Headship Part 1

Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. Last night we were looking at some Old Testament passages. Now we're going to come a little bit to the New Testament and some of what God has to say about our sisters in the assembly and the great important, I believe very important, function they play and the responsibilities of theirs along with a veteran.

We noticed last night that God made the woman to be a help, help though is meek or corresponding to the man. We find that the same kind of function exists in the local assembly setting, that both are necessary to carry out the purpose that God has in relation to his order. Chapter 11 of 1 Corinthians, we'll start with verse 1. The followers are imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Now most would divide the chapter after that to indicate that that verse should go with the previous chapter, but whether it does with the previous or the one that follows, we can see it applies to both. Paul is indicating that he is an imitator that the believer should seek to follow, just like he seeks to imitate the Lord Jesus. Verse 2, Now I praise you brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, that's the traditions, the things that he taught them, as I delivered them to you.

But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of woman is a man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonored his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered, dishonored her head, for that is even all one, as if she were shaven.

For if a 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. For man did ought not to cover his head, for as much as he is the image and glory of God. But the woman is the glory of a man.

For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

Nevertheless, neither is a man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman, and all things of God. Judge in yourselves, is it comely or seemly that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you that if a man hath long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman hath long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given her for covering.

But if any man seem to be contentious, he hath no such custom, neither the churches of God. And he goes on to develop the teaching regarding the Lord's Supper, a revelation that he received directly from the Lord as a parting to the believers that has to do with the remembrance of the Lord Jesus. That's all we'll read.

Let's go to Francis' word and help us to look at this passage in a way that will be profitable. I may say some things about this passage tonight that could possibly differ with others. I'm not wanting to be argumentative or to try to say something that's just different, but I'm just trying to tell you what I believe the passage says.

If you don't agree with me, well, we can be agreeable even if we disagree. But I'm not going to deviate very much in a way from what most people would say about the passage. I think it's very interesting and very important for us to appreciate the fact that traditions are not all bad.

Some people say, well, that idea of sisters wearing a head covering and allowing their hair to grow and brethren being uncovered in the medium, well, that's just a brethren tradition. I would say it's an apostolic tradition. And the word tradition in that sense is different from ecclesiastical traditions because that is that which has been given to us by the teachings of the apostle through the spirit of God.

Traditions are simply the truths that are given to us and we might practice them, but they might be the normal practice of God's people. And so when someone says, well, that's just a brethren tradition, thank God it is, because it's always been that way from the very beginning as you go back to the New Testament. I think it's interesting, of course, too, that there are a number of symbolic acts that believers can carry out in their life, can't they? I find it very interesting as well to know that every one of them is under attack or has been in some way marred or corrupted, shall we say, by either man or instigated by the devil.

The first symbolic act in the believer's life would be the baptism, wouldn't it? Very important symbolic act, and of course, no matter how it might be practiced in different groups and no matter how it is seen in terms of its teaching and what it means, I think everyone that professes to be a Christian, even if they aren't genuinely a Christian, anyone that takes that vow would recognize that baptism is an important symbolic act in the life of a person who professes to belong to Christ. We know that it's very important in terms of the teaching of the New Testament, and so we recognize the place it has in the life and the obedience of the child of God. It's an act of symbolism.

It symbolizes the fact that we have died, so the result is that we are buried with Christ and then, of course, raised again in relation to his resurrection to walk in newness of life. That is an important symbolic act. In the same way, of course, in the latter part of chapter 11 we have a symbolic act, that is the remembrance of the Lord Jesus, the breaking of bread.

So that we take the bread and we drink the cup, and we're doing something that symbolizes or reminds our hearts and draws our minds back to remember him, and again, we're doing it as a matter of doing something that has deeper significance, goes beyond the physical, goes beyond the simple act of it, to what it signifies or what it represents. So I think every professing Christian in some way or another would believe that there's an importance in that symbolic act, even if it's not carried out in the way the scripture teaches. There's also another symbolic act, and that is what is symbolized or displayed when believers come together, a congregation of individuals, all professing to know the name of Christ and desire to be obedient to his word.

