How Can I Tell Whether Biblical Commands Are Contextual or Universal?
How do we know which rules are only valid in the context of a specific situation, and which are “universal”? For example, that most Christians believe that wives should submit to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22), but hardly anyone thinks that women should cover their heads (1 Corinthians 11:5-6).
It’s important to understand the principle that’s at stake. There is nothing demonstrably symbolic involved in a wife submitting to her husband. It’s something that she does. It’s an attitude and a disposition that she takes. And the Bible commands it clearly in the New Testament.
In the New Testament, head coverings are a symbol or outward marker of a command that God wants people to fulfill. The command is the recognition of God’s order of authority. In the Corinthian church, the women communicated through the wearing of head coverings that they were under the authority of the Lord and under the male leadership of their church. That’s what the head covering said in Greco-Roman culture as well as other ancient cultures. It didn’t just say, “I have a nice handkerchief on my head.” No, it said, “I’m under authority.”
The principle is being under authority. How that is displayed to the world might differ from culture to culture. We don’t read this passage and say, “We’re free to ignore it.” No. 1 Corinthians 11:5-6 does not focus on the head covering itself; it focuses on what that represents. If a woman today who went to church and wore the perfect head covering, that’s just fine, but if she’s not submitting to God’s appointed authority in the church, she’s missing the point. She’s completely blowing off the principle and just wearing a head covering. It’s possible to ignore the principle behind the command.
This is very clear when we consider other principles in Scripture. Four times in the New Testament, believers are commanded to greet one another with a holy kiss. I’ve been in very few churches where there’s been a lot of kissing going along. I was in one church in Bulgaria, and they took that command very seriously, and it was kind of weird. I’d never been kissed by so many men in my life. Churches understand today that it’s not the kiss itself that’s important. No, what’s important is the principle behind the kiss – to greet one another warmly and have genuine hospitality towards one another. In God’s Church, everybody understands that. They realize that you don’t have to kiss somebody to fulfill that command, although there is an inherent principle to fulfill. To me, it’s the same principle behind head coverings. And to be honest, the Bible talks more about greeting one another with a holy kiss than it does about head coverings. So, I kind of don’t want to hear the head covering commandment from guys if they’re not also kissing one another in church.
If a woman decides to wear a head covering in church, God bless you, ma’am, do it. You have perfect freedom in Christ to do so. I’m not going to criticize any woman or family in the church who says, “I want to wear a head covering in church.” Just be sure to observe the principle behind the head covering, not just the outward show of it.
Looking for the principle behind Scripture is so important. Another realm where it’s important is in the whole area of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. There are many instructions in the Bible about this issue, but it is the principle behind the covenant of marriage that has to drive it all. Beyond the specifics of any given situation, there are principles that we need to look at as the overriding rules. Then we ask ourselves, “What do the principles of Scripture regarding this issue speak to my situation in particular?” Lives are being affected by marriages and divorce, so ideally these things should be dealt with in a true pastoral setting.