A Woman Praying or Prophesying without Covering 1 Corinthians 11:5

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth “every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head”, and in chapter eleven and verse five of First Corinthians, Paul shared with the Corinthian church members concerning, “every woman that prays or prophecies with her head uncovered”, where we read:

But every woman that prays or prophecies with her head uncovered dishonors her head:

for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

The verse begins, “But every woman that prays or prophecies with her head uncovered dishonors her head:”. Paul began with the word, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “every woman” or “each, all, the whole, and everyone of the females” “that prays” which means “who supplicates, worships and makes prayer” “or prophesies” or “speaking forth by divine inspirations and to predict” “with her head” which refers to “the woman's supreme, chief, prominent and principle part of the body” “uncovered” which means “unveiled and without covering” “dishonors” or “disgraces, shames, suffers repulse and has deceived” “her head” which means “the woman's supreme, chief, prominent and principle part of the body”. Paul declared that “women” who “prays or prophesies” without “a veil” brings “shame and repulse” to herself.

The verse continues, “for that is even all one as if she were shaven.” Paul added the words, “for that is even” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore likewise” “all one” or “similar and the same” “as if” which means “like” “she were shaven” or “her hair was cut short or close, which was the custom of the man in that age”. For the woman to be “uncovered” or “unveiled”, according to Paul, she might as we have had her hair cut short or shaven completely.

When we think through these words from Paul, we may not understand the customs of the day in which he wrote. Women were to be “covered” or “veiled” when they were before those who had “authority” over them, and this demonstrated their submission to them. Although, this custom is unfamiliar to us today, God continues to have His order, and as we submit ourselves to Jesus Christ as “Lord and Savior” we should fully align with His delineation of authority.

Next time Paul shares with the church members concerning, “if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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