For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
The verse teaches that the woman came into being out of the man, pointing back to the creation of Eve from Adam in Genesis 2. By that origin it establishes the order of creation in which the man is the head of the woman, so that leadership and authority belong to the man and are not to be reversed by the woman taking authority over him. At creation the man and woman equally bore the moral image of God in harmony as one flesh, with the wife as helpmeet by the husband's side, and the ruling of the husband over the wife entered through the fall. The same instruction shows that women prayed and prophesied in the gatherings of the early church, so it does not forbid women to pray, speak, testify, or labor for God in public. When a woman prays or prophesies she is to do so with modesty, reverence, simplicity, and womanly decorum, with no assumption of authority over man.
Origin and Historical Setting
The statement that the woman is of the man affirms that woman originated from man and points to their relationship in creation. That origin refers to the creation account in Genesis 2.
The statement belongs to instruction about women's appearance and dress when praying or prophesying in the setting of ancient customs. Its lasting practical lesson is that Christian women and men should dress simply, modestly, becomingly, and with reverence and seemly behavior. It gives no binding rule for exactly how women should wear the hair today.
The statement also belongs to Paul's correction of the disorderly condition of the church at Corinth when its members came together. There they failed to discern the Lord's body in the Lord's Supper, with some feasting while others hungered. There also the women failed to act with proper decorum in the church by imitating the manners of Gentile females. The prohibitions on women speaking correct abuses arising from that setting, for Corinth was one of the wickedest cities and its converts came out of idolatry and wickedness. Some women harangued as heathen priestesses did and treated the church like a heathen temple, and such women were to be in subjection to those placed over the churches, with all speaking done decently and in order.
Creation Order and Marriage
The verse declares that the woman came out of the man and was made from him, and thereby establishes the order of creation in which the man is the head of the woman. That order underlies the instruction about public conduct and head covering, with the covering serving as a public sign that a woman is under her husband's authority. Because she was formed from him, the woman holds a subordinate position in relation to the man, so leadership and authority belong to the man and are not to be reversed by a woman usurping his authority. The placing of the man first as the stronger vessel is a reason for order between men and women, not a ban on women praying, prophesying, or bearing testimony in the church.
The subordination involved is not the original plan but the disparagement that entered through sin, by which the husband rules over the wife; at creation Adam and Eve equally bore the moral image of God with no lack of harmony, Eve standing by Adam's side as his helpmeet and the two becoming one flesh. The reference to the woman's origin from the man reaches back to Genesis 2 and shows that marriage, like the Sabbath, was instituted before the fall. The woman was made for the man and not the man for the woman, and the husband is lord of the wife, yet as the Sabbath being made for man gives no liberty to disregard and put away the Sabbath, so being made for man gives no liberty to disregard or put away what was made and does not dissolve the marriage covenant.
Women Speaking in Church
The verse stands within directions for how women should dress and appear when they pray or speak, prophesy or teach in public in the congregation, which shows that women were prophesying and teaching and speaking in public in the early church and that Paul did not forbid all public speaking or work by women. The giving of directions for women praying and prophesying shows that women may pray and prophesy and speak for God in the church, and therefore does not forbid the very activities in view. The prohibitions on women's speaking in 1 Corinthians 14 do not command absolute silence and do not forbid women to work, praise, pray, or speak in meetings of praise and prayer.
A woman may pray or prophesy in church with her head covered, and such praying or prophesying is not teaching or usurping authority over the man. Women may speak and pray in public, with instruction given about their appearance when they do so. Such speaking is to be done with womanly modesty, sweetness, and tact and with no assumption of authority over man, since God has not debarred any soul from confessing Him but demands it as a duty and grants it as a privilege.
The instruction on how women should appear when praying or prophesying proves that Paul did not forbid women to speak in church. Women are permitted to speak in public if they keep true Christian conduct that is modest and humble, willing to learn from those best fitted to fill important positions, and not usurping authority over man or over the church.
