Long Hair is a Woman’s Covering on Her Head

The following is a partial excerpt from Bethel Ministries – Harry Bethel – (NOTE: articles used do not connote adherance to other doctrines or teachings of individuals or groups)

THE WOMAN’S HEAD COVERING

The passage in 1 Corinthians, chapter 11 concerning the head covering has long been debated by equally sincere Christians. The main issue being: Should a woman have her head covered with a veiling while she is praying (or prophesying) or is her hair given to her as a covering?

Among conservative Mennonite, Amish and other Anabaptist groups their stand is that a woman should wear a veiling or cloth covering in addition to long, uncut hair. This article will reveal to the serious Christian the truth of this matter and settle the issue from the Scriptures without a doubt about what God is telling us in His Word.

The groups mentioned above believe that women should wear a covering all the time, even when she is not praying. There are primarily two reasons they believe this—headship submission and because the Bible says we are to “pray without ceasing.” Some Christian women even wear their coverings while taking a shower and while sleeping at night. They are very sincere and are to be commended for their desire to obey the Word of God as they see it, but as you will clearly see in this article, they are sincerely deceived. 

Many of these Anabaptist groups are divided on the size and style of the covering, the color, whether the material should be opaque or transparent, whether or not it should have tie strings and if so should they be tied or hang loose, and if they are untied should they hang in the front or the back.

This sounds ridiculous, and indeed is, but Christian families and groups have been divided on every one of these issues for generations. The sad thing about the whole issue is that they have missed the truth of the Scriptures on this…

Concerning the idea that since we are to “pray without ceasing” women should have their heads covered with a veiling all the time, if this is true, then men should never wear hats, because it dishonors a man’s head (who is Christ, v. 3) to pray with his head covered (v. 4). The head of man is Christ, but the head of woman is not Christ, it is man (v. 3).

The key to understanding this passage of Scripture in 1 Corinthians 11 concerning the head covering is this: Long hair is given to a woman for a covering (v.15) and it is a shame for a woman to have short hair (v.6); therefore, if a woman is not covered with her long hair…she is not only in a shameful condition but she dishonors her head (husband or father).

So, here are the truths concerning the head covering:

First, the head of man is Christ and the head of woman is man, not Christ (v. 3). 

Second, it is a shame for a man to have long hair (v. 14).

Third, every man praying or prophesying with his head covered with…long hair dishonors Christ, who is man’s head (v. 4).

Fourth, every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered…dishonors her head, that is, her husband or her father (v. 5).

Fifth, it is a shame for a woman to have short hair (v. 6).

Sixth, man is the glory of God, and woman is the glory of man, not God (v. 7).

Seventh, a woman should have long hair because it is symbolic of her husband or father or spiritual head having authority over her, and because of the angels (v. 10). 

Eighth, long hair is given to a woman for a covering (v. 15). The Greek word used in this verse is peribolaion and means “that which is thrown around; a covering.” This word is used here and in Hebrews 1:12. In the NASB in 1 Corinthians 11:15 peribolaion is translated “covering,” and in Hebrews 1:12 it is translated “mantle.” This clearly shows that a woman’s long hair is given to her as a covering…If a woman has long hair she is covered…

Concerning the Mennonite women mentioned above, all of those women have long hair (their hair is not cut from birth), so they are already covered according to God. Their long hair is a covering for when they pray and it is symbolic of their subordination to their husband or father.

Questions And Answers:

1. Didn’t Jesus have long hair?

Contrary to modern artists’ conceptions of Jesus’ appearance, there is no reason to believe that He had long hair. Jesus is the Word, and His written Word says that it is a shame for a man to have long hair.

Drawings and sculptures of men during the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry reveal that men did not generally have long hair. History records that, even among infidels if a man had long hair he was considered a homosexual or, at least, effeminate. God tells us in the Word, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” (1 Cor. 11:14).

2. What about Samson? Doesn’t the Bible say that he had long hair? Samson had long hair because of a Nazarite vow that he took. It was a shameful, humiliating thing for anyone who took such a vow, which included much more than just wearing long hair. Men with long hair today, even those who claim to be Christians, are not growing long hair because of a Nazarite vow.

3. What about some of the pictures of great Christians such as John Wesley who sometimes wore a long wig?

There have been times when it was a worldly fad or trend for men to wear long hair. This can be seen in contemporary times with the advent of the “hippie” movement in the 1960’s. This came about as a result of rebellious youth who were frustrated with parents…who neglected and did not discipline their children and youth, hypocrisy of authority figures, and suchlike. Also, widespread television…rock music, Hollywood, and the liberal press catered to and fed this rebellious spirit, with men wearing long hair (and women wearing shorter hair) being only one manifestation of the rebellion.

Concerning John Wesley and other Christian leaders of his time, England had for many years a trend of men having long hair or long wigs, including the British Parliament, judges, etc. This carried over to Revolutionary America and the early leaders of this nation which, incidentally, was born out of rebellion against the King of England.

Why Wesley and other Christians adopted the worldly style of their time is a mystery to this writer. However, our doctrines should not be based on what Christians in any era do, but rather on what does the Word of God teach. “Let God be true, but every man a liar,” (Rm. 3:4). God says it is a shame for a man to have long hair.

4. Well, who can say what is long hair and what is short hair?

If you are willing to dismiss or try to negate these truths from God’s Word with an argument like that, you are not sincere. Paul told the Gentile Christians in Corinth that if they wanted to be contentious about this, then Christians did not even have that practice in the other churches, (including the churches of Jewish converts in which they definitely held to the practice of women being covered with long hair)(1 Cor. 11:16).

A woman’s long hair is given as a glory to her. It is a shame for a man to have long hair.

There are some cultures in which women wear veilings over their heads (and some also cover their faces). This is because of their concept of modesty for women. It has nothing to do with the Christian teaching in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. There certainly is nothing wrong with women dressing this way for modesty’s sake. And there should be a greater degree of modesty even among conservative Christians in this country. But the purpose of this article is to deal primarily with the head covering when praying and prophesying and what God has to say to us about it in the New Testament.

So, let us take a look at the pertinent verses in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 concerning the head covering:

1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. 3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. 5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. 6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. 8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. 10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. 13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. 16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

 

In summary, it is a shame for a man to have long hair. Likewise, it is a shame for a woman to have short hair. A man praying or prophesying with long hair…dishonors Christ. A woman’s long hair is given to her as a covering.