Most Christians are woefully ignorant of 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and its commands regarding the two coverings that God requires on women.

Recently I had the following comment and questions from a reader calling herself Gillian in response to my previously article “Why Christian Women Should Wear Head Coverings”:

“This command has always niggled at me and I’m grateful for your clear explanation. I’m wondering about a hypothetical situation such as if a woman has cancer or another medical condition, and doesn’t have hair as a result. Is that to be considered shameful? Also should she wear a wig to make up for it?

My grandmother has always liked a short pixie cut for her hair but scripture seems to say that a woman must have long hair. Do you think that a woman should have long hair or else it is shameful?”

In my previous article “Why Christian Women Should Wear Head Coverings”, I showed that 1 Corinthians 11 speaks to two coverings that women are commanded to have – a spiritual covering and a natural covering.

1 Corinthians 11:4-6 alludes to the spiritual covering that is be worn on top of a woman’s natural covering:

“4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.

5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.”

Some Christians misuse the phrase “If it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered” to claim that this applies only in a society if it is in fact a shame for women to have short hair. But if the society does not think women having short hair is bad, then it is ok.

However, verses 14 and 15 of 1 Corinthians 11 shows that the Apostle Paul was in fact posing a rhetorical question in verse 6 when he stated the following:

“14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.”

The Apostle Paul shows us that women having long hair and men having short hair is not just a value in some cultures.  When he says “Doeth not even nature itself teach you...” he is referring to our original masculine and feminine human natures that he designed us with, before sin corrupted them. He is saying that he has built into us to know that men have short hair and women have long hair. This is why men are often much more attracted to women with long hair, that short hair.

Is there room for debate as to what constitutes short hair on men? Yes.  In older times some men might have had hair that was closer to their shoulders and not shaven in the back as most men do today.  But what is not up for debate is that we know historically long hair for a woman meant her hair length went well beneath her shoulders usually to at least her mid back if not her rear end.  This hair length difference clearly separated men from women and it was ordained by God.

Of course, we will have the naysayers who point to men like Samson who took Nazarite vows (Numbers 6:1-21) which forbid them from cutting their hair or other examples of women shaving their heads when in mourning for the death of loved ones.

These situations are exceptions to God’s commands regarding how men and women are to keep their hair and to do not cancel God’s commands under normal circumstances.

What If a Woman Cannot Grow Her Hair Long?

Are there some women for whom it is impossible to grow their hair long due to medical conditions or advanced age? Yes.  So, what should women in these situations do? Must they go and purchase wigs to wear?

The answer is found in the story of the widow’s mite in Luke 21:1-5 where the Bible states the following:

“1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”

God does not judge us by what we cannot do, but rather he judges us by what we can do and simply choose not to do.

The Bible says in James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

If a woman cannot grow any hair due to chemo treatments or other health conditions – then she is doing all she can do.  If a woman can only grow a small amount of hair due to her advanced age, then again, she is doing all she can do.  Nowhere does God say if a woman cannot grow her hair long that she must go and buy a wig and wear a wig. And yes, they had wigs back in biblical times.

Is there a case to be made for women to buy wigs and wear them if their husbands prefer that they do? Yes.  Because God calls women to submit to their husbands in everything in Ephesians 5:24 and he commands that women are to be ravishing (sexually intoxicating) to their husbands in Proverbs 5:19.  

Having handled the exceptions for women who are incapable of growing long hair due to medical conditions or advanced aging God’s rule for women stands.

1 Corinthians 11:6-9 states the following:

“6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.

9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.”

If a woman shaves her head, or even cuts her hair short for any reason other than mourning the death of a loved one or for medical reasons, she shames herself before God and man. 

A woman wearing her hair long brings glory to both God and man. 

God commands that women are to have two coverings, not just one.   The natural covering of long hair and the spiritual covering of a veil when praying and worshiping in the church.