House Church Talk - speaking

[Bruce Woodford]

Hi Tim,

You wrote:"Bruce said, "Nor can the covering that a woman is to have on her 
head (when she prays or prophesies) and which a man is not to have on his 
head (when he prays or prophesies) be THEIR HAIR! All you need to do to see 
how ridiculous such a position is is to insert into the text the phrase 
"hair on" in place of "covered" and "hair off" in place of "uncovered"!!!" 
In response, Niv 1Cor. 11: 7 footnote (vs. 4) Every man that prays or 
prophesies with long hair dishonors his head. (vs.5) And every woman who 
prays or prophesies with no covering (of hair)on her head dishonors her 
head-- She is just like one of the "Shorn Women" (vs.6) If a woman has no 
covering. Let her be for now with short hair. But since it is a disgrace for 
a woman to have her hair shorn or shaved. She should grow it again.(vs.7) A 
man ought not to have long hair. Sorry, scripture trumps your opinion."

Dear brother, verse 6 of I Cor 11 makes the issue very clear!  Here's the 
KJV with "short hair" inserted for "not covered" and "long hair" for 
"covered":
6  For if the woman have short hair, let her ALSO be shorn: but if it be a 
shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her have long hair.

The KJV "shorn" is identical to "short hair" and "shaven" is identical to 
"no hair".

The word "also" Strong's #2532 translates our English words "and" and 
"also".  It is used thousands of times in the N.T. in lists and always 
designates something IN ADDITION TO what precedes it. But short hair and 
shorn hair are THE VERY SAME THING!   But when we realize that I Cor 11 is 
referring to a covering on the head, it truly is something ADDITIONAL TO the 
hair!

You said you used the NIV, but your text sure doesn't look like the NIV to 
me!!  Nor did your replace "no covering"  in verse 6 in your version with 
"short hair" like you suggested!!    If you had, the foolishness of it all 
would have been readily apparent!  "If a woman has short hair,  let her be 
for now with short hair!"

Here's the NIV with the same insertions:
6 If a woman has short hair, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is 
a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should have 
long hair.

The NIV "hair cut off" is identical to "short hair".  " Shaved off" is 
identical to "no hair".

Your suggestion that the hair IS the covering with which the woman should be 
covered when she prays or prophesies is contrary to scripture on a number of 
grounds:

(1) As seen above it cannot account for something that is IN ADDITION TO the 
hair as verse 6 requires.

(2) It does not account for the fact that the dishonor is ONLY ASSOCIATED 
WITH TWO ACTIVITIES (praying and prophesying).  If it really was the woman's 
long hair, it would be associated with dishonor ALL THE TIME her hair was 
cut short!   If it really was the man's long hair, it would not only be 
dishonouring to his head while praying and prophesying, but ALL THE TIME his 
hair was long!

(3) It does not take into account the fact that TWO DIFFERENT EFFECTS ARE 
NOTED relative to what we (men and women) do with our HEADS and our HAIR.
      -What we do with our HEADS  (covering or uncovering while praying or 
prophesying) brings
       HONOR OR DISHONOR . (I Cor.11:4-6)
      -What we do with our HAIR  (allowing it to grow long or cutting it) 
brings GLORY OR SHAME.

(4) It does not take into account the fact that  THREE DIFFERENT PARTIES are 
affected by our choices regarding what they do with our heads and our hair:
      -CHRIST is honored or dishonored by what  AMAN does with his head 
WHILE PRAYING OR
       PROPHESYING. v.3,4 and 7a
      -THE MAN is honored or dishonored by what A WOMAN does with her head 
WHILE PRAYING
       OR PROPHESYING.v.3,5,6 and 7b
      -WE ALL are shamed or gloried ALL THE TIME by what WE do with our 
hair. v.14

Dear brother, scripture trumps ALL our opinions!

Your brother in Christ,
Bruce

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