Clarifying 1 Cor. 11:3?

Question

"But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ," (1 Cor. 11:3).


The headship issue is an issue of order, not of who is better or more important. The husband is the head of the wife in the family and he has the responsibility of guiding his family to a closer relationship with the Lord.


Some of you really take this out of context because the scripture OBVIOUSLY isn't giving a man the right to say "Do what I say or else." Who agrees? Disagrees?

Just as "Wives submitt to your husbands" isn't a phrase of enslavement.

Answer 1

I think you're completely correct. Men who use this (and other) Biblical passages to excuse their tyranical behavior really have no excuse before the Lord.

There is one very good reason why God set things up this way: because "through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." (Romans 5:12) Sin and death did not enter the world because Eve was mislead; it entered because Adam willfully violated God's command. As such, men must answer directly to God for the evil Adam brought to the world. Instead of being "puffed up" because of their "headship," men should feel humbled that they are marked by this evil deed done so long ago.

To make matters worse, Adam (who was standing right next to Eve) failed to protect her from Satan (Gen. 3:6). To punish Adam (and all further men), God made men protectors over their wives; women were made subserviant to their husbands (not to any other men) because Eve failed to ask Adam what she should do.

Scripture is clear that husbands and wives are to be "submitting to one another in the fear of God." (Eph. 5:21). A well-known male theologian I know of is fond of saying that "If a husband is not submitting to his wife more than she submits to him, he's doing it wrong!"

Answer 2

I believe that Christ is the head of every Man and Woman. God walked and talked with Eve in the Garden of Eden (What a relationship that must have been). Jesus talked to the Samaritan woman at the well and that was a ta-bu for that era of time. Both God and Jesus honored women. They were highly respected by both. As far as the question goes I believe that the man should be the head of the wife when he has God at the center of his heart and loves his wife as Christ loved the church. That is what the difference is. Christ gave up his life for us and that is what a man should do for his wife and family if necessary. When the man of the house is Christ-like and a true christian he will honor his wife in the decisions that need to be made and treat her with the same respect and love that both God and Jesus did. That doesn't mean that he will control her. Men need to take thier example from God and treat thier wifes with respect and love. They do not need to have the maucho attitude that God placed me over you so do as I say. That does not honor God. If a man is obedient to God's will he will know how to make himself get out of the way and let God work through him to know how to treat his wife.

Answer 3

You are right.
The headship arrangement is not making men better than women so to speak, because they too have to answer to Jesus Christ. However, as you said they are responsible for taking care of their families spiritual and physical needs.
Romans 12:10 says that man and wife both should honor each other. 1 Peter 3:7 talks about how a man should honor his wife as the woman she is, and as a woman in general.

Some people have taken the headship arrangement out of context. It makes them haughty and vain.
But if everyone would realize that all humans have someone to answer to, Jesus Christ and Jehovah God, then maybe people (sometimes especially men) won't have to think to highly of themselves than necessary to think.

Answer 4

In a marriage relationship, there is authority from Christ to husband, and from husband to wife. The authority of Christ the authority of God. Any man who speaks with God or about God in a way that shows lack of respect for the authority of Christ, dishonors Christ. In the same way, a wife who speaks with God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of her husband , dishonors her husband...and worse, dishonors herself.

God wants husbands to love their wives like Jesus loves the church. We are the body of Christ. The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part depend on every other part, the parts mentioned and the parts we do not, the parts we see and the parts we do not. No part is important on its own.

To be a good wife to your husband, the wife needs to be responsive to his needs. When the husband is a godly man,and his leadership is loving and wise...when the husband honors the wife and delights in her...it is easy to be the wise wife and submit to your husband.

As women might lack some of man's advantages we need to remember that in the new life of God's grace, we are equals. Husband should treat his wife as an equal. You will be a blessing and also get a blessing.

Answer 5

I totally agree, I am a husband and my wife doesnt have to do what I say. Just in extreme situations where a decision needs to be made quickly do i make it for the best for both of us.

Men dont have authority to completely rule, even God gives us free will and we are to love as Christ loves to be the bride and groom as Christ is for the believers.

Psalm 66:16-20

Answer 6

yes ..it is in understanding the greater spiritual significance...

Man in his flesh and nature was givin dominion and power but it was with Eve as a helpmeet.She is his in essence his rib a support..but not any lesser in her role

The best way to understand is through the example of Christ...you might say how is that since Christ was not ever married....(seriously don't even consider davinci garbage)...But even though he never had a wife he DOES have a bride...Yes we are his bride the church...and what Jesus did for his bride.. a man in marriage is expected to do for his bride..which is to lay down his life and give his life for her...

Now the bible actually outlines this...
Ephesians 5:25-26
25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Now prior to that ...it was said a woman should be subject to her husband...

I heard a sermon which I do have on file called proverbs 31 woman by Juanita Bynum Weeks...and she touched on this and said ..a woman is to be subject....but what it is she is subject to is the vision that God gives the man...it is a very powerful sermon..and gives good meaning to the husband and wife and her role in the marriage...

Her sermon is the other half of what God has given me about Husbands in marriage and His role...and most of it was in that one thing I said(of course there are alot more scripture than that) but I don't have the room or the time seeing as how I have to go to work soon...If you'd like I can write it and send it...or if you'd like also I could send Juanita Bynums sermon...God bless

Answer 7

Hmm, I really don't think that it's as OBVIOUS as you say. When I first look at it, I still see the message that the man has power over the woman. No matter how I look at it, it's what I see; even this "issue of order" still implies that the woman is inferior to the man.

What's wrong with God being the head of every woman instead? Why can't it be written that the woman is the head of the man?

Answer 8

You are so right sweetie! The husband gets guidance from God and in-turn gives guidance to the wife. The only time this doesn't apply is when the man/husband isn't a follower of God.

Answer 9

A man should do what is best for his wife, if he loves her as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25). However, in any organization, no matter how small, somebody needs to be in charge. I ask my wife's opinion on every matter, even something as minor as where we'll go to dinner. But I make the final decisions.

As far as "inferiority" goes, if a woman were inferior, she wouldn't need to 'submit herself,' (Ephesians 5:22) would she? Christ is not inferior to the Father in any way, yet He submitted, as your own text shows.

Answer 10

God created us in his image - male and female.

You cannot take any passage of scripture out of the context in which it was written.

If a male (or female) is prone to believe that they should have an advantage over the opposite sex, then you can always find some scripture (out of context) to support an incorrect view.

So, yes, you're correct. Biblically, we - male and female - are equal to God, and that translates to marriage as well. (Even though a lot of folks will disagree with this).