Taking a careful look at chapter 11, we see that it is in the middle of the section of the discussion on how Jesus is made unto us sanctification (see Preface). Chapter 11 has to do with sanctification and divine order. It is touched upon in two areas. The first has to do with THE VEILING FOR CHRISTIAN WOMEN and the second with the Lord’s Table. We focus our attention on 11:2-16:
2 Now I praise you brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of every woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5 But every woman that prayeth and prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair it is a shame unto him?
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
There are several basic REASONS in these verses why the veiling for Christian woman should be worn today.
First, there are:
There is divine order.
2 Now I praise you brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
3 ButI would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of every woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
The divine order the apostle sets before us is God is all in all. Christ follows, and He is the Mediator between God and man. We learn from the Genesis record that man is the crown of God’s creation.
Woman is the help suitable to man. The apostle points out that this is God’s order for human beings. There is God. There is Christ. There is man. There is woman. The veil is based on this divine order. Whether the order establishes rank may not be clear, for we would hardly say there is real rank between God and Christ.
On the other hand, there is relationship. While God is, all in all, Christ is the Mediator between God and man, and in a sense has taken a lesser role. This is not to say that He is any less God. When the question of man and woman is considered, a relationship is seen as well. It is the relationship between headship and subordination. The veil is based on this divine order.
There is a social relation.
8 For the man is not of the woman: but the w...
