Paul moves from questions related to the moral life of the church, to matters related to public worship. Paul is required to deal with the unseemly behaviour of some of the women in Corinth when engaged at worship. From this he then goes on to deal with disorders at the Lord’s Table and from that to the use of spiritual gifts.
It is all too easy for us to forget the nature of that which we are engaged in at this moment. We have gathered to worship God. Our purpose is not to meet with one another but with God Almighty to render unto Him the praise and the honour that is due His name. Chapter 21 of the Confession of Faith sets out the duties of men regarding the worship of God. It is to be emphasised that He is to be worshipped in that fashion which He has instituted. We have no more right to change the form of worship that the Lord has instituted than we have to change His name or character.
Paul, as was his custom, began with a commendation, verse 2.
I. THE ORDER WITHIN GOD’S UNIVERSE
1. The order begins in heaven and comes down to mankind. God the Father, Christ the Head of man and man the head of the woman. Christ is equal with the Father in power and glory yet places Himself as Mediator in subordination to the Father. Christ in turn is the ruler of the man and woman. In the relationship with Christ there is neither male nor female, Gal 3:28. But in the relationship between male and female, the male is the head. Such distinctions will one day cease, Luke 20:34-36.
2. That order must be observed in worship. For a man to wear a head covering in worship would be a dishonour to his head, ie. Christ. The woman dishonours her head, the man, when she uncovers her head.
3. In Corinth there was a defying of God’s order, verse 5-6. Women were engaging in worship without a head covering.
II. THE DEFYING OF GOD’S ORDER IS MORE SERIOUS THAN SOME WOULD THINK
1. In the case of a woman without a head covering there is a dishonouring of her head. That is, of her father, her husband, verse 5. Such independence of God’s order is offensive to Him.
2. It is a shameful thing. It is equivalent of her head being shaved, Verses 5-6. The word shorn is linked with sheep shearing. It means as short as possible or to the skin. A woman accused of adultery was to have her head uncovered, Num 5:18. If it be shameful to have the head shaved then it is equally shameful to appear bare-headed at worship.