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Chapter
3 The Man and the Covered Woman in 1
Corinthians 11 The Pauline Analogies By Steve Santini July
2016 1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of
Christ. 2 Now I praise you, brethren, 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. 5 But every woman that prayeth
or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: 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. 8 For the man is not of the woman; but the
woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman;
but the woman for the man. 10 For this cause ought the woman to have power
on her head because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the
woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the man, even
so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. 13 Judge in yourselves:
is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that,
if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15 But if a woman have
long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a
covering. 16 But if any man seem
to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 Chapters
eleven through fourteen of the apostle Paul's first Corinthian letter are
meant to be understood as a unit. The subject of these chapters is the
harmonious functioning of the one body of Christ. The members of this one
body are distributed between two groups. These two groups are the saints and
the faithful in Christ Jesus. (Eph. 1:1) The Apostle Paul's gospel brought
the reality of these two groups to the forefront and clarified their presence
and purposes. To do this he used comparisons. This
Corinthian comparative unit of four chapters is divided into three sections
based on the comparison used in each section. The first section runs from the
first verse to the seventeenth verse of chapter eleven. In the first section
Paul analogically compared the saints and the faithful using the figures of
the man and the woman. In
the eleventh chapter of first Corinthians Paul's introduction stated that
what was to follow was comparative in nature in this four chapter unit. He
wrote: Now I praise you, brethren, that ye
remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to
you.1 Corinthians 11:2 In
consideration of the succeeding context this English translation is marginal
at its best. In the phrase as I
delivered them to you the word as
is the word kathos in the Greek
texts. Kathos is a compound word consisting of two Greek words. They are kata and os.Kata means down from a higher plane. Os is the
quintessential Geek word used to introduce a comparison. Kathos
is used in scripture to mark comparisons especially comparisons of present or
future events to former scriptural truths by its frequent usage in the phrase
as it is written. (1Co. 1:31, 2:9, Lk 6:31, 11:30)In
both the Thayer and Friberg lexicons kathos is defined as a comparative. In this verse it
is an adverb that modifies the word delivered.
The word them
is not in the Greek texts. As a result the phrase would be better understood
as I delivered comparatively to you. As
Jesus had, the Apostle Paul used comparisons in the forms of metaphors and
similes to communicate these spiritual truths.Paul also used analogical reasoning to deepen
and broaden the understandings of these fundamental comparisons established
by Jesus Christ, himself. (Mt. 22:1-10) The
analogical usages of the first comparative section are in these verses: 8 For the man is not of the woman; but the
woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman;
but the woman for the man. 10 For this cause ought the woman to
have power on her head because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless neither is the man
without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the
man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. In
this set of verses Paul reasons by using an analogical argument that is
constructed upon the figures of the
man and the woman. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
begins its definition of an analogy with this sentence. "An analogy is a comparison
between two objects, or systems of objects that highlights respects in which
they are thought to be similar." The basic pattern of an analogy is in this
form: A is to B as C is to D. Modern scholastic aptitude tests employ
analogies in this manner as such: Sole is to foot as palm is to what? The
answer would be: Sole is foot to as palm is to hand. The
first two systems of objects in these analogous verses are found in the first
two verses. 8 For the man is not of the woman; but the
woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman;
but the woman for the man. At
first reading verses eight and nine may not appear as an analogy but as a
repetition of the same point. However when consideration is taken for the
different prepositions employed in the two verses and Paul's usage of antanaclasis, the classical rhetorical figure of speech
where the same words used successively in a sentence or sentences change
meanings, an analogy comes to light. In
the first of these two verses the Greek preposition ek meaning out of is used to
point out that Eve was taken out of Adam. If this preposition would have been
translated literally it would read: "For man is not out of woman; but woman
out of man." (Gen. 2:21-25) In
the second verse the Greek preposition dia meaning by means of or
through is used but weakly translated as the word for.A more literal
translation would read: "Neither was man created by means of the woman; but
the woman by means the man."In this
second premise of this analogy the man
is the Christ or, as the Old Testament literally reads, the Lord of the gods, who breathed the breath of life into Adam
so that he became a living soul. (Gen. 2:7) As Paul wrote, all things were
created by him, and for him. (Col. 1:16) Soul
in the Hebrew culture was recognized as feminine. In the thirty-fourth Psalm
David wrote, "My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear
thereof, and be glad." And, like the Hebrew, both the Aramaic and Greek words for soul are in the feminine gender.(Similarly in the Egyptian
cosmology the ba of soul was regarded as feminine.) So, in the second verse, the
woman rather than being Eve is living soul. As a result the analogy would be
Adam is to Eve as Christ is to living soul. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy goes on to state:
"An analogical
argument is an
explicit representation of a form of analogical reasoning that cites accepted
similarities between two systems to support the conclusion that some further
similarity exists." The
third verse in this passage is a conclusion for the two analogous systems
presented in the first two verses. 10 For this cause ought the woman to
have power on her head because of the angels. Again,
in this verse the woman is living
soul and is to be considered as a collective noun. The
Christ's first creative act before the foundation of the earth was the
generation of the angelic realm. (Ps. 148:2) Scripturally these are
considered as the brothers of the Christ who were fashioned to serve and
