Headcoverings For Men and Women: What Saith Scripture?

In Christendom today, whether it be Protestant, Catholic, or the Messianic circles, women very seldom cover their heads at all.  In the Messianic circles, some men do cover their heads with a kippa in the tradition of the Jews.  But what saith Scripture?  Have believers completely missed what scripture commands regarding head coverings?  Let’s take a look.

HEAD COVERINGS FOR MEN AND WOMEN: I CORINTHIANS 11

In I Corinthians chapter 11, the Apostle Paul deals with the subject of head coverings.  Let us take a look at this chapter beginning in verse 4.

“Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head.  But every woman that prayeth or prophecieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.  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.  For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of Yah (Hebrew name for the Creator): but   the woman is the glory of the man.  For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.  Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.  For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.  Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in YahVeh (Extended version of the name of the Creator).  For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of Yah.  Judge in yourselves; is it comely that a woman pray unto Yah uncovered?  Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?  But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.”

This passage very clearly defines Paul’s stance on the issue.  A man is never to cover his head while praying or prophesying.  To cover his head would be a shame.  Indeed, if you read the Torah and the Prophets, men would at rare times cover their heads, but always as a sign of mourning.  A man covering his head while praying is shameful and to be avoided.

Likewise, the woman is to cover her head while praying and prophesying.  Paul says that when a woman prays and prophecies without a head covering, she might as well have all her hair shaved off.  Paul recognizes what nature teaches us, that for a woman to have her hair shaved is a disgrace.  Even today, most of society is appalled at women who shave their heads.  It is a shame.  Paul equates a woman not covering her head to a woman who disgraces herself by shaving off all her hair.

Why does Paul make this so emphatic?  He explains that a man does not cover his head because he is the glory of his Creator.  But a woman does cover her head because she is the glory of a man.  Since a man represents the glory of Yah, he should not seek to cover that glory with a head covering.  Since a woman represents the glory of a man, and men must learn to decrease while the Creator increases, the woman should seek to cover the man’s glory by covering her head.

Then a very interesting verse tells us about a certain power women have on their heads regarding angelic spirits.  This verse indicates that angels and demons pay attention to physical signs.  When a woman covers her head in obedience to Scripture, the demons cannot touch her and the angels can guard her in ways not possible should she willingly or ignorantly disobey this command.  Thus, for the spiritual safety of the woman, she ought to have her head covered whenever she prays or prophecies.

Paul ends by showing how this command about head coverings is even evident in nature.  Most people recognize a man with long hair as being unusually effeminate and unnatural.  Most people recognize a woman with long hair as naturally beautiful.  It is not coincidence that 9 out of every 10 men prefer a woman with long hair.  Truly, a woman’s hair is her glory.

The only possible way to correctly interpret I Corinthians 11 is to recognize that Paul forbids men from covering their heads while praying and prophesying, but commands women to cover their heads while doing the same.

SCRIPTURAL OBJECTIONS FROM MEN

Many men from the Messianic circles object to the above interpretation because they wear kippas.  They point out that the Levitical Priests would cover their heads while praying and that, according to Revelation, we are all now priests in Messiah.

However, if believing men today ought to cover their heads because the Priests of old did so, that would mean men would need to wear ALL that a Levite wore.  I don’t see many Messianic men wearing ephods and bells and all the other garments required for a Levite priest.  Thus, by their own practice, they cannot use the above argument.

Some have suggested that the Greek word Paul uses in I Cor 11 for cover, refers to covering the face.  But again, this makes little sense.  If Paul were admonishing men not to cover their faces, why would he admonish women to cover their faces?  I don’t see many Messianic women who cover their heads let alone faces.  Besides the fact, in Paul’s culture a woman who covered her face was a prostitute.  Talk about bringing shame to a woman!  Paul would never have counseled women to cover their faces!

Since Corinthians was originally written in Hebrew and not Greek, one must be very careful in using the Greek words to reach Paul’s intent.  Sometimes, the Greek translation can be misleading.  However, it is wonderful that the English translation from the Greek still maintains the original Hebrew intent.

WHAT ABOUT THIS KIPPA?

