WOMAN'S VEILING THE ORDINANCE OF DIVINELY ORDAINED HEADSHIP AND AUTHORITY UNDER AUTHORITY
The ordinance of Divinely Ordained Headship and Authority Under Authority is established in I Corinthians 11:1-16. It is here given by divine inspiration through the pen of the Apostle Paul as one of “the commandments of the Lord” (I Cor. 14:27) for “everywhere in every church.” (I Cor. 4:17)
There is historical evidence that the Apostle's teaching on the subject was accepted, and conviction for adherence was so deeply ingrained in the church that this ordinance, with its associated teaching that woman's hair shall be uncut, was faithfully practiced “everywhere in every church” (denomination) for nearly eighteen centuries. That this Christian conviction and practice influenced society in general is also a historical fact. As long as the biblical veiling and uncut hair for women was practiced everywhere and in all church groups, the conscience of worldly society also called for a woman's hair to be uncut and her head to be covered one way or another in the general public. We are told that one of the first causes for divorce was a woman daring to appear in public without anything on her head.
Now all authority and headship except the authority and headship of God is a delegated authority, and all delegated authority is authority under authority. Delegated authority can be abused or even forfeited. When one delegated with authority side-steps from the will and authority of the one delegating that authority, he loses his authority. The Apostle Paul as a man of authority under authority placed a limitation on himself at the beginning of this treatise on headship when he said, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” (I Cor. 11:1) This verse, although often eliminated from a study of the ordinance, is a foundational truth in the institution of the order set forth. In the exercise of headship and authority this same limitation must be placed on every human agent or institution of authority. No human agent or institution can claim infallibility. The true children of God, therefore, have always had a sense of responsibility to “obey God rather than man” whenever the under authority agents or institutions violate the highest authority of God. By claiming infallibility for the Pope and the Church of Rome, Catholics have become masters of deception to millions of adherents to their faith.
The veiling, as a Christian ordinance, is an outward symbol of a number of basic principles and privileges within the Christian Church. The first of these principles is found in our title—”A DIVINELY ORDAINED HEADSHIP and AUTHORITY UNDER AUTHORITY.” (I Cor 11:3)
When two or more persons operate together, efficiency calls for some type of organization and leadership. In the Trinity God is that leader. Amongst the celestial host Michael is the archangel. In the institution of the home the husband has been delegated as the chairman. In the Church, our Lord who is “head over all things to the Church” (Eph. 1:22) has authorized men from among men to lead out in propagating the Gospel and in a praying and prophesying ministry in the Church.
In man's performance of his praying and prophesying ministry, since he is the image and glory of God, he is to have his hair shorn or shaven and is not to wear a covering (Kata-Greek, meaning “anything”) on his head. (I Cor. 11:7) It is also shameful for him to allow his hair to grow to its natural length. By so doing he brings dishonor to both his natural head and his spiritual head. (I Cor. 11:4)
Under the authority, and in subjection to the man, the woman also has a right to pray and prophesy in areas other than administration and leadership. Just as man's teaching ministry and authority is subordinate to Christ's authority, so the women's praying and prophesying authority is subordinate to man's authority. She is not to enter into a teaching ministry to man or to usurp authority over the man. (I Tim. 2:12) Since she is the glory of man, she is not to have her hair shorn or shaven and is to wear a covering (Katakalupto-Greek, meaning “a symbolic veiling” on her head. (I Cor. 11:5, 6) In contrast to the man her hair is given her for a natural covering (Paribolaion—Greek, meaning her “natural hair growth”) and its natural growth and length is a glory to her. (I Cor. 11:15) It is a shameful thing for her to shear or shave off her hair or be unveiled. (I Cor. 11:6) The practice of unshorn hair and the veiled head cannot be separated. To digress in either one of these is to invalidate the other. (I Cor. 11:6, 14)
One of the vital and basic purposes of this ordinance is to help to maintain a proper contrast between the sexes, both in their appearance and spiritual activities. The effort of both the world and the professing church to change this distinction is another evidence of rebellion against an Almighty and All-Wise Creator who made man male and female. A who rise up against this divinely established order must indeed be an abomination to God.
The privileges of praying and prophesying are the second and third basic reasons for Christian woman's head to be veiled.
Since a church ordinance and relationship. rather than a home relationship, is in focus in I Corinthians 11, the ordinance is to be practiced by all Christian women rather than only those who have a husband as their home head. “Every” Christian woman it to be veiled. Tertullian wrote in the second century A.D., “Nothing is dearer to Him than humility; nothing more acceptable than modest and nothing more offensive than the study of men-pleasing, . . . I pray you be you mother, or sister, or virgin daughter, veil your head.” Furthermore, since a church relationship is focus here, it follows that there must be areas within the church fellowship where
veiled women under the leadership and in subordination to the headship of man may consistently participate in a praying (speaking unto God) and a prophesying (speaking unto men to edification, exhortation and comfort, I Cor. 14:3) ministry. The term “silence” I Timothy 2:11, 12 is translated from Greek word “hesuchia” and literally means 13 refrain from disturbance.” The words quiet in I Timothy 2:2 and “quietness” in II Thessalonians 3:12 mean practically the same
thing and are never understood to mean “not speak any words.”
The fourth basic reason for the Christian woman to have her head veiled is found in 1 Corinthians 11:10 Where we read, “For this cause ought a woman to have power on her head because of the angels.” The word power used here comes from the Greek word
exousia” and is translated “authority” elsewhere in the New Testament 26 times. The angels of God who ascend and descend from us to God and from God to us, (Gen. 28:12) who jealously watch over us to protect us, (Psa. 34:7) who report to the Father any evil designs or maltreatment we may be in danger (Matt. 18:10) and who are sent by God to minister protection to us, (Heb. 1:14) look for this badge of authority under authority on the head of the woman as she prays and
prophesies, and as they minister to her needs in a general way. The ministry and protection of angels may be claimed by every godly woman who has this symbol of power and subordinate authority on her head.
The four basic reasons for this Christian ordinance all lend themselves to a consistent continuous wearing of the veil. How much of the time do we want to symbolize our acceptance of a divine order of headship? How much of the time do we want to be ready to pray or prophesy? How much of the time do we want the ministry and protection of the angels? To answer these questions is to answer the question as to how consistently the veiling should be in practice by women of a Christian brotherhood.
Since the Apostle did not give any definite pattern for the veiling, it becomes the responsibility of the leadership of the Church to give direction in designing a consistent and practical pattern. The true symbol is found in a properly veiled head rather than in a five-and-ten-cent store doily or a four inch veil cup on the top of a worldly styled hair arrangement. Those sisters who digress from the Church's prescribed pattern deny the very first principle involved in the ordinance - the principle of a divine order of headship and submission to authority under authority.
It is worthy of note that in introducing his arguments for the veiling the Apostle addresses himself to the brethren of the Church. (I Cor. 11:2) The principle of submission and respect for authority is for the brethren as well as for the sisters—both in their respective spheres.
It is of interest to note also that the keeping of this and other ordinances is praiseworthy in the eyes of God. As our Lord inspects the works of the Churches today, He will doubtless praise those who walk - in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” (Luke 1:6) And He will continue to look for faithful ones who will do so until He comes again.
Aaron M. Shank
Myerstown, Pa.
July 1975