Page:Woman-1949.djvu/9

May 1, 1949

The WATCHTOWER

137

to cause some to stumble and thus hinder the spread

of the truth and the growth of the Christian congre-

gation there. -1 Cor. 9: 19-27 .

¹² But if the woman prayed or prophesied in the

general congregation of mixed attendance, there was a reason higher than popular custom lor her to veil herself. It was to honor her head in God's arrange- ment, that is, the man. Just as it was dishonoring to the man's head, Christ Jesus, to pray or prophesy from under a veil, as when Jewish men throw a tasseled shawl or scarf called a tallith over their head when offering prayer today. 'Vas God flattering man and tickling his conceit by this arrangement, and at the same time nnreasonably humiliating the women- folk ~ Not at all; but it was an arrangement for both man and woman to honor Theocratic headship. "}.Ian," the apostle explains, "does not require to have a veil on his head, for he represents the likeness and supremacy [or, glory] of God; but woman repre- sents the supremacy [or, gloryJ of man. (Man was not made from woman, woman ,vas made from man; and man was not created for woman, but woman for man.) Therefore, in view of the angels, woman has to wear a symbol of subjection on her head." Or, "T11at is why she ought to wear upon her head some- thing to symbolize her subjection, out of respect to the angels, if to nobody else." (1 Cor. 11:7-10, Mof- fatt; An Amer. Trans.) 'Vhen we thus have explained the reason for a practice, then we see its fitness and we willingly comply with it, out of honor to God and his Christ. ,Ve want to recognize and honor Theo-

cratic headship.

¹³ Just who the angels here meant are, out of

respect to whom our Christian sisters should submit to the above regulations, has been argued in a Dlll11- her of ways. But just taking what information the pure Scriptures give us, they appear to he the unseen spirit angels. These God uses as his messengers and deputies and at times in the past they materialized in flesh and appeared to mankind. T'hat these have an interest in our congregational meetings is sug- gested by Ecclesiastes 5: 5, 6, reading: "Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest "ow and not pay. Suffer not tllY mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy "oice, and destroy the work of thy hands~" (Am. Stan. V er.) Especially should this be the case now that Jehovah God has sent to the temple the" angel of the testament" or "messenger of the covenant".

-~ral. 3: 1, D01/.ay and Am. Stan. Ver.

¹⁴ In the same epistle the apostle Paul tells us he

and his fellow apostles were "made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men". (1 Cor. J: 9)

He also tells us that the angels are "all ministering

12. "Ihy__ must women vell when praying or prophesying at meetlng? 13. 14. Why do so out of respect tor the angels. at least?

spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be

heirs of salvati-on". (Heb. 1: 14) We are involved in something bigger than ourselves, and hence the apos- tle Peter says concerning these bigger interests: "which things the angels desire to look into." (1 Pet. 1: 12) God has chosen certain angels for special duties toward us as Christ's disciples, and the apos- tle Paul suggests to us some measure of responsi- bility we have before these angels when he tells Timothy: "I charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels to observe tl1ese rules without any discrimination, and to be perfectly impartial." (1 Tim. 5: 21, An AmeL Trans.) Surely, then, our Christian sisters can uncomplainingly submit to something ordained by an Authority higher than man, out of respect for these angels. If man does not understand or appreciate, they do. The understand- ing and appreciation of these angels is something to value, especially as they report to God or appeal to him for us; as Jesus said: "Take heed that ye despise ~ot one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That In heaven their angels do always behold the face of [or, have continual access toJ my Father which is in

heaven." -:Jlatt. 18: 10; An Ame1". Trans.

¹⁵ So, in the apostolic days when and where it was

customary for women to veil their l1eads and faces in public, why did Christian women do so, In order not to offend popular usage and create misunder- standing and bring reproach f Yes; but especially to show the subjection of the female to the male sex, in view of the angels. But even if the female is made infe:r:ior to the male, yet God has so arranged it tkd the male is dependent upon the female for continued existence. The apostle points out this interdepend- ence of both sexes by next saying: "Of course, in the Lord, woman does not exist apart from man, ar.y more than man apart from woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now made fr0111 woman, while both, like all things, come from God." (1 Cor. 11: 11, 12, Moffatt) So, since this dispo:::ition of matters is from God the Creator, what man or woman can alter it7 ,VllO has a right to find fault? What would complaining accomplish' Nothing bnt spiritual injury to the complainer, because it would

be untheocratic.

¹⁶ Because the female was made subject to the

male, that is no reason to think the male can get along without the female and that the female does not hold an important and necessary relationship to the male. No more than one's little toe could say, "I am not of the body," because it occupies an inferior position in one's body and is not as prominent and important as the eye. "On the contrary, the parts of the body that are considered most delicate are indis- pensable, and the parts of it that we think common,

we dress with especial care, and our unpl'esentable

15. 16 How does thc apostle shOW the interdependence of sexes?