Following First Corinthians 11:2-16, Paul writes to the saints in Corinth about their abuse of the Lord’s Supper in which the context is clearly when the called-out gather in one place to eat the Lord’s Supper (11:17-34). Notice the following references to their “coming together.”
11:17 “… you are regularly coming together ….”
11:18 “… at your coming together in the called-out …”
11:20 “when you are coming together at one place …”
11:33 “… when coming together …”
11:34 “… lest you should come together for judgment”
Does 11:2-16 also refer to what needs to happen with the called-out meet together? Paul begins the passage with the words, “Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.” The “traditions” is the Greek παράδοσις refers to the practices that are handed down to others. Paul ends the passage in verse 16, which reads, “If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the called-out of God.” As an apostle, Paul was leaving an example to follow (11:1) and ends this section dealing with women’s covering with a statement concerning the practice of the apostles. They are not holding to this custom, neither are other cities of the called-out ones. This word translated, “custom” (συνήθεια) refers to a habit or common manner. Paul does hold to a tradition that he passes down beginning in verse 17, where he writes, “But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.” Paul ends the first section dealing with the covering by explaining that this is not an order that he is passing down, but in the next verse, he does lay down a tradition that is to be followed (11:17). This is confirmed in verses 23-24 that reads, “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for[f] you. Do this in remembrance of me.”[g] 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” This tradition Paul is handing down to them. Finally, he ends in verse 34 by adding, “About the other things I will give directions when I come.” He will set in order the remaining customs when he gets there.”
Looking at these two sections together, there are customs that Paul is not binding as a tradition. Three different times, Paul refers to his teaching being uniformly taught in all places of the called-out (1 Corinthians 4:17, 7:17, 14:33). However, 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 is an exception as it states that this custom applied in Corinth is not held by other cities of the called-out. One tradition is not “set in order,” while the other is a tradition to pass down.
As to the question of the context of chapter 11, it is held by many that the setting of both sections is when saints are gathered together, but there’s no evidence that this is applied to an organization’s weekly meetings. Just because they are back-to-back sections in chapter one doesn’t prove that both were weekly activities. The text explains its application is “when praying and prophesying” (11:4-5), but that doesn’t prove that these were expected activities of saints only when they all come together in one place. Based on chapter 14, praying and prophesying in the Spirit were expected gifts to be shared when saints were among each other. But, since we are dealing with a custom in Corinth and its application to the subject of “headship,” it is clear that the context is regarding women praying and prophesying in the presence of men. If she “prayed and prophesied” only when saints were gathered together to edify one another, then, this section would be in the same context as 11:17-34. We have presented the case that this activity was not something that one turned on and off when Christians met in a general assembly two or three times a week. Instead, praying and prophesying was a way of life that described the daily fellowship of saints. We can only conclude that these activities were not applied in a solitary or private setting.