men. In order to convince the women of their error, Paul speaks conditionally of the man. — rqv xstpu'krjv a uroD, his head) properly so called, as just before in this verse ; comp, note to ver. 6. Otherwise, the man praying with his head covered would sin more against Christ, than the woman against the man, with her head uncovered.
5. Tlagcc ds yuvvj, hut every woman) 8s, hut , forms an epitasis [emphatic augmentation or addition]. In this whole passage the woman, especially the woman of Corinth, is principally admon- ished.— <Tcpo<si\)')(j)iLzn\ rj ffpopiirevovtat) praying or prophesying) There- fore women are not altogether excluded from these duties ; at least the Corinthian women did that, which, so far as it may be lawful, Paul at ch. xiv. [34, 35] puts off, namely, to some suit- able occasion distinct from the more solemn assembly. — axara- xaXu-rrw, uncovered) nature demands a covering, but how far the forehead with the face, and the hinder part of the head, should be covered, is a matter left to the customs of the people. It is probable, that Jesus and His disciples had their heads covered according to the customs of the Israelites ; whence the rule is not universal, and not more ancient than Paul. And there was Kupudotig, an ordinance, not a rule strictly so called, but a custom [ institutum] cine Verordnung. A question arises here, what is to be thought concerning wigs ? First, they do not seem to be considered as nzpifioXaiov, or covering for the head, for they are an imitation of the hair, and where that is too thin, they supply the defect, and in the present day are sometimes quite necessary for the sake of health, and they no more veil the face, than every man’s own hair : and even if women were accustomed to wear wigs, they would not be considered as thereby sufficiently covered. Therefore the head of a man is scarcely more dishonoured by them, while he prays, than while he does not pray. The wig, however, especially one too long and bushy and having little re- semblance to the natural hair, is in reality an adventitious thing, and originates in pride or at least in effeminacy either voluntary, or arising from a false necessity : — it was not so from the begin- ning, and it will not he so always . Paul, if we could now con- sult him, would, I believe, not compel those, who wear wigs to cast them off entirely ; but he would teach those, at least, who have not begun to wear them, for ever to unlearn [avoid] them,