A Woman’s Doxology
For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 1 Corinthians 11:7 NASB
Glory – What an exegetical disaster we have made of Paul’s off-hand remark! What nonsense, what heresy we have perpetrated upon women as a result of the male proclivity to power! As Ellul rightly observes, this passage “has often been misconstrued as teaching a hierarchy from God to man and from man to woman. But this is not its point or purpose. The question is that of the relation between powers, and of mediation. . . . I have often recalled that glory is revelation. God glorifies himself when he reveals himself as he is. Jesus Christ glorifies God when he reveals him to us as the God of love who is also the Father. We ourselves are called upon to be the glory of God as we are his image, as we show by what we are who is the God to whom we bear witness. In this passage Paul then adds that the woman is the glory of man: she reveals him; she shows what a human being truly is.”[1]
We already know that the rabbis taught that Woman is the final formative act of creation, the capstone of God’s design. We already know that the serpent attacks the Woman because she is the relationship manager of the unity of the two. We already know that Adam acknowledges her place as the director and protector in his excuse before the Lord. Certainly Paul knew all that we know – and much more. Ellul is right. God designed the woman to glorify the man; to reveal to him what it means to be fully human. Rabbinic teaching concludes that the Woman is the first truly human creature since she comes from (finds her source in) the man. Rabbi Sha’ul (Paul) teaches nothing different. If you want to see what it means to be fully human according to God’s design, look to His deliberate blueprint in Woman. Any interpretation that ignores or intentionally misinterprets this passage in order to justify a non-existent hierarchy in the Kingdom is not only erroneous, it is salacious.
We are fortunate to have had thinkers like Ellul. It’s too bad that the majority of Christian teachers didn’t listen to him. It’s not simply a tragedy for proper biblical exegesis. It is a tragedy for all those couples who were seduced by the power-hungry Church of male prominence. This false hierarchy has destroyed more marriages (intended to be billboards of unity, not hierarchy) and ruined the contribution of more women to the Body than just about any other blasphemy of the Church. It’s time to overthrow such patent error, regardless of the supposedly learned Christian theologians who continue to proclaim such foolishness. It’s time for every husband to realize and appreciate the representative of God’s glory given to him in his wife. It’s time for every unmarried man to search for the woman who reveals what it means to be truly human, and to settle for nothing less.
It’s time for the Church to repent.
Topical Index: glory, doxa, woman, 1 Corinthians 11:7
Thank you so much for sharing this. What an encouraging and wonderful truth for me to remember and embrace as a woman searching, trusting and following Christ in my everyday life. Thank you.
‘Paul’s off hand remark’ –
I am a woman so naturally your argument about this one is appealing,
here’s the rest of the passage,
“2 I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you. 3 But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.[a] 4 A man dishonors his head[b] if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. 5 But a woman dishonors her head[c] if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. 6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.[d]
7 A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory. 8 For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. 9 And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. 10 For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.[e]
11 But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. 12 For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.
13 Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? 14 Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair? 15 And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. 16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.”
I believe the passage simply makes sense as instructions for public worship in light of observed tradition, and an order ordained since creation (v 8 and 9 Paul refers to this order in creation) –
and how about the passage by Paul in Ephesians
“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as
Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. As the church is subject to
Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.” (Eph. 5:22–24)
Blessings
Little of what Paul teaches concerning women is supported by Torah, but it certainly reflects the culture of his day. When I read Paul’s letters I see a mixture of personal greetings and colloquialisms, ra’bbinic opinion, kaballistic teachings, emotional venting, divine insights/ revelation and personal halacha. I dont see prophetic utterances or anything close to being on par with the Torah and prophets, just a man teaching the TANAKH. Yes this goes against Church teachings which for me, confirms it’s probably the correct view of Paul’s writings. Appreciate Skip taking this sacred cow to pasture.
Actually, if you read my book Guardian Angel you will find that Paul, UNDERSTOOD WITHIN RABBINIC EXEGESIS, says exactly what Torah says – and not at all what the Church taught that Paul said. There is a long history behind this (see the book).
