Troublesome TopicA Word of Balance 1 Cor 11

1 Corinthians 11:11

Translation

However, in the LORD, neither [is] a woman detached from a man, nor is a man detached from a woman.

Paraphrase

However, because of the way our relationship with THE SUPREME RULER affects our other relationships, we recognize that a woman does not live her life disconnected from a man’s life, and a man does not live his life disconnected from a woman; they both need each other.

1 Corinthians 11:12

Translation

For just as the woman [came] from the man, so also the man [came] by means of the woman, however, all things [came] from the LORD

Paraphrase

by means of the woman, however, all things [came] from the LORD origin. Yet in reality, all things originate from THE SUPREME RULER and thus are dependent on Him.

A WORD OF BALANCE

Here Paul adds a word of balance so that no one gets the wrong idea. While he has been talking about the fact that the head of the woman is the man, and that proper signs of respect need to be shown to those in authority over us, he also reminds us that, in other ways, the man and the woman are linked together. The man cannot claim that he does not need a woman in his life, and the woman should not claim that she does not need a man in her life. We need each other and we benefit from each other. That does not change who the captain of the team is, but it does remind us to remember to balance our thoughts and actions with other truths that will keep us from abusing what is being said here.

The next lesson is: What is Our Culture’s Sign of Respect? 1 Cor 11