What do you know about head covering? Have you ever wondered whether the spiritual meaning of head covering is right for you? These are questions that many have asked, so let’s start at the beginning for the spiritual significance of head covering and the biblical meaning of head covering.
Head Covering is a very controversial subject in the Christian society, with most of them being an avid supporter of this biblical tradition. However, have we actually come across any Christian who does not know what head covering means? I am sure we have, but for those who do not know about it – head covering is essentially clothing that covers the head and the heart. Since it is a Biblical Symbolism, it is impossible to avoid discussing its spiritual meaning. This article talks more about biblical meaning of head covering and what does the bible mean by head covering.
The spiritual meaning of head covering is that women should cover their heads when they pray or prophesy. The reason for this is because the Bible says that a woman’s hair is given to her by God to be used as a covering.
This can be seen in 1 Corinthians 11:15, where Paul says “But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given her for a covering.”
In the same way, the priestly vestments were given to priests as a covering and protection from sin. Therefore, we see that God gave women long hair for two purposes: protection from sin and as a symbol of their submission to Him.
Spiritual Meaning Of Head Covering
The spiritual meaning of head covering is a way to show respect for God. In the Bible, women are told to cover their heads in church and when they pray. This shows that they have a relationship with God and that they are submissive to Him.
The reason why women should cover their heads is because men have authority over them. Women are not allowed to teach or exercise authority over men in the church because it would be disrespectful to God who made them as the head of the household.
By covering their heads, women show that they acknowledge this fact and accept their position below men in the church structure.
The act of covering one’s head in public is a spiritual practice that dates back to the earliest days of human civilization. Priests, nuns, monks and others who follow a religion that requires them to cover their heads do so as a way of drawing attention to themselves and their beliefs, as well as to signal that they are not worldly or secular people.
The Bible teaches that women should wear head coverings whenever they are in public, but there are many other religions that have similar requirements for their members. Jews traditionally wear yarmulkes (skullcaps) while Muslims often wear hijabs (head scarves). Many Roman Catholic nuns also wear habits.
In many cases, these requirements remain largely unchanged from when they were first adopted by their respective faiths. However, there are some exceptions: some Jews now wear baseball caps instead of yarmulkes because it makes it easier for them to observe other laws such as keeping kosher food rules; some Muslim women choose not to wear hijabs because they feel it restricts their freedom of expression or movement; and some Christian nuns no longer wear habits strictly out of choice rather than necessity.
What Does The Bible Mean By Head Covering
1 Corinthians 11:3-16 addresses the issue of women and head coverings. The context of the entire passage of 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 is submission to the God-given order and “chain of command.” A “covering” on a woman’s head is used as an illustration of the order, headship, and the authority of God. The key verse of this passage is 1 Corinthians 11:3 “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” The implications of this verse are found in the rest of the passage. The order is: God the Father, God the Son, the man or husband, and the woman or wife. The veil or covering on the head of a believing Corinthian wife showed that she was under the authority of her husband, and therefore under submission to God.
Within this passage is also verse 10: “For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.” Why is that important to angels? The relationship of God with men is something that angels watch and learn from (1 Peter 1:12). Therefore, a woman’s submission to God’s delegated authority over her is an example to angels. The holy angels, who are in perfect and total submission to God, expect that we, as followers of Christ, be the same.
This covering not only means a cloth but also can refer to a woman’s hair length. How can we say that? We must take this verse in the context or the setting in which it is presented. “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering” (1 Corinthians 11:14-15). Therefore, in the context of this passage, a woman who is wearing her hair longer marks herself out distinctively as a woman and not a man. The Apostle Paul is saying here that in the Corinthian culture, when a wife’s hair was longer than her husband’s, it showed her submission to his headship. The roles of the male and female are designed by God to portray a profound spiritual lesson, that is of submission to the will and the order of God.
But why is hair an issue in this passage? The apostle Paul is addressing an issue related to the Corinthian culture that was being allowed to disrupt the church. For a woman to have a shaved head was a disgrace (and, in Jewish thinking, a sign of mourning, Deuteronomy 21:12). Her hair was her “glory” (1 Corinthians 11:15). In the Corinthian culture, women normally wore a head covering as a symbol of their submission to their husbands. Paul affirms the rightness of following that cultural mandate—to dispense with the head coverings on women would send the entirely wrong signal to the culture at large. In fact, Paul says that, if a Christian woman refuses her head covering, she might as well shave her hair off, too (verse 6). A woman who refused to wear a covering in that culture was basically saying, “I refuse to submit to God’s order.” Therefore, the apostle Paul is teaching the Corinthians that hair length or the wearing of a “covering” by the woman was an outward indication of a heart attitude of submission to God and to His established authority.
God’s order is that the husband is the head of the wife as God is the head of Christ, but there is no inequality or inferiority implied. God and Christ are equal and united, just as the husband and the wife are one. This is not a passage that teaches the woman is inferior to man or that she should be submissive to every man. It is teaching God’s order and spiritual headship in the marriage relationship. In the Corinthian culture, a woman who covered her head during worship or when she was in public displayed her submission to authority.
In today’s culture, we no longer view a woman’s wearing of a head covering as a sign of submission. In most modern societies, scarves and hats are fashion accessories. A woman has the choice to wear a head covering if she views it as a sign of her submission to the authority of her husband. However, it is a personal choice and not something that should be used to judge spirituality. The real issue here is the heart attitude of obedience to God’s authority and submission to His established order “as to the LORD” (Ephesians 5:22). God is far more concerned with an attitude of submission than an outward display of submission via a head covering. First Timothy 2:9-10, “I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”
Biblical Meaning Of Head Covering
A head covering is a symbol of authority and protection. It’s a way to honor the Lord and show respect for Him.
When you wear a head covering, you are saying that God is the one who has authority over your life. You are saying that God is worthy of worship and reverence, and that He deserves to be honored as the source of all good things.
You are also showing that you accept the responsibility that comes with being a follower of Christ: namely, that He will lead you through life by His Spirit and protect you from evil influences.
A head covering is an outward expression of an inward commitment to follow Jesus Christ as Lord of your life—and it’s an important step in becoming more like Him!