I’ve grown up in mainline churches that taught that women couldn’t teach men because they were to be submissive to them. I didn’t question this teaching much until we attended a very small church (10 to 20 people) for a couple years that had a very controlling pastor. Most of the men in that church were new believers struggling with various addictions, and the most godly ones were women. Yet women weren’t allowed to lead singing, speak from the pulpit, or teach men, and the pastor wrote the lessons for women to teach other women. For the first time, I really began to question the teaching of the submission of women. I questioned whether God really cared more about gender than godliness. Would God really prefer that a profane, addicted abuser be a leader in church simply because he is a man and silence a woman with deep faith simply because she is a woman? I wondered: If a woman is under the authority of men, must she do whatever any man wants her to do? What if he wants her to do something immoral? Where can she draw the line and say no? If a woman isn’t under the authority of ALL men then why can’t she teach men in the church? If she is under the authority of only her husband, then there is still a power struggle. For a little while, my husband and I struggled because any time I disagreed with him, he accused me of insubordination. If there is a hierarchy between men and women, then “disobedience” must be dealt with.
Fortunately, in my search for my role as a woman, God has led both my husband and me to understand that we are equals loving and serving each other without worrying about authority. Skip’s book on this subject, Guardian Angel, has helped me greatly understand who I am as a woman. I find that as I understand my role and value, I do not feel oppressed, silenced, or frustrated, forced into roles that don’t fit. Rather than be “put in my place,” I feel more honored, cherished, fulfilled, and confident to bless and minister as I was designed to bless and minister–and my husband is the happy recipient who blesses and ministers to me as well in the way he was designed.
I absolutely agree with Skip’s last paragraph: “It is a tragedy for all those couples who were seduced by the power-hungry Church of male prominence. This false hierarchy has destroyed more marriages (intended to be billboards of unity, not hierarchy) and ruined the contribution of more women to the Body than just about any other blasphemy of the Church. It’s time to overthrow such patent error, regardless of the supposedly learned Christian theologians who continue to proclaim such foolishness. It’s time for every husband to realize and appreciate the representative of God’s glory given to him in his wife. It’s time for every unmarried man to search for the woman who reveals what it means to be truly human, and to settle for nothing less.”
GLORIOUS – SIMPLY GLORIOUS – THANK GOD FOR THE CREATION OF THE EZER KENEGDO… ♥
Amein
The answer to this (another fine mess Ollie!) is love. “Husbands love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.” Mensz, when we love our wives as Christ loved the church, there is not one woman on the planet who would have a problem “submitting” to love like this!- But wait!..-there’s more…-(always more!)
Does Christ ever “demand” our love? (Yes, I said “our” love). Not ever, not once, never. Husbands, (ya creeps)- if you ever, (ever) “demand” love, congratulations- you are now practicing “sharia” law!- Love is never, ever forced (or even expected!). Again, does Christ “demand” our love? Is all our love “due Him?”- Positively, but love is never, ever “forced.” Nevertheless- Christ is the Head (of all things)-and at all times and in all places.
Now fellas,- pay attention. (Please) Jews and Christians listen to this noise,- we (those who belong to our heavenly Boaz are Ruth. (honestly). We, dear male types- are now, today- the present Body and future Bride of Christ. Lay aside the testosterone cloud we live in and know this for a sure a certain fact: we (me and you bud) are Ruth. Our claim to fame? None, were it not for Boaz! Our future- dismal were it not for our Kinsman Redeemer, our Heavenly Boaz- the LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ.
Ruth was (and is!) a Moabite. Not a Jew, but not exactly a Gentile either,- but she (and we, new creatures) are because of the revelation and redemption of Boaz- has (and have) “both” a marvelous standing and future legacy.
She (and we) no longer glean in the corners of the field, but the field itself belongs to her Husband, -~ the earth is the LORD’s (our heavenly Husband) and the fulness thereof ~ He owns the cattle on a thousand hills,- the wealth in every mine- and (yes, there is more) because she (and we) are now in blood-covenant relationship with this near Kinsman-Redeemer, her (and our) Go’el- the future is as bright as the promises of God. It all belongs to Him and we are now, today (have we forgotten?) “joint-heirs” with Christ!
Oh friends, -we are living so far beneath our privileges! You*, Mr./M’am are going to be partakers of a wedding party and a heavenly honeymoon that will only last forever! (Can God throw a party?- lol!)
