July 6, 2017
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Reading along with us in 1 Corinthians? Here’s today’s reading:
1 Corinthians 11 (ESV)
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God… Continue Reading
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Communion as an example of a place to display kindness
…angels are watching.
This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
Is it wrong for Christian men to have long hair, and Christian women to have short hair? This passage in 1 Corinthians 11:2-15 has been a source of much disagreement in the church over the years.
I remember when Scott and I were being interviewed for a staff position at a local church, they asked him how he felt about his waist-length hair. Unbeknownst to them, though, he’d already decided to cut it if asked, because he didn’t want his hair to be a stumbling block for the gospel in a church culture which frowned upon long hair on men (many of the members were considerably older than we were). His Mom had asked him a great question when he asked her about it several weeks earlier: What would he do if called to serve as a missionary in Ethiopia? Would he insist on keeping his “American culture” distinctives? Or would he adapt to their style of dress and mannerisms in order to “save some”? Eye opening!
From the Encyclopedia of the Bible:
“Leaders are heads, ‘the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail’ (Isaiah 9:15). Christ is the head of the church, His body, and of all creation (Ephesians 1:22), of every man (1 Corinthians 11:3) and of all rule and authority (Colossians 2:10). The husband is the head of the woman. Because of the Greek custom of veiling of women, as opposed to the Jewish custom, Paul urged the Corinthian women to be obedient to the local standards of decency and order, and to cover the head in worship. Men, however, pray with uncovered heads. At present, the wearing of hats by women in the sanctuary is a sign of the headship of Christ.”
From the Asbury Bible Commentary:
“Paul assumes that culturally appropriate modes of dress are not to be lightly flaunted by Christians. But since customs differ significantly historically and geographically, the specific contemporary relevance of this passage may be debated.”
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 // The Corinthian church’s irreverence was displayed in the way they commingled the Lord’s supper with their “love feasts,” treated one another with class-based contempt, tolerated quarreling and divisions in the church, and engaged in both gluttony and drunkenness at the Lord’s table. Their self-centered gatherings revealed the state of their hearts, and invited God’s discipline — a discipline reserved for those He loves.
Do I treat the things of God — worship, for example, or prayer, or the opportunity to hear the preaching of His Word — as “common”?
It seems like this chapter is about traditions. The tradition/cultural expectation of head coverings (long hair on women) and having a “sign of authority” on the head. Also, the tradition that Christ passed onto the church to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Paul is encouraging them to keep these traditions appropriately. It seems like they had fallen into utter chaos, negating the underlying purposes of each. Respect for appropriate dress, behavior and roles of men and women in the church and marriage. Respect for each other and the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper.
Oh that I and we would live a life worthy of saying follow me as I follow Christ (11:1). It seems Paul uses this as a transition for what he has discussed in chapter 10 to what he will address in Chapter 11. And how they were functioning in their gatherings as a body is what he addresses. It doesn’t appear that the issue of hair is the transferable lesson to us since Paul doesn’t address this anywhere else and looking into Corinthian culture gives a window of why he brings up the issues here to this troubled and defiant church. But the issue of authority here is the greater issue and is reinforced throughout Scripture. God is the head of man and man is the head of women, in the family and in the church. It is a structure meant to clarify and teach (at least the angels are suppose to be learning something). It is meant to help and not harm and gives responsibility on both sides to act in their roles with godly direction, godly power and to God’s glory. Now if in response to that understanding you choose to adorn a physical representation of that, that is every believers prerogative as long it doesn’t disrupt another’s worship. But it is the heart attitude that counts.
And the Lord’s supper is not only about His broken body and the conviction and appreciation that should fill ours hearts toward Him, but is also about His church body and where we stand together in our relationship with each other as we consider our fellowship with Christ. There is no way we can have a good relationship with God and have bad relationships with others. One will always influence the other.