Early Christian Beliefs About the Veil and Worship

Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching

...he Samaritan woman, "The hour is coming, when neither in Jerusalem, nor in this mountain, shall you worship the Father. God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." By these words He taught that God must be worshipped not in the flesh, and with fleshly sacrifices, but in the spirit. And He will be understood to be a Spirit in proportion as the worship offered to Him is offered in spirit and with understanding. However, we are not to worship the Father with images, but in truth, which came by Jesus Christ after the giving of the law by Moses. For when we turn to the Lord (and the Lord is a Spirit), He takes away the veil that lies upon the heart when Moses is read.

Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching

... you have spoken truly." The woman said to him, "My lord, I see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, and you say that Jerusalem is the place where people must worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know, but we worship what we know, because salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming, and when he has come, he will teach us everything." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Supporting witness

...h we also call spiritual. The apostle, moreover, says, "Even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart: nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." For as long as anyone is not converted to a spiritual understanding, a veil is placed over his heart. With this veil, that is, a gross understanding, Scripture itself is said or thought to be covered. And this is the meaning of the statement that a veil was placed over the countenance of Moses when he spoke to the people, that is, when the law was publicly read aloud. But if we turn to the Lord, where also is the Word of God, and where the Holy Spirit reveals spiritual knowledge, then the veil is taken away, and with unveiled face we shall behold the glory of the Lord in the holy Scriptures.

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

...d only the letter that kills, were not a plant of God but of him who hardened their heart and put a veil over it. This veil had power over them as long as they did not turn to the Lord. For if anyone should turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away, and the Lord is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 Now someone, when dealing with this passage, might say that just as what enters into the mouth does not defile the man, Matthew 15:11, even though it may be thought by the Jews to be defiled, so also what enters into the mouth does not sanctify the man, even though what is called the bread of the Lord may be thought by the simpler disciples to sanctify. And I think this saying is not to be despised, and for this reason it demands clear explanation, which seems to me to be this. Just as it is not the food, but the conscience of the one who eats with doubt, that defiles the one who eats, for "he that doubts is condemned if he eat, because he eats not of faith," Romans 14:23, and just as nothing is pure to him who is defiled and unbelieving, not in itself, but because of his defilement and unbelief, so also that which is sanctified through the word of God and prayer does not, in its own n

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Supporting witness

For so long as any one is not converted to a spiritual understanding, a veil is placed over his heart, with which veil, i.e., a gross understanding, Scripture itself is said or thought to be covered: and this is the meaning of the statement that a veil was placed over the countenance of Moses when he spoke to the people, i.e., when the law was publicly read aloud.

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

For when he had taken away the veil which was present in the law and the prophets, and by His divinity had proved the sons of men that the Godhead was at work, He opened the way for all those who desired it to be disciples of His wisdom, and to understand what things were true and real in the law of Moses, of which things those of old worshipped the type and the shadow, and what things were real of the things narrated in the histories which happened to them in the way of type, 1 Corinthians 10:11 but these things were written for our sakes, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Tertullian, On the Veiling of Virgins Direct teaching

...they do not quite reach to the ears. If they are so weak in hearing that they cannot hear through a covering, I pity them. Let them know that the whole head constitutes the woman. Its limits and boundaries reach as far as the place where the robe begins. The region of the veil is coextensive with the space covered by the hair when it is unbound, in order that the necks too may be encircled. For it is they that must be subjected, for the sake of which power ought to be had on the head. The veil is their yoke. The heathen women of Arabia will be your judges. They cover not only the head, but the face also, so completely that, with one eye left free, they are content to enjoy rather half the light than to prostitute the whole face. A woman would rather see than be seen. And for this reason a certain Roman queen said that they were most unhappy, because they could more easily fall in love than be fallen in love with. Whereas they are rather happy in their immunity from that second infelicity, and indeed the more frequent one, that women are more apt to be fallen in love with than to fall in love. And the modesty of heathen discipline is indeed simpler and, so to speak, more barbaric