The sisters come in with their long hair and their heads covered, and the brethren come in in the opposite way with their hair and, of course, their heads uncovered. That is a very important symbolic act. And it's no wonder, alas, that the devil has attacked it and undermined it and said it's not important, it's just a matter of custom, it's just something that had to do with the culture of Corinth, and you read all kinds of things if you read books about the comment on this particular passage.

I remember listening to a radio preacher when we lived back in Seattle many years ago, and he was going through the book of Corinthians, and I wasn't listening to him very much, but I was very interested in seeing what is he going to say when he gets to 1 Corinthians chapter 11? And, of course, he said exactly what I expected him to say. And while that was the same thing that I expected, I was disappointed that he didn't really take up the truth of the chapter. He related it simply to a custom and a practice of the society and something that had to do with Corinth.

And yet we find that this is an epistle that is not just written to the assembly of Corinth, but Paul says what I'm teaching you I teach in every place. He says we have no other custom, verse 16, but what I'm teaching you right here, no matter where we are, whether it's in Asia Minor or back in Jerusalem, or whether it be in Rome or whatever part of the world it was, he says this is the practice, this is the tradition, because it's apostolic teaching. And so we believe that this is a truth that doesn't apply just in a cultural sense, as a truth that applies wherever God's people gather together.

Now, you look at chapter 15 and I'm going to say right off the bat that there's a difference of opinion just what is involved in this gathering, this part of this chapter. There are some brethren, and I think the majority perhaps, I wouldn't say it's the majority, I've never enumerated them all, but they would say that this applies only in what is technically and genuinely an assembly meeting. It's in the context of an assembly, no question about it.

And it's leading into what follows because this practice of Edship, as we call it, in the first part of chapter 11, certainly sets the stage for and provides the basis for what follows in the practice that goes right through chapter 14. So, primarily we'll say that this practice of the heads gathering and all that is connected with the teaching of this passage certainly applies primarily in a local assembly setting. So, in other words, they would say that when the epistle to verse 4 speaks about praying and prophesying, women praying and prophesying, well, Paul is not dealing with this matter of disorder so far as the sister taking part publicly.

He's going to do that when it comes to chapter 14. But in this part he's dealing with the problem of the lack of a head covering that was seemingly the practice of the believers there in Corinth. So, in other words, he does like he often times does, Paul deals with one issue at a time.

He's dealing with one problem in chapter 11, he's going to take the other one up when he comes to chapter 14. That's quite logical and it's very possibly the truth. However, let me just pass on a few thoughts that I've had over years and also other brethren who are highly respected writers on this passage that would see it actually in a wider sense of what you'd call a local assembly actually a meeting.

Now, don't get angry with me if you don't agree with me, but I'm just going to tell you the other point of view. And that is that this is a wider setting, it's whenever, whatever the circumstances might be, but you could see a gathering when or even when there might only be sisters, a sister ministering to another, giving counsel or opening the word of God or praying and also in a setting perhaps where the assembly comes together that's not, shall we say, an assembly meeting. And so they're coming together and there's prayer and there's going to be opening the word of God in some kind of way and they would see Mr. Vine and Mr. Holst and Mr. Rideout and a number of writers like that would see that this is a principle regarding the head covering that should apply in every setting of that nature.

I could see some value in that. Because it seems to me that whenever there's an announced gathering of God's people or when there's a setting in which the word of God is going to be opened and the assemblies come together for some kind of an occasion, there's only problem that the sisters should have their head covered. I mean the brethren uncover their heads, why should the brethren uncover theirs if the sisters don't cover theirs? When the word of God is being read and when there's prayer.

I don't believe for a moment that it applies simply to a home setting. I remember being in a home once of a surgeon and I were back in West Virginia having some meetings in a place where there was no assembly but there was a couple there that lived in that area, in that same town and they had us over for meals a number of times. They were connected with a kind of an assembly and every time that we sat down to the table and he was going to get thanks for the food she put a napkin on top of her head.

You can criticize her if you want to but that was her conviction. She felt that that's the one she ought to do. And I wouldn't criticize her at all.

In fact if that's her exercise I would say she had it. But that's not to make it something that she had to do. But nevertheless you know the question comes in often times and I try to address it.

