What About Traditions and Customs? [1 Corinthians 11]
1Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
2Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. 3But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
The verses proceeding these verses are an important prelude to this discussion about the custom of head coverings. "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved." As we have been reading the book of 1 Corinthians we see Paul addressing many problems. Some of the problems came because of the many members who had come from a pagan background and had brought some of their practices with them. Others came from having customs that were from the Greek traditions (e.g., men did not have their heads covered while worshiping, but women did, which was contrary to the Jewish tradition). Paul encourages them to look at the customs and see if they are contrary to God's Word or His creative order. If they are not then they have the freedom to "Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?"
It is clear that the gospel is the most important thing. Galatians 5:6 reminds us that customs are not important, but "faith expressing itself in love" is what it is all about. In this passage, "I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved," so that in all things God is correctly estimated, He gets the glory.
Thank You, Lord, for showing us the way through Christ to deal with our different customs. In all that we do let there be not misunderstanding that "Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ."
Read more about this passage -
Celebrate the Gospel and
God's Design for Husband and Wife.
Cross references:
- 1 Corinthians 10:1 : Rom 1:13
- 1 Corinthians 10:1 : Ex 13:21; Ps 105:39
- 1 Corinthians 10:1 : Ex 14:22, 29; Neh 9:11; Ps 66:6
- 1 Corinthians 10:2 : Rom 6:3; 1 Cor 1:13; Gal 3:27
- 1 Corinthians 10:3 : Ex 16:4, 35; Deut 8:3; Neh 9:15, 20; Ps 78:24; John 6:31
- 1 Corinthians 10:4 : Ex 17:6; Num 20:11; Ps 78:15
- 1 Corinthians 10:5 : Num 14:29-ff, 37; 26:65; Heb 3:17; Jude 5
- 1 Corinthians 10:6 : 1 Cor 10:11
- 1 Corinthians 10:6 : Num 11:4, 34; Ps 106:14
- 1 Corinthians 10:7 : Ex 32:4; 1 Cor 5:11; 10:14
- 1 Corinthians 10:7 : Ex 32:6
- 1 Corinthians 10:7 : Ex 32:19
- 1 Corinthians 10:8 : Num 25:1-ff
- 1 Corinthians 10:8 : Num 25:9
- 1 Corinthians 10:9 : Num 21:5
- 1 Corinthians 10:10 : Num 16:41; 17:5, 10
- 1 Corinthians 10:10 : Num 16:49
- 1 Corinthians 10:10 : Ex 12:23; 2 Sam 24:16; 1 Chr 21:15; Heb 11:28
- 1 Corinthians 10:11 : 1 Cor 10:6
- 1 Corinthians 10:11 : Rom 4:23
- 1 Corinthians 10:11 : Rom 13:11
- 1 Corinthians 10:12 : Rom 11:20; 2 Pet 3:17
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 : 1 Cor 1:9
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 : 2 Pet 2:9
- 1 Corinthians 10:14 : Heb 6:9
- 1 Corinthians 10:14 : 1 Cor 10:7, 19; 1 John 5:21
- 1 Corinthians 10:16 : Matt 26:27; Mark 14:23; Luke 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25
- 1 Corinthians 10:16 : Matt 26:26; Luke 22:19; Acts 2:42; 1 Cor 11:23
- 1 Corinthians 10:17 : Rom 12:5; 1 Cor 12:12, 27; Eph 4:4, 16; Col 3:15
- 1 Corinthians 10:18 : Rom 1:3
- 1 Corinthians 10:18 : Lev 7:6, 14; Deut 12:17
- 1 Corinthians 10:19 : 1 Cor 8:4
- 1 Corinthians 10:20 : Deut 32:17; Ps 106:37; Gal 4:8; Rev 9:20
- 1 Corinthians 10:21 : 2 Cor 6:16
- 1 Corinthians 10:21 : Is 65:11
- 1 Corinthians 10:22 : Deut 32:21
- 1 Corinthians 10:22 : Eccl 6:10; Is 45:9
- 1 Corinthians 10:23 : 1 Cor 6:12
- 1 Corinthians 10:23 : Rom 14:19
- 1 Corinthians 10:24 : Rom 15:2; 1 Cor 10:33; 13:5; 2 Cor 12:14; Phil 2:21
- 1 Corinthians 10:25 : Acts 10:15; 1 Cor 8:7
- 1 Corinthians 10:26 : Ps 24:1; 50:12; 1 Tim 4:4
- 1 Corinthians 10:27 : 1 Cor 5:10
- 1 Corinthians 10:27 : Luke 10:8
- 1 Corinthians 10:28 : 1 Cor 8:7, 10-12
- 1 Corinthians 10:29 : Rom 14:16; 1 Cor 9:19
- 1 Corinthians 10:30 : 1 Cor 9:1
- 1 Corinthians 10:30 : Rom 14:6
- 1 Corinthians 10:31 : Col 3:17; 1 Pet 4:11
- 1 Corinthians 10:32 : Acts 24:16; 1 Cor 8:13
- 1 Corinthians 10:32 : Acts 20:28; 1 Cor 1:2; 7:17; 11:22; 15:9; 2 Cor 1:1; Gal 1:13; Phil 3:6; 1 Tim 3:5, 15
- 1 Corinthians 10:33 : Rom 15:2; 1 Cor 9:22; Gal 1:10
- 1 Corinthians 10:33 : Rom 15:2; 1 Cor 13:5; 2 Cor 12:14; Phil 2:21
- 1 Corinthians 10:33 : Rom 11:14; 1 Thess 2:16
Verna McCrillis, 6/10/2009