I believe that 1 Corinthians is one of the most perplexing passages for Christians living in 21st century America. I say that in part because a major assignment in my college course on the letters to the Corinthians was a ten page paper 1.
I had a tough time keeping it that length! It is natural to then ask what these head coverings were and whether this is a command that should continue to be practiced. To understand what Paul is saying, we have to understand the significance of head coverings and hair in the culture. Furthermore, women who had shaved heads were either slaves, prostitutes, or those who had committed adultery.
This is particularly relevant for Corinth, a city known for sexual immorality and its allegiance to the goddess Aphrodite with many prostitutes. Knowing the cultural background explains a bit of why Paul talks about this topic, but it is still a bit confusing because Paul does not explain what this head covering is.
He assumes his audience knows what it is similar to how we can reference a stocking cap and you probably know what I am talking about, but someone years from now might not! Was it a hat? Was it a veil? A shawl? A cloak?
Some have even argued it could simply be their hair with the covering being wearing their long hair up. To be honest, if you read a few scholars you will find arguments for many different ideas, as there were different practices in different areas and among Greeks, Romans, and Jews. My examination of the evidence leads me to think it was a veil, but I am not dogmatic about that conclusion. There is wider agreement about its significance, as it was worn by women who were married as a sign of their marriage and their relationship to their husband.
