1 Corinthians 11:2-16

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 11:2

Now I praise you, brethren ,.... The apostle prefaces what he had to say by way of commendation of them; though some think that this is said in an ironical way, because there are many things both in this chapter, and in the following part of this epistle, delivered in a way of reproof; but whoever considers the change of style in 1 Corinthians 11:17 will easily see, that this must be spoken seriously here, and is designed to raise the attention to what he was about to say, and to prepare... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:3

But I would have you to know ,.... Though they were mindful of him, and retained in memory many things he had declared among them, and kept the ordinances as delivered to them; yet there were some things in which they were either ignorant, or at least did not so well advert to, and needed to be put in mind of, and better informed about: and as the apostle was very communicative of his knowledge in every point, he fails not to acquaint them with whatsoever might be instructive to their faith,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:4

Every man praying or prophesying ,.... This is to be understood of praying and prophesying in public, and not in private; and not to be restrained to the person that is the mouth of the congregation to God in prayer, or who preaches to the people in the name of God; but to be applied to every individual person that attends public worship, that joins in prayer with the minister, and hears the word preached by him, which is meant by prophesying; for not foretelling future events is here meant,... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:9

Neither was the man created for the woman ,.... To be subservient to her; for she was not in being when he was created; and though it is the proper business of man to provide for, take care of, and defend the woman, as the weaker vessel, yet these were not the original ends of his creation; he was made for God, for his service and glory: but the woman for the man ; to be an help meet for him, who was already created; to be a companion and associate of his, both in religious worship and... read more

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