“The Head of Woman Is Man”
“But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”
1 Corinthians 11:3
In this verse, there are three degrees of submission. The man is to acknowledge Christ as his Lord and Master; the woman, while recognizing the supremacy of Christ as Lord over all, is required to acknowledge that in domestic life she is placed under the guidance and protection of man; Christ, although equal with the Father is represented as recognizing God as head. Even among equals there may be a head.
Headship exists within the Godhead itself (1 Corinthians 11:3) and will continue to exist there after the end of sin (Matthew 20:23; 1 Corinthians 15:28). Perfect beings and perfect organizations use leadership. in our world today, a committee of men of equal rank still selects its chairman. Defined leadership is a positive organizational arrangement.
The power and dignity of the husband depends on the position he holds toward Christ, his head, therefore the dependence of the wife on her husband is in the true sense dependence on Christ through the husband. The dependence of the wife on her husband was a divinely appointed plan for the good of both spouses.
However, the dependence does not in any way imply the slightest degree of inferiority. As the church does not experience dishonor by being dependent on Christ. “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22–23; 3:17–19; 4:13, 15, 16).
The Lord taught, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25). The response of the husband to the wife’s submission is not to give a command, but to love. The husband will properly provide for the wife’s temporal support (1 Timothy 5:8); he will do what he can to ensure her happiness (1 Corinthians 7:33); he will honor her (1 Peter 3:7).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