Tertullian, On the Veiling of Virgins Direct teaching

In all these opposite points, the result is that a man is not to cover his head. That is because nature has not given him excess of hair, because it is not shameful for him to be shaven or shorn, because the angels did not transgress on his account, and because Christ is his Head. So then, since the apostle is speaking about man and woman, why the latter ought to be veiled, but the former not, it is clear why he has been silent about the virgin. He intended the virgin to be understood in the woman, for the same reason that he did not name the boy separately, but allowed him to be implied in the man. In this way, he embraced the whole order of each sex in the proper names of woman and man. In the same way, Adam, while still intact, is called man in Genesis: "She shall be called woman," he says, "because she has been taken from her own man." Thus Adam was a man before nuptial intercourse, just as Eve was a woman. On both sides, the apostle has made his statement apply plainly enough to the whole class of each sex. Briefly and fully, with a well-ordered definition, he says, "Every woman." And what is "every," except every class, every order, every condition, every dignity, every age?

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

..."And your face is lovely." "Yes, but only for the man who has married me." But I do not want chaste women to give any occasion for such praise to those who use praise to look for reasons to condemn. This is true not only because it is forbidden to expose the ankle, but also because it has been commanded that the head be veiled and the face covered. For it is an evil thing when beauty becomes a trap for men. Nor is it proper for a woman to want to draw attention to herself by wearing a purple veil. If only it were possible to get rid of purple in clothing, so that it would not draw the eyes of onlookers to the faces of those who wear it. But women, in making all the rest of their clothing, have made everything purple, and so they stir up lust. And in truth, those women who are mad about these foolish and luxurious purples have been seized by "purple death," according to the poetic saying. Because of this purple, Tyre and Sidon, and the region around the Spartan Sea, are greatly desired. Their dyers and purple-fishers, and the purple fish themselves, are highly valued because their blood produces purple dye. But cunning women and effeminate men mix these deceptive dyes with delica

Tertullian, On the Veiling of Virgins Supporting witness

and as they veil their head in presence of heathens, let them at all events in the church conceal their virginity, which they do veil outside the church.

Tertullian, On the Veiling of Virgins Supporting witness

Impose a veil externally upon her who has (already) a covering internally.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

Look downward when you walk abroad, veiling yourself as becomes women.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

Let the women approach with their heads covered, as is becoming the order of women;

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

We do not allow our women to teach in the church, 1 Corinthians 14:34, but only to pray and to hear those who teach. For our Master and Lord, Jesus Himself, when He sent us twelve to make disciples of the people and of the nations, never sent women out to preach, although He certainly could have done so if He had wanted to. For the mother of our Lord and His sisters were with us; also Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Martha and Mary the sisters of Lazarus, Salome, and certain others. For if it had been necessary for women to teach, He Himself would first have commanded these women also to instruct the people along with us. For if the head of the wife is the man, 1 Corinthians 11:3, it is not reasonable that the rest of the body should govern the head. Therefore let the widow regard herself as the altar of God, and let her sit in her house. She is not to go into the houses of the faithful under any pretense to receive anything. For the altar of God never runs about, but stays fixed in one place. Therefore let the virgin and the widow be such women as do not run about or wander into the houses of those who are outside the faith. For women like these are wanderers and shamele

1 Corinthians 11:5 Supporting witness

But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.

1 Corinthians 11:13 Supporting witness

Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?

1 Corinthians 11:10 Supporting witness

For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

1 Corinthians 11:7 Supporting witness

For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

For we compare spiritual things with spiritual. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Wherefore, in accordance with the method of concealment, the truly sacred Word, truly divine and most necessary for us, deposited in the shrine of truth, was by the Egyptians indicated by what were called among them adyta, and by the Hebrews by the veil.

