Cheryl Schatz

In my next post I think I will make it quite clear why I do not think Paul is quoting the Corinthians here.  I do believe he is writing about head coverings because they had questions that they brought to Paul in their letter.  However if this is a quote from the Corinthians in chapter 11, it is unlike every other quote that Paul put into his response back to the Corinthians.

Can we look at this passage and see it as Paul writing and not the Corinthians?  I see no reason not to see that.  Would Paul have said that it is disgraceful for a man to pray with his head covered?  Yes, that is what he taught.  Likely those influenced by the Judaizers would not agree with Paul since it was their custom to cover their heads while praying.  So if the letter had questions or statement influenced by the Judaizers, this is unlikely to be a quote from the Corinthians.

Also could it reasonably be Paul stating that the custom dictated that women whose head was uncovered in public prayer was disgraceful (or filthy)?  Yes.  That was the custom and Paul certainly would have been sympathetic to the married women’s dilemma.

Also Paul makes reference to having the hair cut and/or having the hair shaved off.  Would he give a woman the choice to cover her head if she was shamed by having her head shaved?  A woman making a Nazirite vow would have her head shaved and would Paul force her to be in public bald or would he allow her to cover for personal shame (not for spiritual shame of her sin)?  It appears that Paul allows women to cover (for personal shame) or to uncover as the power for that decision is in their hands.

More on this in the next post 🙂