What does hair length have to do with head covering?

Overview

• In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul refers to men and women naturally having different lengths of hair, and ties that in with the use of head coverings.

• Some people are confused about why Paul considers hair-length to be an issue of “nature” rather than an issue of “style” or “culture.”

• Some people wonder if long hair is a sufficient “head covering” for a woman. Others wonder how hair-length is related to head covering at all.

Answer

• Here is 1 Corinthians 11:13-15: “Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 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.”

• Paul uses nature’s design for hair length as a biological “pointer” to show that a fabric head covering is proper for women during prayer.

• He argues that since “nature” (created by God) gives women long hair as a glorious “covering,” then women should likewise wear a symbolic head covering.

---

Explanation

1. Paul uses the Greek word physis (translated into English as “nature”). Its definition refers to God’s created physical/biological order and innate laws (rather than local cultural trends). The same Greek word is used in similar ways elsewhere in Scripture including Romans 1:26, Romans 2:27, Romans 11:21, and James 3:7.

2. Human hair grows in 3 stages, which is affected by biological factors (including estrogen). Generally, women naturally have the ability to grow comparatively longer and thicker hair. Men are more frequently prone to hair loss and baldness.

3. Long hair serves as a “hint” from the natural world that there is a distinction between the genders that should be reflected in the use of head coverings (1 Corinthians 11:14-15).

4. Paul connects together the concepts of hair-length, glory, and head covering near the end of the passage (1 Corinthians 11:13-15). But he also connects these same three concepts together near the beginning of the passage. 1 Corinthians 11:6 explains that if a woman refuses to wear a head covering, she might as well have her hair cut off or shaved, which is usually seen as an absence of feminine glory.

5. Long hair is not the only head covering in the passage. Paul identifies hair as a “natural covering” placed on all women (by God) continuously, while the fabric covering is a “spiritual symbol” placed on only Christian women (by themselves) specifically when praying or prophesying.

6. In the phrase “hair is given to her for a covering” (1 Corinthians 11:15), the Greek word translated “for” means “corresponding to,” suggesting that hair is a natural counterpart that points to the need for a head covering.

7. Since Paul appeals to nature rather than Corinthian fashion, he indicates that these gender distinctions are permanent and apply to Christians in all cultures.