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Today's Pathway: I Corinthians 11:13-16 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

Paul is wrapping up his teaching on proper worship with some very practical questions and observations. He starts by asking the Corinthian believers if, in light of all that he has said in the previous verses, they still think it is appropriate for a woman to pray in public uncovered. Since this issue seems to be the catalyst for the entire section, it is an excellent question to ask. Sometimes we might do well to ask others, or ourselves, after hearing the Word of God taught, if they (or we) still think it's acceptable to continue making the choices that we have made in the past. Obviously, Paul expects "No" for an answer.

In verses 14-15 he is continuing his argument against a woman praying without having her head covered, but he adds a new idea. In so many words, he is asking if it is appropriate for a man to wear his hair long. He says that "nature" teaches that long hair is a disgrace to a man. The word translated "shame" literally means "no honor". Some well-meaning men have taught that this means that when we look at the natural world around us we see that grass needs to be cut, and bushes need to be trimmed. Therefore, men should cut their hair. However, this is not the meaning of "nature" in this context. It refers to that which is naturally produced or the natural disposition, or a natural sense of propriety. So Paul's assertion here is that people instinctively understand, and common sense dictates, that if a man wears his hair long it brings shame upon him. Albert Barnes elaborates,

"It refers to a deep internal sense of what is proper and right--a sense which is expressed extensively in all nations. No reason can be given, in the nature of things, why the woman should wear long hair and the man not; but the custom prevails extensively everywhere, and nature, in all nations, has prompted to the same course."

"Both nature and general custom reflect God’s universal principle of man’s role of authority and woman’s role of subordination. The unique beauty of a woman is gloriously manifest in the distinctive femininity portrayed by her hair and her attendance to feminine customs. There should be no confusion about male and female identities, because God has made the sexes distinct—physiologically and in roles and relationships."

"The covering provided by nature has the same significance as the temporary covering of a veil. The woman’s hair must be kept long; it is her glory inasmuch as it sets forth the subjection of the Church to Christ. For her to be shorn both robs her of her natural glory, sets at nought the dignity of her womanhood, and removes what is of the highest possible spiritual significance."

The question arises as to whether or not women should wear a head covering at church today. I believe that verse 15 answers that. A woman is not supposed to pray publicly with her head covered (verse 5), and her long hair was given to her as a covering. Therefore, a woman's hair is a sufficient covering. There are good men that would disagree with that position, however. In verse 16 Paul addresses those who would quarrel with his argument. Again, this verse is often mis-intepreted. Paul is not saying that he, and the other churches, do not hold to the custom of the distinctions between men and women. He is saying that none of the churches are contentious against what he has just written. Bruce Hurt explains it this way,

"Paul goes on to say he is not going to appease them with additional arguments! He doesn’t want them to be contentious by not keeping this tradition, and thereby offending those in the churches or misrepresenting the churches to the pagans."