The Head of Every Man?

November 20, 2022

While studying 1 Corinthians, we discover two very distinct subjects: the

authority of Christ as well as the ordination of fellowship of believers in

the church. At the beginning Paul commands the disciples to follow him

as he follows Christ Jesus, obeying the rules (ordinances) as he had

delivered them. Why? Because the head of every Christian man is Christ

himself – no exceptions! Since this is true, when men pray or preach, they

must not dishonor Christ by covering their head (take off your hat, crown,

or covering) the reason being (verse 7) he is created in the image and glory

of God. According to verse fourteen, long hair is considered a shame to

men, but not for women. It seems that when Moses was required by the

people of Israel to cover his head because they chose not to look upon the

Glory of God, even then the head covering was not acceptable with God.

He created man in his image and never changed his thinking but

recognized man as his image and a glory not to be covered. Women, not

so. They are of man and created for man. So, they glorify God by being

subject to that which was created in God’s image. They do not glorify God

by rebellion but humbly obeying (1 Corinthians 11:10). By this they serve

as an example to the angles who are holy subjects enthused to serve even

as our Lord serves. In him, that is in Christ, all serve but all are not equal.

The hand serves but it serves so much better when all of the fingers

function in a co-ordinated fashion. When men serve Christ as they are

commanded and women serve the image of Christ (as commanded, under

authority in verse 10) then the Lord is glorified, harmony exists, the body

is harmonized by humility, and all is well. To the degree that we recognize

and yield to the authority of Christ we are his and will be claimed as his

disciples because of our love. Being like the rebellious angels in verse ten

dishonors our head and destroys fellowship.

Kenneth E. Morrison