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The NKJV reads the woman is to have a “symbol of authority” on her head. 1st Corinthians 11:10.
So What’s a Symbol of Authority?
Let’s start by reading the verse.
“For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. “ 1st Corinthians 11:10 NKJV (Bold added)
Several other translations also use the phrase “symbol of authority.” Others use similar words (such as sign of authority, power on her head, as a sign of her authority, or a token of authority). The KJV uses “power on her head” 1 Corinthians 11:10 KJV
The words “symbol of” are added in most translations. However, these words are not present when you read an interlinear that gives the actual Greek words.
The translators seem to largely agree that adding these words (or those similar in meaning) helps us to understand what is being stated.
The Greek word for authority used in verse 10 in the NKJV or power in the KJV is “exousian.”
My Greek interlinear reads: “Because of this ought the woman authority to have on the head on account of the angels.”
The root word is defined in Strong’s Concordance (the definitions section) as:
exousia: power to act, authority
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: exousia
Phonetic Spelling: (ex-oo-see’-ah)
Definition: power to act, authority
Usage: (a) power, authority, weight, especially: moral authority, influence, (b) in a quasi-personal sense, derived from later Judaism, of a spiritual power, and hence of an earthly power.
The meaning of this word in the Greek language, like other parts of the passage, has been the source of disagreement. I will not attempt to give a review of every interpretation of the “symbol of authority.”
By definition, “exousia” is a power to act.
So using the definition gives us a starting point. But, we can dig deeper for the meaning.
Whenever possible, I like to find the same word in the Bible (hopefully even the same book of the Bible) to see how it is used in other parts of the scriptures. Generally this results in a consistent approach to the interpretation of the Bible.
Let’s Look at Four Other Places in 1st Corinthians
We see the same word (or derivation) in 1 Corinthians 8:9; 9:4-5; 9:12; and 9:18 for a few other instances where the word is used.
We will briefly consider these to illustrate their meaning in other places in the book of 1st Corinthians.
“But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.” 1st Corinthians 8:9 NKJV (Bold added)
The translated word “liberty” suggests permission to do something. A person is at liberty to engage in an activity. The specific context is eating food offered to an idol. The KJV also uses “liberty.” 1 Corinthians 8:9
Paul again uses the word in 1st Corinthians 9:4-5:
“4 Do we have no right to eat and drink? 5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?” Ist Corinthians 9:4-5 NKJV (Bold added)
The translators changed the English word to “right”.
The KJV translators decided to use the word “power.” 1 Corinthians 9:4-5
As Americans, we are extremely familiar with having rights. We recognize a right means we are given the power or authority to take some action. Paul is saying that he has the right to eat from the gospel (and even take along a wife).
In 1 Corinthians 9:4 the KJV uses “power” and in the NKJV, the term “right” is used once again.
We will next consider 1 Corinthians 9:12 where the KJV remains consistent in using the word “power” while the NKJV reads “If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more?” Ist Corinthians 9:12 NKJV (Bold added)
In simple terms, Paul has the power or authority to require payment for his preaching and ministry to the church.
In 1 Corinthians 9:18 the word appears one more time when Paul says:
“What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.” 1st Corinthians 9:18 NKJV (Bold added)
Once again the KJV renders the word as “power.” 1 Corinthians 9:18
Consistency Is Mission Critical to the Proper Understanding of the Scriptures
We should be consistent in our use of words.
The phrase “symbol of authority” (or similar phrases from the other translations) should be interpreted the same way as the other passages where Paul uses the word.
If the “exousia” means the power of someone (the authority) to perform some act, then we should interpret “exousia” the same way in verse 10 (where the phrase “symbol of authority” appears).
If we apply the same meaning for 1 Corinthians 11:10 as the other places where the word is used, then the woman is being given authority or the power to do some act.
The question becomes, what is this power the woman receives?
What is this Authority Given to a Woman?
What is she granted the right to do?
Well, as always we look to the context of the discussion to find out the details.
The topic under discussion in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 is prayer or prophesy.
The use of the word in this context is about two activities. One involves the woman’s activity in prayer and the other is prophesy.
This indicates that women are given the power or authority to enter into the spiritual realm before God for prayer and prophesy.
Stay with me and I will connect the dots between the power or authority given to the woman with the rank she holds in the spiritual sphere.
Headship, Hierarchy & Rank
Paul has already explained that the woman ranks under man. 1 Corinthians 11:3 He spells out the vertical hierarchy where God the Father has the highest rank of anyone. His Son, Jesus Christ, ranks under Him.
Man is under Christ and woman ranks under man. 1 Corinthians 11:3
In a normal chain of command, a person only speaks to the person over them. It is not customary to jump rank in communications.
[This does not mean a woman must be in subjection to all men. See below.]
Imagine if you will a lowly private in the army who on his own determines to speak directly to the General. This is going to create a real disturbance. The private just ignored rank and went straight to the top. The officers in the intervening chain of command are not going to be happy.
More than likely, the other privates in the army are also going to see this as highly irregular and not in traditional army etiquette.
