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.
What should Jesus’ example at the Last Supper teach them and us?
1 Corinthians 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
What did Jesus do with the bread?
1 Corinthians 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
What did Jesus do with the wine?
1 Corinthians 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
How often should we take communion?
1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Jesus does not say how often. Passover was once a year, but there is no such directive for the Lord’s Supper. What if we partake of communion in a selfish manner like them?
1 Corinthians 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
What is an important preparation for taking the Eucharist?
1 Corinthians 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
What happens if we partake in a flippant or self-serving manner?
1 Corinthians 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
What was happening among the Corinthians because of their contempt for communion?
1 Corinthians 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
What should we do as we examine ourselves?
1 Corinthians 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
What is God’s purpose in disciplining us?
1 Corinthians 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
What should we do instead of greedily gobbling up communion and not caring for others?
1 Corinthians 11:33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
Is waiting for each other easier if we eat before communion?
1 Corinthians 11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
Some Christian traditions are based upon ideas not found in the Bible, but veils, hair length and communion traditions go back to these instructions. Some just blatantly disagree with Paul, some believe this is no longer culturally relevant, and others believe that it is still applicable because it is God-breathed scripture.
