Search This Site
Follow by Email
Sign Up
Don't worry, we hate spam too, and promise to keep your email private!
Online Health Consultations
Home > Faith > Christian Head Covering > What the Bible Says About Head Coverings
What the Bible Says About Head Coverings
March 2017 – There is so much that can be said on the topic of head coverings, that I am finding it very difficult to know how to limit it to just a single article. But recently God has really been teaching me so much about this topic and really convicting my heart and questioning my motives behind why I have not yet been obedient to His word with regards to this topic.
There is a lot of controversy and a lot of argument that takes place over the brief instruction that the Bible gives about a woman’s covering. But I think what it really comes down to is a question or whether or not we really believe the Bible (the whole Bible) to truly be the inspired word of God, and whether or not we are really committed to taking God at His word and being obedient (even with regards to things we don’t really want to do).
For many years I have been guilty of doing exactly what is warned against in 2 Timothy 4:3 . . . “For a time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.”
I have found plenty of teachers who will tell me that Paul’s instructions regarding a woman’s head covering does not apply to women today. They will tell us that these instructions were only mere suggestions. They will tell us that these instructions were tied into the culture of that day and age and do not apply to the current culture we are living in today. They will tell us that we live in the day of “grace” and are no longer bound by law and that this is one of those laws that we have been set free from and are no longer required to follow. They will even go so far as to say that Paul had a personal grievance against women and wanted to see them kept in humble submission and under the rule and subjection of men.
In the past I have been able to find all kinds of teachers, pastors, and godly leaders
who have told me exactly what I want to hear on this topic. But when I turn to the
Bible and diligently search the Scriptures, I cannot help but come to the conclusion
that anyone who teaches that the head covering was purely cultural and non-
The real question we need to ask ourselves as we dive into the topic of head coverings is this . . .
Are we willing to actually listen to what God has said about head coverings, and to be obedient to His word, regardless of what our culture, our desires, or even our pastors have to say on the topic?
If you answer “no” to the above question I would encourage you to just stop reading right now and not look any further at the information I am about to present in this article. For it is better to go on in ignorance than to learn what the truth is and continue in disobedience.
So let me ask you this vital question one more time . . .
Are you really wanting to know what God says about head coverings? And are you really willing to be obedient to what God says in His word, even if it goes against everything else . . . your desires, your pride, your family, your culture, and even the teachings of your pastor and church congregation?
If you can honestly say “yes”, that you really do want to hear and obey God in this area, then fasten your seat belt, because this is going to be an amazing study, but it is also going to be a very bumpy ride!
The information I am about to present is not meant to be taken lightly, it is meant for the really serious seeker and by the end of the article you are going to be faced with a very serious decision, one that will influence the way you live out the rest of your life.
Are you ready?
Let’s get started . . .
What the Bible Says About a Woman’s Head Covering
We’re going to start by reading 1 Corinthians 11:2-
Remember, this is the Word of God! Even if Paul thought he was just writing a simple letter to his friends, the things he wrote in this letter was inspired by the Holy Spirit and is the infallible Word of God.
So this is what God says to us in these verses . . .
1 Corinthians 11:2 . . . “Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.”
Can you put this into your own words? Paul is commending the people of Corinth because of the fact that they have been intentional about remembering the things that Paul has taught them, and faithful in carrying out his instructions in their daily lives.
But let’s not get caught up in the word “traditions” here. This is where a lot of teachers will tell us that Paul is talking about the “culture” of the people regarding how they dress, which is why it doesn’t apply to us anymore. But even if Paul is talking about their culture, look again at what he is saying . . . “I commend you”!
Paul is looking at the way the Christians in Corinth are dressing, the way they are doing their hair and the way they are covering or uncovering their heads, and he is saying to them “good job!” He is telling them, “This is good. The way you are conduction yourselves is right! – I commend you!”
Verse 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.”
BUT . . . that is always such a powerful word. Paul just got done telling the people that they are doing good, but, there is more they need to know. It’s like Paul is saying to them, traditionally (or culturally) you have been following a certain code of propriety and dressing in a certain way . . . BUT, you should not just being doing this because it is your culture, there is so much more to this than just “tradition”.
