Paul calls on the Corinthians to follow him as he follows Christ. We should all be examples of how to live. This does not mean we are all perfect, but there should be at least some parts of our lives where we have learnt to follow Christ, and so other people can learn from us.
Paul then turns to covering the head in worship. This passage contains some very interesting theology, and some practical guidance that gives us a problem! Let's look at the theology first.
The head of every man is Christ. This is the starting point, and is crucial. Christ is the head of every man. So far no problem, but then ... "the head of woman is man", and hackles start to rise, while others get all sort of self-righteous. It is interesting that Paul immediately follows this with "and the head of Christ is God". Paul is not saying that man is superior to woman and can get her to do whatever he likes, and she should serve his every whim. Jesus came to do the Father's will. So the man is to do Christ's will, which means he will do the Father's will also. The role of the husband is to serve the woman, and to give his life for her, just as Christ gave His life for the church (Ephesians 5:25).
Then we get the head covering business, and frankly this leaves most of us perplexed. What is he on about? Well (I am thankful to an article by Wayne Grudem for much of this info) wearing a head covering symbolised something. The possibilities are:
(1) Being in submission to her husband;
(2) Being a woman rather than a man;
(3) Being a wife, rather than unmarried;
(4) having authority to pray and prophecy in church.
To have her head shaved was a sign of disgrace, and Paul says it was the same if a woman did not have her head covered. Now wearing a head covering does not signify any of these things today, so it seems fair to say that we are not expected to observe this instruction today. However, what it symbolises is still true. Ie man is still the head of woman. We will look more at that tomorrow.
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