Working out the Structure of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

The 4 Types of Literature.

Now, this is a detailed and intricate passage.  It seems to have theology in it,  it seems to have commands, it seems to have an argument from nature,  it has an argument based on what other churches are doing,  it even seems (some say) to have a bit of nastiness from Paul in it “for if a woman will not cover her head, let her be shorn”,  it has got something to do with covering heads, but also something about long hair, and it has some totally baffling bits about angels, and having authority on your head  –  where do we start with such a passage?

I propose that we need to sort out what are the different types of literature or arguments Paul is using.  This will help us to get a handle on the structure of the passage.  Once we do that we can then try and figure out if and how all the different parts relate to each other.  And then maybe the structure we have found will help us to understand some of the baffling parts.

I tentatively propose that there are 4 basic types of literature or arguments in the passage. I say tentative, because some of the verses may fall in to more than one category. For example, verse 3 is colour coded blue and purple as it seems to be both Underlying Theology and part of the main argument. But, I do think these 4 categories will give us a handle on what Paul is doing and arguing in the passage. I will colour code the 4. In my translation I will colour code the verses to match. [Please note that when you read v11 & 12 you will see that I have moved the position of “because of the angels” and “in the Lord” from where they are in other translations. My translation is more in accord with the original word order in the Greek, though that by itself doesn’t mean my order is correct. However, I will argue elsewhere that my order does make more sense of the flow of argument in the passage.]

1. Introductory and concluding statements
2. The Underlying Theological information
3. The Main Argument. ……
4. The Background Practical Information.

So, let’s read it through a fourth time, but slowly, stopping to work out which of the 4 types of argument we are reading.

^2a I commend you ^2b because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions      ^2c just as I passed them on to you 

3a But   I want you to understand that ^3b the head of every man is Christ, ^3c and  the head of woman is the man, ^3d and head of Christ is God.

⁴ Every man praying or prophesying having down head dishonours the head of her,   ^5a1 but every woman praying or prophesying ^5a2 uncovered the head, ^5a3 dishonours the head of her,

^5b for it is one and the same as one who has her head shaved.      ^6a For if a woman will not cover her head, let her be shorn. ^6b But if it is disgraceful/embarrassing for a woman ^6d to have her hair cut short or have her head shaved, let her cover her head.

^7a For indeed a man ought not to cover his head,         

^7b Since truly he is the image and glory of God,     ^7c but woman is the glory of man.

 ⁸ For man did not come out of woman, but woman out of man.    ⁹ Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

¹⁰ For this reason a woman ought to have authority/control over her  head,    

^11a Nevertheless,  because of the angels. ^11b neither woman without man, nor man without woman; 

^12a In the Lord, ^12b for just as the woman out of man, ^12c so also the man through woman.                                                                                      ^12d And all things out of God.      

¹³ Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

^14a Does not nature itself teach you ^14b that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace (unattractive) to him,      ¹⁵ but if a woman has long hair, it is glory (because it is attractive on her) to her.  ^v15b For her long hair is given to her for an adornment (ie. something that makes her attractive).

^16a If anyone is inclined to be quarrelsome,     ^16b We have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.

Why is it necessary to do this structural analysis.

If one does not do this, then the tendency is to give every perceived argument the same authority and strength when the text may not have been doing this. For example, readers latch on to the comments about hair length in regard to men and say that Paul is mandating that men cannot have long hair. If we know the history of Paul’s life, we should doubt this interpretation because Paul himself had long hair because of the Nazarite vow he took while he was at of all places Corinth. (See Acts …..). Paul’s discussion of hair is pertinent to understanding his whole argument properly, however, his statements about men’s hair is not theology in the same way and to the same authority as his references to Genesis 1 and 2 e.g. image of God, woman out of and for man etc…… .It is the underlying theology that should guide our understanding and application of this passage, not background information titbits that Paul includes.

In my next article on this passage I will attempt to put together the main argument for each main person in the passage ie. for man, for woman and for Christ. As I put it together it will help us see more clearly just what it is that Paul is arguing in regard to each person. Also, it will help us to determine which parts of the underlying theology apply to each person. And also, then help us to examine the place of the background information within the main arguments.

However, before you look at that next article, it would be helpful for you to try and do this exercise of working out the flow of the main argument for each person. It may be best to start with the woman.