us.

Who don't see it like that? Okay, so for example. Here's a here's a quote the oral and this you can find this online. You can find this in a book I put the author here and these quotes are are easily cooperates matter of fact.

I even have some pictures to show you today the oral and written history. Handed down to us from the early church is an example of these matters. We can look to the practical way they obeyed this command in the 2nd century.

Hippolytus of Rome wrote the apostolic tradition. I quoted that recently when we ordained deacons if you recall a collection of customs from the early church. It includes the statement let all the women have their heads covered.

Furthermore the catacombs the system of burial caverns under Rome where early Christians hid during times of persecution are full of pictures of women praying with coverings and men without. Not only was it an apostolic teaching but various early church fathers such as Augustine of Hippo st. John Christendom Tertullian and others taught and encouraged it.

John Calvin and Matthew Henry Both taught in practice tradition of head coverings and the Protestant reformer Martin Luther's wife war one John Wesley taught it as well. And then another quote. During the 19th century many Christians in the United States and Western Europe began arguing that long hair Constituted the only covering a woman needed.

Others said that Women only needed to wear a covering when in church the middle class and wealthy women switched from veils and and caps to ornate bonnets. If they wore a covering at all Bonnets became more a matter of fashion than modesty or obedience first Corinthians 11.

By the turn of the 20th century the ornate bonnets of The 19th century had given away to hats or ladies hats. Until the mid century women in Europe and America typically wore a hat or scarf in public.

But were simply following tradition and fashion without realizing that there was originally a spiritual reason behind the practice. Similarly until about 1960 Western women wore hats went in church but the meaning behind the hat was Lost.

How many y 'all grew up when women wore hats in church? I mean y 'all can remember your grandmama's wearing hats or something a little door. How many I remember doily's? Okay, okay. Let's show some pictures.

I just want you to see that this was something that the church although controversial now was not controversial then. This is the catacombs literally 200s ad when Christians were under persecution these these pictures were actually on the walls of Some of the catacombs in the room when Christians were being martyred and for their faith.

You can just roll this roll through it, but these are all ladies with their head covers. 300 300. Switching now to the Middle Ages 1200 and 1300 not that fast good gracious. Back up a little back up a couple back up a couple.

Okay. All right. All right there. 80 or 800 England and 1100s in Europe some some sketchings and drawings next next. 1400s 1400s Germany. 1400s Europe also in Italy. It's hard to see that one. Wow. Okay hard to see that one over there.

Who's doing the slides? Is that Thelma? That's got to be Thelma. Okay. Next please. Now into the Reformation era era where many of us have a lot of vested interest obviously 1500s in Europe. Women prayed with their heads covered also in Germany.

You saw it across denominations. Lutheran Church services there with ladies with their heads covered. You can see there were different types different styles. England. You can see I was obviously a more wealthy lady there the Anabaptists wore coverings next.

Whether it was Belgium or France coverings next. Again the Netherlands as well next. Moving into again the Reformation era a little further along the lines keep going. 1600s Europe. Netherlands again women wore head coverings next.

France. She's looking kind of scared. I don't know what's going on with her. Somebody's coming. Okay, bless God lady 1620 New England next. Oh my goodness. Okay again France and the Anabaptists. England next.

Moving a little further again if it was culture it went on for a long time. 1800s. There's getting a little snooty then getting a little snooty then but heads were covered next. Depending on your stature, of course in your economic condition into the United States next.

I mean, this is well, this was without doubt. I mean, I'm just running through it because you all of you took a history class, you know this next. But whether it was France or England. United States. England.

Into the 20th century. 1900 1920. Across races or ethnicities across it all 29 into the 40s. Whether it was Lutheran or Episcopalian whether it was Catholic or Presbyterian. I don't even know who they are the Hutterites.

I don't know nothing about them, but they the little girls got they cute though. Bless God. Okay. Whether you know an Episcopal Church, I think that's that's last one. Okay. You know some of us that came out of the Black Baptist tradition or even again Catholic traditions.

Whether you're a Congregationalist, so whether you're extremely extremely conservative in your in your polity all the way over to Catholicism. Where of course, you know, what none puts a covering on her head.

I think that's the yeah, there we go. Okay, so this was this was this was without question for the whole history of the church. All right, only now is it controversial within the last generation or so?

So from Paul's time to the earliest church meetings. Until very very recently the passage that I've called controversial because it is in our day. Wasn't so at all other than maybe the bit about angels which we'll talk about.

