3But 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.
4Every man praying or prophesying, having
his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with
her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6For 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.
7For 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.
8For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
9Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
10For this cause ought the woman to have power on
her head because of the angels.
11Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
12For as the woman
is of the man, even so
is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
13Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
15But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for
her hair is given her for a covering.
16But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
Now here is a good example of proper hermeneutics. Someone could read this and say that his wife should cover her head in church because THE WORD OF GOD says so. But does it? Hermeneutics requires that we determine who he was talking to, cultural context, and other statements that are made in the context. We can see that he ends it with;
But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. By saying this he makes it obvious that the custom he was referring to of the woman covering the head was a Jewish custom and not a custom in the churches of God. Many having no proper training in hermeneutics have run off and put a rule of head covering on their women. Now they may preach sermons about it from the pulpit and countless hours explaining the spiritual significance of authority as Paul taught and when they get to the Judgment seat of Christ... POOF... wood hay stubble. And probably an admonition "What part of verse 16 did you not understand?"
Now it is true that the husband has God given authority and responsibility to take care of the family, protect it, teach the word, lead in prayer etc, but none of that means that God does not want women to preach and teach the bible and evangelize the world along with men. It is to both sons and daughters that the Holy Spirit is poured out with ministry gifts of the Spirit for MINISTRY. They are mostly SPEAKING gifts of the Spirit. Your sons and daughters shall PROPHESY. Give me a woman PROPHESYING over a man just droning on out of his own spirit any day. Can I get an AMEN?