Head Covering
Emails & Questions
Head Covering for Women?
Q: What about headcoverings -- aren't women supposed to have their heads covered to show that man has authority over them? It seems to me the bible teaches this but most Christian women ignore it.
A: I have written on this very subject -- http://www.servantsofyahshua.com/files/Head-Covering.htm -- if you want to look at this in greater detail. The simple and short answer to you question is that the teaching about Head Covering comes to us from a teaching by the Apostle Paul -- 1 Cor 11:10 -- Because Paul is teaching how the order of things came about and how this order in "authority" is expressed by and in the Creation itself, then those in the Church, called to the Christ, YaHshua, should see how things ought to be in the order of things within the collective body of the ecclesia, or, church.
In your question too much is assumed. Certainly the teaching recorded for us in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 presents a line of "authority" -- God the Father, God the Son, Man, woman and ... ? This is where the "head covering" is twisted into a meaning never intended. Certainly it is clear that a woman is not to have anymore authority over a man than a man has over the Christ -- a rare thing in today's society. But, the "head covering" itself is not the sign of woman's submission to man or men. Let's take a quick look --
(1Co 11:8-10) For man is not from woman, but woman from man; for neither was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. For this cause the woman ought to have authority on her head, because of the angels.
(1Co 11:11) Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord. YSRB
The King James Bible, for "authority" has "power" and both are correct. But notice, this verse does not say this 'authority' or 'power' is something the man has over the woman, not at all, but it says this "covering" is a "power" or an "authority" the woman has over the angels. Remember, Paul is teaching how the order of authority is a trickle down from the Father, to the Christ, YaHshua, then to the man, followed by the woman and then?? Readi it again, "...for this cause..." what cause? For the "cause" Paul has already mentioned -- the order of things, at this point in the Government (Kingdom) of God. "...the woman ought to have authority on her head ...", she should have this sign of authority or power, not over her head but "on" her head, and why? "... because of the angels". In other words, this covering is a sign of authority of the women over the angels. Remeber, it was the woman that was deceived in the Garden, no man -- Adam knew better but did it any way, Eve was deceived. Later, in the Genesis account we are told that the woman would give birth to the Savior of the World -- this is gleaned from the prophetic statement found in Gen 3:15," ...I will put emnity between you (Satan, the snake) and the woman ... He will bruise your head and you will bruis His heal." The language in this account shifts from the woman to "He", in a singular fashion, leading many to believe and teach that this is a prophetic statement concerning our Lord.
In Paul's instruction we find, what some consider, an odd statement that many have had troubled over. Why would Paul say something so out of sync with this teaching on "authority" in the church? Stay with the context of the teaching as we can see, I believe, what is really being said. Of course you should already see this, or see what I am getting at. The woman covers her head as a sign of authority over the angels, and that would mean all angels, yes, even Satan and his angels. Can you see how we can not fill in the "blank" ?? In the order of things, we have God the Father, then the Christ, YaHshua, then man, then woman followed by the angels. The covering of the woman is not a sign of man's authority over the woman, not at all, but a sign of woman's authority over the angels. Given this authority Satan, the crafty snake or serpent, has to obey the very one he worked on deceiving in the Garden. To us, humans, with limited life spans this may seem far fetched, but think of it in terms of eternity. The woman dies, and the serpent/satan, continues on and it is fresh in his mind what this means -- some might call this "just deserved".
If more women would recognize this or the teachers in the church would recognize this there would be less deception among the women of the Christian religion. Paul warns of "silly women" being led astray, but make no mistake, if women truly understood the system of "authority" and the "power" they actually have over the angels, and this would include Satan and his angels, they might not be so silly and so easily led astray by the teachers and works of Satan posing as ministers of God -- remember the wolves in sheep's clothing -- what, do you think that is all old stuff and not for today? Think again. Authority or power, if not excercised, is nothing or means nothing, it is but a title. Women must recognize this "power" they have in protecting their families and even their husbands, but if they merely go their own way, like "silly women" then they can be easily led astray, more easily than the men. Sorry, ladies, but if you do not realize the power you have and are not submissive to the Aurhtority of God and our Savior, the very thing that grants you this "authority" over angels, then you are indeed silly, or foolish. Not to pick on women, for men can be foolish as well -- for it was by one man sin entered into the world - Romans 5:12
There are some who use this verse referencing the angels, "...because of the angels..." as a proof, of some sort, that this is talking about the "sons of god" taking wives, as mentioned in Gen 6:1-4 -- they somehow tie this verse in to mean that because the sons of god, meaning angels, took wives from among humans that this is the meaning of the "head covering". Does it say that? No. Now, watch this, see this, hear this; right after the head covering power, "because of the angels", the very next verse, "Nevertheless, niether is the woman independant of man..." Get it, hear it? Nevertheless -- if this were talking about man's authority over the woman then why this statement. This statement is added in order to make it clear that the man and the woman are on an equal footing, and this is repeated from previous verses, following the statement of the "authority" or "power" the woman has 'because of the angels, and when we keep in mind that the whole teaching of this intire chapter, is about the
order of things.
It is a possible reason Satan rebelled, and why he set his sights on deceiving the woman in the first place. I am speculating, to be sure, but imagine, if the angels were informed as to the Plan of God to create a being more like Himself and that that creation would inhereit everything, perhaps more than a few of the angels might have been upset. After all, no one likes to think they are going to be replaced, least of all by a, preceived, inferior being. That is only a guess on my part, but it would explain why Satan was able to get a third of the angels of Heaven to follow him -- Rev 12:4.