For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
Woman was first taken out of man, and ever since every man has been born of woman, yet both alike come from God so that neither stands apart from the other before Him. The saying belongs to instruction about how women should appear with modesty and reverence when they take part in worship, including praying, prophesying, and teaching in public. By telling women how to dress and conduct themselves when they speak, it shows they are expected to pray, prophesy, bear testimony, and give instruction, and the command to keep silence is not an absolute bar upon their speaking. What is forbidden is disorderly and domineering conduct such as disputing, finding fault, and seizing authority, which had disgraced the assemblies at Corinth. At creation man and woman bore God's image as equals and one flesh in marriage, and the Sabbath with marriage recalls that original oneness, while the church is one body under Christ in which all members depend on one another in harmony.
Meaning and Immediate Context
The woman came from the man at the beginning, and ever since the man comes into the world through the woman, while both ultimately come from God and depend on Him, so neither sex stands apart from the other in relation to God. This mutual relation was cited alongside Genesis 2:18 to show that marriage, like the Sabbath, was instituted for humanity before the fall, and the relation of man and woman does not make the sacredness of marriage dependent on the Decalogue, which in the seventh commandment guards that already sacred institution.
The verse belongs to instructions about women's appearance, head covering, and conduct in worship, including how women who pray, prophesy, or teach publicly should dress and appear when so employed. The appeal to 1 Corinthians 11:1-15 shows that women may pray or prophesy in the church, provided they observe the instruction about covering the head. The discussion treats head-covering practice largely as custom and leaves the choice to each person, so that removing a hat may be more reverent and considerate but is not to be enforced.
The enduring lesson is modesty, reverence, seemly behavior, and simple, modest, appropriate dress for both women and men. The passage reflects customs of the apostle's time and place and does not bind Christians to a particular way of wearing the hair. A woman's long hair is given to her as a covering and may itself be sufficient.
The chapter corrects disorder in the Corinthian assemblies, where conduct caused disgrace and disorder and believers were addressed for disorderly conduct when coming together. Women failed to act with proper decorum in the church by imitating the manners of Gentile females, with some women in wicked Corinth newly converted out of idolatry haranguing like heathen priestesses and needing to be brought into subjection, decency, and order. Gatherings for the Lord's Supper became feasting by some while others hungered, so they were not really celebrating that solemn rite and failed to discern the Lord's body and recognize the true import of the sacred ordinance, for which they could not be praised.
The verse stands in teaching on ordinances in which believers were praised for keeping what was delivered to them and strongly blamed when they perverted one. Divine ordinances including baptism must therefore be preserved pure according to their intention and administered and received with careful attention to the gospel's teaching.
Women Speaking in Church
The chapter gives explicit directions for women praying and prophesying and thereby recognizes and expects their participation in worship, including speaking in congregations and in social and prayer meetings. It belongs to instruction about women's conduct and dress when they prophesied or taught, supporting that women could take part in those forms of service. A woman given particular influence from God enabling her to teach is to obey that influence, with her personal appearance regulated while so employed.
By regulating how women should appear when they speak, the passage proves women are not prohibited from speaking, praying, prophesying, teaching publicly, bearing testimony, song, praise, and instruction. The command to keep silence is not an absolute prohibition of women's public speaking, testimony, song, praise, and instruction. God has barred no soul from confessing Him but demands it as a duty and grants it as a privilege.
Women taking public part are to do so in womanly modesty, sweetness, tact, humility, and Christian conduct, helping in the work and proclaiming the truth in womanly, Christian ways. Such conduct does not usurp authority over man or over the church and is willing to learn from those best fitted to fill important positions, with no assumption of authority over men. The restriction elsewhere and the direction in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 were given to correct blameworthy disorders, not to forbid prayer or speaking under the influence of the Spirit. They were needed because newly converted women in wicked Corinth were haranguing like heathen priestesses and some in Corinth were out of place assuming authority to teach and rule, and what is forbidden is unbecoming public conduct such as contradicting, asking questions, altercating, disputing doctrine, finding fault, and assuming authority over men.
Marriage, Unity, and Sabbath
Cited alongside Genesis 2:18, the verse shows that marriage, like the Sabbath, was instituted for humanity before the fall, so the sacredness of marriage predates the Ten Commandments. Woman came from man at the first, and ever since man comes into the world through woman, while both ultimately come from and depend on God. In this mutual relation of origin and dependence is found evidence that the marriage institution was made for humanity before the fall.
That relation of man and woman does not make the sacredness of marriage dependent on the Decalogue. The seventh commandment guards that already sacred institution.
At creation male and female bore the moral image of God as equals, the wife standing by the husband as a helpmeet and both becoming one flesh. Sin brought disparagement between husband and wife, breaking that harmony into rule by the husband and subjection of the wife. The Sabbath was given before the fall together with marriage, so it calls the mind back to the original plan of equality and oneness. It cannot be kept properly in any family where husband and wife live in discord.
The verse also belongs to the picture of Christ's church as a body, with Christ as its head and believers as members who depend on and care for one another. The members of the church are to work in harmony under Christ's direction. Division and failure in mutual care bring spiritual and bodily harm.
