the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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1 Corinthians 11:16
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- BridgewayEncyclopedias:
- InternationalContextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
seem: 1 Timothy 6:3, 1 Timothy 6:4
such: Acts 21:21, Acts 21:24
the churches: 1 Corinthians 7:17, 1 Corinthians 14:33, 1 Corinthians 14:34, 1 Corinthians 16:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:14
Reciprocal: Jeremiah 32:11 - according Romans 2:8 - contentious 1 Corinthians 4:17 - my ways 2 Corinthians 12:20 - debates 1 Timothy 6:5 - Perverse
Cross-References
To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born.
And to Shem, the father of all the sons of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, to him also were sons born.
Shem, Japheth's older brother, also had sons. One of his descendants was the father of all the sons of Eber.
And sons were also born to Shem (the older brother of Japheth), the father of all the sons of Eber.
To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were [children] born.
To Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, to him also were children born.
Also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber [including the Hebrews], the older brother of Japheth, children were born.
Also of Sem weren borun the fadris of alle the sones of Heber, and Japhet was the more brother.
As to Shem, father of all sons of Eber, brother of Japheth the elder, he hath also begotten:
And sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth; Shem was the forefather of all the sons of Eber.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
But if any man seem to be contentious,.... That is, if anyone will not be satisfied with reasons given, for men's praying and prophesying with their heads uncovered, and women's praying and prophesying with their heads covered; but will go on to raise objections, and continue carping and cavilling, showing that they contend not for truth, but victory, can they but obtain it any way; for my part, as if the apostle should say, I shall not think it worth my while to continue the dispute any longer; enough has been said to satisfy any wise and good man, anyone that is serious, thoughtful, and modest; and shall only add,
we have no such custom, nor the churches of God; meaning, either that men should appear covered, and women uncovered in public service, and which should have some weight with all those that have any regard to churches and their examples; or that men should be indulged in a captious and contentious spirit; a man that is always contending for contention sake, and is continually cavilling and carping at everything that is said and done in churches, and is always quarrelling with one person or another, or on account of one thing or another, and is constantly giving uneasiness, is not fit to be a church member; nor ought he to be suffered to continue in the communion of the church, to the disturbance of the peace of it. This puts me in mind of a passage in the Talmud n.
"The Rabbans teach, that after the departure of R. Meir, R. Judah said to his disciples, do not let the disciples of R. Meir enter here, מפני שקנתרנין הן, "because they are contentious".''
n T. Bab. Nazir, fol. 49. 2. & Kiddushin, fol. 52. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
But if any man seem to be contentious - The sense of this passage is probably this: “If any man, any teacher, or others, “is disposed” to be strenuous about this, or to make it a matter of difficulty; if he is disposed to call in question my reasoning, and to dispute my premises and the considerations which I have advanced, and to maintain still that it is proper for women to appear unveiled in public, I would add that in Judea we have no such custom, neither does it prevail among any of the churches. This, therefore, would be a sufficient reason why it should not be done in Corinth, even if the abstract reasoning should not convince them of the impropriety. It would be singular; would be contrary to the usual custom; would offend the prejudices of many and should, therefore, be avoided.”
We have no such custom - We the apostles in the churches which we have elsewhere founded; or we have no such custom in Judea. The sense is, that it is contrary to custom there for women to appear in public unveiled. This custom, the apostle argues, ought to be allowed to have some influence on the church of Corinth, even though they should not be convinced by his reasoning.
Neither the churches of God - The churches elsewhere. It is customary there for the woman to appear veiled. If at Corinth this custom is not observed, it will be a departure from what has elsewhere been regarded as proper; and will offend these churches. Even, therefore, if the reasoning is not sufficient to silence all cavils and doubts, yet the propriety of uniformity in the habits of the churches, the fear of giving offence should lead you to discountenance and disapprove the custom of your females appearing in public without their veil.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 1 Corinthians 11:16. But if any man seem to be contentious — Ει δε τις δοκει φιλονεικος ειναι· If any person sets himself up as a wrangler-puts himself forward as a defender of such points, that a woman may pray or teach with her head uncovered, and that a man may, without reproach, have long hair; let him know that we have no such custom as either, nor are they sanctioned by any of the Churches of God, whether among the Jews or the Gentiles. We have already seen that the verb δοκειν, which we translate to seem, generally strengthens and increases the sense. From the attention that the apostle has paid to the subject of veils and hair, it is evident that it must have occasioned considerable disturbance in the Church of Corinth. They have produced evil effects in much later times.