It was obvious and easy to understand for the for every Christian in every denomination for every culture and every ethnicity. Women and wives covered their heads at least in worship because God said so.

Are you with me? It is no longer that easy and that Enhance my nerves this morning to try to take a passage honestly that most people literally can't stand. So or a lot of ladies can't stand. I should say my wife asked me this morning.

How you feel? I said nervous. You said you scared of them women. I said, yeah. It's no longer so easy. Literally churches have split and much damage has been done right here in first Corinthians 11 hints my trepidation Over and and weighs it over over a little bit of fabric on the head or more importantly and more to the point what it Symbolizes.

Head Coverings as a Second-Tier Doctrine

Here's our hermeneutical questions, and I think I'm gonna join you now in the notes now. So if you can look to your notes, there's a section in here. I believe we put it in there. Head coverings to be sure is a second tier doctrine.

It is not it is not Rise to the level of something that heaven or hell hinges upon. It doesn't rise to the importance of the triune nature of God or the deity of Christ or the gospel for that matter. But friends it is part of the canon of Scripture and is no less inspired By God than any other part of Scripture.

The question for us and I think this is your first filling or one of the first. The question for us really is one of what to do with the culture. That's the question today what to do with the culture.

Are we simply dealing with a Symbol ie head coverings that has lost its Significance today. So another symbol like a wedding ring or even a wife's Godly attitude toward her husband would fulfill the commands that we see.

Many people in fact say that a wife submission to her husband is what's important and that's the symbol people that we love and respect like Wayne Gruden and John MacArthur would hold to those types of positions.

The subject for us today has made all the more Difficult to teach and to work through because almost no Christian women in the West Wear a head covering for these reasons anymore. Some wear hats, but not normally for these reasons.

Okay, not coincidentally in my opinion. The widespread jettisoning of the practice of head covering can be traced to the mid 20th century. Right around the time of the rise of modern feminism many influenced by feminist ideology.

Would not only see marriage as quote a comfortable concentration camp. Unquote. They quote from Betty Friedan who wrote the feminine mystique and kind of launched the feminist movement a known communist by the way.

They would not only see it as some would not only see it as a comfortable concentration camp. But they would hate the word of whore means hate. They would literally hate. Any symbols of a woman being under authority to the people who say it no longer has any significance.

We don't know what it means. I say not true at all. We know exactly what it means which is why it's hated if the symbol hasn't shifted or changed at all. We know exactly what that would mean which is why the feminists quickly shook it off their head and say here I am hear me roar and it's quiet in the building and.

Scripture, Culture, and Hermeneutical Caution

This leads me to my concern today in my caution. Current church tendency, I don't care what church you're part of. Some do better better at this than others but current church tendency is to not see scripture as sufficient and when we are faced with a countercultural passage.

We are typically quick to say it no longer applies for the sake of cultural norms. You might as well say amen right there. For example, the Bible takes a very dim view of debt. We say who cares that is good.

Everybody borrows. The Bible says husband husbands are supposed to lovingly leave their wives and their families. The culture says this is not 1950. The Bible says women shouldn't lead and preach. The culture says Paul was a chauvinist and oh, oh, by the way, they were uneducated.

Amazons in Ephesus. The Bible declares homosexuality an abominable sin. The culture says they were just talking about sexual assault and. They didn't understand Orientation. Therefore the Bible is irrelevant in this matter.

In fact, there's a whole book just been written by a gay Christian. Saying literally that what you read there doesn't doesn't mean. What it said? The scriptures are being reinterpreted as we speak to fit a cultural paradigm.

Talk to me somebody. How many times have you heard us say in this church that we're losing our children precisely because we've gotten away from Scripture. We've said it a zillion times. But the tendency is because we're immersed in the world and immersed in culture.

The tendency is to interpret what we see in Scripture not by what it meant to its original Hearers and then extrapolate from there, but rather through the grid of the world so. So often we say a plain obvious scriptures.

I know it says that but it don't mean that. That's my that's my caution here that was my struggle here and I don't. I can't get before you and do that. That's wrong to do. And so the danger is. Once everything becomes that was then this is now and it no longer applies all standards get thrown out.

Marriage Family. What the gospel is the concept of sin? What is lawful or not even the concept of grace is under assault in our current church culture. I Have and I hope you do too a healthy fear of the Lord and tampering with his word.