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Supporting witness

...nce, these mysteries were wrapped up and hidden, as we said before, in ordinary language, under the covering of some history and narrative of visible things. Therefore, the narrative of the visible creation is introduced, and also the creation and formation of the first man. Then the offspring that came after him in succession is related, along with some of the actions done by the good among his descendants, and sometimes also certain crimes that are stated to have been committed by them as being human. After that, certain unchaste or wicked deeds are also told as the acts of the wicked. The description of battles, moreover, is given in a wonderful manner, and the alternations of victors and vanquished, by which certain ineffable mysteries are made known to those who know how to examine such statements. Also, by an admirable discipline of wisdom, the law of truth, even of the prophets, is implanted in the Scriptures of the law. Each part is woven by a divine art of wisdom as a kind of covering and veil of spiritual truths. This is what we have called the body of Scripture, so that in this way also, what we have called the covering of the letter, woven by the art of wisdom, might

Dionysius of Alexandria, Miscellaneous Fragments Supporting witness

Nay, further, they hold that it can be no sort of revelation, because it is covered with so gross and dense a veil of ignorance.

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Direct teaching

...t was not, as some among the unlearned perhaps imagine, any piece of linen cloth, or any skin, that covered his face. But the apostle also takes care to make this plain to us, when he tells us that the veil is put on in the reading of the Old Testament, since those who are called Israel from olden time still look for the coming of Christ, and do not perceive that the princes have been wanting from Judah, and the leaders from his thighs. Even now we see them in subjection to kings and princes, and paying tribute to them, without any power left to them either of judgment or of punishment, such as Judah certainly had. For after he had condemned Thamar, he was also able to justify her. But you will also see your life hang in doubt before your eyes.

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

This word also has the veil. For up to the time of Herod, they seemed to keep a kingdom in some form. And it was under Augustus that the first enrollment took place among them, and that they began to pay tribute and to be assessed. It was also from the time when our Lord Jesus Christ began to be prophesied of and looked for that princes from Judah and leaders of the people began to appear. And these, in turn, failed just as His coming drew near. If the veil that is put on in that reading of theirs is taken away, they will understand the true virtue of circumcision. They will also discover that the generation of Him whom we preach, and His cross, and all the things that have happened in the history of our Lord, are those very matters that had been predicted of that Prophet. And I could indeed wish to examine every passage of Scripture by itself, and to point out its meaning, as it should be understood. But since another subject is urgent now, we will discuss these passages at some time of leisure. For the present, what I have already said may be enough to show that it is not without reason that the veil is said to be put upon the heart of certain persons in the reading of the Old Te

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

and hence the veil of the court is erected, since to most of the priests and levites the things in the inmost part of the temple are not revealed.

2 Corinthians 3:13 Supporting witness

unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.

2 Corinthians 3:16 Supporting witness

But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

2 Corinthians 3:14 Supporting witness

But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

Hebrews 10:20 Supporting witness

By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Exodus 34:33 Supporting witness

And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.

Exodus 26:33 Background

And you shall hang the veil from the clasps. Then you shall bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil. The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy.

Early Liturgies, Liturgy of Adaeus and Maris Direct teaching

XI. When the Deacon shall say, With watchfulness and care, etc., immediately the Priest rises up and uncovers the sacraments, taking away the veil with which they were covered: he blesses the incense, and says a canon with a loud voice:—

Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Direct teaching

The Priest [A veil is now withdrawn from the oblation of bread and wine.]

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

In the middle area, inside the covering and veil where the priests were allowed to enter, stood the altar of incense. It was a symbol of the earth, placed in the middle of this universe. From it rose the smoke of incense. And that place, between the inner veil—where only the high priest was allowed to enter on appointed days—and the outer court around it, which was open to all the Hebrews, was, they say, the middle point between heaven and earth. But others say it was a symbol of the intellectual world and the world of sense. So then, the covering, which was the barrier of popular unbelief, was stretched in front of the five pillars, holding back those in the outer area.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Background

Within the veil, then, is concealed the sacerdotal service;

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Background

Again, there is the veil of the entrance into the holy of holies.