July 11 – Head Coverings – 1 Cor 11:4-5

 July 11 – Head Coverings – 1 Cor 11:4-5

 

4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.

 

     Paul is establishing a tradition in the Corinthian church.  Paul then expects both sexes to have in their lives the practice of praying and prophesying.  He tells the men that they can prophesize without a head covering but the women who do must have their heads covered.  In Roman society women when they went out in public, they had their heads covered.  The head covering was also a sign of economic and social standing by the elaborate it was.  This showed that they were not a lady of the evening or immoral or immodest.  It helps them to not be harassed or exploited.  It was a sign of modesty.  Paul was admonishing the Corinthian ladies in church to have the same modesty found in Roman society.  Paul was not saying that the ladies could not pray or prophesize like the men but to do it with the same modesty that was shown in society.  Now today there are churches that follow this same tradition, but one must know the context before applying spiritual reasons for it.