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Paul was not only writing these instructions to the church at Corinth. He was writing this epistle to us!

The modern-day attempt to dismiss head covering as a practice limited to some cultural issue in Corinth at the time is superficial. The cultural position looks down from a 30,000-foot flyover. There’s no attempt to make a close inspection of the truths that can be gathered with a deeper study.

To start, 1st Corinthians is inspired by the Holy Spirit. The suggestion that we ignore 16 verses with a generalized conclusion that these verses only applied back then, ignores the words are inspired.

Paul, the inspired writer, does not preface his comments on head covering as though he was speaking only to those in Corinth. Read 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 and write down all the words indicating Paul is only writing to this one congregation about the head covering obligations.

There’s no indication that Paul in the middle of the epistle with the many problems confronting the church (decided to take a detour to a side issue involving the Corinthian culture).

Does Paul go from the seriousness of eating meat offered to an idol right into a meaningless discussion about women’s attire?

Then he jumps into the Lord’s Supper issues, but only after he gives fashion advice to the women in Corinth.

Without meaning to sound rude, the idea that head covering only applies to folks in Corinth doesn’t even pass the smell test (if we spend more than 60 seconds thinking it over). If we believe the Bible is inspired, then why would we want to discount what it says?

Let’s test this theory that suggests Paul was singling out the brethren in Corinth to see if it’s accurate.

We’ll use the Bible to test the theory.

Paul wrote in his letter that he sent Timothy “who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.” 1st Corinthians 4:17 NKJV (Bold and Italics added)

It seems pretty clear that Paul tells the Corinthians that he teaches the same doctrine in every church.

Observe 1st Corinthians 11:16 where Paul uses “we.”

“But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.” 1st Corinthians 11:16 NKJV (Bold added)

He says, “we” have no such custom.

The word “we” is certainly inclusive of others. A reasonable inference is that “we” includes the other apostles.

It is also fair to assume that Paul’s teaching on head covering was not contrary to the teaching of the other apostles.

We know for certain that Peter read Paul’s writings. 2 Peter 3:14-16

I also believe that “we” included all the apostles because they were all being guided by the Holy Spirit. The apostles were all inspired by the same Spirit.

Otherwise, the apostles were running around teaching different doctrines. Sorry, I don’t buy it!

While we are looking at 1 Corinthians 11:16, it is worth emphasizing that Paul says the “churches of God” making clear this is not only a Corinthian issue, but across all the churches. The word “churches” is plural, not singular.

Maybe I am not very smart, but the text indicates to me that all the churches followed the head covering instructions (or Paul would not have used the plural tense).

I know he uses the word “custom” in verse 16 of the NKJV. Don’t worry! Take a look at the word meanings for “traditions” and “customs”.

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In verse 2, Paul says that he delivered “traditions.” 1 Corinthians 11:2 NKJV

Hooray, we found the legal loophole!

The covering instructions for women are merely traditions and not commands. Since this head covering stuff only involves some old traditions, we can ignore them. We only have to keep the actual commands in the Bible.

On the surface, this sounds plausible. But like the other objections opposing the need for a woman to veil or cover, we should probably evaluate the position a little further.

In Greek, the word “traditions” (“paradoseis”) is defined as properly to give, (hand over) from close beside, referring to tradition as being passed on from one generation to the next.

The King James Version translates the Greek word as “ordinances.” A word that sounds a whole lot more like a law to be obeyed or followed.

The word “traditions” has been given a watered-down meaning in English.

We tend to think of our family holiday traditions at Christmas or Thanksgiving. However, caution must be exercised to prevent reducing the “traditions” delivered by an inspired apostle (God-breathed commands) to the level of the traditions of men that are not binding.

There is a remarkable distinction between the traditions of men in contrast to apostolic traditions handed down to us. Colossians 2:8 warns us against the traditions of men.

“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8 NKJV(Bold added)

The traditions of men will cheat you with empty deceit whereas the apostolic traditions must be viewed as commands from God.

2nd Thessalonians 2:15 says to stand fast in the traditions (meaning apostolic traditions):

“Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” 2nd Thessalonians 2:15 NKJV (Bold added)

What are these apostolic traditions?

No one around today lived back at that time to tell us!

Where can we find these apostolic traditions?

Good news! The Bible is all we need!

When you study the Bible, then you read about the “traditions” (that are just as applicable today as they were 2,000 years ago).

Let’s take a quick look at another tradition that we can read about in the Bible and that still applies to us.

In 2nd Thessalonians 3:6 the writer, the apostle Paul, calls for the church to withdraw from one not keeping the tradition (context being a man who will not work).

“But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.” 2nd Thessalonians 3:6 NKJV (Italics and Bold added)

Paul commanded withdrawal from anyone who refuses to hold fast to an apostolic tradition. The specific tradition under discussion was the apostolic tradition for a man to work. No freeloaders or lazy bums allowed!

Take note of the language, “we command . . . in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . . .”

The command to withdraw from the brother who breaks the tradition for a man to work is made in the name of our Lord. (Italics added)

Turning back to our discussion of the apostolic traditions regarding head covering, we need to ask a couple of questions.

Has the modern-day practice of women not covering their heads during prayer come from the philosophy of men, i.e., empty deceit?

Has Satan deceived us with assurances that the covering instructions aren’t what God said?

In Genesis 3:1 we learn that the serpent deceived Eve into eating of the tree that God had expressly forbidden.

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 NKJV (Bold added)

One of the talking points of the serpent to Eve was the assurance that her eyes would be opened and that she would be like God, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:5 This was a direct appeal to pride and the desire to be wise and knowing – encouraging her to be, you know, one of the cool kids!

Satan seems to be saying to us, “Has God really said these traditions delivered to you by Paul are ordinances to keep and follow”?

The Devil can readily appeal to our pride and ego in the same way that Eve was tempted. The “pride of life” is one of the three ways that we are tempted.

It appears to me that Satan is saying to us, “You’re educated and you know the scriptures! How silly for anyone to believe that wearing (or not wearing) a head covering during prayer matters to God! That’s such an overly technical, legalistic view of the Bible, surely God doesn’t mean that! You’re far too wise to believe such a crazy notion!”

Satan’s long history of deceit seems to emanate from just slightly undermining something God has said and casting doubt that God meant what He said.

Bottom line – apostolic traditions are the same as commands that we need to obey. These traditions are not the same as our family holiday customs.

The reduction of an apostolic tradition to being something that is merely insignificant poses a real danger in my opinion.

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