Let’s read verses 2-5: “Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.”

We do NOT read anything in these verses about the HAIR, so there is no command to cover the hair. Some have thought that the hair IS the covering because of verse 15, “But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; FOR HER HAIR IS GIVEN TO HER FOR A COVERING.” But that makes no sense, for God gives a woman long hair as a NATURAL COVERING and in verse 5 she is told to PUT A COVERING ON HER HEAD.

There are those who also question how much of the HEAD should be covered. Should it cover her whole head (with a large scarf or shawl) or does it mean the whole TOP of her head?  Perhaps verse 10 sheds light on this question, for it says, “For this reason the woman ought to have a SYMBOL of authority ON HER HEAD, because of the angels.” We learn here that angels are “looking down on the gathering of believers in a local church” and when they see that women have donned a covering of some kind to cover their head, they know they are showing submission to God’s order regarding headship. It may be a large scarf or shawl, or it may be a smaller covering placed over the top of the head. The main point is she is obeying God’s command to cover her head (as we see in verse 5).

I have often heard the argument, “The women’s head covering was only meant for the women at Corinth, who were being rebellious and disorderly in several ways, including speaking out loud during church meetings, and thus this command to wear a head covering doesn’t apply to believers today. The problem with this view is that Paul states clearly in verse 16, “But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do THE CHURCHES OF GOD.” He was NOT writing only for the church at Corinth when he gave the command for women to cover their heads, this “tradition” (see verse 2) was given to ALL THE CHURCHES. In chapter 14:34 & 37 Paul dealt with women at Corinth speaking during church meetings: “Let your women keep silent in the CHURCHES, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be SUBMISSIVE…..If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that THE THINGS WHICH I WRITE TO YOU ARE THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD” (14:34, 37).  Paul was inspired by the Lord to set forth “church order in church meetings” and in verse 33 he said, “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in ALL THE CHURCHES OF THE SAINTS.”

In closing, it is precious to see women adhering to this church order by “wearing head coverings” and “not speaking in church meetings.” This does not mean they are PERSONALLY “inferior to men”; it simply means that God ordained the man to be “the head of the woman” POSITIONALLY. It was this way from the very beginning for God gave DOMINION to Adam and Eve was to SUBMIT to his headship (see 1 Timothy 2:11-13). No woman should be offended by this, for we saw “the HEAD of Christ is God” in 1 Corinthians 11:3. The Lord Jesus took a place of “submission to His Father” in becoming a Man and a Servant, yet PERSONALLY He was “equal to God the Father” (see John 1:1; 5:22-23).  (DO)  (713.1)