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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 11:14

Doth not even nature itself teach you ,.... By nature is either meant, the law and light of nature, reason in man, common sense, or rather custom, which is second nature; and which, in this case, must be restrained to the Greeks and Jews; for though among the Grecians the men cut their hair, and did not suffer it to grow long, as also did the Jews, yet there were many nations F11 Alex. ab. Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 5. c. 18. Servius in Virgil. Aeneid. l. 10. prope finem. who did not, even... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 11:14

Doth not - nature - teach you, that, if a man have long hair - Nature certainly teaches us, by bestowing it, that it is proper for women to have long hair; and it is not so with men. The hair of the male rarely grows like that of a female, unless art is used, and even then it bears but a scanty proportion to the former. Hence it is truly womanish to have long hair, and it is a shame to the man who affects it. In ancient times the people of Achaia, the province in which Corinth stood, and the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:1-16

Apostolic injunctions with regard to Church services. Though the Corinthians deserved blame in some things, they were entitled to praise in that they had generally observed St. Paul's directions. Despite their departure from certain of his instructions, he could say, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ;" by which he recognized that they had discernment enough to see the Lord Jesus in his personal and official character, and a sufficient brotherly sympathy to imitate his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:1-16

Decency in public worship. When we appear before God we should observe the greatest propriety. Externals should not be lost sight of, for they are significant. Often they are indicative of inward condition. The apostle had occasion to blame the women of Corinth for laying aside the veil—the mark of modesty and subjection—in public assemblies. On the ground of the abolition of distinction of sex in Christ, they claimed equality in every respect with men, and the right to appear and act as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Rules and principles respecting the covering of the head by women in Church assemblies. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Laws of order in Christian assemblies. The subject dealt with in this passage is the appropriate conduct and dress of the women in Christian assemblies. That, however, was but a matter of present and passing interest, one standing related to the customs and sentiments of a particular age. Our concern is not with the details of apostolic advice, but with the principles upon which St. Paul deals with a particular case. "Every circumstance which could in the least degree cause the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:3-16

The man and the woman. "But I would have you know," etc. Although there are some things in these verses that perhaps no one can rightly interpret, and that may have been written as personal opinion rather than as Divine inspiration, there are two or three points in relation to man and woman interesting and noteworthy. I. THERE IS BETWEEN THEM A SUBORDINATION IN NATURAL RELATIONSHIP . "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:14

Doth not even nature itself teach you? "Nature" here has much the lame sense as "instinct." "His fair large front and eye sublime declared Absolute rule; and hyacinthine locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung Clustering, but not beneath his shoulders broad: She, as a veil, down to the slender waist Her unadorned golden tresses wore." (Milton, 'Paradise Lost,' 4:304.) read more

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