I'm coming in by the back door here. But you know there's often times Christians that say well what about a funeral? Or what about other occasions such as that? And many of our sisters say well it's not an assembly meeting so therefore I don't need to wear a head cover. Well technically maybe you're right.

But on the other hand he says that this is an occasion when there's prayer and there's opening of the word of God. And it seems to be very clear in my mind anyway that it's only appropriate to err on the side of seeking to do what is a testimony that would at least perhaps bear some impact upon those that are looking on representing the assembly in this testimony. I can't really remember this exactly but I remember one time Paul Elliott was talking.

We were having meetings together one time back a number of years now. But he was talking about the funerals that they have out there in the area around Heightsville. And he remembered being at a funeral once and he wasn't speaking at it.

But he was sitting in the audience there and he was listening. That actually overheard some people from the community talking one to another about sisters that had their hats on at the funeral. And they said something about it.

I can't remember exactly about them being connected with the gospel Paul. And the other one said to the other well if they're a real Smithite they'll wear a head cover. You know what a Smithite was? They were the ones that had heard the gospel through Mr. Smith and they had received teaching from him.

So there was a testimony that the community recognized in that area. And so when you look at this first part of the section, first let me just say that there's no mention of the local assembly in the setting. He takes that up in verse 17.

He's following on with the practice in chapter 10 in relation to the interaction with the world around, the temple of the idols and the temple of idols and so on. And he's really following along with the same thing. He's speaking about giving no offense to the Jew and the Gentile in the church of God.

And whether you take it that way or not, I prefer to look at it that any time God's people come together, especially if it's an announced gathering of an assembly, I believe that our sisters can have their heads covered when the word of God is open and prayer is made. That is at length. If you look at this section you have first of all in verse 2 and 3, what is what I call the principle of headship established.

He establishes a principle. What is a principle? It goes right back to God's order that was expressed by the Lord Jesus himself. It's not man-made.

It's not an invention of Paul. It's not simply a descended custom. It's what goes back to the principle that God has established and the Lord himself expressed has been declared.

Then in verse 4-7 we have the expression of headship. That is the sisters having their heads covered and the brethren having their heads uncovered. And he expresses there the danger of their violation of that principle.

The principle first of all is established and the practice and the importance of that practice. Then what I would call in verse 8-12 the relations of headship as he examines the different facets of the relationships between men and women in this setting. And in verse 13-16 the natural display of headship that is in everyday life.

So that we have the teaching that he is giving them. I take it that he had taught them the practice when he had been with them before. Now he's going back because there were aberrations, there were problems that had come in, there were corruptions possibly because of the environment around them.

We understand that in the Greek culture where Corinth was located, men as well as women worshipped with their heads uncovered. In Rome, the Romans, we understand the men covered their heads when they prayed in their idol of his temple. And the Jewish of course did as well.

So they had perhaps just adapted themselves to a practice that was prevalent in the Jewish culture around them and the Sisters of the Assembly perhaps because they had learned that there was freedom in Christ, that there was equality, no difference between men and women in the body of Christ. We read in Galatians chapter 3. Therefore they should have as much privilege to pray publicly and also without their heads covered in the gathering. So he's going to set the whole thing in order and establish the principle and show them why they are to do this because they had gotten away from it evidently.

So he praises them that they had remembered him in all things and they were keeping the ordinances, that was their normal practice as they delivered unto you. But now he says in verse 3 and 4, I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of every woman is a man, the woman is a man and the head of Christ is God. So here Paul is dealing with a problem that had come in, something that goes beyond the culture of the society because he's establishing the fact that it's based upon the principle of headship that God desires to be displayed in a local assembly.

He's going to go on in verse 10 to emphasize the fact that angels have a great interest in what is going on in this practice so far as the assembly is concerned. Angels are constantly observing what God is working out in the midst of his own people. We find that in Ephesians chapter 3 as well.

And as well he goes on in verse 7 and 8 to emphasize that creation order is the basis of it. So one might ask the question, what is headship? What do we mean by that word? I would take it that very simply it's the recognition of a divine order that God has instituted and that here is being expressed in this typical way in the local gathering of God's people. The saints in this way are expressing typically their realization of submission and their recognition of place, position so far as God is concerned and that kind of obedience to the purpose of God that was disordered and ruined when sin brought ruin into this world and brought man into rebellion against God.

