The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 358

..,-ith unveiled head in the presence of his Ver. 10.-To have power on her head. Father. Dishonoureth hie head. He dis- A great deal of irrelovant guesswork h11s honoureth his own head, which is os it were been written on this verse. Under this I\ sharer in the glory of Christ, who is Head head must be classed the idle attempts to of the whole Church. "We pray," says ~wist the word exou~a, power, or authority, Tertulliau, "with bare heads because we mto some other readrng-an attempt which blush not." The Christian, being no longer may be set aside, Lecause it is not sanctioned a slave, but a son (Gal. iv. 7), may claim by a single manuscript. We may e.lso his part in the glory of the eternal Son. dismiss the futile efforts to make exousia The bend was covered in mourni11g (2 S,,m. h11,·e any other primary meaning than xv. 3(1; Jer. xiv. 13), and the worship of the "authority." The context shows that the Christian is joyous. word h11s here e. secondary sense, e.nd implies Ver. 5.-Or prophesieth. Although St,. s0111e kind of covering. The verse, therefore, Paul "thinks of one thing at a time," and points the same lessons as Gen. xxiv. 64, is not here touching on the question 65. This much may be regarded as certain, ..,-hethcr women ought to teach in public, aud this view is adopted by the steadfo.st it appears from this expression that the rule good sense of our English translators, both which be lays down in eh. xiv. 34, 35, and I in the Authorized and Revised Versions. Tim. ii. 12 was not meant to be absolute. The only question worth asking fa why See the case of Philip's daughters (Acts the word exousia had come at Corinth, or xxi. 9 and ii. 17). With her head un- in the Corinthian Church, to be used for covered. For a woman to do this in a "a veil," or "covering." The simplest public assembly was against the national answer is that just 11s the word "kingdom " custom of all ancient communities, and in Greek may be used for" e. crown" (comp. might lead to the gravest misconceptions. regno as the name of the pope's tiara), so As a rule, modest womeu covered their "authority" m11ymean "a sign of authority" heads with the peplum or with a veil when (Revised Version), or "a covering, in sign they worshipped or were in public. Chris- that she is under the power of her husband" tian women at Corinth must have caught (Authorized Yersion, margin). 'fhe mnrgin sometLing of the '• inflation " which was of the Revised Version, "authority over her characteristic of their Church before they head," is a strange suggestion. Some have could have acted with such reprehensible explained the wordofherowntrueauthority, boldness as to adopt a custom identified which consists in accepting the rule of her with the character of immodest women. husband; but it probably means a sign of Dishonoureth her head. Calvin, with terse her husband's authority over her. Similarly good sense, observes, "As the man honours the traveller Ch11.rdin says that in Persia his heacl by proclaiming his liberty, so the the women wear e. veil, in sign that they woman by acknowledging her subjection." are "under subjection." If so, the best Ver. 6.-Let her also be shorn. Not 11 comment on the word may be found in the command, but a sort of scornful inference, exquisite lines of Milton, which illustrate or reduciio ad absurdum. If it be a shame the passage in other ways also- for a wom&11 to be shorn or shaven. When " She, as a veil, down to the slender waist a woman was tried by " the ordeal of the Her unadorned golden tresses wore . . . water of jealousy," her head was uncovered As the vine cun·es her tendrils, which by the priest (Nnmb. v. 18). To be shorn implied or shaven wa8 a sign of mourning (Deut. Subjection, but required with gentle sw11y, xxi. 12), e.ud was e. disgrace inflicted on And by her yielded, by him best re- adulteresses. cei ved." Ver. 7.-He is the image and glory of The fact that Callistratus twice uses God. Ilecause he redects and p11rtakes in exousia of "11bundance of Lair" is probably tLc glory of Christ, who is the effulgence of a mere coincidence, resombling the Irish God and the impress of his substance (Gen. expression "a power of hair." Nor can i. 27; Pa. viii. G; Heh. i. 2). The woman there be 11ny allusion to the isolated foct is the glory of the man. As moonlight is that S11mson's strength lay in his he.ir. to sunlight, or as the earthshine is to the The very brief cornmont of Luther sums up moonshine. Man reflects God ; woman, in 1111 tho best of tho many p11ges which he.ve her general nature iu this earthly e.nd been written on tho subject. He says that temporal dispensation, reflects tho glory of ezousia means "the veil or covering, by man. which one may sco the.t ahe is uuder her Ver. 8.-But the woman of the man. An husband's 11uthority" (Gen. iii. IG). Be- allusion to Gen. ii. 21, 22. oause of the angels. In th ia cle.use e.Jso Ver. 9.-But the woman for the man. we must set aside, as idle w11sto of time, tho As iB expressly stated in Gen. ii. 18. 11ttempts to e.ltcr the te.1t, or to twist the en. n. 1-34.J 'l'HE FIRST EPISTLE TO 'l'HE COilINT1:lIANS. 363