1 Corinthians 11--Church Behavior

Paul explains to the Corinthian believers that God created men and women equally, but with different roles: the men are ordained to be leaders; e.g., to lead the congregation when they come together to pray or prophesy. (See Ephesians 5:22-23 for the husband's headship over the wife.)

Men and women are told to distinguish themselves from each other in their hair and headdress. Even by nature, it can be seen that women should have longer hair than men. When praying or prophesying in public, women are to cover their heads as a sign of their willful submission to the leadership of their husbands.

Does Scripture demand the custom of head-covering for women in prayer meetings? The real issue is whether the women are too arrogant and rebellious to accept men as the God-ordained leaders in the home, in the church, and (by extension) in the society. Even if the men lack the courage to assume and fulfill their calling to leadership, the women are not instructed to assert themselves and usurp the position ordained to the men.

(See also 1 Timothy 2:8-3:16 for instructions for women's dress while praying and for men's calling to be bishops and deacons.)

Paul then chastises the church for their conduct when having group meals--the rich were shunning and demeaning the poor and some of the diners were getting drunk. The meals were a mockery of the communion (the Lord's Supper) prescribed by the Lord. This behavior, once again, was style over substance; empty tradition. The Lord's name was being proclaimed, but only in lip-service.

This chapter in First Corinthians calls the believer to ask himself: Are the men performing their roles as leaders? Are the women supporting them in their efforts to lead? Is the church practicing empty and disdainful rituals? Is the Lord Jesus present in power at the Christian fellowship meals or is His name merely proclaimed in lip-service?

On an individual level: Am I obedient to the role God has assigned to me (as a man, or as a woman)? Do I practice ritual (or, tradition) without meaning? Am I a glutton, drunkard, social snob, or hypocrite?