You shall not add to the word that I command you nor take from it that you may keep the command of the Lord your God that I command you. I want everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book if anyone adds to them God will add to him the plagues described in this book and if anyone takes away from the words of this prophecy God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city which are described in this book.

He who testifies to these things says surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come Lord, Jesus. The Bible itself ends with the warning don't mess with the book. Okay, let all of us recall the great passage in 2nd Timothy 3 all scripture is breathed out by God.

Right and it's profitable for for reproof or correction for training and righteousness. So I had to kind of calibrate myself to even figure out what this meant and not broad brush it that it can't possibly mean that.

Simply because in the last 50 years it's been thrown overboard and it's quiet in the building. Okay, some thoughts on context real fast and then we'll walk through this passage. Okay. Almost everyone sees this passage as dealing with church meetings.

Primarily because prayer and prophecy is mentioned in the text and prayer, of course can be a private thing. But prophecy is certainly meant for the body according to 1st Corinthians 14 and 3. This view is seems to be confirmed somewhat later in the chapter and we'll get there down in verses 17 18 where Paul says when the following instructions I do not commend you because when you come together it is not For the better for the worse, but in the first place when you come together as a church.

And so there's there seems to be some confirmation within the text that he's now beginning to deal with issues within the local church. There is some debate that the context of 1st Corinthians 11 2 through 16 is broader than that.

But at a minimum I think is reasonably and biblically safe to say that whatever we learn about head coverings Would certainly apply in Lord's Day worship. Okay, whatever we learned about it and There is another contextual consideration.

I figure while I'm out here in shark infested waters. I might as well take a lap or two. So while I'm in here and y 'all looking at me like this already Let me just go ahead and enjoy it. I Mean you may not be back next week.

I don't know. So let's go ahead and deal many people look at 1st Corinthians chapter 11 verse 5. Where it talks about a woman not praying and prophesying with her head uncovered and say see a woman can pray and prophesy in church.

Therefore women should be able to be pastors. I Told you I'm out here. Let's go ahead and run. They say that since she can pray and prophesy and worship she can preach and pastor. But if we look at the passage carefully and look at all of 1st Corinthians it's about head coverings as John Calvin wrote in his own commentaries quote.

For when he reproves them for prophesying with their head uncovered He at the same time does not give them permission to prophesy in some other way. But delays that condemnation of that vice until another passage namely 1st Corinthians 14.

For now when I'll read the passage and y 'all will love this I'm looking forward to seeing your smiles. For God is not a god of confusion But of peace as in all the churches of the Saints the women should keep silent in the churches.

But they are not permitted to speak. But should be in submission as the law also said if there is anything they desire to learn let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

Or was it from you that the Word of God came or are you the only ones that had reached? If anyone thinks that he's a prophet or spiritual He should acknowledge that the things that I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.

If anyone does not recognize this he is not recognized. Now the passes I just read from 1st Corinthians 14 would seem to totally contradict for 1st Corinthians 11 if Women could publicly with authority pray and prophesy or teach in church services as opposed to Elsewhere in a context fitting to her design and fitting to her God-ordained role.

Talk about that one of the reasons why head coverings are hated because it it reinforces God's design. The Bible friends does not contradict itself. We will cover women in ministry issues in detail later.

We'll get there 1st Corinthians 14. We'll have no choice right. But for now at least in the first century There are three things that we can gather and they will walk through the passage. Number one Women and wives covered their heads when they prayed and prophesied.

Number two women and wives were covered in church services as well as As well as history shows. So we've seen the pictures and you do the research for yourself. Number three. Despite being covered in church services any prayer or prophecy by women was done in such a way as to not be shameful in The churches and Ladies, I can't hear some men saying amen.

I don't hear y 'all saying nothing. Bless your hearts. God bless you now. I recognize the inflammatory nature of this topic. I do and that's why you know We worked so hard here, but let me just say that I'm not trying to be divisive.

I'm not trying to hurt churches hurt friendships. I have people in my sphere of influence that I love greatly would disagree with this. They would hold opposite positions as I've. I'm laying out, but here's my heart.

Okay, I believe it was Luther Who said my conscience is held captive to the Word of God. I'm simply trying to be honest with the text. I can't stand before you and say yeah, it says a but it really means Z.

I Got an answer to God for that. And so if God has defined men's roles and women's roles both at home and in church. Then who am I to get up before you and and tell you otherwise? We will be judged by our obedience and Not for a salvation for us Christians.

