I don't get it...

Well, I'm not 100% sure, but.....that never stopped me from opening my big mouth before.

the passage in context is speaking of man being under the authority of god, and the woman being under the authority of the man. So possibly it's a symbol, drawing a parallel between the angels being under authority, and the woman being under authority. Somehow a head covering must have been a sign of showing honor and respect.

Maybe angels all wear head coverings....

 

Get ready! Wait until everyone discovers this thread! We've had some heavy duty posting on this topic before. You should have titled it "head coverings."

I did attend a church once (as a very new believer) for 6 mos. where the women had to cover their heads. It felt strange, I can tell you that. It was also legalistic, which is why I left eventually. Putting that kerchief on my head felt artificial and silly -- it was like drawing attention to myself.

We had a discussion recently on this in Sunday School and no one could really agree on what it's saying and how to apply it today. Some say the woman's hair is her covering.

 

I think the woman's "attitude" is her covering. We all know women who have attitude. We also know men who have attitude.

Husband, love your wife in the same way Christ loved the church.

Wife, respond to your husand with respect and honor.

Wouldn't all of our churches be better if we honored one another with respect and esteem?

 

I think maybe the OP was also asking about the angels.

Apparently, we know from God's word that angels watch us. How God has a redeemed us is a testimony to them of God's love and power and glorifies God. They can't understand redemption or God's dealings with man since they are angels (see Hebrews 1 and 2).

For example, we have these verses:
For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 1 Cor 4.9

By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.. 1 Tim 3.16

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality. 1 Tim. 5.21

 

The Bible says concerning salvation that "anbels desire to look into." Angles do not understand all there is about salvation, and how could they? None of them have ever experienced the new birth.

1Cor.11 speaks of the importance of headship, and the importance of a woman wearing a literal headcovering for that very reason. Paul gives a number of reaosns why a woman should wear a headcovering and lays them out in a very logical order. Even in the very beginning of the chapter he says that if a woman is not willing to wear a head covering she should be willing to bear the penalty of such rebelliousness and bear the shame of having her head shaven. For in another sense her hair is a glory unto her. But it is not the covering that Paul is speaking of in the first fer verses of the chapter.
Paul goes on and gives other reasons for the woman wearing a head covering, one of which is:

"a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels."

Paul didn't explain this as much as many would have liked him to, but he did state the truth. Wear a covering because of the angels, whether or not you understand the command. That is true of many commands. Many do not understand the command to be baptized. They just accept the command by faith. Jesus commanded it; I will submit to it. And that is good enough for me. The same attitude should be taken here.
The angels look down from heaven and wonder about the obedience of woman to their husband. Remeber that headship is the theme here. Since an angel is completely submissive to the Lord in Heaven, why wouldn't the wife be submissive to the husband as the husband ought to be submissive to the Lord, even in such small matters. Do it as a testimony for the angels who look into such matters observing us from heaven. It is a commandment. Are we to obey it or not. I think that the answer to that is very simple.
DHK