lie services. It is not to be inferred from what is here said, that the Christian prophets (or inspired men) had introduced this custom into the church. The thmg to be corrected was, women appearing in public assembhes unveiled. The apostle says, the veil is inconsistent with the position of the man, but is required by that of the women. Men are mentioned only for the sake of illustrating the principle.
Dlshonoureth his head. It is doubtful whether we should read his or his own head, (aurov or avrov). This is a point the ancient manuscripts do not decide, as they are not furnished with the diacritical marks. It depends on the connection. It is also doubtful whether the apostle meant to say that he dis- honoured Christ who is his head, or that he dishonoured him- self. The latter, perhaps, is to be preferred, 1. Because, in the immediately preceding clause the word is used literally, 'If he cover his head, he dishonours his head.' 2. Because, in V. 5, the woman who goes unveiled is said to dishonour her own head, i. e. as what follows shows, herself, and not her husband. 3. It is more obviously true that a man who acts inconsistently with his station disgraces himself, than that he disgraces him who placed him in that station. A command- ing mihtary officer, who appears at the head of his troops in the dress of a common soldier, instead of his official dress, might more properly be said to dishonour himself than his sovereign. For a freeman to appear in the distinguishing dress of a slave, was a disgrace. So the apostle says, for a man to appear with the conventional sign of subjection on his head, disgraced himself. If the man be intended to represent the dominion of God, he must act accordingly, and not appear in the dress of a woman.
5. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with (her) head uncovered dishonoiireth her head ; for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
Praying and prophesying were the two principal exercises in the pubUc worship of the early Christians. The latter term, as above stated, included all forms of address dictated by the Holy Spirit. It was Paul's manner to attend to one thing at a time. He is here speaking of the propriety of women speaking in public unveiled, and therefore he says nothingabout the propriety of their speaking in public in itself. vV^hen that subject comes up, he expresses his judgment