But we're still there's still something that God's gonna say to us about what we did With his word and so because the entire world decides that you know The this is true and the whole world has decided homosexuality is okay.

But is it? No. Okay, so I just want you to know I'm not Intentionally trying to be divisive and please don't use this message as a hammer over somebody else's head. That is not my goal. My goal is to teach you what the Bible says.

Traditions, Ordinances, and the Original Hearers

Okay. Now, let's walk through this passage verse 2. I Commend you because you remember me and everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. Understand that there are two uses for the word translated traditions in the New Testament.

The word in Greek is paradoxes. Translated as traditions. One use. It's used at times when referring to a man-made attempt to invalidate what is handed down by God. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of his day for doing something similar.

You see that over in Matthew chapter 15 verse 3 and so it can be a man-made tradition. The other use of the word that we see in the New Testament is literally a precept. Something that is in fact handed down by God and there are some examples of that as well.

Paul's letter to the church at Thessalonica as an example. Second Thessalonians 2. So then brothers stand firm and hold to the Paradoxes the traditions that you were taught by us either by our spoken word or by our letter in other words.

Traditions can be scripture can be referred to as traditions. All right also. Second Thessalonians 3 now we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you withdraw yourself from every brother that walketh Disorderly and not after the tradition he received from us.

And so again, these these were precepts if you have to separate from somebody, okay. And so the word is used two ways. We have to determine how would you use in our text based on the context? Here's your filling the word implies a precept.

P-r-e-c-e-p-t a precept a Precept or as the key the King James Version translates it literally in ordinance an ordinance or a law. Paul's language throughout this section makes clear that this was no take it or leave it thing for the early church.

Remember, I'm answering a hermeneutical question. What did it mean to its original hearers? That's what I'm working on right now. That's called exegesis. Okay, what did it mean to its original hearers?

Nobody was sitting in Corinth getting that letter read to them saying oh he's talking about put on a wedding ring. Oh, he's talking about wear a dress because he wears a suit. That is not what it meant to its original here's okay.

And so the tradition then here is literally an ordinance or a precept based on the language throughout this section. He actually said in verse 16 as we'll read that every church did this there was no other custom if you want to argue about.

It fine, but you're arguing about something that the entire church was doing. And it's very quiet in here. It's been long times. I've heard of this quiet in here. Just want you to understand I was against this going in.

It's once you understand that so look at your neighbor said let the scripture change you. But I want to I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ. The head of a wife is her husband and the head of Christ is God.

After the Apostle says, okay y 'all done okay and some things but now we need to straighten some stuff out. He begins to build a case for this quote-unquote tradition or this this ordinance that they hadn't exactly followed like he wanted them to.

Governing Order and the Meaning of Headship

This verse here verse 3 is an unequivocal Statement of God's governing order. This is just the way it is. Okay, it is important to see that. This is a truth that a husband is the head of his wife that Christ is the head of man that God the Father is the head of God the Son in terms of subordination.

You it's important to see that that is that is it has absolutely nothing to do or whether you lived in 1300 or you live in 2014 or you lived in 200 AD. That's just true. Somebody just say that's just true.

But here's what you have to see it exegetically or using your interpretive skills. He's basing his argument in That which is eternal it's no other way to look at that. Why is he going here when he's about to tell a woman to put something on your head and brothers take some off your head.

Right because he's rooting this argument in God's governing order. That's what he's doing. Okay, this that truth is binding for all time contrary to egalitarian Opinion. Egalitarians would be people who don't see role distinctions between men and women.

Okay, generally speaking the word head does not mean source, but one who is in authority over. That's what that means. You know, I mean if a wife goes to her husband said you not my head you does my source.

I'm gonna do what I want to because you the source of how I can do what I want to do. In other words, it's a perversion of what the text honestly says. Can you imagine Christ going to the father saying you're not my head you dis my source I do what I want to do.

And y 'all y 'all okay, that's God. It is also important to note that this does not imply inferiority but role. Just as Christ is not inferior to the father but subordinate to him. Likewise a woman is not inferior to a man or a wife.

Is that inferior to her husband simply she plays a different role. Okay the Greek here for the word woman can can be translated wife or woman depending on the Context and she most certainly would in whatever context is not inferior, but she plays a different role.

Can you see now and as we walk through this begin to see why the culture hates this? Look beyond the thing on the head and look at what God said it means. Can you see why. From Hollywood to bloggers to even many in the church would detest this.