Sunday, November 27, 2011 - Straighten Up and Fly Right
1 Corinthians 11:2-16.  READ.  That seems pretty self-explanatory, doesn’t it?  Nothing too unusual there.  Let’s go
on to the next section – any questions?

Before we get into this section, let’s remind ourselves of a few important and true things:
- Whatever God says is the truth
- God loves us – all of us
- We have to put what is said in God’s Word in context with everything else
- If we claim that Jesus is our Master, the reality of His mastery in our lives is seen by our obedience to Him

Nervous, ladies?

We continue today in our series in 1 Corinthians called “Straighten Up and Fly Right.”  This is an issue that there are
nearly as many different views of as there are people who have views.  As I studied this week, it became clear that
when a commentator gave his or her (yes, I consulted with female commentators) when they gave their opinions on this
section, they kind of had their mind made up and made the passage fit with what they wanted.  I’m sure they sought to
honor God – but it sure seemed obvious that there was a reluctance to let the Word of God speak for itself.

Now that makes it seem like whatever I’m going to tell you will be different – my view will be better.  I did not look at
what other people said first and then decide that they were all pressing their own agenda, so I wanted to come up with
a truly biblical view.  No – I am not as smart as any of the people I read.  I don’t know Greek and Hebrew.  I only
want what I say about it to be as close as possible to what God MEANS when He says it – just like them.

I purposely did NOT look at commentaries for a long time until I had studied each word in this passage.  I asked God
to speak and make it clear to me.  I do NOT want to lead you astray.  And neither do I want us to avoid something
uncomfortable if that’s what God is saying.  If Jesus is Lord, we have to do what He says in order to be pleasing to
Him.  As you can tell, we need God’s help in this section today.  Let’s PRAY.

There are Bibles on the shelves in the back corner.  I am using the Holman Christian Standard Bible – most of those on
the shelves are New King James, but they are very similar in their wording, so I don’t think it will be confusing.  If you
have your own Bible, that’s great – I will point out things that it says in the Greek that various translations have included
that may not be as accurate as they should be.  Let’s start with verse 2.

Paul starts out in verse 2 that he likes some things the Corinthians are doing – he is commending them, praising them.  
Included in those things are that they remember him in all things – they talk about Paul and how he taught them in
various areas of their live.  This is evident in that they had obviously sent him a letter with all the questions he is
answering in 1 Corinthians – they want to know how Paul would handle the things they have questions about.  AND the
things Paul had taught them and shared with them are things they try to put into practice.

Look at the first word of verse 3 – BUT.  So, this is an area that maybe they had questions about and Paul is going to
seek to correct their thinking and their actions or something Paul knew they weren’t getting right.  We’re not sure.  We
ARE sure that as it relates to them remembering Paul and putting his teachings into practice, the Corinthians were a little
off base.  I commend you – I praise you (verse 2), BUT I want you to know (verse 3).

Here’s what he wants them to know – Christ is the head of every man, the man is the head of the woman and God is
the head of Christ.  Some Bible versions translate the words as “husband” and “wife.”  The Greek words here can be
“man,” or “husband” (the word is andros) and “woman” or “wife” (gunaikos).  In the context, Paul was talking about
husbands and wives back in chapter 7, but has not been for several chapters.  And we get further help on whether it is
man/woman or husband/wife from the word “head.”

Think about the place a river starts – up in the mountains of Montana or Colorado.  What do we call the spot the river
starts?  “Head waters.”  The head waters are the source of the river.  This is the idea of the word translated “head” in 1
Corinthians 11 – Christ is the “source” of every man, and the man is the “source” of the woman, and God is the
“source” of Christ.  Man gets his existence and life from Christ.  Woman was taken from man – so man is the source of
woman (as it goes on to talk about), and Christ, the man Christ Jesus, had God Himself as His source of life.
That helps us with the man/woman or husband/wife question.  A husband is not the source of life of his wife, but man
was the source of life for woman when God fashioned Eve from Adam’s rib.  I think it is clear that this section of
chapter 11 should be man and woman, not husband and wife.

There is an order to things in our relationships.  Men are under the responsibility of Jesus Christ.  Women are under the
responsibility of men.  Which, by the way, puts women under the responsibility of Christ, too.  Christ is under the
responsibility of God.  Here’s a visual picture to help us get an idea of what’s being talked about here.

UMBRELLAS

God is ultimately responsible for everyone.  The next layer of responsibility and protection is Jesus Christ Himself – He
is responsible for everyone under Him.  And He is responsible to the triune God for His actions and work as it relates
to the issues mankind faces.  Males are responsible to Christ and ultimately God Himself for their actions and work as it
relates to the issues of females.  Females are responsible to males, to Christ and to God Himself for their actions and
work as it relates to the issues of their lives.

So looking at this umbrella picture, who has the most protection?  Notice that we don’t even have children listed here,
who fall under the protection of males and females.  But women are in the position of the most protection in life – if
males take their responsibility to care for women seriously, and Christ takes His responsibility to care for males (and
consequently females) seriously – if this line of protection and responsibility is followed, women should sense great
care.  This is God’s design.

