Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no MALE AND FEMALE, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Many have used this verse as a justification for recognizing that we are all equal, and as such we all should be treated equally. Jews should be treated no different than non-Jews or Christians, slaves, as such, should be treated no differently than those who preside over them, and women should be treated no differently than men.
Yet the Bible also says, in 1 Corinthians 11:4-5 says, “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.” With respect to
Galatians 3:28, where is the equality in that?
Perhaps the equality envisioned in Galatians 3:28 involves God giving equal consideration to everyone in terms of judging their righteousness. But if that is the case, then the roles of Jews and non-Jews or Christians, slaves, and men and women do not change. That is, each could still be regarded differently than the other in terms of their everyday living on earth, and they would be expected to accept their treatment by others. So, you can have righteous Jews, righteous non-Jews, righteous slaves, righteous free, righteous men and righteous women, but they would be righteous in different ways from eachother.
If we were to accept this, then this passage would have been no help to the civil rights movement in the U.S. in the 60’s, nor would it be of any help to women who want to be equal with men and not treated any differently. It sorta redefines what God could consider as being righteous.
So, it seems that righteousness has no role in how we may treat eachother, at first glance. Regarding women, 1 Corinthians 11 says that a wife’s head should be covered when she prays, but a man’s head should not be covered. There appears to be no basis in the Old Testament for this…there is no commandment or law, and Jesus does not mention whose head should be covered and who shouldn’t. Ironically, the Pope covers his head. Perhaps the covering of one’s head is a measure of earthly subservience among all others.
It would seem, then that it is not up to God regarding whose head should be covered, but it is up to man. Can a man live a righteous life by requiring women to cover themselves? It seems that it is not a matter of righteousness. BUT, could a man be judged to be righteous if he feels that women should be treated no differently, and have no different expectations, than men? Consider the second commandment of Jesus, which is based on Deut. 19:18 and Deut. 19:34…that we should love eachother as we love ourselves. So, men should love women as they do themselves. If a man doesn’t cover his head, then, he shouldn’t expect a woman to cover hers. God will hear a woman’s prayers as much as he will hear a man’s prayers.
Are we really bound, then, by 1 Corinthians 11? It’s in the Bible, but so is the second commandment of Jesus, and so are the Laws of Deut. 19:18 and Deut. 19:34.
Many have used this verse as a justification for recognizing that we are all equal, and as such we all should be treated equally. Jews should be treated no different than non-Jews or Christians, slaves, as such, should be treated no differently than those who preside over them, and women should be treated no differently than men.
Yet the Bible also says, in 1 Corinthians 11:4-5 says, “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.” With respect to
Galatians 3:28, where is the equality in that?
Perhaps the equality envisioned in Galatians 3:28 involves God giving equal consideration to everyone in terms of judging their righteousness. But if that is the case, then the roles of Jews and non-Jews or Christians, slaves, and men and women do not change. That is, each could still be regarded differently than the other in terms of their everyday living on earth, and they would be expected to accept their treatment by others. So, you can have righteous Jews, righteous non-Jews, righteous slaves, righteous free, righteous men and righteous women, but they would be righteous in different ways from eachother.
If we were to accept this, then this passage would have been no help to the civil rights movement in the U.S. in the 60’s, nor would it be of any help to women who want to be equal with men and not treated any differently. It sorta redefines what God could consider as being righteous.
So, it seems that righteousness has no role in how we may treat eachother, at first glance. Regarding women, 1 Corinthians 11 says that a wife’s head should be covered when she prays, but a man’s head should not be covered. There appears to be no basis in the Old Testament for this…there is no commandment or law, and Jesus does not mention whose head should be covered and who shouldn’t. Ironically, the Pope covers his head. Perhaps the covering of one’s head is a measure of earthly subservience among all others.
It would seem, then that it is not up to God regarding whose head should be covered, but it is up to man. Can a man live a righteous life by requiring women to cover themselves? It seems that it is not a matter of righteousness. BUT, could a man be judged to be righteous if he feels that women should be treated no differently, and have no different expectations, than men? Consider the second commandment of Jesus, which is based on Deut. 19:18 and Deut. 19:34…that we should love eachother as we love ourselves. So, men should love women as they do themselves. If a man doesn’t cover his head, then, he shouldn’t expect a woman to cover hers. God will hear a woman’s prayers as much as he will hear a man’s prayers.
Are we really bound, then, by 1 Corinthians 11? It’s in the Bible, but so is the second commandment of Jesus, and so are the Laws of Deut. 19:18 and Deut. 19:34.