And so this verse (following the word “but”) goes on to tell us why these traditions are right and pleasing to God. It’s not just a “way to dress”, it also has a lot to do with the authority structure that God set up at the creation of the world.
God the Father is the ultimate authority (the “head”). Christ Jesus, the begotten son, is subject (or the next in rank) to the Father in this authority structure. The next position of authority is passed to the man, and the man is the head (or the leader) of his wife.
This authority structure is one that we see all throughout Scripture. We are no longer talking about an aspect of ancient culture, we are talking about sound Biblical doctrine.
So Paul is telling the people, do you know why you are dressing a certain way? Do you know why you have certain traditions regarding hair and head coverings? Let me explain it to you . . . It is because of this authority structure, “the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.”
Verse 4 . . . “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,”
This is the the instruction given to men. It is a pretty simple instruction, basically all it says is that a man should not wear a hat or any kind of covering on his head when he is praying or prophesying.
This verse is not saying that they can never cover their heads, or that men aren’t allowed to wear hats, or that it is wrong in any way for a man to put anything on his head. This is not what the verse is saying. But what it is saying, is that when a man is praying or prophesying (in other words “teaching” or giving a word from the Lord) those are the two instances in which a man should have his head uncovered.
In fact, this verse goes on to say that it is even a “dishonor” or a shame to him if he does have his head covered while praying or prophesying. It used to be a huge part of the American culture that a man would take his hat off in the house, or at the very least he would not be seen wearing a hat during the table prayers.
Even back when men used to wear hats all the time (even when going to church) it was still their custom to take their hats off whenever there was a time of prayer, or if they were called on to speak to the congregation.
This is something that is getting lost in our culture today, and I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that “respect” as a whole is also becoming lost in our culture. We don’t really understand “respect” or even “shame” in our culture anymore, but that does not make them any less real. The fact still remains, for a man to properly show respect towards Christ (his “head” or authority figure) it is right for him to remove his hat when speaking to God in prayer or when representing God to the people around him in the teaching or giving of a prophetic word.
Now let’s continue . . .
Verse 5 . . . “. . .but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head – it is the same as if her head were shaven.”
I find it very interesting that many of the same women who nod in agreement about how the men really should be required to take their hats off in church or during table prayers, etc, are often the same women who get up in arms about whether or not a woman should be required to cover her head.
But these two instructions are given in the same sentence, spoken in the same breath, and pertaining to the same authority structure that has been established by God.
A man, out of respect for God should not cover his head when praying or prophesying, and a wife, out of submission to this same authority structure, should have her head covered when praying or prophesying.
The verse is pretty clear, but I just want to point out a few things for the sake of clarity . . .
First of all, this verse is specifically talking about wives, and not talking about women in general.
Secondly, this verse is not saying that the wife needs to wear the head covering all the time, it is specifically referring to the times when the woman is praying or prophesying (or giving instruction or speaking on behalf of others higher up in the chain of command).
And finally, this verse is saying that if a wife is praying or giving instruction without covering her head, she is shaming herself.
In fact, for a wife to do either of these things (praying or prophesying) without her head covered is equally shameful as a woman who walks around with her head shaved.
Of course, in a culture where long hair is no longer valued, and short or even shaved hair can even be seen as a fashion “trend” this doesn’t sound so bad. But again, this is because “respect” as a whole is being lost in our culture and when you lose your sense of what respect is you also lose your sense for what shame is.
But apart from any cultural dictations, what this verse is telling us is that it is very shameful for a woman to pray or prophesy if she is doing so without wearing a covering on her head.
Of course, at this point many people will say that a woman’s hair is her covering, so she doesn’t really need to wear anything in addition to her hair as a head covering.
Well, let’s continue looking at the Scriptures to see if this is true.
Verse 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.”
Now, if long hair is a good enough covering for the wife (which is the argument that many people will give regarding these instructions) then we should be able to use the two interchangeably here, so let’s try it . . .
