I Corinthians 11:4
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Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
praying--in public (Co1 11:17). prophesying--preaching in the Spirit (Co1 12:10). having--that is, if he were to have: a supposed case to illustrate the impropriety in the woman's case. It was the Greek custom (and so that at Corinth) for men in worship to be uncovered; whereas the Jews wore the Talith, or veil, to show reverence before God, and their unworthiness to look on Him (Isa 6:2); however, MAIMONIDES [Mishna] excepts cases where (as in Greece) the custom of the place was different. dishonoureth his head--not as ALFORD, "Christ" (Co1 11:3); but literally, as "his head" is used in the beginning of the verse. He dishonoreth his head (the principal part of the body) by wearing a covering or veil, which is a mark of subjection, and which makes him look downwards instead of upwards to his Spiritual Head, Christ, to whom alone he owes subjection. Why, then, ought not man to wear the covering in token of his subjection to Christ, as the woman wears it in token of her subjection to man? "Because Christ is not seen: the man is seen; so the covering of him who is under Christ is not seen; of her who is under the man, is seen" [BENGEL]. (Compare Co1 11:7).
Open source ↗In this chapter the apostle blames, and endeavours to rectify, some great indecencies and manifest disorders in the church of Corinth; as, I. The misconduct of their women (some of whom seem to have been inspired) in the public assembly, who laid by their veils, the common token of subjection to their husbands in that part of the world. This behaviour he reprehends, requires them to keep veiled, asserts the superiority of the husband, yet so as to remind the husband that both were made for mutual help and comfort (v. 1-16). II. He blames them for their discord and neglect and contempt of the poor, at the Lord's supper (Co1 11:17-22). III. To rectify these scandalous disorders, he sets before them the nature and intentions of this holy institution, directs them how they should attend on it, and warns them of the danger of a conduct to indecent as theirs, and of all unworthy receiving (Co1 11:23 to the end).
Open source ↗11:4-6 In this passage, head is used in both a literal and a figurative sense. A man who covers his (physical) head when he prays dishonors his (spiritual) head, Christ. A woman who prays or prophesies without a covering on her (physical) head thereby dishonors her (spiritual) head, her husband. • The spiritual gift of prophesying is the God-given ability to speak a specific word from God, not merely to predict the future (cp. 12:10; 14:1-5; 1 Thes 5:20). • if she prays or prophesies: Women were allowed to engage in public praying and prophesying in the church (cp. Acts 21:9).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.
But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.
Doesn’t nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.