So where did the Messianics get this kippa from?  A kippa is a small, disk shaped hat that Jewish men wear to show reverence to their Creator.  Many Messianic men wear variations of this out of deference to their Jewish brethren.  But when and where did the Jews adopt this practice?

In about the 13th century, the Jews began to wear kippas as a sign of outward reverence.  Before this time period, no documentation exists which shows Jewish men covering their heads.

The kippa is first thought to have originated during the time of Antiochus Epiphanies’ defiling of the Jewish Temple in 135 BCE.  Before the Jewish Maccabees drove back the evil Greek conqueror, he forced the Jews to eat pork, sacrifice pigs and cover their heads.  The Greek conqueror knew how to humiliate and shame the men.  He understood that if the men covered their heads it would bring shame upon them.  Thus, the very first kippas entered into the Jewish tradition.

After the Maccabean revolt, the Jews cast off the shameful kippa.  However, a little over a thousand years later, the practice would somehow find its way back into the Jewish world.

OBJECTIONS FROM WOMEN

Women tend not to use Scriptural objections to head coverings so much as emotional objections.  Some will claim that chapter 11 only refers to a certain time, a certain culture and a certain people.  However, if that were true, why did Paul not say so?  And, how do we then decide what parts of Scripture are only for certain cultures and what parts are for us today?  Using that argument seriously undermines the validity and application of scripture.

Some women complain they simply do not want to cover their heads and feel they have liberty in the Messiah to do so.  Since when did the Messiah give liberty to break His commandments?  Do they also have liberty to commit adultery and to lie?  Why is it so hard to cover the head?  Is it really that uncomfortable?

Some women misread I Cor 11 and claim that her hair is her covering since one verse does say: “ . . . for her hair is given her for a covering.”  However, if the passage really means that a woman’s hair is already her covering, why would Paul command women to cover their heads?  Why would he continue by saying if a woman does not cover her head, she should have all her hair shaved off?  Obviously Paul is talking to women who already had plenty of hair (or there would be no hair  to shave off) when he commands them to wear a head covering.

Some women claim their husband is their covering.  They think I Cor 11 is referring to a “spiritual covering” not a physical one and that this covering is her husband.  While a husband is the spiritual covering for a wife, interpreting I Cor 11 in a way that calls a head covering merely spiritual is dishonest.  Nothing in the passage indicates Paul is speaking spiritually, allegorically or metaphorically.  Everything in the text suggests he is speaking quite literally.  Otherwise, if Paul is telling women who do not put on their “spiritual” head covering to shave off their “spiritual hair”, what would “spiritual hair” be?  No, to assign anything but a literal interpretation to the passage makes no sense.

There are millions of believers ignorant of this command but it is time, as Yah restores all things, to bring back this truth lost to so many congregations today.

THE MODESTY ISSUE

Most female believers agree that modest clothing is a command in scripture.  What they don’t agree on is what that standard of modesty should be.  What most women do not realize is how attractive a woman’s long hair can be to men.  Men can easily lust after a woman’s hair as much as any other part of her body.

To minimize temptation, a woman should cover her hair so as not to cause her brother to stumble.  A woman may say, “That is not my problem.  The men should learn to control themselves.”  However, this snide attitude is not rooted in love and contradicts the spirit Paul encouraged all believers to have toward each other: one seeking to build the other in the faith.

A woman who refuses to cover her hair after being convinced of her scriptural obligation is a woman in rebellion and pride.

THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER

From I Corinthians 11 and from nature itself, we can easily see that men should not wear head coverings while women should.  How often should a woman wear her head covering?  Well, the command is for when she prays or prophecies.  However, Scripture also says we are to pray without ceasing.  If an attitude of prayer should mark our every waking moment, it seems clear that a woman should always cover her head.  This goes inversely for the man as well.

So, what will you do, oh believer?  Men, will you take the lead and cast away your head coverings, conforming to Scripture rather than vain Jewish tradition?  Women, will you submit yourselves to Scripture and cover your heads?  You can no longer claim ignorance.  Either you obey or you do not.  Just remember, only those who obey His commandments will inherit eternal life.  What will your eternal destiny now be?  The choice is up to you.

In YahShua and by His Torah, Daniel J. Lee -- Portland State University Campus Preacher