“. . .if a wife will not [wear her hair long], then she should cut her hair short.”
Does that even make sense?
No!
Why would he say to cut her hair short if she refuses to keep her hair long? That instruction doesn’t even make sense, because it assumes that her hair is already short, so why would he tell her to cut it?!
But, if this verse is really talking about a covering that the wife wears over her hair, then the verse means exactly what is says . . . “If a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short.”
In other words, if a wife refuses to ear a head covering during the times she is praying or prophesying then she really has no right to even enjoy the honor of having long hair. She brings shame to herself by not wearing the head covering, and that shame is in a way made complete, or “publicly announced” by the act of cutting 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”. This phrase is another one of those phrases that people will twist to say that it is again referring to the culture of the time. Obviously, in the culture today, it is not really considered a disgrace for a woman to have very short hair or even to go about with a shaved head. But let us not forget that this book is the word of God. He is not saying that cut or shaved hair could be disgraceful, or that in some settings it can be disgraceful, He is saying that it is disgraceful.
Our culture in this day and age knows very little about respect or disgrace. It knows very little about glory and shame. If our culture says that it is not a disgrace for a woman to have short or shaved hair, it is because they do not truly know the meaning of disgrace.
This verse right here is telling us that it is a disgrace. That in God’s eyes a wife who has her hair cut short or even shaved off is in disgrace.
Verse 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.”
When you read this verse you may be tempted to think, but isn’t a woman also created in the image of God?
And yes, you would be right, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27).
But notice that the first two times God singles out the man as being created in His image. “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him”. When you really take a close look at Genesis 1 and 2 you see that man was created first, and created in God’s image, and then God created woman. And why was woman created? To be a suitable helper for the man, to complete him. Or as this particular verse puts it, to be “the glory of man”.
Verses 7-
This whole section really needs to be looked at together, so let’s take these four verses all in one stride . . .
Man was created in the image of God. He was made first (before the woman). And he was made to need a helper, not made to be the helper.
The woman, on the other hand, was made from the man. The woman also was made for the man, to be a suitable helper to him.
This last part of the section is the most interesting, it is the section that really ties it all together. It gives the actually reasoning behind why the woman should wear the head covering, and the reasoning is actually very surprising.
“That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head because of the angels”.
Isn’t that interesting?
The head covering that a wife wears is not intended to be a form of submission or even a reminder to her of her position under her husband. It is not intended to be a means of “keeping her in her place” or even a means of forcing her into submission.
If the head covering were intended to be a way of reminding her of her “low position” then these instructions would be telling the wife that she needs to wear the head covering all the time. But that’s not what it’s saying. The instructions are that she needs to wear the head covering during the times when she is praying or prophesying . . . Because of the angels!
It would be nice if Paul would on to explain a little more about what he meant when he said “because of the angels”, but from looking at these verses alone we can already conclude that the head covering is a “symbol of authority”.
What does that mean exactly? And what affect does that have on the angels? There is certainly no way to know for certain, and there is certainly a level of mystery here. But I think that is because we do not have a clear picture of what the role of the angels are in regards to prayer and prophesy. Further study on these topics could certainly give us greater insights, but for simplicities sake, let us just stick with the current verses.
Let’s imagine for a moment that a man enters into the courts of Heaven and approaches the throne of God (which is essentially what is happening through prayer) . . . there are angels all around the throne, bringing their tribute and even collecting the “prayers of the saints” and offering them up on the alter (Revelation 8:3).
Now let’s imagine, when the man comes to offer up those prayers, the angels start talking and asking themselves, “who is he and what right does he have to come before the Almighty God?!” But then, taking a closer look at the man they think, “Wait a minute, if you look at him just right, he kind of resembles Jesus!” So they look at Jesus and look back at the man, and they do this kind of “double take” and come to see that this man has every right to approach the throne of God because he has been created in God’s image. Now if the man were wearing a covering, it may not be so easy for the angels to see the resemblance . . . I don’t know. Maybe I’m even completely way off track here, that’s hard to know as well. But from the context of these verses, it seems like this could very well be at least one of the possible interpretations.
