In the environment addressed by the Apostle Paul, a head covering was primarily an expression of submission. This explains the custom of wearing it for women—a covering on a woman's head signifies her dependence on her husband (or if she has none, on her father, brother, or son)...
In the environment addressed by the Apostle Paul, a head covering was primarily an expression of submission. This explains the custom of wearing it for women—a covering on a woman's head signifies her dependence on her husband (or if she has none, on her father, brother, or son). A woman without a male protector (husband, father, brother, or son) was not a full member of society. In fact, she possessed virtually no civil or property rights. At the same time, the head covering also became a sign of a woman's chastity—of belonging to her husband (and implicitly, to no one else). A woman who did not wear a head covering was considered a "woman of loose morals." From this it is evident why the apostle recommends that Christian women wear a covering, especially in church (at that time, Christians were often accused of cultic debauchery, and Paul's requirement countered this accusation).
By recommending that men not cover their heads during prayer, the Apostle Paul seeks to emphasize the distinction between the sexes. In the highly licentious society of antiquity, where various, as they say today, "orientations" flourished, this was also quite relevant. Note that the apostle appeals precisely to the distinction, not the inequality, of the sexes. The fact is that in most ancient societies, especially Eastern ones, women were generally not permitted to participate in temple prayer and worship. This applied particularly to Judaism. The only exceptions were certain unbridled orgiastic cults, but we are not speaking of those...
In his recommendations, the apostle does not seek to establish Jewish or non-Jewish norms of piety. Rather, he formulates a new norm, common to both Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. He proceeds from the customs of the local society, thereby giving his faith a truly universal character. Due to their novelty, these norms were quite difficult for both former Jews and former pagans, yet they possessed practically no national-folkloric coloring. This is especially important to bear in mind given the folkloric nature of contemporary attitudes toward Christianity...
However, the norms of piety proposed by Paul were perfectly clear both to Christians of all backgrounds and to the surrounding unbelievers. It is precisely these people that the Apostle Paul has in mind when he urges (here and elsewhere) not to give them any cause for stumbling. In modern terms, he demands that all Christians be dressed decently, appropriate to their calling, age, and gender. It is this very norm of decent attire that Paul refers to in verse 16 as the custom of the Churches.
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11:8 The man is not - In the first production of nature.
11:10 For this cause also a woman ought to be veiled in the public assemblies, because of the angels - Who attend there, and before whom they should be careful not to do anything indecent or irregular.
11:11 Nevertheless in the Lord Jesus, there is neither male nor female - Neither is excluded; neither is preferred before the other in his kingdom.
11:12 And as the woman was at first taken out of the man, so also the man is now, in the ordinary course of nature, by the woman; but all things are of God - The man, the woman, and their dependence on each other.
11:13 Judge of yourselves - For what need of more arguments if so plain a case? Is it decent for a woman to pray to God - The Most High, with that bold and undaunted air which shemust have, when, contrary to universal custom, she appears in public with her head uncovered?
11:14 For a man to have long hair, carefully adjusted, is such a mark of effeminacy as is a disgrace to him.
11:15 Given her - Originally, before the arts of dress were in being.
11:16 We have no such custom here, nor any of the other churches of God - The several churches that were in the apostles' time had different customs in things that were not essential; and that under one and the same apostle, as circumstances, in different places, made it convenient. And in all things merely indifferent the custom of each place was of sufficient weight to determine prudent and peaceable men.Yet even this cannot overrule a scrupulous conscience, which really doubts whether the thing be indifferent or no. But those who are referred to here by the apostle were contentious, not conscientious, persons.
11:18 In the church - In the public assembly. I hear there are schisms among you; and I partly believe it - That is, I believe it of some of you. It is plain that by schisms is not meant any separation from the church, but uncharitable divisions in it; for the Corinthians continued to be one church; and, notwithstanding all their strife and contention, there was no separation of any one party from the rest, with regard to external communion. And it is in the same sense that the word is used, 1 Кор 1:10; 1 Кор 12:25; which are the only places in the New Testament, beside this, where church schisms are mentioned. Therefore, the indulging any temper contrary to this tender care of each other is the true scriptural schism. This is, therefore, a quite different thing from that orderly separation from corrupt churches which later ages have stigmatized as schisms; and have made a pretence for the vilest cruelties, oppressions, and murders, that have troubled the Christian world. Both heresies and schisms are here mentioned in very near the same sense; unless by schisms be meant, rather, those inward animosities which occasion heresies; that is, outward divisions or parties: so that whilst one said, "I am of Paul," another, "I am of Apollos," this implied both schism and heresy. So wonderfully have later ages distorted the words heresy and schism from their scriptural meaning. Heresy is not, in all the Bible, taken for "an error in fundamentals," or in anything else; nor schism, for any separation made from the outward communion of others. Therefore, both heresy and schism, in the modern sense of the words, are sins that the scripture knows nothing of; but were invented merely to deprive mankind of the benefit of private judgment, and liberty of conscience.
11:19 There must be heresies - Divisions. Among you - In the ordinary course of things; and God permits them, that it may appear who among you are, and who are not, upright of heart.
11:20 Therefore - That is, in consequence of those schisms.It is not eating the Lord's supper - That solemn memorial of his death; but quite another thing.
11:21 For in eating what ye call the Lord's supper, instead of all partaking of one bread, each person brings his own supper, and eats it without staying for the rest. And hereby the poor, who cannot provide for themselves, have nothing; while the rich eat and drink to the full just as the heathens use to do at the feasts on their sacrifices.
11:22 Have ye not houses to eat and drink your common meals in? or do ye despise the church of God - Of which the poor are both the larger and the better part. Do ye act thus in designed contempt of them?