“A woman ought to have power on her head” is the crux of 1 Cor. 11:2-16. What did Paul mean here? And what does “because of the angels” mean?
In Part 3, I focus on 1 Cor. 11:7-9 and corresponding verses. Why did Paul say man is the image and glory of God, and woman was made for man?
In Part 2, I continue looking at 1 Cor. 11:2-16, especially at 1 Cor. 11:4-6. Was Paul’s concern head coverings or hairstyles?
This is Part 1 of a talk I gave in August on 1 Cor. 11:2-16. This passage includes the phrase, “the head of woman is the man.”
I’ve highlighted the structure and vocabulary of 1 Cor. 14:26-40 which contains verses 33-34, “Women should be silent in the churches …”
The Son’s submission to the Father in 1 Cor. 15:28 does not inform our understanding of submission in marriage in the way some people argue. Here’s why.
A short discussion on the adjective akatakalyptos and the verb katakalyptō (“cover”) used in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16.
In his book, The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood, Philip Payne outlines 3 reasons why Paul’s concern in 1 Cor. 11:2–16 was not head coverings for women, but hairstyles.
This is part 1 of a talk I gave recently which looks at Paul’s overall theology on ministry and the verses often used to limit women.
Here are a few excerpts from a chapter written by Judith Gundry that are helpful in understanding Paul’s arguments and use of creation in 1 Cor. 11:2-16.
Paul said in 1 Cor. 11:10 that a woman should have “authority on her head.” Whose authority is it?
in 1 Cor. 11:14-15, Paul says that nature is a teacher of hair lengths or hairstyles for men and women. What did he mean by “nature”?
In this article, I give a brief overview of how I read 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. This passage includes the phrase, “the head of woman is man.”
Wayne Grudem now accepts that abuse is a valid reason for divorce. This is good news for some but Grudem’s approach is problematic.
Do women need to cover their heads in church meetings? What does Paul say about this in 1 Cor. 11:2–16? What were the customs of head coverings in Corinth?
The creation order given in Genesis 2 is often brought up in discussions about ministry and marriage. What significance did Paul place on man being created first?
In 1 Cor. 16:16, Paul tells the Corinthians to submit themselves to coworkers and labourers. Paul refers to several women by these ministry terms.
Does Paul’s teaching on divorce in 1 Corinthians 7 allow for an abused spouse to leave their abuser? What is the context of his words in this passage?
Does 1 Corinthians 11:7 express superiority of men over women. Is this what is meant by “man … is the image and glory of God but woman is the glory of man”? Here’s a different interpretation.
The Greek word for “head” rarely, if ever, meant “leader” in works originally written in Greek in Paul’s time. Here are four facts that support this claim.
Was Paul concerned about women’s hair or veils in ancient Corinth? Would he be concerned about it in 21st-century Sydney? I wrote this piece in response to teaching at the Equip 17 women’s conference.
In this very short post, Matthew Malcolm shows that Paul has a keen interest in setting up hierarchies of human honour and then subverting them by subjecting all humans to God.
Several ancient documents show that women were prominent ministers in the early church. Two such documents mention Theonoe and Myrte, prophetesses in the church at Corinth.
When we put Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 into practice, we honour all people equally. This means giving extra honour to those lacking it.
What did Peter mean when he said a wife is a “weaker vessel”? This article considers how “weak” is used of women in ancient documents.
Does Romans 5:12–21 show that God holds only Adam, and not Eve, responsible for the first sin? How does Paul use the example of Adam in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15?
In this 8 minute video, Danny Zacharias addresses some misunderstandings and shortcomings of our abbreviated Communion and Eucharist celebrations.
Chloe is a woman mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:11? Was she a pagan or a Christian? A concerned house church leader or the quarrelsome leader of a faction?
How are we to understand “man was not created for woman, but woman for man”? Does 1 Corinthians 11:9 indicate that service or submission is the role of women and not men?
What did Paul mean by “A wife/ husband does not have authority of her /his body” in 1 Cor. 7:4? This verse has been terribly misunderstood by some.
Some people are still using 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 to silence all women in church meetings. Here is my quick take of these two verses.
In this article I look at people who were apostles in the New Testament church, at their qualifications, and at what they did as apostles.
Does Paul refer to wives of apostles or female coworkers of apostles in 1 Cor. 9:5? Was their role companionship or teaching Christian doctrine?
In 1 Corinthians 16:15-18 Paul mentions Stephanas and his colleagues. There are a few lessons about Christian service and submission that can be gleaned here.
In this article, I look at Paul’s statements of equality and unity in ministry from 1 Corinthians chapter 12, including his instruction to give more honour to those lacking it.
1 Corinthians 11:2-16 is a difficult passage to understand, but it makes more sense when read as a chiasm. What are Paul’s concerns and instructions here?
While reading Plutarch’s “Advice to the Bride and Groom,” it struck me that some Christians sound like Plutarch (a 1st-century pagan author), rather than like Paul, in what they say about men and women and marriage.
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul deals with the subjects of sex, marriage, divorce, and singleness. Paul’s instructions here reveal an egalitarian ethos.
Here are summaries of a range of interpretations of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 proposed by well-known New Testament scholars. How do these verses apply today?
Jesus and Paul both spoke about rewards for those who faithfully serve God and his people. What we are doing now has a direct bearing on our future, eternal life.
The influence of the surrounding pagan culture meant that sexual immorality and false doctrines were real problems in the early church. The New Testament letter writers addressed these issues.
Would you like to support my ministry of encouraging mutuality and equality between men and women in the church and in marriage?
© 2022 Marg Mowczko