1 Corinthians 11

To understand Paul's discussion of hair and clothing at worship, we need to understand its context. The statue of Caesar above shows how Caesar would have led worship, wearing this robe and hood with his office.

When it came to prayer and worship, superstition abounded among the Gentiles. Paul's later discussion of noisy gongs and clanging cymbols reminded his contemporaries of the insistence of noise, so that nothing interrupted their prayers.

Paul appeals to making our worship counter-cultural. The pagan males cover their heads; Corinthian men should not. The women do not cover their heads; Corinthian women could set themselves apart with shawls.

As Christians, we struggle with what to accept from our culture, what to reject, and what to subvert. Fashions change; the Lord does not change.

A larger issue for worship Paul discusses is the Lord's Supper. The practice of the Lord's Supper divided Corinth. The Supper signifies Christ. The practice of the Supper often distracts and points to something else. For the Christian community, the Lord's Supper offers the reality of Christ through the Holy Spirit. For Corinth, the Supper meant bring your own food and wine. The Corinthians eat on their own, together, not sharing. The taste, smell, and texture of the cup and the bread remind us of Jesus only when we eat together, not seeking to eat alone.