The verse teaches that the woman came into being out of the man, pointing back to the creation of Eve from Adam in Genesis 2. By that origin it establishes the order of creation in which the man is the head of the woman, so that leadership and authority belong to the man and are not to be reversed by the woman taking authority over him. At creation the man and woman equally bore the moral image of God in harmony as one flesh, with the wife as helpmeet by the husband's side, and the ruling of the husband over the wife entered through the fall. The same instruction shows that women prayed and prophesied in the gatherings of the early church, so it does not forbid women to pray, speak, testify, or labor for God in public. When a woman prays or prophesies she is to do so with modesty, reverence, simplicity, and womanly decorum, with no assumption of authority over man.
Origin and Historical Setting
The statement that the woman is of the man affirms that woman originated from man and points to their relationship in creation. That origin refers to the creation account in Genesis 2.
The statement belongs to instruction about women's appearance and dress when praying or prophesying in the setting of ancient customs. Its lasting practical lesson is that Christian women and men should dress simply, modestly, becomingly, and with reverence and seemly behavior. It gives no binding rule for exactly how women should wear the hair today.
The statement also belongs to Paul's correction of the disorderly condition of the church at Corinth when its members came together. There they failed to discern the Lord's body in the Lord's Supper, with some feasting while others hungered. There also the women failed to act with proper decorum in the church by imitating the manners of Gentile females. The prohibitions on women speaking correct abuses arising from that setting, for Corinth was one of the wickedest cities and its converts came out of idolatry and wickedness. Some women harangued as heathen priestesses did and treated the church like a heathen temple, and such women were to be in subjection to those placed over the churches, with all speaking done decently and in order.
Creation Order and Marriage
The verse declares that the woman came out of the man and was made from him, and thereby establishes the order of creation in which the man is the head of the woman. That order underlies the instruction about public conduct and head covering, with the covering serving as a public sign that a woman is under her husband's authority. Because she was formed from him, the woman holds a subordinate position in relation to the man, so leadership and authority belong to the man and are not to be reversed by a woman usurping his authority. The placing of the man first as the stronger vessel is a reason for order between men and women, not a ban on women praying, prophesying, or bearing testimony in the church.
The subordination involved is not the original plan but the disparagement that entered through sin, by which the husband rules over the wife; at creation Adam and Eve equally bore the moral image of God with no lack of harmony, Eve standing by Adam's side as his helpmeet and the two becoming one flesh. The reference to the woman's origin from the man reaches back to Genesis 2 and shows that marriage, like the Sabbath, was instituted before the fall. The woman was made for the man and not the man for the woman, and the husband is lord of the wife, yet as the Sabbath being made for man gives no liberty to disregard and put away the Sabbath, so being made for man gives no liberty to disregard or put away what was made and does not dissolve the marriage covenant.
Women Speaking in Church
The verse stands within directions for how women should dress and appear when they pray or speak, prophesy or teach in public in the congregation, which shows that women were prophesying and teaching and speaking in public in the early church and that Paul did not forbid all public speaking or work by women. The giving of directions for women praying and prophesying shows that women may pray and prophesy and speak for God in the church, and therefore does not forbid the very activities in view. The prohibitions on women's speaking in 1 Corinthians 14 do not command absolute silence and do not forbid women to work, praise, pray, or speak in meetings of praise and prayer.
A woman may pray or prophesy in church with her head covered, and such praying or prophesying is not teaching or usurping authority over the man. Women may speak and pray in public, with instruction given about their appearance when they do so. Such speaking is to be done with womanly modesty, sweetness, and tact and with no assumption of authority over man, since God has not debarred any soul from confessing Him but demands it as a duty and grants it as a privilege.
The instruction on how women should appear when praying or prophesying proves that Paul did not forbid women to speak in church. Women are permitted to speak in public if they keep true Christian conduct that is modest and humble, willing to learn from those best fitted to fill important positions, and not usurping authority over man or over the church.