"because of the angels"

[KyleB]

I had a different sort of thought on 1 Cor 11:10 that I was kicking around with a friend and I was wondering what you folks might think of it.

If we assume that the head covering issue was something specific to Greek culture, and if we understand the word "angels" to mean human messengers, is this paraphrase possible?:

Unbelievers observing the behavior of women in the church, misinterpreting the lack of head coverings as a sign of rebelliousness, might carry away to other unbelievers false reports that Christianity encourages wives to be rebellious towards their husbands' authority. Therefore, women ought to cover their heads for the sake of these observers, so that they don't carry to others the wrong message.

[darinhouston]

Interesting! It's certainly as reasonable as any other I've heard.

[Paidion]

The Bible commentator Barnes, referred to your explanation as one of the many explanations of the passage:

"Some have explained this of good angels who were supposed to be present in their assemblies, (see Doddridge;) others refer it to evil angels; and others to messengers or spies who, it has been supposed, were present in their public assemblies, and who would report greatly to the disadvantage of the Christian assemblies if the women were seen to be unveiled." [underlining mine]

Strangely, after having written the above, Barnes then wrote in his very next sentence:

" I do not know what it means; and I regard it as one of the very few passages in the Bible whose meaning as yet is wholly inexplicable."

[KyleB]

The Bible commentator Barnes, referred to your explanation as one of the many explanations of the passage:

Ah well, I guess there's nothing new under the sun.