1 Corinthians 11:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Verses 13-15. "Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?" (1 Cor 11:13).

Again he leaves them to judge what has been said, as he did in the discussion of things offered to idols. There he said, "Judge for yourselves what I say" (1 Cor 10:15), and here he says, "Judge among yourselves."

By this he suggests something fearful. Here, he says, the offense touches God. Yet he does not say this directly, but speaks more gently and under a veil.

"Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering" (1 Cor 11:13-15).

"Judge for yourselves." Again he appoints them themselves as judges, so as to confirm fully what he wants. "Is it fitting for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?" Here he hints at something fearful, that the dishonor rises up to God.

Paul is angry about this, and therefore earlier spoke ironically: "I praise you, brethren, because you remember all my things and keep the traditions as I delivered them to you" (1 Cor 11:2). For this is explained by the tradition of the Church, that women should remain in the temple with covered head. Yet the Corinthians tolerated women remaining in the temple with uncovered heads. Therefore he tries to persuade them of the truth, no longer from the tradition which the Corinthians had neglected, but from the very nature of things.

If a woman counts it an honor to have hair, and regards its removal as dishonor, then let her consider how she dishonors the One who gave the hair when she approaches without proper modesty and honor.

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."

A woman must be covered also according to the demand of sound reason (1 Cor 11:13-16). 1 Cor 11:14: "Judge for yourselves. Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair, it is a dishonor to him?" For he becomes like a woman. The wearing of long hair by contemporary Orthodox priests has an entirely different idea, namely the idea of Nazirite dedication, or consecration to God. According to the biblical law, the Old Testament Nazirites had to let their hair grow (Num 6:5).

The commonly accepted order was especially often violated by women. Therefore the Apostle chiefly gives his instructions to them and humbles them most of all.

Yet lest anyone find in his words a basis for degrading women before men, he speaks of the great importance of women. This consists in their equality before God and in the fact that all men, except the first, came from woman, as all come from God.

In conclusion, the Apostle appeals to the common sense of all. He says that the order he establishes is not only natural and necessary by nature, but also accepted throughout the whole Church of God. Therefore it is impossible to argue against it.

"If they contradicted this law then, now the whole world has received and preserves it," says Chrysostom.

At last the Apostle appeals to natural feeling, or sense. Again he leaves them to judge for themselves what has been said, just as he did in the discussion about things sacrificed to idols. He suggests something fearful: "Here," he says, "the offense touches God." Yet he does not say this directly, but expresses it more gently and veiledly: "Is it fitting for a woman to pray to God uncovered?" as Chrysostom says. He directs his speech to the woman alone. By this he shows that all the preceding was said chiefly for her instruction, though there the word concerned the man also.