But, doesn’t it seem true that women do NOT sense that care today.  And so they take initiative to take care of
themselves.  We COULD relate this to only the husband/wife relationship, but it goes deeper than that.  God has put
this order of protection and care in place so that men in general watch out for and protect women.  But because women
have become objects of sexual gratification for men – especially in the past 50 years – there is little of that order of
responsibility left in place in our society.  PLUS, women have purposely removed themselves from this protection and
care.  Brothers and sisters in Christ – WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT.

Now – let’s go on to why Paul brings this up anyway.  There is this order of responsibility and protection.  It is not
good to dishonor your source – the one you come or came from.  Verse 4, if a man prays or prophesies – proclaims
God’s truth publicly – with something on his head, he dishonors the source of his life.  So something about the way man
was made and who is responsible for him is reflected in man’s interaction with that source of life.  When a man prays or
proclaims the truth, it is God’s plan that nothing look like it is over man except Christ.

But, verse 5, if a woman prays or prophesies in public (which – notice – means she CAN do those things), but if she
does it WITHOUT something on her head, she dishonors the source of her life.  Since she is so protected and valuable,
she ought to demonstrate all those layers of protection.  

And verse 5 goes on – since to do that – pray or prophesy without a head-covering – is exactly the same as having her
head shaved (which apparently was improper).  Verse 6, if a woman’s head is not covered when praying or
prophesying, she should have her hair cut off – to appear more man-like.  BUT if that is disgraceful to her – if she does
not want to look like a man – her head should be covered.

I can hear the questions and “yeah, buts” out there already.  Yeah, but this has to be something cultural for that day or
for that city.  If it does not relate in some way to us in our day, why would God cause Paul to waste half a chapter on
it.  Why don’t we just rip that half a chapter out of our Bibles if it does not apply to women today?

But women don’t wear head-coverings in our day, so this has to be something for their culture when they did.  Those of
you in your 40s and older, do you remember a time when women DID wear head coverings – especially to church?  
Maybe not shawls, but probably scarves or hats.  When did that practice really stop?  As I think about it, it seemed to
stop during the 1960s and 70s – during the height of the women’s liberation movement.

Let me ask you something – answer this for yourself: Have things improved in society and culture in the western world
because of the women’s liberation movement – relationship-wise?  Are families more stable?  Are children better cared
for?  Are things proper?  We could argue about it, but I think we would all agree that things have changed significantly
in the past 40 years – and that we now deal with and talk about issues that would have been unmentionable when we
were younger.  It is worth considering that there may be a connection.

Yeah, but to make women wear head-coverings would be a law and we are no longer under law, but under grace.  We
will bring that up again in a few minutes.  Let’s go on.

1 Corinthians 11:7-12.  READ.  One reason given that a man should not cover his head is that man – males – are “the
image and glory of God.”  And then look what it says next in verse 7 – “but woman is man’s glory.”  Males are the
image and glory of God and women or females are the glory of man.  

We know from Genesis 1 and 2 (and you can study this more on your own) that mankind was created in the image of
God – both male and female.  No mention in Genesis of glory.  So here in 1 Corinthians, there is an emphasis on the
glory aspect – man shows the glory of God and woman shows the glory of man, which also shows the glory of God.  
Males are meant to bring glory to God.  Women are meant to bring glory to God by glorifying mankind’s beauty.

Take the suspicion out of the equation for a minute – wouldn’t that be a blessing and an advantage to all of us?  Wouldn’
t it be an advantage to God if all men showed His glory – if their actions, their appearance, their words demonstrated
who God is and brought a good opinion of God?  Wouldn’t it be great if males were that attractive that they made God
look good?

Wouldn’t it be an advantage to the males, too?  And wouldn’t it be advantageous to males if females – in their actions
and appearance and words – demonstrated who mankind is and brought a good opinion of mankind?  Wouldn’t it
make mankind more attractive?  Wouldn’t it make females more attractive and be to their advantage?

This is God’s design for people – women showing the glory of mankind by their beauty, grace, understanding,
industriousness, wisdom and even their physical form.  And men showing the glory of God by THEIR appearance,
strength of character, hard work, gentleness, insight, wisdom and their physical form.

Verses 8-12 tell us some important information about the order of God’s creation of male and female.  It has nothing to
do with power or importance – it has everything to do with responsibility before God and what is proper in God’s
eyes.  Woman came from man – God specifically fashioned Eve from Adam’s side (Genesis 2:21,22).  Woman was
created for man – Genesis 2:18 “it is not good that man should be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him.”   She
was taken from his side – an equal, to BE by his side.

Verse 10 may tend to confuse this issue however it is translated and especially punctuated in your Bible.  In the HCSB
it says, “This is why a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head COLON because of the angels.”  It is not
primarily because of the angels that a woman – IF it is true – should wear a symbol of authority on her head.  And if it
was primarily because of angels, I would think that we might get some further explanation somewhere about why.  It is
because she is the glory of her source.  Keep thinking about this.

