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If we look into the Greek culture that the Apostle Paul was writing to in the book of Corinthians, we will see that women in the Greek culture wore head scarves after their pagan deities that they worshipped. One does not have to look much further than Catholic Church and the Mary idols, and also the nuns that are fashioned after Mary, or more correctly, Ishtar idols. In 1st Corinthians 11, Paul is addressing the group of brethren that were trying to force head scarves on all the women, and clearly this is his response:

1st Cor 11:16  “But if anyone thinks to be contentious, we do not have such a custom, nor do the Congregation of YAHWEH”.

It is clear from Paul’s response that he did not agree with women having to wear an additional cloth on their head as a secondary covering. The first thing that one should ask is if women were meant to wear head coverings, why does the Torah not say one word about it? Also did Paul have the authority to change or add to Torah? Absolutely not!

The real issue that Paul was trying to deal with was not head scarves but hair lengths. In the Middle Eastern Greek culture where women were wearing these head scarves, it is also very hot, so since their hair was not shown, many were cutting the hair short to have more comfort from the heat and scarf. On the other hand, many men who were also trying to imitate their Greek male gods, were wearing long flowing hair such as you see on the “Jesus Pictures“, which is a model of the Greek god, son of Zeus. This is the real problem of 1st Corinthians 11.

1st Cor 11:4 “Every man praying or prophesying, having anything down over his head shames his head”.

The Greek word used here is Strong’s #2596 – “Kata” and means to have anything down over the head. Paul here is referring to a man having long hair fully covering his head.

1st Cor 11:5 “And every woman praying or prophesying with the head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is the same as to her whose head is shaven”.

The word here for uncovered is strong’s #177 and means to be uncovered. In other words, he is saying that if a woman has short hair (not fully covering her head) that it is as if she were shaven. In scripture, the only time you see a woman with short hair was when she was shamed, such as when her husband suspected she was an adulteress, as we see in Numbers the 5th chapter. In this case the priest would shave the woman’s head before he gave her the test of adultery.

1st Cor 11:6 “For if a woman does not fully cover her head, let her also cut off her hair. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shom, or to be shaven, let her head be covered.”

Here again Paul is saying that if a woman is not fully covered (having long hair), then it is as if she is shaved, but since women are only shaved for shame, let ther be fully covered (have long hair). The Greek word here for covered is Strong’s #2619 and means to fully cover the head. Then verse 14-15 makes Paul’s case clear.

1st Cor 11:13 “You judge among yourselves: Is it fitting for a woman to pray to YAHWEH with an uncovered head?”

1st Cor 11:14 “Or does not nature herself teach you that if a man indeed wears long hair, it is a disgrace to him?”

1st Cor 11:15 “But if a woman wears her hair long, it is a glory to her; because the hair has been given to her instead of a veil.“

The word used here for veil is Strong’s #4018 and literally means cloth wrap or veil. This is the first time in the letter that Paul even mentions the word veil, all other references were to coverings, not veils. Paul clearly believes the long hair is the covering. Where maybe the beginning of Paul’s letter was a bit confusing because he does not come out and explain the true purpose of his writing (hair lengths, not veils), the latter part of the letter is very clear, that as long hair is a shame to a man, that it is a glory to a woman, and the long hair has been given instead of a veil. And to the Brethren that do not want to accept this teaching from Paul, he is also very clear. Could it be any clearer; the congregations of YHWH have no such custom of women wearing a veil or men having long hair. This makes total sense as although the Torah never commands a woman to wear a veil, it does say that a man is not to dress or look like a woman and neither should a woman dress or look like a man. Prove all things.