1 Corinthians 11:8

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1 Corinthians 11:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 11:8

For the man is not of the woman
In the present state of things, and according to the ordinary course of generation and propagation of mankind, man is of the woman, though not without the means of man; he is conceived in her, bore by her, and born of her; but the apostle respects the original formation of man, as he was immediately made by God out of the dust of the earth, before the woman was in being, and so not of her:

but the woman of the man;
she was made out of his rib, and took both her name and nature from him; God was the author, and man the matter of her being; her original under God, is owing to him; and therefore as he was first in being, he must be superior to her: this serves to prove all that has been as yet said; as that man is the head of the woman, the woman is the glory of man, what he may glory in as being from him; and therefore there should be this difference in their appearance at public worship.

1 Corinthians 11:8 In-Context

6 Worse, she dishonors herself - an ugly sight, like a woman with her head shaved. This is basically the origin of these customs we have of women wearing head coverings in worship, while men take their hats off. By these symbolic acts,

7 men and women, who far too often butt heads with each other, submit their "heads" to the Head: God.

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10 Don't, by the way, read too much into the differences here between men and women.