In the spiritual realm, a man does not speak directly to God. Men pray through Jesus Christ to communicate with God. Jesus serves as a mediator between man and God. Prayer must be performed according to God’s plan.
Our prayers get to God by going through the designated channels so to speak. We go through Christ, who in turn goes to God.
Spiritually speaking, the woman would be in a similar situation. She would not have express permission to jump ahead of the man to pray to God.
She would be required to go to her head, the man.
In turn, the man would go to Christ on her behalf (assuming he felt the matter deserved attention).
In the chain of command, (whether the military or otherwise), there is no requirement to carry the message to the top. The man might decide the woman’s request was unnecessary or too bothersome.
He could essentially refuse to pass the woman’s request upward to God. Thus, denying the woman’s prayer being heard.
God Is Infinitely Wise
God in his wisdom decided that women should have the same access as men to prayer (and also to prophesy subject to other limitations).
The authority has been granted to the woman to jump over the man who outranks her, thus sending her prayers to God through Jesus Christ. Just like the man, she can pray to God through Christ (as opposed to having to go through the man).
However, this leads to a possible concern in the spiritual world about whether the woman has engaged in misconduct. Keep firmly in mind the designated chain of command.
So going back to the Army, there is no breach of etiquette if the private has been granted permission by the General to approach. Maybe it’s an emergency or something. The General may have some reason for preferring to hear from the mouth of the private.
Absent express permission, the soldier must proceed through normal command channels.
In the military, the soldier might be given written orders that he could show to anyone attempting to intervene as he approached the General.
Without written orders to show, then the question becomes how does the Private demonstrate that he has been permitted to speak directly with the General?
His uniform shows a rank far below. He must have some means to show the right to speak to the General. Otherwise, any attempt to speak directly to the General will be blocked by others.
Imagine the General sitting in his office with a staff assistant in the outer office area. When the Private enters the office area, the communication channel is blocked. The staff assistant inquires, “How can I help you”?
The Private says, “I need to talk to the General.”
The Private’s uniform says it all. He has no power, right, or authority to see the General.
The staff assistant adamantly replies, “Nope, there’s no way you get to speak to the General! He’s a busy man! Take it up through the proper chain of command! Now, get outta here before you’re court-marshaled!”
If the Private held a rank directly beneath the General, then the uniform insignia would reflect the right to directly talk to the General. The staff assistant would accommodate based on the authority reflected by the uniform.
With the angels in the spiritual realm watching, how would they know that the woman is not breaking rank (or acting insubordinate by leaving her proper place to speak to Jesus)?
The head covering demonstrates the woman is entering into the spiritual realm as a matter of the right granted to her. In effect, the covering demonstrates that she has not usurped the authority of man or rebelliously jumped rank.
This covering, like a uniform insignia, shows everyone that she is not acting insubordinately.
We do not simply barge into the presence of God without His express permission. Just like the lowly Private doesn’t push his way into the inner office of the General.
God has given all of us (male and female) permission to come into His realm, but there are obligations to enter that include showing reverence and honor to Him. He expects us to wear the uniform showing our rank in the hierarchy of His kingdom.
The result is the woman, like her male counterpart, is granted permission to go to God. The woman also is vested with the right to prayer and prophesy. (She is, however, subject to the other limitations imposed upon a woman for silence in the churches, etc.)
The Symbol of Authority Is Like a Badge or Uniform
If a person enters a military base without the proper uniform, the military police will quickly act. The uniform is required to be there.
The woman’s head covering acts like a uniform or a badge that tells everyone (including the angels) that she is lawfully authorized to be present in the spiritual world talking to God in prayer.
The man’s badge, if you will, is permanently visible so long as he does not cover it up.
The woman exhibits her badge by wearing an external head covering that signals to the angels that she also has authority from God to be present in the spiritual realm when engaged in prayer and prophesy.
Without this symbol establishing her authority or the power to engage in prayer or prophesy, then she gives the appearance of breaking rank. She appears to be disorderly in not following what is the chain of command.
The Refusal to Wear the Badge or Uniform Creates Chaos with the Angels
The angels are a little above man and have witnessed other angels who left their proper abode or station assigned by God. The fallen angels refused to accept the station or rank God gave to them. Jude 1:6-7
The angels have seen and observed humans since creation and know that man reflects God’s glory while woman is the glory of man. 1 Corinthians 11:7
Angels witnessed man’s fall. They saw Eve step out of her role when she was deceived and observed Adam’s rebellion in listening to his wife instead of keeping God’s one simple instruction.
The refusal of a woman to cover her head in the presence of God creates a disturbance among the angels (though Paul does not supply the details).
We can, however, glean there is significance in the woman refusing to cover her head.
When a woman refuses to cover her head with an external covering, the angels see the woman leaving her assigned station or rank. The result is chaos in the spiritual realm.
The angels’ involvement has numerous explanations, none of which can be 100% confirmed from my examination.
We don’t have to understand every detail to observe two things are certain.
First, the involvement of the angels spans more than just the 1st century, i.e., disposing of the argument that the head covering commands only applied to Corinth back then.
Second, the head covering instructions are far more serious than most people like to think. If the angels are troubled by a woman not covering her head, then we should also be concerned.
