Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 11:5

"But every woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled dishonoreth her head; for it is one and the same thing as if she were shaven." — 1 Corinthians 11:5 (ASV)

But every woman that prays or prophesies. In the Old Testament, prophetesses are not infrequently mentioned. For example, Miriam is mentioned (Exodus 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), and Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14). Also, in the New Testament, Anna is mentioned as a prophetess (Luke 2:36). It cannot be doubted that there were women in the early Christian church who, in some measure, corresponded to those known among the Jews as endowed with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. However, their precise office and the nature of the public services in which they were engaged are not known. That they prayed is clear, and that they publicly expounded the will of God is also apparent. See the comments on Acts 2:17.

However, since the presumption is that they were inspired, their example does not now provide authorization for women to take part in public worship services, unless they also give evidence that they are under the influence of inspiration. This is especially true as the apostle Paul has expressly forbidden them from becoming public teachers (1 Timothy 2:12).

If it is now argued from this example that women should speak and pray in public, it should still be only as this example goes, and only when they have the qualifications that the early prophetesses had in the Christian church. If there are any such women—if any are directly inspired by God—then it will be evidently proper for them to publicly proclaim His will, and not until then.

It may be further observed, however, that the fact that Paul here mentions the custom of women praying or speaking publicly in the church does not prove that it was right or proper. His immediate object now was not to consider whether the practice itself was right, but to condemn the manner of its performance as a violation of all the proper rules of modesty and subordination. On another occasion, in this very epistle, he fully condemns the practice in any form and enjoins silence on the female members of the church in public (1 Corinthians 14:34).

With her head uncovered. That is, with the veil removed which she usually wore. It would seem from this that the women removed their veils and wore their hair disheveled when they pretended to be under the influence of divine inspiration. This was the case with pagan priestesses; and in doing so, the Christian women imitated them. On this account, if on no other, Paul declares the impropriety of this conduct. It was, besides, a custom among ancient women, and one that was strictly enjoined by the traditional laws of the Jews, that a woman should not appear in public unless she was veiled. See this proved by Lightfoot in loco.

Dishonors her head. This shows a lack of proper respect for man—for her husband, her father, and for the male sex in general. The veil is a token of modesty and subordination. It is regarded among Jews, and everywhere, as an emblem of her sense of inferiority of rank and station. It is the customary mark of her sex, and that by which she shows her modesty and sense of subordination.

To remove that veil is to remove the appropriate mark of such subordination, and is a public act by which she thus shows dishonor to the man. And just as it is proper that the grades and ranks of life should be recognized in a suitable manner, so it is improper that these marks should be laid aside, even on the pretense of religion and of being engaged in the service of God.

For that is the very same as if she were shaven. It is as if her long hair, which nature teaches her she should wear for a veil (1 Corinthians 11:15, margin), should be cut off. Long hair is, by the custom of the times and of nearly all countries, a mark of the sex, an ornament of the woman, and judged to be beautiful and comely.

To remove that is to appear, in this respect, like the other sex, and to lay aside the badge of her own. This, Paul says, all would judge to be improper. You yourselves would not allow it. And yet to lay aside the veil—the appropriate badge of the sex and of her sense of subordination—would be an act of the same kind.

It would indicate the same feeling, the same forgetfulness of the proper sense of subordination; and if that is laid aside, ALL the usual indications of modesty and subordination might be removed also. Therefore, not even under religious pretenses are the usual marks of sex, and of propriety of place and rank, to be laid aside.

Due respect is to be shown, in dress, speech, and deportment, to those whom God has placed above us. Neither in language, attire, nor habit are we to depart from what all judge to be proprieties of life, or from what God has judged and ordained to be the proper indications of the regular gradations in society.