1 Corinthians 11

1 Corinthians 11:1-34 . CENSURE ON DISORDERS IN THEIR ASSEMBLIES: THEIR WOMEN NOT BEING VEILED, AND ABUSES AT THE LOVE-FEASTS.

1. Rather belonging to the end of the tenth chapter, than to this chapter.
followers--Greek, "imitators."
of Christ--who did not please Himself ( Romans 15:3 ); but gave Himself, at the cost of laying aside His divine glory, and dying as man, for us ( Ephesians 5:2 , Philippians 2:4 Philippians 2:5 ). We are to follow Christ first, and earthly teachers only so far as they follow Christ.

2. Here the chapter ought to begin.
ye remember me in all things--in your general practice, though in the particular instances which follow ye fail.
ordinances--Greek, "traditions," that is, apostolic directions given by word of mouth or in writing ( 1 Corinthians 11:23 , 15:3 , 2 Thessalonians 2:15 ). The reference here is mainly to ceremonies: for in 1 Corinthians 11:23 , as to the LORD'S SUPPER, which is not a mere ceremony, he says, not merely, "I delivered unto you," but also, "I received of the Lord"; here he says only, "I delivered to you." Romanists argue hence for oral traditions. But the difficulty is to know what is a genuine apostolic tradition intended for all ages. Any that can be proved to be such ought to be observed; any that cannot, ought to be rejected ( Revelation 22:18 ). Those preserved in the written word alone can be proved to be such.

3. The Corinthian women, on the ground of the abolition of distinction of sexes in Christ, claimed equality with the male sex, and, overstepping the bounds of propriety, came forward to pray and prophesy without the customary head-covering of females. The Gospel, doubtless, did raise women from the degradation in which they had been sunk, especially in the East. Yet, while on a level with males as to the offer of, and standing in grace ( Galatians 3:28 ), their subjection in point of order, modesty, and seemliness, is to be maintained. Paul reproves here their unseemliness as to dress: in 1 Corinthians 14:34 , as to the retiring modesty in public which becomes them. He grounds his reproof here on the subjection of woman to man in the order of creation.
the head--an appropriate expression, when he is about to treat of woman's appropriate headdress in public.
of every man . . . Christ--( Ephesians 5:23 ).
of . . . woman . . . man--( 1 Corinthians 11:8 , Genesis 3:16 , 1 Timothy 2:11 1 Timothy 2:12 , 1 Peter 3:1 1 Peter 3:5 1 Peter 3:6 ).
head of Christ is God--( 1 Corinthians 3:23 , 1 Corinthians 15:27 1 Corinthians 15:28 , Luke 3:22 Luke 3:38 , John 14:28 , 20:17 , Ephesians 3:9 ). "Jesus, therefore, must be of the same essence as God: for, since the man is the head of the woman, and since the head is of the same essence as the body, and God is the head of the Son, it follows the Son is of the same essence as the Father" [CHRYSOSTOM]. "The woman is of the essence of the man, and not made by the man; so, too, the Son is not made by the Father, but of the essence of the Father" [THEODORET, t. 3, p. 171].