Ver. 1. Be ye followers of me] This verse properly belongs to the former chapter. The distinguishing of the books of Scripture into chapters is not very ancient. But that of verses was devised and done by Robert Stephens, Pio quidem at tumultuario studio, as Scultetus saith well, with a good intent, but with no great skill, as appears here and in various other places. The apostles, 1 Corinthians 10:33, had showed his own practice: here he calls upon them to do accordingly. As the ox follows the herd, so will I follow good men. Etiamsi errant, saith Cicero, although they do amiss. Sicut bos armenta, sic ego bones vires. (Cic. ad Attic.) This was more than St Paul desires. Be ye followers of me, saith he; but only so far as I am of Christ, not an inch further. Christians are not bound, as Latimer saith, to be the saints’ apes; labouring to be like them in everything. It is Christ’s peculiar honour to be imitated in all morals absolutely.
Ver. 2. And keep the ordinances] Gr. the traditions or doctrines by word of mouth. These are, 1. Dogmatic, concerning faith and practice, 2 Thessalonians 2:15 2. Ritual; and these again are, 1. Perpetual, as that of the manner of administering the two sacraments. 2. Temporary, as that of abstaining from certain meats, Acts 15:28,29. And those other pertaining to the observing of external order and decency in Church assemblies. And of these the apostle here speaketh. (Sclater.)
Ver. 3. The head of the woman is man] Were it not an ill sight to see the shoulders above the head, the woman usurp authority over the man αυθεντειν, 1 Timothy 2:12. A prudent wife commands her husband by obeying, as did Livia.
Ver. 4. Dishonoureth his head] As they accounted it then and there. In other places it is otherwise. The French preach covered. The Turks neither kneel nor uncover the head at public prayer, as holding those postures unmanly. Several countries have their several customs. Basiliades, duke of Muscovy, showed himself a tyrant in nailing an ambassador’s hat to his head, for not uncovering it before him.
Ver. 5. Praying or prophesying] That is, joining with the man that prayeth or prophesieth, and going along with him in her heart. Thus the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before the Lord, 1 Kings 8:62. And thus the unlearned say Amen, 1 Corinthians 14:16. [See Trapp on “Ro 16:1”]
Ver. 6. For a woman to be shorn] Our Hic muliers hold it now no shame. If Henry VI had seen such creatures, he would have cried out, as once he did at the sight of naked breasts, Fie, fie, ladies, in sooth you are to blame. (Daniel’s Hist.)
Ver. 7. He is the image and glory of God] Even as an image in the glass doth look toward us, from whom it is reflected. So, saith one, doth God’s image in us make the eyes of our minds view him the author of it in us. (Bayn’s Letters.) And as the eye becometh one with that which it seeth, and is after a sort in that light it beholdeth; so are we by the vision of God, which is begun in us, one with him and in him. The woman is the glory of the man] Either because he may glory in her, if she be good; or because she is to honour him, and give glory to him.
Ver. 8. But the woman of the man] Of a bone she was made, and but one bone, Ne esset ossea, saith a divine (Vitis Palatina); a bone of the side it was, not of the head (she is not to be his mistress), not of the foot (she is not to be his handmaid), but of the side, to show that she is a companion to her husband. A bone from under the arm, to mind the man of protection and defence to the woman. A bone not far from his heart, to mind him of dilection and love to the woman. A bone from the left side, to put the woman in mind that, by reason of her frailty and infirmity, she stands in need of both the one and the other from her husband.
Ver. 9. For the woman] sc. To serve her, unless it be some women (as Artemisia, Zenobia, Blandina), specially called to and qualified for government. Among whom Queen Elizabeth, that female glory, is famous, of whom a great French duchess said, that she was Gloriosissima, et omnium quae unquam sceptrum gesserunt faelicissima femina. Besides her sex, there was nothing in her woman-like or weak.
Ver. 10. To have power] That is, a veil, called in Hebrew Radid, of Radad, to bear rule. And indeed what was this subjection to the husband, but a kind of power and protection derived to the wife, in respect of her former estate? Because of the angels] Present in the assemblies of the saints. This was set forth of old by the hangings of the tabernacle wrought with cherubims within and without. Others understand this text of ministers, frequently called angels, Haggai 1:12,13 Re 2:1,8,12,18 3:1,7,14 Jud 2:1 (that angel is thought to be Phineas); Ecclesiastes 5:6 “Neither say thou before the angel” (i.e. before the Lord’s priest) “it was an error.” (Vorstius.) Some think the apostle argues from the example of the angels; we should imitate their modesty, who were wont to cover their faces, to testify their subjection toward God.