Like it or not, our clothes speak. Perhaps they tell others about our generation, nationality, or wealth. Some people deliberately use their dressing to show what ″tribe″ they belong to, how attractive they are, or even to rebel against their culture.

Paul now moves on from the problem of eating meat offered to idols, to tackle the next issue. He has heard of trouble when the church comes together for worship (1 Corinthians 11:17-18), and he begins with how they cover their heads (vv. 2-16).

It seems that some men are abandoning the customs of the day and wearing their hair long¹⁰ or covering their heads with a garment (vv. 4-7), while some women are wearing their hair short or refusing to wear a veil in public (v. 5). Exercising their newfound freedom seems to be leading some Corinthian Christians into disregarding cultural norms and sending wrong signals to the community.

Paul reminds them: ″I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God″ (v. 3). This is the principle that Paul believes is at stake when they gather to worship without giving consideration to their culture's accepted ways of covering the head.

Even though it is used here to tackle the issue of covering one's head, this principle transcends any culture. In our relationships, as Paul goes on to explain, how we behave and what we wear either respects that principle or disrespects it (vv. 7-12).

The use of the word ″head″ (v. 3) has been debated. Some think Paul means ″source″, just as the head of the river is the source from which it flows. But here, I believe the word ″head″ implies ″authority″, because there is a chain of authority from God the Father, to Christ, to husbands, and to wives. When a man dishonours his ″head″, he is dishonouring the authority over him, who is Christ.

Paul wants both men and women to pray and to prophesy in public worship (vv. 3-5). But he also wishes men and women to remain distinct and to bring honour on those who have authority over them. So, men should not cover their heads and be like women (v. 4), women should not uncover theirs and be like men (vv. 5-6), and neither should appear to others to be independent of each other (vv. 7-12).

Today, how we wear our hair, hats, or veils might not send the same signals as they did back in the 1st century. However, the principle of ensuring that we honour others in worship remains. Men and women are distinct, but we don't act independently of each other. This ought to impact both what we wear and how we behave.

Heavenly Father, thank You for making us male and female. Help us to worship You in ways that take proper account of each other and are respectful.