Fireside/ Co-laboring

1 Corinthians 11:1-12 (NIV)

1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.2 I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.

3 But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

7 A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.

8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; 9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.

11 Nevertheless, in the Lord

woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman.

But everything comes from God.

Two Schools of Thought

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Male and Female?

Two Creation accounts

Genesis 1:27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Things to note:

God was the first one to make distinctions and differences in female and males.

Male and female are equal and one under God (Galatians 3:28-29)

Genesis 2 (summary): Man needed a sufficient helper to do what God commanded. God took part of Adam (One side) and made Women.

Things to note:

Helper is used to described the relationship between Human and God.

In humans relations, “helper” does not include in inherent submission, authority, or supremacy.

Together they reflect God, separate they do not fully represent God.

While women came from man, it holds no presidence for authority, given Paul’s clarification and the original creation account.

Headship in human relationships?

Head is a metaphor

Things to note:

Headship does not apply to all male and female relationships.

Headship is a role for males in marriage and for certain males in the Church.

As Christ relates to God, so the male “head” relates to (church, wife).

Christ is God. As part of the trinity. Three equal parts representing God.

This is the only verse (v3) in the Bible that makes this direct comparison of Christ-God and Male-Female.

In the relationship of Christ-God, there is no permanent submission, authority, supremacy or the role of “decision maker”. (Nicene Creed)

Headship definiton: Follow “The Model” of responsibility for the initiation of self-sacrificing love for the good of the others.

Headship is not authority over or leading. There are numerous leaders, with various spheres of authority and influence, mentioned in the New Testament—religious, military, government, community, and household leaders—but they are never called “heads.”

For clarity’s sake…

Was Christ a leader? – Yes.

Does Christ have authority over humans? – Yes.

Are those the traits of Christ that husbands are called to mimic as “heads” of their wives? – No.

Additional verses about Headship of Christ in the Church?

Colossians 2:19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Headship = support, bring unity,

Ephesians 4: 5 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Headship = loving, encouraging growth, empowering

As Christians, we are not called to exert authority over people. We are instructed to love, serve, and lay down our power as Christ did.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” Phil.2:5-8