An exegetical study of 1 Corinthians 11:14-15
Rev Donald M. Boyd
IN this passage, the apostle uses a subsidiary argument for the practice of women wearing a head-covering in public worship. His reasoning begins at verse 13, being based upon natural comeliness, the intuitive sense of propriety. He reminds the Corinthian church that it is a shame for a man to have long hair, but that it is the woman’s glory to have it so. He relates this to his primary subject thus – she has a natural ‘covering’, therefore it is comely for her to have a head-covering in public worship.
It is important to notice the distinction in the Greek between the head-covering and the natural covering, which is not shown in the English translation. In verses 5-7, and 13, in referring to the head-covering, the word ‘katakalupto’ is used, but in verse 15, referring to the woman’s hair, the word ‘peribolaion’ is used. This shows that the apostle does not mean to identify the woman’s long hair as her covering – (this mistake is not infrequent) – but to use the fact that she has a natural covering (peribolaion) as a reason for her head-covering (katakalupto) in public worship.
‘Peribolaion’ is translated ‘vesture’ in Hebrews 1:12. It is something that is “cast round” the body (cf. Mk 14:51; Acts 12:8); literally, peri = round, bolaion = throw, or cast, as in ballistic missile. Bunyan’s interesting thought that the woman’s hair should be long in order to cover her face in worship, like a veil, in the presence of the angels (1 Cor 11:10), is probably wrong, for the more suitable word ‘perikalupto’ (Mk 14:65; Lk 22:64) was available to convey this thought if it was intended. ‘Peribolaion’ was specifically chosen, and Paul does not use the word again in any of its forms except in Hebrews 1:12. In using this word to describe the woman’s hair, one visualises a garment, like a shawl, covering the head and cast around the shoulders. This implies that a woman’s long hair should be at least shoulder-length, if possible. However, the head-covering to be used in public worship is not described as a ‘peribolaion’ (shawl), but ‘katakalupto’ is used.
There is a peripheral thought that may be included in his use of ‘peribolaion’ to describe the woman’s hair. Many, though not all, of the uses of the verbal form of the word in the Septuagint and Greek New Testament are associated with glorious clothing. The idea of glory may have attached itself to the meaning of the word, and this may tie in with Paul’s subject in 1 Corinthians respecting the glory of the woman’s long hair. As glorious clothing is usually the outer garment, it may have come to mean the outer garment.
The above scripture passage therefore shows that there ought to be a distinction between the length of men’s hair and women’s hair. This distinction is also seen in Revelation 9:8 where John describes the locusts as having the faces of men but “the hair of women”.
The long hair of women is alluded to in various passages of scripture, e.g. Song of Solomon 4:1, 6:5; Luke 7:38; John 12:3.
Edited from View From Farr, Inverness, No 2:6, 10 Mar 1986, p.2. —D. M. B.