1 Corinthians 11:2-16

The Conduct and Dress of Women at the Public Services of the Church

2. Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things There is no contradiction between this verse and 1 Corinthians 11:17. The ordinances which St Paul had delivered to the Corinthians had been faithfully kept; but the principles of Christian liberty and Christian brotherhood had been, in some instances, unsatisfactorily carried out. He therefore proceeds to give otherordinances on matters which required immediate attention, leaving (1 Corinthians 11:34) those of less pressing importance till he himself arrived at Corinth. The ordinances in the present chapter relate (1) to the conduct of women in the public assemblies, and (2) to the Lord's Supper.

ordinances The margin has traditions; praecepta, Vulgate (comaundements, Wiclif). The signification of the Greek word is things delivered, and it is derived from the verb translated deliveredin this verse, just as traditionis derived from trado, to deliveror give over. These -traditions," or rather, -ordinances," were of three kinds; (1) regulations for the government of the Church, as here and in 2 Thessalonians 3:6; (2) statements concerning doctrine, as 2 Thessalonians 2:15; or (3) concerning fact, as in ch. 1 Corinthians 11:23; 1 Corinthians 15:3, which are spoken of as having been -delivered" by the Apostle. The doctrines of the Rabbis are spoken of as -traditions" in St Matthew 15:2; Galatians 1:14.

as I delivered them to you "Large principles, when taken up by ardent and enthusiastic minds, without the modifications learnt by experience, are almost sure to run into extravagances, and hence the spirit of law is by degrees reduced to rules, and guarded by customs." Robertson, Lect. xxi. on 1st Ep. to Corinthians. The whole lecture is extremely valuable.