Here is Heaven on Earth. One man, one woman, “in Christ.”- This much is true: we gain far more “in Christ” than we ever lost in Adam.
Meanwhile, back on the planet..- we (menz) have much work to do. We are to love our wives as Christ loved the church and to love our neighbor (a word of proximity) as ourselves. ~ The end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart and of faith unfeigned. ~ Menfolk,- stick your nose in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and see how well you “measure up!” – and here’s the fun part!- as I read these God-inspired words, “Jesus” is so easily substituted for “love.” For (Hallelujah!) Jesus is patient. Jesus is kind. Jesus does not boast. Jesus does not envy. – and on and on- for Jesus is the Love of God, the second Adam revealed in human flesh. If we need to know what Love looks like,- let us all look (take a good look!) at Him. ~Behold, the Lamb!~
And let us remember also “Male and Female” made He them!- “We” are in His image and likeness. There is (very much!) a “female” side to YHWH! Remember “rachel?” (Isaiah 53.7) The Messiah is “rachel”- the willing Servant. Husbands- love (avad) “work-worship-love-serve” your wives, even as Christ loved the church- His Bride-to-be! “Be” the willing servant at all times and in all places. ~ Love one another with a pure heart fervently ~ By this, shall all men know that your are My disciples- if you have love for one another ~
clap, clap, clap 🙂
and Amein
Bless you Carl. I’m picturing a Viking-style armoured warrior 🙂 herding us back to scripture.
— THANK GOD FOR THE CREATION OF THE EZER KENEGDO… ♥ —
Sister Jan, I would have loved to have been there when Adam “beheld” Eve for the first time! I’m sure he spoke in Hebrew when he awoke and said- “WoW!”
Skip,
I disagree with your presentation of this issue but not the thought. I had a long rant prepared, but deleted it. Always enjoy reading what you have spent so much time preparing.
God Bless You
Rick
The entire argument is found in Guardian Angel. My work lines up with Ellul’s comment. After a thorough analysis of the Torah teaching, I show that Paul endorses the Torah view and uses it in rabbinic ways to elaborate its implications. The current theological teaching that views men as divinely-given authorities over their wives does not come from the Torah, nor from the earliest Messianic Jewish/Gentile communities (as both the history and the text demonstrate). The current teaching regarding the hierarchical view of men and women actually finds its roots in Greek thinking, imported into the Church through men like Augustine and elaborated and endorsed by several important Catholic theologians of the middle ages. All of this is detailed in the book. So, before you decide to offer your “rant” (which I would very much like to read), please consider reading Guardian Angel first so we can talk about the meaning in the text and the historical development before we begin dissecting the theology.
Dr. Moen,
This is tremendous and liberating not only for women but men too. It describes the expansion of ministry where roles are honored and encouraged. I would love to repost this as a guest post in my church’s blog with full credit. I plan to get Guardian Angel.
Hi Skip,
I have always believed that the idea of a hierarchal structure in the man/woman relationship was not the correct way to see the Scriptures that supposedly teach it. My questions on this chapter in 1 Corinthians are: What is the meaning of “head” as it relates to the man being head of the woman? Why does the man not cover his head because he is the image and glory of God, and the woman does because she is the glory of man? And what is your take on the verse talking about the woman having to have “power” on her head because of the angels?
I know these are probably not short answer questions! I have read some books on the subject, one by Gilbert Bilezikian.
If you read Gilbert’s book, then you know the answer to the first question. Kephale is never used of authority, but rather of source. This is perfectly in line with Paul’s comment on Genesis 2. It is NOT hierarchy.
A man in Judaism does cover his head, but as a sign of submission to God. I suspect that there is a good deal of cultural peculiarity involved in Paul’s statement, but only guesswork will relate it to the practices in Corinth at the time.
“because of the angels” is completely obscure. Take a guess!
Thanks Skip. “Source” is what I thought too, from reading Gilbert’s book and other books. Source because woman was taken out of man. And I thought cultural reasons too as far as head covering. As far as “because of the angels” goes, I have seen as many different takes on that verse as I have read books and commentaries!