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 congregation 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 for her to veil herself. It was to honor her head in God's arrangement, 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. Was God flattering man and tickling his conceit by this arrangement, and at the same time unreasonably humiliating the womenfolk? Not at all; but it was an arrangement for both man and woman to honor Theocratic headship. "Man," 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 represents the supremacy [or, glory] of man. (Man was not made from woman, woman was 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, "That is why she ought to wear upon her head something to symbolize her subjection, out of respect to the angels, if to nobody else." (1 Cor. 11:7-10, Moffatt; An Amer. Trans.) When 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. We want to recognize and honor Theocratic 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 number of ways. But just taking what information the pure Scriptures give us, they appear to be 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. That these have an interest in our congregational meetings is suggested by Ecclesiastes 5: 5, 6, reading: "Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy 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 voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?" (Am. Stan. Ver.) 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". --Mal. 3: 1, Douay 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. 4: 9) He also tells us that the angels are "all ministering

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12 Why must women veil when praying or prophesying at meeting?

13-14 Why do so out of respect for the angels, at least?

spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation". (Heb. 1: 14) We are involved in something bigger than ourselves, and hence the apostle 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 apostle Paul suggests to us some measure of responsibility we have before these angels when he tells Timothy: "I charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels to observe these rules without any discrimination, and to be perfectly impartial." (1 Tim. 5: 21, An Amer. 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 understanding 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 not 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 to] my Father which is in heaven." --Matt. 18: 10; An Amer. Trans.

¹⁵ So, in the apostolic days when and where it was customary for women to veil their heads and faces in public, why did Christian women do so? In order not to offend popular usage and create misunderstanding and bring reproach? 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 inferior to the male, yet God has so arranged it that the male is dependent upon the female for continued existence. The apostle points out this interdependence of both sexes by next saying: "Of course, in the Lord, woman does not exist apart from man, any more than man apart from woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now made from woman, while both, like all things, come from God." (1 Cor. 11: 11, 12, Moffatt) So, since this disposition of matters is from God the Creator, what man or woman can alter it? who has a right to find fault? What would complaining accomplish? Nothing but 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 indispensable, and the parts of it that we think common, we dress with especial care, and our unpresentable

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15-16 How does the apostle show the interdependence of sexes?