Bethel Baptist Church of Tillamook, OR
November 9, 2025
  • I Love Thy Kingdom Lord
  • What Grace Is Mine
  • Listen To The Word Of The Lord
  • Verse 1 serves as a hinge to these verses, continuing instruction that Paul has found that was needed by the church in Corinth, though who reported this to Paul is not given.

    1. Giving credit where credit is due, vs. 2.

    Verse 2 - “Remember” is in the perfect tense; Paul is continually remembering
    Traditions (paradosis) is used negatively when referring to man-made ideas or practices, as in Col. 2:8
    Colossians 2:8 NASB95
    See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
    It is also used positively when applied to divinely recorded teaching from Paul and others. Paul says the Corinthians have held on to these teachings firmly
    In general, the basic problem in the church did not concern doctrine but morals, not theology but lifestyle. Being orthodox does not guarantee purity; for this church belief did not result in living godly lives.
    In this section , Paul begins by praising strength before he begins once again to correct weaknesses. This is instruction in male and female roles and relationships

    2. God’s principle: Subordination and authority, vss. 3-10.

    A. Seen theologically, vs. 3.

    God the Father sent God the Son, Gal. 4:4
    Galatians 4:4 NASB95
    But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
    The Son humbly submitted to the will of the Father in coming to earth to become incarnate. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father’s will and died for the sins of the world, Lk. 22:42
    Luke 22:42 NASB95
    saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
    John 12:49 NASB95
    “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.
    1 Corinthians 15:3 NASB95
    For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
    The Father and the Son are equal in their divinity (Jn. 1:1
    John 1:1 NASB95
    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
    John 10:30 NASB95
    “I and the Father are one.”
    They are equal in glory, Jn. 17:5
    John 17:5 NASB95
    “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
    They are equal in eternity, Jn.8:58
    John 8:58 NASB95
    Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”
    Yet the Father functions as the “head” of the Son as the triune God works out the Father’s plan of redemption.
    If Christ had not submitted to the will of God, redemption for mankind would have been impossible, leaving us forever lost and doomed. If individuals do not submit to the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior, they are still lost and doomed because they have rejected God’s gracious provision for their salvation. Women, who reject being subject to the men in their lives {as a husband if married, or as a father’ s daughter)reject the roles God has placed them in, and both family and society as a whole are disrupted and destroyed.
    The word translated “head” has both a literal meaning, which is the head of a person, as well as a figurative meaning, “chief” or “authority” in a chain of command.
    Remember, Christ is subject to the Father; all people (“man”) subject to Christ; and the husband as the leader, the wife and children are to be subject to him.
    This God-ordained order is not to enforce relationships of superiority and inferiority, but it is the means to promote harmony and peace in the family relationships, in the church and in the home.
    This principle of subordination and authority applies to all, both men and women, not just husbands and wives. Paul’s teaching makes no distinction between men and women as far as personal worth, abilities, intellect, and spirituality are concerned. As human beings and as Christians, women are completely equal to men spiritually, and sometimes even superior to men in this and other areas. Regardless, God established the principle of male authority and female subordination for the purpose of order and complementation, not on any innate superiority of males.

    B. Seen culturally, vss. 4-6.

    “Disgrace” means “to bring shame upon,” therefore the man would bring shame upon his head, Christ.
    In the Corinthian culture, a head covering for a woman indicated sexual modesty and submission to a husband’s authority.
    For a man to do so either in prayer in the church (where we are talking to God about people) or prophesying in the church (talking to people about God) would have symbolically communicated to the culture a blurring of the gender roles, thereby reflecting badly on Christ. They were speaking and praying publicly and prominently in the church meeting, where many would see them as a representative of Christ.
    Likewise the women who would blur gender roles would bring shame to their husband (if married) or father (as a daughter) and confusion in the church.
    Similarly to the issue of eating meat, nothing in wearing or not wearing a head covering was right or wrong. It is the rebellion against God-ordained roles that is wrong.
    The issue of dress is largely cultural—unless immodest or sexually suggestive—having no moral or spiritual significance. In biblical times, both men and women wore some time of robe, but there were some clear distinctions of dress between them, most often indicated by hair length and head coverings.

    C. The Scriptural argument, vss. 7-10.

    Verse 7 - Man must seek to bring honor rather than shame to his authority, Jesus Christ, because in the order of creation he is called to function as “the image and glory of God.” As the “image of God,” man is to serve as God’s representative in this world, exercising God’s rule on His behalf over the created order. Gen 1:26
    Genesis 1:26 NASB95
    Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
    God created Adam.
    Genesis 2:7 NASB95
    Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
    He was to promote God’s rule and further His creative work by cultivating and keeping the garden, Gen. 2:15
    Genesis 2:15 NASB95
    Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.
    Eve was fashioned out of Adam’s rib as a suitable helper. The term “helper” is the first term in the Bible used for woman, and is a term of equality. Eve was a necessary partner in projecting God’s glory through her husband into the created realm.
    Verses 8-9 - Man was created first, then the woman derived from him to assist and complete him. Eve reflects Adam’s glory, mirroring his character just as Adam reflected God’s glory, mirroring His character in the pre-Fall condition.
    Verse 10 - In light of the biblical order of creation and the distinct yet separate roles as image-bearers of God, women in Paul’s culture should have, literally, “authority on her head.” The cultural symbol is not as significant as what it represents — an attitude of submission toward God-ordained authority. In this there should be no contradiction between inward attitudes and outward appearance.
    The last phrase, “because of the angels,” has had various interpretations. I believe it is most likely that angels are spectators in the church’s worship.

    3. Common sense: Equality and mutual dependence, vss. 11-16.

    Verses 11-16 - On the flip side, neither husband or wife is independent in the marital relationship.
    Remember Eve came from Adam; every man and woman born since was born from woman.
    Both men and women are essential to reflect God’s image and glory, to exercise dominion over the world on His behalf together.
    Verse 13 - Paul then appeals to common sense from a wise, Spirit-filled perspective. In light of theology and Scripture, Paul asks the question to get the Corinthians to consider what is proper (“fitting” or “right” with the implication of possible moral judgment involved). In the cultural context, for a woman to pray with her head uncovered, the obvious answer is “No, that would send the wrong message.”
    Verse 14-15 - Paul then uses nature as a corroborating evidence to point out the natural, physical differences between men and women.
    In most cultures throughout history, a woman’s hair was regarded as a feature of beauty and her glory. Men grow beards and are generally more susceptible to hair loss in their later years than women.
    Verse 16 - Finishing this instruction, Paul uses the practice of other churches to add weight. Those who would be contentious would see their “wisdom” regarding this issue would be in the minority, not only with the practice of the apostles, but the practice of the churches of God.

      • Colossians 2:8NASB95

      • Galatians 4:4NASB95

      • Luke 22:42NASB95

      • John 12:49NASB95

      • 1 Corinthians 15:3NASB95

      • John 1:1NASB95

      • John 10:30NASB95

      • John 17:5NASB95

      • John 8:58NASB95

      • Genesis 1:26NASB95

      • Genesis 2:7NASB95

      • Genesis 2:15NASB95

  • Trust and Obey
Bethel Baptist Church of Tillamook, OR
revrlcasper@gmail.com
(503) 842-5598
https://bbc-tillamook.faithlifesites.com
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