CORINTHIANS
CHAPTER 11
Paul speaks of certain customs of hair and grooming—Heresies will arise which test and prove the faithful—Sacramental emblems are partaken in remembrance of the flesh and blood of Christ—Beware of partaking unworthily.
1 BE ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. [ What is Paul suggesting here? Paul is careful to defer Christ's as the authority figure so as to avoid any appearance of self-promotion, as well as identify where the source of authority is. ] .
2 Now I praise you, brethren, [ And Sisters - so they are doing some things right. ] , 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.
[ This would seem to indicate the Jewish tradition of studying the Torah, or Law of Moses, while wearing the talith, or woven shawl, over the head was discontinued among the Christians. Or, Paul may be alluding to the incident with the prophet Elijah wherein he wraps his face when being censured by the Lord in 1 Kings 19:13.
"having his head covered, dishonoureth his head", according to the formula in v. 3 the first head is referring to the man's head, the second head is referring to Christ, who in the preceding verse is identified as the man's head. ]
5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth [ By "prophesying" the text means to testify, and inspiration by the Holy Spirit is usually implicit but not required. There are plenty of female prophets, or prophetesses, throughout the Scriptures, e.g., Emma Smith, Miriam, Deborah and Huldah.
It is important to note that the colloquial usage of the term "prophet" or "prophecy" does not entirely conform with the scriptural usage of these terms. The Greek "propheteuo", translated to "prophesy" in the KJV, most literally translates to "before-aver". It means the person is a vicarious witness, or a spokesman in the place of another. Predicting events beforehand was incidental to the testimony the witness bore. Thus, a prophet/prophetess is an inspired witness who bears testimony of the Lord.
Also, among LDS communities, the term "prophet" has come to represent the President of the Church in specific, and at times this term is capitalized as "Prophet". Other are recognized as "prophets" as is the case with the Quorum of Twelve and so on, but in the strictest scriptural sense of the word, anyone who is inspired to testify is a prophet, cp. D&C 68:2-4. Recall that Moses wished all of Israel were prophets, cf. Num. 11:29. ] with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: [ What is Paul suggesting here? Paul is permitting women to pray and "prophesy" as the men do within the ecclesia (cf. Alma 32:23), he simply wants them to cover their heads as a symbol of acknowledging the Priesthood. Having her head uncovered among the ecclesia is like having her head shaved, it is a shame to her. The symbolism Paul is drawing on is that expressed in Isa. 3:24, Isa. 7:20, Jer. 16:6, Jer. 48:37, Ezek. 27:31, Micah 1:16. Baldness was a symbol of mourning, lamentation, and humiliation.
"her head uncovered dishonoureth her head", as is the case with v. 4 the first head is the woman's head, and the second head is her husband. She dishonors her husband by praying or prophesying without acknowledging his Priesthood by having her head covered. Paul does not say she may not pray or prophesy.] 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.
9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
[ What? Are we talking about discrimination? No verses 7 - 9 taken in context to a Semitic reader are Pauls account of the Genesuis creation of Adam and Eve. It is therefore no more sexist than the Creation account. Paul is pointing out there are intentional gender differences in God's plan, a theme he picks up again in v. 14-15. ]
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. [ The KJV is a poor translation. The NAS follows: Therefore the woman ought to have [a symbol] of authority on her head, because of the angels.
The bracketed "a symbol" is an insertion by the NAS to clarify Paul's intent. Paul is referring to the covering on the head mentioned in the preceding verses.
"because of the angels", an obscurity. If we compare with 4:9 we see that Paul characterizes all the world, angels and men, as seeing the public witness of the apostles. Here, the world will not observe what occurs within the ecclesia, but the angels will. Thus, what Paul is saying is "...because Heaven is watching". ]
11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
[ Or in exaltation. ]
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
[ Paul appeals to the generally observed difference that women can grow longer hair than men, thus God intended it by nature vs 14. If God intended it by nature, then He gave it to her for a covering. ]
17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
20 When ye come together therefore into one place, athis is not to eat the Lord’s supper.
21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup [ This is a direct reference to the jewish wedding traditions. In which after the marriage contract was arranged by the father's, after the bride price was established, after the bridegroom gave the bride to be a generous gift, the bridegroom would sit down with the bride to be and poor a glass of wine(symbolic of blood). Then the bride would have 30 seconds to decide whether to drink the glass of wine or not. To drink the cup meant that she accepted all of the covenants (the marriage agreements) and was ready to become bethrothed, if she did not drink within that 30 seconds the bridegroom would simple leave never to be seen of again. If she did drink then they were considered married. At that point the groom would often recite the formal statement "Thou art set apart(consecrated) for me according to the law of Moses and Israel". ] is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.