Consider carefully 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 and that angels are among the reasons for a woman to have a symbol of authority on her head.
The message is clear, these verses involve the heavenly realm in some respect. Knowing this, we should pay special attention to the instructions because the angels are watching.
Undoubtedly, God knows what the angels see and hear.
We should remember that God sees everything the angels see!
Our Culture is Filled with Symbols of Power and Authority
Symbols of rank or office are present in countless aspects of life. These symbols are a good thing!
We have already observed the military has uniforms and insignias showing the hierarchy of soldiers, sailors, and those serving our country.
Doctors and nurses wear specific clothing in various medical settings so it is clearly understood who has charge.
Fire departments signify rank and authority with uniforms and special types of dress.
All of these visual displays are required insignia for a person to work there. It’s not an option or a choice.
Women work in every industry and every field on the planet. They wear uniforms, and special clothes showing status or rank in many of these occupations.
There seems to be little complaint about a woman being required to acknowledge her station in her profession by designated clothing.
Ask yourself, why does a woman being told by her Creator that she needs to demonstrate her respect by covering her head and hair with an artificial covering generate so much angst?
A Woman Is Not in Subjection to All Men
Almost intuitively, we understand there is no submission to other branches of authority outside of our direct head.
For instance, an Admiral in the U.S. Navy ranks far higher than a regular civilian like me. Just because he outranks me doesn’t mean that I have to listen to his orders. I give honor to his rank, but I am not in subjection to him.
As another illustration, a nurse owes no obligation to submit or yield to the fire marshal who enters the emergency room to give medical advice or instructions. The nurse is perfectly free to disregard the directions of the fire marshal to start an IV of pain medication. The nurse is subject to the hospital, not the fire department.
Nothing in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 teaches that a woman is in subjection to all males. She is not.
A wife must be subject to her husband, but this involves a distinct obligation separate and apart from head covering. However, she is not in submission to every other man on the planet.
The wife only has one head at any given time. Once married, it’s her husband.
Head covering involves activities in the spiritual realm while marital subjection is about yielding obedience in the physical world.
1st Corinthians 11 Is Not About Marital Submission
This concept of having a symbol of authority on her head has been a source of error and confusion by a large number of commentators.
These commentators have improperly linked the Greek word “exousin” on the head in 1 Corinthians 11:10 to the woman’s obligation for submission in marriage in Ephesians 5:22.
I too made this mistake for a long time.
1 Corinthians 11:3 is about rank and not about marital subjection as we will discuss in greater detail in just a moment.
A significant number of commentators inappropriately combine the two separate concepts of rank in spiritual hierarchy with the teaching of “submission” of the woman to her husband in marriage.
Both ideas are clearly taught in the Bible, but the concepts are not both taught in 1st Corinthians 11.
The obligation in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 is a duty to show honor to God’s hierarchy that has been established. This is about headship and status when engaged in prayer or prophesy.
Submission to a Husband in Marriage Involves a Separate Duty
A wife’s responsibility to submit to her husband is a separate, independent duty she owes to yield in the marriage relationship. Ephesians 5:22-24
In marriage, the two obligations operate in close parallel for a woman. However, these are two independent obligations, not to be run together into one.
It is axiomatic that submission to God is part of 1st Corinthians 11.
We (men and women) submit to the instructions for appropriate head covering or we don’t.
Thus, submission is involved in head covering, but it is submission to God.
1 Corinthians 11:1-16 is about rank, not marriage. Find the word marriage or wedding or any other word that infers the text is about being married or unmarried. It’s not there.[The ESV uses the word “wife.” I address this in another post.]
Numerous commentaries mistakenly relate this symbol of authority on a woman’s head as a sign of marital submission to the woman’s husband. The text in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 is silent on the woman submitting to a husband.
Confusion results when the requirement for head covering by a woman is directly linked to the command for submission by the woman to her husband in marriage because he is her head.
Submission to the husband is undeniably commanded in marriage. Ephesians 5:22-24
A Woman Does Not Show Submission to Her Husband By Covering Her Head
If this were the case, then the woman would need to be covered at all times.
However, the head covering command in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 states the covering is only demanded when the woman is engaged in prayer or prophesying.
1 Corinthians 11:1-16 is about the hierarchy of the spiritual realm with the vertical rank of (1) God to Christ, (2) Jesus to man, and finally (3) man to woman.
The Symbol of Authority Is Not Hard to Grasp
The symbol of authority is not that difficult to understand unless someone chooses to make it complicated.
It’s about the rank God assigned to each of us.
The woman is lower in rank than the man. The context of the woman holding a lower rank than the man is carried across 1 Corinthians 11:1-16.
It is critical that a woman not only knows her place (or her role) but also that she shows a physical sign to others that she accepts the rank that God appointed her.
She puts a covering over her head signifying that she accepts the rank God handed her.
(Yep! I can feel those dagger eyes glaring at me! I said the woman needs to know her place).
In our culture, a man saying a woman should know her place will get you “canceled.”
But please consider, just how much we should trust our culture.
It has reached the point that society tells us there is no difference in men and women, despite very obvious biological differences.
Do we want to trust our culture or God?
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