So what IS the deal with the angels?  Why are they brought into this discussion?  I think Warren Wiersbe says it well,
“Public worship is a serious thing, for the angels are present; and we ought to conduct ourselves (in worship) as if we
were in heaven.”  Who is to be glorified in worship?  God is.  If a woman’s head is not covered, it shows the glory of
man, which ultimately does show the glory of God.  But in worship, we seek no distractions – remember that from our
previous discussions in 1 Corinthians?

If, in our worship, the focus is not on God Himself primarily, it is a disturbing and confusing thing to those angels there
who know ONLY the glory of God in worship.  We could make a strong case that when the people of God gather in
worship angels are there.  But angels would not understand the lack of attention to God and His work and His
character.  Since woman is the glory of man – that glory could be put in the wrong place in worship.

OK, ladies – I can almost hear you – “Mike is going to start pushing for women to wear head-coverings and we’re
going to have to find a new church.”  Before you go there, let’s look at the last paragraph and then talk about some
direct application questions.

1 Corinthians 11:13-16.  READ.  Judge for yourselves, is it proper?  This is the issue – what’s proper in worship and
what is my response to what’s proper?  As Paul asks this question, he takes a left turn in his thinking.  Isn’t it clear from
nature that a man with long hair is disgraceful?  And isn’t it also clear that a woman with long hair is proper?  What we’
re getting to here is that all of this relates to a person’s heart condition.  We’re not talking about what length of hair is
too long on a guy or too short on a girl.  If we were, there would have to be measurement instructions of hair, but there
aren’t.

We COULD make a case from this that men ought to look like men and women ought to look like women.  Men with
long hair have a tendency to look like women at times – and that, for a man, is disgraceful.  Does a man want other men
lusting after him?  Hardly – that is not proper.  In the same way, women ought to look like women – it is improper for
other women to see a person and think that person is a man, and find out it is a woman.  Plus, a woman who looks like
a man runs the risk of not showing the glory of mankind.

But what we’re talking about here is how each person’s heart is devoted to the Lord.  Notice verse 13 started with
“Judge for yourselves.”  NOT “I will judge for you” or “Judge for others.”  Take a look in your own heart as to what
you need to do and your feelings about this issue.  WHO ARE YOU GLORIFYING?  God says that a man glorifies
God when his head is not covered in worship.  And He also says that a woman glorifies God when her head IS covered
in worship.

By the way, women’s liberation had no real change on something that has happened for years.  Many men still –
whether they know why or not – remove their hats during prayer and even when entering a building.  THIS is why.  
Now think about that for a minute.  Is it any less intrusive for a man to have to remove his hat than for a woman to put
something over her head?  I’m not sure why, if a person thinks it is.  What has changed is our view of ourselves –
women have become more manly and men have become more feminine – find me an intelligent man on TV.

So, “judge for yourselves” is the key to understanding this passage.  Each of us – men and women – must look at our
devotion to the Lord and determine our response.  We are NOT going to require anyone to wear head-coverings – that
is not for the church to decide for you.  But it is up to YOU to decide for yourself.  As you look at your understanding
of God’s order of creation and the source of life, are you willing or unwilling to admit your place?
If you are willing to respond to God in obedience, then judge for yourself – is this something that will show my devotion
to God better?  NOT “will people think I am more spiritual?” or “can I hold this over the heads of other people to guilt
them into agreeing with me?” or “I am unwilling to put myself under the rank God has established?”  If the result of
responding is pride and disobedience, it is a failure on our part.

But if our response is humility and devotion to God – especially for a person who knows they have disregarded God’s
leading in the order of creation and responsibility issues – then it may be proper for a woman to cover her head in
prayer and when she proclaims God’s truth.

If you know that you have a problem with this response and you are unwilling to do what you think God is telling you,
what does that tell you about yourself?  Is Jesus the Lord of your life or isn’t He?  Is He your Master?  

Look at John 14:15.  READ.  Do you love Jesus?  If you are unwilling to keep His commands, are you OK with your
lack of love for Him?  Is HE?  If we feel like it is acceptable to love Him to a point or to withhold ourselves from Him
because of our own desires or issues, it is an indication that there may be deeper problems than whether or not you
wear a head-covering.

Ladies, we are not saying you HAVE to cover your heads.  We do NOT live under the law – we cannot and will not
force anyone to do anything.  But as the Lord leads you as you “judge for yourselves,” DO WHAT HE SAYS.  If you
decide to take that step of obedience, be ready to answer why – not out of pride or condescension toward others, but
because I want nothing to interfere with the glory of God.

And by the way, you low self-esteemers, what does this say about YOU?  God made me GORGEOUS – I am the
glory of mankind.  I am made to reflect man’s glory to God.  By covering my head, I agree with God about this and am
demonstrating this truth.  In worship of our Savior, I want HIM to receive all the glory.  I think we could all live with
that!

PRAY

I know there are many things we did not address today – and it was because of lack of time.  I may return to this next
Sunday and go a little farther.