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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:1-16

Paul, having answered the cases put to him, proceeds in this chapter to the redress of grievances. The Rom. 11:1 of the chapter is put, by those who divided the epistle into chapters, as a preface to the rest of the epistle, but seems to have been a more proper close to the last, in which he had enforced the cautions he had given against the abuse of liberty, by his own example: Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ (Rom. 11:1), fitly closes his argument; and the way of speaking in the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

11:2-16 I praise you because you remember me in all things and because you hold fast to the traditions as I handed them down to you. But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and that the man is the head of the woman, and that God is the head of Christ. Every man who prays or preaches with his head covered shames his head. Every woman who prays or preaches with her head uncovered shames her head, for she is in exactly the same case as a woman whose head has been shaved;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:5

But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth ,.... Not that a woman was allowed to pray publicly in the congregation, and much less to preach or explain the word, for these things were not permitted them: see 1 Corinthians 14:34 but it designs any woman that joins in public worship with the minister in prayer, and attends on the hearing of the word preached, or sings the praises of God with the congregation, as we have seen, the word prophesying signifies, with her head uncovered . It... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:6

For if the woman be not covered ,.... That is, if her head is not covered with some sort of covering, as is the custom of the place where she lives, let her also be shorn ; let her hair be cut short; let her wear it as men do theirs; and let her see how she will look, and how she will like that, and how she will be looked upon, and liked by others; everybody will laugh at her, and she will be ashamed of herself: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven : as it is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:7

For a man indeed ought not to cover his head ,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "whilst he prays"; which is a proper interpretation of the words, though a wrong version; for the apostle's meaning is not, that a man should not have his head covered at any time, but whilst he is in public worship, praying, prophesying, or singing of psalms: the reason is, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God . The apostle speaks of man here as in his first creation, in his state of innocence before... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:8

For the man is not of the woman ,.... In the present state of things, and according to the ordinary course of generation and propagation of mankind, man is of the woman, though not without the means of man; he is conceived in her, bore by her, and born of her; but the apostle respects the original formation of man, as he was immediately made by God out of the dust of the earth, before the woman was in being, and so not of her: but the woman of the man ; she was made out of his rib, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 11:5

But every woman that prayeth, etc. - Whatever may be the meaning of praying and prophesying, in respect to the man, they have precisely the same meaning in respect to the woman. So that some women at least, as well as some men, might speak to others to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. And this kind of prophesying or teaching was predicted by Joel, Joel 2:28 , and referred to by Peter, Acts 2:17 . And had there not been such gifts bestowed on women, the prophecy could not have... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 11:6

For if the woman be not covered - If she will not wear a veil in the public assemblies, let her be shorn - let her carry a public badge of infamy: but if it be a shame - if to be shorn or shaven would appear, as it must, a badge of infamy, then let her be covered - let her by all means wear a veil. Even in mourning it was considered disgraceful to be obliged to shear off the hair; and lest they should lose this ornament of their heads, the women contrived to evade the custom, by cutting off... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 11:7

A man indeed ought not to cover his head - He should not wear his cap or turban in the public congregation, for this was a badge of servitude, or an indication that he had a conscience overwhelmed with guilt; and besides, it was contrary to the custom that prevailed, both among the Greeks and Romans. He is the image and glory of God - He is God's vicegerent in this lower world; and, by the authority which he has received from his Master, he is his representative among the creatures, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 11:8

For, the man is not of the woman - Bishop Pearce translates ου γαρ εστιν ανηρ εκ γυναικος, αλλα γυνη εξ ανδρος , thus: "For the man doth not Belong to the woman, but the woman to the man." And vindicates this sense of εκ , by its use in 1 Corinthians 12:15 . If the foot shall say, ουκ ειμι εκ του σωματος , I am not of the body, i.e. I do not belong to the body. He observes that as the verb εστιν is in the present tense, and will not allow that we should understand this verse of... read more

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