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NASB | 1 Corinthians 11:4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 11:4 Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors his head [and the One who is his head]. |
Bible Question: Is the scripture in I Corinthians 11:1-16 to be considered normative for Christians as a moraly indicitive imperative, or is to be considered merely historicaly applicable to Biblical times? And is this, as is widely believed, applicable only to married men and women or does the term aner refer to first men and second husband and does the term gune refer to first woman and second wife? And wouldn't all women have had to cover their heads back then or be considered prostitutes with uncovered heads, or as temple prostitutes as ones with hair cut off? And if that was a moral imperative then for all women because of the heirarchy of headship of the whole church in Christ (because weren't all women under the authority of her father or husband or brother as no woman had her own property and no authority?), why is it not seen as such now(notwithstanding that they used a complete covering of a shawl and not a little bonnet or hat as conventions have changed)? We had a rousing discussion in our church in Bible study and most of the women refused to wear hats. But I did decided to after waiting the week after easter, which my pastor asked me to do so that my wearing a hat would not be confused with an easter hat tradition(his wife always wore a hat until she passed away). He did not press the rest, but told them he had given them the scripture and that he would leave it up to them to be convicted or not because he refused to be in the middle of a big fight between those who felt convicted and those who don't, it just was not going to be a battle he would fight because he had other fights currently running he would prefer to be winning. IN Christ always, Tamara |
Bible Answer: Hi, Tamara... This passage is about honoring headship. Loosing sight of the thrust of the message invites superficial, distracting interpretations. Note that the apostle himself, the church, the men, and the women are all to appropriately honor headship. The human heart being what it is latches on to the superficial, rather than submit itself to the leadership as designed by God. No wonder, since we've been doing that since the fall (Genesis 3:16 and 17). What difference can it make how we wear our hair and our clothing if we are not humbly and lovingly submitting to our Lord? None at all. On the other hand, when we are humbly and lovingly submitting the Lord, all that external stuff will properly fall into its proper, cultural place. The former is odious to the God. The latter brings him great glory. (cf Micah 6:1-8) In Him, Doc |