Woman was first taken out of man, and ever since every man has been born of woman, yet both alike come from God so that neither stands apart from the other before Him. The saying belongs to instruction about how women should appear with modesty and reverence when they take part in worship, including praying, prophesying, and teaching in public. By telling women how to dress and conduct themselves when they speak, it shows they are expected to pray, prophesy, bear testimony, and give instruction, and the command to keep silence is not an absolute bar upon their speaking. What is forbidden is disorderly and domineering conduct such as disputing, finding fault, and seizing authority, which had disgraced the assemblies at Corinth. At creation man and woman bore God's image as equals and one flesh in marriage, and the Sabbath with marriage recalls that original oneness, while the church is one body under Christ in which all members depend on one another in harmony.
Meaning and Immediate Context
The woman came from the man at the beginning, and ever since the man comes into the world through the woman, while both ultimately come from God and depend on Him, so neither sex stands apart from the other in relation to God. This mutual relation was cited alongside Genesis 2:18 to show that marriage, like the Sabbath, was instituted for humanity before the fall, and the relation of man and woman does not make the sacredness of marriage dependent on the Decalogue, which in the seventh commandment guards that already sacred institution.
The verse belongs to instructions about women's appearance, head covering, and conduct in worship, including how women who pray, prophesy, or teach publicly should dress and appear when so employed. The appeal to 1 Corinthians 11:1-15 shows that women may pray or prophesy in the church, provided they observe the instruction about covering the head. The discussion treats head-covering practice largely as custom and leaves the choice to each person, so that removing a hat may be more reverent and considerate but is not to be enforced.
The enduring lesson is modesty, reverence, seemly behavior, and simple, modest, appropriate dress for both women and men. The passage reflects customs of the apostle's time and place and does not bind Christians to a particular way of wearing the hair. A woman's long hair is given to her as a covering and may itself be sufficient.
The chapter corrects disorder in the Corinthian assemblies, where conduct caused disgrace and disorder and believers were addressed for disorderly conduct when coming together. Women failed to act with proper decorum in the church by imitating the manners of Gentile females, with some women in wicked Corinth newly converted out of idolatry haranguing like heathen priestesses and needing to be brought into subjection, decency, and order. Gatherings for the Lord's Supper became feasting by some while others hungered, so they were not really celebrating that solemn rite and failed to discern the Lord's body and recognize the true import of the sacred ordinance, for which they could not be praised.
The verse stands in teaching on ordinances in which believers were praised for keeping what was delivered to them and strongly blamed when they perverted one. Divine ordinances including baptism must therefore be preserved pure according to their intention and administered and received with careful attention to the gospel's teaching.
Women Speaking in Church
The chapter gives explicit directions for women praying and prophesying and thereby recognizes and expects their participation in worship, including speaking in congregations and in social and prayer meetings. It belongs to instruction about women's conduct and dress when they prophesied or taught, supporting that women could take part in those forms of service. A woman given particular influence from God enabling her to teach is to obey that influence, with her personal appearance regulated while so employed.
By regulating how women should appear when they speak, the passage proves women are not prohibited from speaking, praying, prophesying, teaching publicly, bearing testimony, song, praise, and instruction. The command to keep silence is not an absolute prohibition of women's public speaking, testimony, song, praise, and instruction. God has barred no soul from confessing Him but demands it as a duty and grants it as a privilege.
Women taking public part are to do so in womanly modesty, sweetness, tact, humility, and Christian conduct, helping in the work and proclaiming the truth in womanly, Christian ways. Such conduct does not usurp authority over man or over the church and is willing to learn from those best fitted to fill important positions, with no assumption of authority over men. The restriction elsewhere and the direction in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 were given to correct blameworthy disorders, not to forbid prayer or speaking under the influence of the Spirit. They were needed because newly converted women in wicked Corinth were haranguing like heathen priestesses and some in Corinth were out of place assuming authority to teach and rule, and what is forbidden is unbecoming public conduct such as contradicting, asking questions, altercating, disputing doctrine, finding fault, and assuming authority over men.
Marriage, Unity, and Sabbath
Cited alongside Genesis 2:18, the verse shows that marriage, like the Sabbath, was instituted for humanity before the fall, so the sacredness of marriage predates the Ten Commandments. Woman came from man at the first, and ever since man comes into the world through woman, while both ultimately come from and depend on God. In this mutual relation of origin and dependence is found evidence that the marriage institution was made for humanity before the fall.
That relation of man and woman does not make the sacredness of marriage dependent on the Decalogue. The seventh commandment guards that already sacred institution.
At creation male and female bore the moral image of God as equals, the wife standing by the husband as a helpmeet and both becoming one flesh. Sin brought disparagement between husband and wife, breaking that harmony into rule by the husband and subjection of the wife. The Sabbath was given before the fall together with marriage, so it calls the mind back to the original plan of equality and oneness. It cannot be kept properly in any family where husband and wife live in discord.
The verse also belongs to the picture of Christ's church as a body, with Christ as its head and believers as members who depend on and care for one another. The members of the church are to work in harmony under Christ's direction. Division and failure in mutual care bring spiritual and bodily harm.