However, some may go to the extreme. They may think that since the man is the head, the woman should subject herself to him in everything. This puts the woman in a position of blind submission in everything. This kind of submission is unprofitable. The problem with some is that either they do not do anything at all or they go to an extreme when they do something. Paul told us that the matter is not that simple. He continued in 1 Corinthians 11:11 with the word however. Head covering is an outward testimony. We have to do it for the sake of an outward testimony. But what is the reality and the intrinsic significance of this testimony? Verse 11 says, “However neither is woman without man, nor man without woman, in the Lord.” Some may ask, “What did Paul mean when he said neither is woman without man, nor man without woman?” Paul explained in verse 12: “For just as the woman is out from the man, so also is the man through the woman.”
In the garden of Eden, the woman came out of the man. But today, after the garden of Eden, man comes out of woman. Every man is born of a woman. In reality neither is woman without man, nor man without woman. Neither man nor woman can say that he or she is anything special. “But all things are out from God” (v. 12). Head covering is merely a sign on the head of submission to authority. In the end all things are out from God. In reality man is born of woman, and woman came out from man. No one can be proud of himself, and no one can despise himself.
Verse 13 says, “Judge this in your own selves: Is it fitting for a woman to pray uncovered to God?” Here Paul seems to ask the sisters in particular, “After hearing this word and realizing that in God’s government God is the Head of Christ, Christ is the Head of every man, man is the head of the woman, and God has appointed the woman to be a representative of Christ before God, do you still think that it is fitting for a woman to pray with her head uncovered?”
Verse 14 says, “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him.” Here Paul appealed to the feeling of the church in judging the matter. Pay special attention to the words: “Does not even nature itself teach you.” Verse 15 says, “But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, because her long hair has been given to her for a covering.” Women all over the world treasure and take pride in their hair. Hair expresses the glory of a woman; a woman always likes to keep her hair. I have never seen a woman throw her hair into the garbage bin. Hair is a woman’s glory; it is precious to her. In other words, God gave the woman her long hair for a covering.
I would like to point out two things to you: Since God gave women long hair for a covering, Paul indicated that the woman should add a head covering to this covering, because God wants her to be covered. Since a woman’s long hair is a God-given covering, she should cover it further with a man-made covering. We should read verses 6 and 15 together. Verse 6 says, “For if a woman is not covered, let her hair also be cut off; but if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved, let her be covered.” Verse 15 says, “But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, because her long hair has been given to her for a covering.” The thought is quite clear once we put these two verses together. God has covered the woman’s head with her hair. This being the case, those women who accept God’s authority should use something to cover their hair. If a woman refuses to cover her hair, she should cut off the hair which God has given her. In other words, if you accept God’s covering, you must also add your own covering. If you do not accept His covering, you must give up what God has given you in the first place. The Bible does not forbid women from keeping long hair; it only says that long hair is not enough and that one should also add a head covering.
Today neither of the two commandments of the Bible is being observed. If a sister does not cover her head but instead shaves off her hair, we can say that she is still obeying the Scripture. The trouble is that many women refuse to do either. They neither shave their hair nor cover their heads. Verse 6 says that if a woman does not have her hair covered she must be shaved, and that if she is not shaved she must cover her head. Verse 15 says that since God has covered us, we also should cover ourselves.
What should the obedient ones do? This verse says that since God has covered us, we also should cover ourselves. Those who know God will always add their part to what God has done. They will always go along with God’s way and not contradict it.