I. The Setting
A. Immorality At Corinth-Temple Of Aphrodite
1. The temple of Aphrodite consisted of worship via sexual immorality.
2. The temple owned more than a thousand wealthy, upper-class prostitutes.
3. People came to the city to spend their money on the pleasures of Corinth. Even in an age of sexual immorality, Corinth was known for its licentious lifestyle.
4. The Corinthians came out of very immoral lifestyles. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
B. The Styles In Corinth
1. Female prostitutes cut their hair short. Effeminate male prostitutes wore long hair
2. Married women, and virgins, wore veils and dressed modestly. A veil meant you were unavailable to a man, or that you were protecting your modesty.
C. Effect On The Corinthians
1. We know that God does not judge people by their appearances.
a. 1 Samuel 16:7 For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
v2. But people do judge other people by appearances, as wrong as it may be.
3. As much as possible, we need to be careful with our liberties.
4. 1 Cor. 9:22b …I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
5. Commentators believe that some of the women in the church at Corinth were abusing their freedoms in Christ, going against local customs, and going without veils, being indifferent as to how they might be seen by others.
6. They also believe that some of the Corinthians women were throwing off the man/woman relationship, and were trying to blur the lines, and step away from their God given purposes and responsibilities.
II. Headship, Authority
A. This Passage Is About Headship In General V. 10
1. A symbol of authority- We can, by the way we dress, talk, live, etc., convey a positive or negative message about our commitment to Christ.
a. We may unintentionally convey a message we don’t even believe in.
2. A Corinthian woman with an uncovered head sent a message that she was not under the authority of any man, was independent, and available.
B. God the Father Over Christ V. 3
1. Jesus came in the flesh and laid aside his glory.
2. He never lost His deity, but rather, laid aside some of the privileges of deity.
3. John 8:28, 29 “…I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things…for I always do those things that please Him.”
4. John 14:28 My Father is greater than I.
5. John 10:30 I and My Father are one.
6. It is an error to think that submission means inequality. That is the world’s view.
7. Worldly submission is forced. Godly submission is voluntary.
C. Christ Over Man V. 3
1. Headship over man- Revelation 19:16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (King and Lord over all of humanity)
2. “Equality” with man- Romans 8:17 heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
D. Man Over Woman
1. Equality-Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
2. Rank and sameness
Ephesians 5:23, 28, 31 the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; 28 husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 31 ” the two shall become one flesh.”
III. Glory V. 7
Glory- dignity, honor, praise, worship. Glorify- to esteem as glorious, to honor, magnify.
A. Jesus, The Glory Of The Father
a. Heb. 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory & the exact representation of his being…
b. Jesus was equal to the Father, and yet submitted to the Father.
c. Jesus’ life was lived so that the Father would be glorified.
d. Jesus’ voluntary submission was for the purpose of bringing glory to the Father.
B. Man, The Glory Of Jesus V. 7
1. Regarding equality, every Christian man and woman is to bring glory to God.
2. Regarding headship and authority…
a. The man submits to Christ, as Christ submits to the Father.
b. The man leads the woman, and Christ leads the man.
3. There is a unique way in which the man brings glory to God.
a. He is at the same time a leader, and a follower. Vs. 8, 9
4. Within marriage, he is a leader and a follower.
a. Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife (leader) as Christ is the head of the church (follower)
5. Within the church, man is the leader / follower.
a. 1 Timothy 2:12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man…
b. Man leads the church, but Jesus leads the man.
C. Woman, The Glory Of Man Vs. 8, 9
1. She was taken from man but created for man. (Genesis 2:22, 23; 2:18)
IV. Putting It Into Practice
A. How Do Men Bring Glory To Jesus?
1. Men bring glory to God by being what God created them to be: Men.
2. Not looking effeminate. Looking and acting like men. Let there be no confusion.
3. Submitting to God, being godly leaders in home, church community. No passivity.
4. Leading wives and children. Watching out and over single sisters in Christ.
B. How Do Women Bring Gory To Jesus?
1. Not a matter of hair length, but of being a woman who submits to God’s design.
2. Dignifying husbands/pastors/fathers through submission, support, help, love.
3. My wife brings dignity, praise, honor into our home, our marriage, my ministry.
4. She submits to my (lack) leadership. She brings me honor thru willing submission
5. Single women, married women regarding other Christian men…
a. Church leaders
b. Godly men who watch out for you, father figures, brothers in Christ.