Twin City church of Christ Blog
“Apr 29, 2024 - We Need Each Other”
Categories: 2024 Reading DevotionalsWe Need Each Other
Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:11-16
It is possible to read Paul’s first section on the covering (1 Cor 11:2-10) as asserting that men are superior to women. Paul is thinking about the creation story when he argues that “man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man”(1 Cor 11:8-9). He seems to be aware that these thoughts can be misunderstood, so he qualifies himself: “Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man now is born of woman. And all things are of God”(1 Cor 11:11-12). Just as much as the creation story tells us that “woman was made from man,” so current experience tells us that “man now is born of woman.” None of us is independent of the other. We stand or fall together. We need each other.
Paul continues to argue for the importance of a covering for women praying or prophesying. As in other places, he urges the Corinthians to “judge for yourselves”(1 Cor 11:13, 10:15) because he believes his logic is self-evident. “Is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering”(1 Cor 11:13-15). The covering is about propriety (what people consider appropriate) and nature (how God orders the world). Paul does not want Christian women worshiping in a way that implies that they will not submit to others.
Gender debates are sadly polarized. Men and women turn against one another and denigrate the virtues of the other, struggling for power and rights. The risk here is that we forget that we need one another. God did not create men and women to be on opposing teams; this is especially true for Christians. “In the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman.” We depend on each other for life, work together, and sharpen each other. We need each other.
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One Thing to Think About: Do I respect the other gender’s unique contributions and gifts?
One Thing to Pray For: A local church that blends gifts and authority to honor Jesus