Now let’s imagine that a woman has entered the courtroom and is approaching the throne of God, and the angels begin asking themselves, “what is she doing here? What right does she have to approach the Almighty, all glorious, majestic God?!” But wait, what is that on her head? It is a symbol of authority. Someone has given her the right to approach the throne. Someone has given her the right to speak to God and even to take messages from God and deliver them to others.
Wow!
Are you seeing this at all? A woman’s covering isn’t to degrade her or to make her low or subject to her husband, it is meant to exalt her and grant her entrance into the throne room!
Can a woman still pray without a head covering on? Certainly! But she also needs to be aware that in doing so she creates quite a stir in Heaven’s throne room, and quite a stir among the angels. What’s more, she brings disgrace and shame to herself. What right does she have to make requests of God or to carry messages to other people from God?! What audacity! What gull! Who does she think she is coming before the great and Almighty God, treading on holy ground.
As Alexander Pope once said in a poem, “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”. From what we are learning from these verses, a wife who rushes into the throne room of God without having the symbol of authority on her head is being very foolish indeed.
Now, this may or may not be what is actually going on in Heaven, it is just an illustration of one of many possibilities of what the phrase “because of the angels” could be meaning.
But even if my picture of the angels in God’s throne room is not even remotely accurate, I think we can (at the very least) agree that the phrase “because of the angels” is enough to make it clear to us that these instructions about head coverings is so much more than just a cultural suggestion that can be changed over time or altered depending on the culture or particular circumstances. Even though we can’t fully understand what its significance is to the angels, at the very least we know that there is a very real spiritual element here, one that does not change with time or the waves of earthly cultures.
And if these instructions have spiritual implications and make a difference in the spiritual realm, then they are just as applicable in our day in age as they were at the time when they were written.
Verse 13 . . . “Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?”
Now is the time when the decision is being placed in your own hands. “Judge for yourselves” . . . based on everything that was presented in the previous verses, what do you think of it now?
Is it right and proper for a wife to pray with her head uncovered?
Verses 14-
These are the verses now that create confusion and cause people to think that the hair is good enough of a covering and therefore the woman should not need to have an actually head covering.
But let’s look closely again at verses 13-
Do you notice the difference? Long hair was given to women in general as a means of covering – a covering that is her glory. But a married woman – a wife – ought to have her head covered (by more than just her long hair) not just as a covering but more than that, as a symbol of authority.
So there you have it . . . plain and simple!
These verses are talking about wives (not women in general), and they are specifically talking about the need for a head covering when a woman is praying or prophesying, not talking about the need to always be wearing a covering.
Granted, there are plenty of cultures that view head coverings as a form of modesty, where women of all ages and every stage in life (not just married women) wear the head coverings when they are out in public.
There are also cultures where the women do not wear head coverings at all, but when they go to church or have their person prayer times, they have a cloth, or “prayer shawl” that they pull up over their head for the duration of the prayer time.
There are many cultural ways of putting these verses into practice, some more relaxed and some more extreme. Because of the variations in personal convictions, ideas about modesty, and the different cultural backgrounds that people are coming from, the whole idea of head coverings is naturally going to look different for different people. And that’s okay and even very beautiful. But the important thing that needs to be emphasized, is obedience to God’s word. So instead of trying to make excuses as to why women don’t need to wear head coverings in this day and age, we should, instead, be looking closely at what God’s word has to say on the subject, praying specifically about what God would have us do in response to what we see in His word, and then go out and be obedient to the convictions He places on our heart.
Would that we could see a great many wives rising up and living these verses out in daily obedience. We may not have all the answers to the “mystery” behind wearing head coverings, but we know that God is the Almighty God and that if He says it is right and proper for a wife to wear a head covering when she prays or prophesies, then let us, the Christian wives, step up and be obedient to this instruction, and to teach the younger wives to rise up and do the same!
-
You May Also Like:
Great Styling Ideas for Modern Day Women
-
