Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
To understand the scripture on head coverings one must consider the audience. Christian women and cultures were struggling with the equality given in the body of Christ. In Corinth you found those of the diaspora who still followed their Hebrew customs. Yet they were also exposed to the disgraceful conduct of the Corinthian women cropping their hair, after the manner of the priestesses of Aphrodite. The extreme opposite were the Maenad priestesses of Bacchus. Who performed pagan rites with their hair hanging loose weaved with ivy-wreaths around their heads, and often handled or wore snakes. Paul had to address how Christian women were to act in public assemblies of the Church at Corinth. He used the distinction between sexes; with women having longer hair and men having shorter hair. Teaching that though they we are all equal in Christ, we still have differing roles in the Body of Christ. He used these parallelisms between nature and culture to emphasize the operational order that congregations should reflect in their public meetings.
1 Corinthians 11:5 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. 16 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.
This verse uses aischrón; neuter noun, which means shame, base, dishonorable. Paul knew those of the diaspora would understand the parallelism between Hebrew terms for "veil" (radid), and "subjection" (radad). The cutting off the hair is used by Isaiah as an allegory of the entire destruction of a people by divine retribution. To both Hebrew and Greek cultures the veil is a token of modesty and of subordination to her husband. This ancient custom of modesty and subjection can be found in the Hebrew culture all the way back to Genesis.
Isa 7:20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.
Gen 24:65 KJV - 65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, (It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.)
Paul was fundamentally teaching that a woman's long hair is her natural covering and her glory. To have all her hair shaved off was a mark of a prostitute or adulteress in their society, which is a shame to her husband. Paul’s allegory is delivering a broader message to all believers on public meetings. Though we are equal in Christ there is still a natural order needed to be observed. The question is not whether a woman should observe having long hair or wearing a veil. Rather are women and men in subjection to our Heavenly Father’s Holy Spirit. Galatians teaches born again believers what we should pursue to attain true Holiness.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Selah
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