support Christ just as mature younger brothers in the Eastern family were
obligated to serve and support the firstborn son. When writing about the
angels made spirits to be ministers unto those who would be heirs of
salvation, the author of Hebrews referred to those gifted with angelic
spirits as "holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling." (Heb. 3:1)
Here, the word holy is the Greek agios in the
masculine gender and when it is so presented independently as a noun it is
translated as saint. And, both the
words angels and saints are masculine gender nouns that
are employed to describe differing states and functions of the holy brethren
of the Lord. This verse, in light of the broader previous context, implies that living souls have power when they function under the auspices of the angelic realm of Christ just as an Eastern woman functioned in the community in accordance with her husband�s family status that was designated by her particular head covering. In
first Corinthians, the relationship of the man and the woman is reinforced by
the additional lines in verses eleven and twelve that are built upon
interdependence rather than separation as was expressed in the preceding
verses of the analogical argument. 11 Nevertheless neither is the man
without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the
man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. In
the first verse of these two lines the prepositional phrase in the Lord is fundamentally important
when considering the two groups comprising the body of Christ. A verse in the
second section of this four chapter comparative unit that deals with the
communal bread sheds light on the phrase in
the Lord. In it Paul wrote: For he that eateth
and drinketh unworthily, eateth
and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning
the Lord's body. 1 Corinthians
11:29 The
Greek word diakrino
translated discerning in the verse
means to separate one from another, implying by context two elements to the
Lord's one body. When considering the context and the scope scripture, these
two elements of the Lord's body would be the living souls of faith as the
woman and certain ones accompanied each by an angel made a spirit as the man
or, in other words, the saints. The
final verse of this analogous passage summarizes and sources the tri-part
expanse of the interrelationship between masculine and feminine in all things
as stated in the concluding phrase, but
all things of (ek-out of) God. Analogical
reasoning cites accepted similarities between two systems that support the
conclusion that some further similarities exist. 12 For as the woman is of (ek) the man,
even so is the man also by (dia) the woman; but all things of (ek) God. In
the first phrase of this verse reading, For
as the woman is of (ek) the man, Paul reiterates that Adam and Eve are
the basis of the analogical reasoning of the passage. The words even so introduce concluding further
similarities. In the following phrase, the
man also by the woman, the man is Christ as the previous context reveals
in verses nine and eleven. Who then would the woman be whose means he was
brought forth? It couldn't be living soul because it was Christ, himself who
breathed the breath of life into Adam so that he became a living soul nor
could it be Eve of the eighth verse. The final phrase, but all things out of God, combined with the context and further
scriptural evidence provides an answer. Luke
wrote that both the feminine Holy Spirit and God, the Father interacted in
producing the conception of Jesus. And the angel
answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing
which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35 Likewise,
from this image, the Holy Spirit as a wife and the Father as a husband
conceived Christ before the foundations of the world. And the Holy Spirit
brought forth their first begotten son, the Christ. And as Eve was out of
Adam and living soul was out of Christ, the Holy Spirit was out of God
therefore all things are out of God. With
this conclusion the analogical argument may be viewed downward from the apex
at the end of verse twelve rather than from the basis upward in verse eight
of the passage as follows: All things out of God The Holy Spirit is out of God as Living Soul is out of Christ as Eve is out of Adam It
may also be viewed like this: The Father is to the Holy Spirit in Heaven
as Christ in Heaven is to Living Soul on Earth
as Adam is to Eve on Earth This analogical
series would correspond to Paul's statement in Ephesians that the family of
God is in heaven and on earth. (Eph. 3:14,15) Another
analogy inferred from this analogical reasoning would be: As Christ was begotten in the image of God Adam was created in the image of Christ In
the first chapter of Romans the Apostle Paul refers to the basis of the
analogical reasoning in first Corinthians. He wrote: For the invisible things of him from the
creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that
are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without
excuse: Romans 1:20 The invisible things are the Father, the feminine
Holy Spirit and Christ. The relationships of these things are understood by
the seen things that were made at the beginning of the creation - that would
most importantly be Adam and Eve and their subsequent progeny. The phrase even his eternal power and Godhead establishes
the essence of the interdependent relationship of masculine feminine duality
in things natural and spiritual that are highlighted here in this Romans'
verse and in the first Corinthian passage. His eternal power refers to the Father while the word Godhead refers to the feminine Holy
Spirit according to the unique usage of the underlying feminine Greek word theiotes, the
feminine counter-part to the masculine Greek word theos translated as God throughout New Testament
scripture. According
to nature, life exists as a result of masculine-feminine interaction. Jesus
stated that he was the living bread. (Jn. 6:51) (Within his body, as with any
son, were the inherited attributes of both his
mother, the Holy Spirit and his father, the power of the Highest.) During the
last supper Jesus broke a loaf of bread in two pieces and stated, "take, eat;
this is my body." What then are
the two physical constituents of the loaf that represent the man and the
woman of his one body? The fabric of scripture and the
customs of the Hebrews and other ancient Eastern cultures provide answers. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper
than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
Hebrews 4:12a (to be continued) Chapter
2 The
Woman and the Angels of 1 Corinthians 11:10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of
the angels. Related
Article The Pauline Usage of the Feminine Holy Spirit
In Romans Chapter One Addendum of The Feminine Gender of the Holy Spirit Related Appendices The Synonymous Gods, Angels and Saints The Saints Shall Judge as
Angels The Conjunctive Kai of Ephesians
1:1 Copyright, 2016, Steven G. Santini |
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