1 Corinthians 11 Commentary
The only reason you must listen to me is because I follow Christ, Paul says. There are so many voices out there but we only hear the voice of Christ. The scriptures are the voice of Christ.
The Creator God is worshipped within the context of a people’s culture. If our culture demands that we kneel down to show our low position, so it is when we pray. We cannot assume a posture of worship that is outside our culture.
Interestingly, apart from minor differences, humans everywhere have the same culture. We all extend our hands to greet each other and ensure skin contact. Women wear their hair in style, which is always symbolic of some sort of status. Let them do so to honor the LORD. Our cultures are the same because we all come from the same place; all cut from the same piece of cloth.
A study of history from the saint’s point of view can be very instructive. We are all the same. Humanity is strangely but unsurprisingly uniform. We all share the same ancestry. Paul’s instructions, therefore, are relevant both in time and space, of course, with space and time perspective.
Not too long ago, I met several women completely head-shaven moving about at the mall. Later, I learned they were recruits at the police academy. They must strip them of themselves before they build them up. The military understands the honor of a woman’s hair. You won’t probably go beyond the gate at the military barracks with your cap on as a man. The point is this, nothing has changed. Aren’t we looking at some deep elements of humanity’s design that manifest in such practices as headdresses and such rituals as kneeling or bowing down?
A people without a culture won’t last at all. We worship the LORD within our cultural context. This cultural space isn’t exactly our creation – contrary to our thoughts. Ponder it.
Men take off their headcaps to show respect. Why should it be different in the house of worship? You worship the LORD with your culture.
A meal is an important object of fellowship. Let there be no squabbles in the church during meal fellowship. The Lord’s Supper is a special meal. It has significance beyond filling up one’s stomach. Ponder. The Creator God invited humanity to a meal fellowship and Cain made a mess of it. Abel acted honorably and the LORD was happy. Again, ponder these symbolisms as they represent some deep mysteries about humanity’s relationship with the Creator God.
In the house of the LORD, in the Holy place, we have a table where food (bread) is served. Only priests could partake of this bread, even then, they needed to be ceremonially clean. What can we say of the realities of the Son of God as we have them during the Lord’s Supper! Paul won’t mince his words. There are consequences to carelessness. Ponder.
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