Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16
Helpful thoughts:
- Today’s passage deals with roles in the relationship between men and women (Specifically husbands and their wives).
- The specific objects Paul references were particular to the culture at the time. If this passage were written today, there would be other objects mentioned.
- The biblical principles still apply…to require the specific objects would become legalistic.
- The specific objects Paul references were particular to the culture at the time. If this passage were written today, there would be other objects mentioned.
- Christ is fully God. He is not less God than the Father. Yet, there is an order within the Godhead.
- Woman is fully human. She is not less human than her husband. Yet, there is an order within marriage.
- Biblical leadership and submission is not a form of oppression. God designed it and called it good.
- Not everyone who tries to give leadership is doing it biblically. Not everyone who tries to submit is doing it biblically. Poor examples of leadership and submission out in the world (Or even in the church) only give evidence that people exercise it wrongly…not that the command is wrong.
- Woman is fully human. She is not less human than her husband. Yet, there is an order within marriage.
- When men abdicate their role of loving leadership, they are not doing what is best for women.
- When women seek to eliminate gender distinction, they are not increasing their glory. Instead they are robbing glory from themselves, then from their husbands, and then from God.
- Men who dress up like (Or try to be) women are robbing the glory that belongs to women (Verses 14-15). It is a disgrace and rebellion against God.
- Women who dress up like (Or try to be) men are robbing themselves of their own glory and vacating the role which would give them their greatest joy and fulfillment.
- Head coverings for women in Corinth communicated they were married. Women in the church who wanted to remove their head covering were communicating that they were not under the leadership of their husband. It ended up communicating they were “available,” which is why Paul likened it to shaving off their hair (Which was the practice of prostitutes and feminists in that culture).
Questions to consider:
- Would people keeping up to speed with the cultural trends in our day have any trouble with the content of this passage? What does the fact that Paul had to write this out for the church almost 2,000 years ago tell us about human nature after the fall? Is there anything truly new under the sun?
- Why do people struggle with gender specific roles and characteristics? How has sin made leadership and submission hard and distasteful? In what way(s) is your view of gender really a result of who or what you worship?
- How is Christ equal with the Father? How did Christ submit to the Father? How did Christ’s willing submission result in our salvation and in his glorification?