So when you come into verse 3 we find that the headship is being expressed and very clearly what is in view is not inferiority and superiority as I said last night. That is totally absent from the ideas of relationships in the assembly. No one is superior or inferior.

When you look at Christ in relation to God I believe it's in relation to his humanity. Coming into this world he voluntarily in fulfillment of God's will he voluntarily submitted himself and took a place of subordination. But in that relationship there was perfect equality with God.

With no less God in his life here below than he was in heaven. But there was subordination. Equality but voluntary subordination.

When you look at man in relation to Christ there's inequality because obviously we're not equal with him. He's far greater than we are. Never should we ever assume anything else.

Inequality and also subordination. Man is to be under the headship of Christ. When you come to the woman in relation to man it's equality again but subordination again.

So there does not denote any kind of inferiority in relation to human relationships and in how we stand before God in our liberty in Christ. So he is speaking about this voluntary aspect that Christ himself coming into the world in obedience to the will of God expressing the perfect pattern of submission that should be characteristic of you and me. We would never display submission to God's order and God's will in any degree like the Lord Jesus did.

I know I come to say to do thy will. He voluntarily stooped. He voluntarily humbled himself the Philippians chapter 2 tells us.

And he came down, down, down and farther down even that he might arrive at the place called the cross and suffer the death of the cross. So we have a God given order. A position that has to do with arrangement.

Has to do with God's desire that there might be recognition of different positions which do not imply in any way inferiority. So we have this principle in verse 3. We have the principle continued in verse 4. Every man praying or prophesying having his head covered dishonoring his head. Every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonoring her head.

That is even though one exists to receive it. The question might come in what does that mean that he dishonors his head if he prays or prophesies with his head covered. And what does that mean if she prays or prophesies with her head uncovered she dishonors her head.

What does that mean? Well I would take it that what is being taught us here is that in this symbolic picture the physical head represents a spiritual head. That is your head that sits on your shoulders has a spiritual significance. As is typified in this picture that is being displayed in the assembly.

What is the head of man in the assembly is representing Christ. The head of the man is Christ. And in the same way the head of our sisters is representing man.

I would take it personally that what he is signifying is not just man generically but man in terms of humanity. That is to express the fact that they are represented in the gathered company the entire group of believers are in that assembly. In fact all mankind should be in that condition as well.

So what you do to our heads in that symbolic way is expressing what is taking place or what is the relative aspect in terms of the head it represents. So what does an uncovered head signify? Well it seems to me that in the word of God the uncovered head indicates that that head that it represents is displayed. It is not covered, it is not hidden, it is not out of sight.

So that it is on display, it is being exalted. So that the head of man is Christ that indicates that in the local assembly the desire and purpose of God is that he might be the one that is seen that Christ might be the one that is honored that he might be the one who is displayed as the one who is worthy of all exaltation and honor. Men typically in that way, the brethren are typically presenting the fact that Christ himself is the one who is in preeminence.

Not man. But women as their sisters come into the assembly with their heads covered and all this indicates a matter of putting it out of sight in a sense. But also subjection.

A covered head is subjection. So then here they are and they are represented, I would take it anyway, the gathered company of the entire believers and they are indicated by their covered heads that the people of God recognize their subjection to the Lord Jesus. As he is exalted, we are willing to take a place of subjection to him, subordination under him.

Because our desire most of all is that in some way, in every way possible, his name might be magnified. As he might be displayed in all the fabulous person, the one who is worthy to receive all exaltation, honor and glory. So we are setting forth a picture.

And brethren and sisters, it takes both to be able to accomplish it. Brethren with an uncovered head in the gallery can only do one side of the picture. They can only present one aspect of it.

It takes the sisters as well. And so that each one is contributing their part to set on, as it were, on a manner of displaying this lovely picture that God wants to make evident to the hearts and minds of men. Christ is supreme.

Christ deserves the highest place. Christ is the one who is the head of his people, the head of the church, the head of all creation. And he is going to be the one who is honored and glorified in the midst of his people, here in this world, as well as in heaven above.

