Hair And Communion (1 Corinthians 11)

Do hair length and sharing communion in a worthy manner matter to God? Who does Paul follow?

1 Corinthians 11:1-16 Hair

1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Did the Corinthians generally remember their founding pastor and his instructions?

1 Corinthians 11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

Who did God intend to be the family head?

1 Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Ought a man to pray or prophesy with a head covering?

1 Corinthians 11:4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.

Ought a woman to pray or prophesy with a head covering?

1 Corinthians 11:5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

What if a woman is not covered?

1 Corinthians 11:6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

Why the difference between men and women?

1 Corinthians 11:7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

Who was created first?

1 Corinthians 11:8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.

Who was created for whom?

1 Corinthians 11:9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

Does long hair give a woman power? Are angels watching? Do we respect God’s holy angels?

1 Corinthians 11:10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

Some say this is a married woman’s submission to the power of her husband. Others say it is the power of her “glory” or beauty. Are men and women independent of each other?

1 Corinthians 11:11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

Do men and women mutually excel each other?

1 Corinthians 11:12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

What do we think?

1 Corinthians 11:13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

Is it obvious?

1 Corinthians 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

This does not refer to “nature” as some say that this is contradicted by a lion having longer hair than a lioness, but is a colloquial way of saying, “isn’t it obvious” (NLT). Is the veil or covering a bonnet, scarf, cloth or something else?

1 Corinthians 11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Perhaps this is the power spoken of earlier, the beauty or “glory” of long hair. What if some want to quarrel about this passage? Was this just a local custom or was it church wide?

1 Corinthians 11:16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Bread & Wine

Is a church gathering supposed to be for the better or worse?

1 Corinthians 11:17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

Is division one way to sour a church service?

1 Corinthians 11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

Is apostasy another way to ruin a church meeting?

1 Corinthians 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

What particular service was the concern?

1 Corinthians 11:20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.

Was communion meant to be self-serving or taken like an ordinary meal?

1 Corinthians 11:21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

Was the Eucharist being treated like a common meal in their own homes? Were the poor being ignored or left out?

1 Corinthians 11:22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.