1 Corinthians 11:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"For this reason the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head" (1 Cor 11:10). Why so? For all the reasons already stated, and besides, because of the Angels. If you pay no heed to your husband, he says, then be ashamed before the Angels.

Thus the covering is a sign of obedience and subjection. It prompts one to look downward, to be humbled, and to preserve virtue. The virtue and honor of one in subjection consist precisely in remaining obedient.

The man is not commanded to do this, since he is the image of the Master Himself. But the woman is rightly commanded to do it.

On account of what has been said, he says, the woman ought to have a sign of her subjection. That is, if nothing else, she should have a covering on her head, out of reverence before the angels, lest she appear shameless even before them. For with covered head and eyes cast downward, a woman proves her modesty and the fidelity of her subordinate position. With uncovered head, she shows shamelessness, which even the angels present with believers abhor. Clement, the author of the Stromata, understood the angels rather subtly as the righteous of the Church. A woman, he says, ought to be covered, lest she tempt them to fornication.

Therefore the woman ought to have honor on her head because of the angels, that is, the priests. For although elsewhere he compels her to obedience, everywhere she is in obedience because of the priesthood. The Greek has ἐξουσίαν, meaning authority, a sign of authority, that is, a covering, κάλυμμα. The Latin has potestatem and velamen, while Ephrem has honorem.

By authority he indicated the covering, and by angels he means bishops.

The Apostle called the covering "authority," as if saying: let her show subjection by covering herself, especially because of the angels appointed to men, since care for them has been entrusted to them. So also in Acts it is said, "It is not he, but his angel" (Acts 12:15). And the Lord says, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones" who believe in Me. "For truly I say to you, that their angels always behold the face of My Father who is in heaven" (Mt 18:10). Since by what was said the Apostle gave men strong occasion for self-exaltation, he necessarily added: "Nevertheless, neither is man without woman, nor woman without man, in the Lord."

See 1 Cor 11:3.

Question. What further is meant by this: "For this reason the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the Angels" (1 Cor 11:10)?

Answer. Every woman, that is, the habit of the practical mind, the perception of the natural mind, or the wise thought of the theological mind, should cover her head.

The practical habit should cover it by bearing rational discernment between what edifies and what does not edify. Perception should cover it by bearing the knowing power of reason directed toward visible things. Thought should cover it by bearing knowledge wholly indemonstrable and beyond thought.

"Because of the Angels" means like the Angels. When the Angels appear before the face of God, unable to endure the sight of God's glory, they cover their faces with their wings. So women also must appear before God, not to display their beauty, their own glory, but to humble themselves before the glory of God, covering their head adorned with hair.

There are other explanations of this passage, based on the more usual translation of διὰ τοὺς άγγὲλους, "for the Angels." By these Angels some have understood the presidents of the Church (Rev 1:20), or youths shining with angelic purity of life, or evil angels who may use the improper appearance of women in church as a means of tempting men.

Others understand the good Angels, who, seeing the improper conduct of women in church, withdraw in sorrow from participation in our prayers. But the explanation given at the beginning is simpler and more natural.

Here the Apostle Paul condemns men who pray or prophesy with covered head (v. 4), and also men who grow their hair long: "if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him" (v. 14).

The Stundists apply this to the clergy of the Orthodox Church and accuse them of violating the apostolic commandment. They do this because they wear long hair and place mitres, kamilavkas, and skufias on their heads during divine services.

But at the conclusion of these instructions the Apostle Paul writes: "If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such custom," meaning that a man should grow his hair and a woman should not (vv. 14-15), "nor do the Churches of God."

"Therefore the woman ought to have on her head a sign of authority over her, because of the angels." That is, out of shame before them, or fear of offending them, as Bishop Theophan says. Chrysostom also interprets it in this same sense. "If you pay no attention to the man," he says, "then be ashamed before the angels," those invisible guardians of human souls, who are present in church and can see and know the hidden intentions of those who pray.

The second reason why the reversed relation of husband and wife in the covering of the head is improper lies in the wife's dependence on the husband, established by God.

First the man was created according to the image of God. Then the woman was created as if according to his image. For this reason she is the likeness of the man, as he is the reflection of the glory of God.

The woman was commanded to be in subjection to the man, and the covering serves as the seal of this relation.

According to Chrysostom's observation, the man must not be covered, not only because he has Christ as his head, but also because he has authority over the woman. When one who has authority comes to the king, he must bear the sign of his authority.

"For what reason? For all the reasons already shown, and besides, because of the Angels. If you pay no heed to your husband, he says, then be ashamed before the Angels" (Chrysostom).

"To have authority on her head" means a sign of the husband's authority over her, namely the head-covering.

"The Apostle called the covering authority, as though saying: let her show submission by covering herself, especially because of the Angels appointed over men, since care for them has been entrusted to them. Thus in Acts they said of Peter, when he knocked at the door, 'It is not he, but his Angel' (Acts 12:15). And the Lord says: 'Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones who believe in Me. For I say to you that their Angels always see the face of My Father in heaven' (Mt 18:10)."

Women must cover their heads precisely because of the angels, since because of the daughters of men the angels fell away from God. See Gen 6:1-2.