And our sisters with their covered heads are indicating that the company of believers of all mankind is in a place of subordination, a place of subjection, a place of willingness to give him the place that he rightly deserves to have. Now this word covering, having your head covered, it doesn't tell us what kind of covering it has to be. I'm not going to get technical about here.

I don't like big hats and I don't like frizzy veils. Let us tell you right off the front. I don't like big hats because they're oftentimes just a matter of decoration.

And I don't like frizzy veils because, well, they just don't seem to do the job, so far as I'm concerned. I'm just my opinion. I will say this.

I believe that in the context of the passage, if you put yourself back in Corinth, and I'm not saying we have to carry this out today, but if you would visualize what a veil to a Corinthian woman was, you'd recognize sort of what it should be. It was something that had substance to it. It was really a covering.

It was a literal covering, more like a scarf, or a large scarf anyway, something that really covered. And that's not what it has to be because it is typical. But I will say this.

I've been in settings where sisters wore veils. Mexico, that's all they wear. I don't think they know what a hat is down there.

But if a sister I know, for instance, I'm just using this as an example, but a sister I know that wears a veil, and during the course of the Lord's Supper that lasts for about an hour, she has to put that thing back on about four or five times. It doesn't stay on her. So I say if she's going to have a veil, she ought to fasten it on.

So it stays there. I'm just sort of giving you my opinion. I'm just throwing these things off.

I'm not telling you I'm giving you apostolic doctrine. The idea of the covering is over the head, something on the head. The Word of God doesn't define what it is.

But it ought to be a covering. It's not a covering for the hair. It's a covering for the head.

It's a symbolic act that is displaying a truth that God deems to be very precious. So if you want to wear a big floppy hat, you go ahead and wear a big floppy hat. I'd like to see our sisters just wear a covering that is really a covering.

And understand, most of all, what is it for? And what are we doing when we do this? And recognize the value of it and the importance of it. I mentioned the fact that I believe this might go a little far in the local assembly gathering because one thing that troubles me. And that is that I know of gatherings or, let's say, there are activities of an assembly that are announced and are carried on on a regular basis.

I'm not going to go into specifics. But it's announced activity that involves assembly believers in a public building in which the word of God is opened and there's prayer. It's a Bible study.

It's an activity that's an outreach of the assembly. And I believe that if it's regularly carried on and announced in the assembly, it ought to be conducted along assembly lines. And I'm troubled by the fact that sisters in that gathering don't wear a covering.

And I ask the question, if that ever progresses to the point that they see a work done and an assembly is established there, when will they make the transition? When will they ever come to the point of opening their understanding that that's what the word of God teaches? I think it is wise to err on the side of seeking to do what is perhaps more in accordance with the Scripture without seeking to find loopholes of saying, well, this is not, and this is not, this is not, and therefore we don't seem to do it here. I think that causes trouble, and I'm deep concerned about it. Now, going down the chapter, because I need to keep on going, 14 more minutes here, he says he equates that covering on the head, that covering that is put on, with the importance of allowing the importance of the hair.

Now, I know that there are some that would jump over to verse 15 and say, well, her hair is given her for a covering, so therefore that's the covering that's in verse 4 and 5. And 6, well, you try to put the hair in there, you've got a novel trouble, because it's simply saying in that case, well, if she doesn't have hair on her head, better cut it all off. That's not impossible. And the words are actually very different, because the one word in the first part of the chapter indicates something that is put on, and the other word means a wrapping or a covering that is flowing down.

So, in other words, we have a very definite distinction, because this is something that the brethren take off when they come in, not their hair. I'm getting close to that myself, but not quite. But there's something they take off when they come in, it's something the sisters put on.

So obviously it's an artificial cover that is put upon the head, a symbolic act when they come together. But notice that he says that if she refuses to take that place, if she is going to be, in that sense, a rebellious character or act independently, as if she has no head, and she's going to be independent of any head, then he says that which signifies the subjection of the sister in an everyday life, her long hair, then it should be cut off. Because to have a long hair and no covering when you come together in the assembly is a matter of inconsistency.

Want to save one thing, want to save the other. And of course, vice versa, to have hair cut off and wear a covering on the head is also inconsistent. So there's definitely a link between the two.

But he said in the first part of the chapter there should be the covering. Because it's symbolically setting forth a truth that God deems to be very precious. So he said, coming down now to verse 7, A man indeed ought not to cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God.

That is, he is the visible representative in creation, coming from the hand of God and with the dignity and the position that God gave him, he is the image of God. He represents God in that sense. And he's the glory of God in the sense that he is the outshining of the moral excellence, the high point of God's creation, the last aspect of God's creation.

But then he says that the woman is the glory of the man. She's not the image of the man because she's not representing the man. But she is the glory, the outshining of moral excellence and the complement of his person.

So that we have the two that are joined together. And he says the man should not cover his head because he is the image, the representative of God in a sense. He's the glory of God.

There are three glories actually in the chapter. And you'll find that if you look that the man is the glory of God, the woman is the glory of the man, and the chapter of the long hair is given as the glory to her. So he says the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man.

Now in verse 8 through 12 he's developing the relationships that exist. That is to say that first of all in verse 8 is a question of origin. He says the man is not out of the woman.

It was made directly from the hand of God, but she is out of the man because God took the rib and he formed a woman out of that rib and brought her to Adam. So man is directly made from the hand of God, and the woman is from or out of the man. And those two words signify a difference in so far as origin is concerned.

But in verse 9 it deals with a subject of design. The man was not created for or on account of the woman, but the woman on account of the man. She was made to be a help that was corresponding to him or suitable to him.

So God had a design in all of this, the way he did it. And then in verse 10 is a question of authority. He says for this cause, because of God's order in creation, because of what God did in the very beginning, for this reason the woman ought to have power or a sign of authority on her head.

That is a sign that she is under subjection, recognizing authority that comes from God. Now why? He said because of the angels. The angels are looking on.

Have you ever thought that the angels were observing when Eve separated herself from her husband and listened to the serpent and of course was instrumental in causing the temptation or being used by the serpent to bring temptation to her husband and they were observing the rebellion of Adam and their departure and their disobedience. They observed man fall. They observed man's career, his pathway ever since, of disorder and rejection of the order of God.

Angels have been looking on. But angels I believe delight to see a company of believers redeemed by the grace of God, saved through the work of Christ and brought into subjection by a desire to honor the Lord Jesus and displaying in a very simple way but a way that is very pleasing to God a kind of an order that is such a distinct difference to the world around us. I take it as like an oasis in the wilderness.

As something that brings delight to angels' heart. They are learning as well what God can do in the lives of sinners that were once rebels against God and to bring them into a voluntary subjection to the will of God and a desire to honor the Lord Jesus and I believe they take delight in that. We really are instruments in God's hand to teach angels things they would never know otherwise.

A marvel of what God can do in the life of sinners that are saved by God's grace. And so angels are looking on. And because of angels, well there is another aspect about the angels.

You know what Isaiah chapter 6 and verse 2 Isaiah saw the Lord lifted up high and lifted up and his train filled the temple and the seraphim remember in the presence of the Lord they used two of their wings to veil their faces. They were veiled and they were covered in the presence of the Lord. They were denoting their subjection and their submission to the authority of God.

And they know something of subjection. These are the holy elect angels that have never sinned. And so they have carried it out of their own lives and their own practice their reverence in the presence of God.

They see the same thing reflected in company of believers. And they can understand what God is doing and what God has accomplished. So there is a principle of authority and they look on.

In verse 11 he says that there is a matter of mutuality. That is that both men and women are important and essentially part of God's purpose. It doesn't involve independency.

And his position doesn't imply the fact that he is independent of her. Nor is her subjection a matter of dependency on him or inferiority. So both have a role to play in terms of fulfilling God's purpose and both are required to do it.

Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman. There is no isolation. There is no separation here.

They are both essential. For as the woman is of the man or out of the man even so is the man through or by means of the woman but all things of God. More than two times you read that expression all things of God on your New Testament and both of them have to do with the significance of the truth that is very spiritual.

2 Corinthians chapter 6 and 5 and verse 18 he says again all things of God. And the same context a little different meaning of course but it's emphasizing the fact that this is something that has spiritual significance so far as God is concerned. So this picture that is being presented is from God and is for God and it pertains to the things of God.