format_quote Originally Posted by
Idris
1 Corinthians 11:3 (English-NIV)
Now 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.
The Head of Christ is God.
This scripture shows a completely different structure or pattern from the Trinity. The word head in the Greek is the word "kephale" which literally means 'from', 'source' or 'position of authority'.
If God were a Trinity, how do you explain that the head of Christ is God. We know that Jesus is the Christ, but so far the scriptures seem to say that God is the head of Jesus. Is the Father the one and only God? Is the Father above all, even Christ?
According to one lexicon, "head" or the Greek, "kephale," is from the primary "kapto" (in the sense of seizing); the head (as the part most readily taken hold of), literally or figuratively. It is used 76 times in the Greek New Testament, most often for the human head (on top of our shoulders), as in the verses that follow the reference you gave above (1 Cor. 11:3)--verse 4 (twice), verse 5 (twice), and verses 7 and 10 (once each). Jesus is said to be the head of every man here in verse 3, but also the head of the church in Col. 1:18 and Eph. 5:23. Thus, all the church looks to Christ for its life and direction, being in total submission to Him. Without our human head, the body can do nothing. Likewise, without Christ (the Head), the church (the Body), can do nothing. In Colossians 2:10, Christ is called the "Head over every power and authority" (NIV).
Now, as to the relationship between Christ and God (the Father), we see that Christ was in total submission to His Father throughout His earthly ministry and to some extent even now. But remember from what position the pre-incarnate Word lowered Himself to take on the form of a servant, to be obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. His position in heaven was one of equality with the Father but He considered that equality not something to be grasped or held onto, but He emptied Himself, not of His essential Deity but of His position, making Himself of no reputation and taking on the form of a servant or slave for our sakes. Philippians 2:5-11, as rendered in different versions brings all this out:
King James Version:
5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God:
7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
New American Standard Version:
5. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6. who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard
equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7. but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
10. that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth,
11. and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So what does 1 Cor. 11:3 tell us? That Christ is less than Deity, simply because it says "the head of Christ is God"? It also says "the head of the woman is the man." Is the woman any less human than the man? No, to both questions. This is talking about positions, not essential natures. In the business world, a partnership can be an organization of equals but it can still have a managing partner that the others have selected and agreed to follow the leadership of. No one of the partners is any less a partner, part of the organization, simply because he is submitting to the decisions and authority of the managing partner.
Notice also John 5:22-23:
22. "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,
23. in order that
all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
Notice we are all to honor the Son
EVEN AS we honor the Father. Those two words "even as" mean "just like" or "to the same extent that". They are the same in the Greek as in "
AS you would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise" (the Golden Rule, at Luke 6:31).
We are all going to stand before Christ, our Judge, some day. All of us will bow and confess that He is LORD to the glory of the Father (Phil 2:11 above). He is SO much more than a mere man or prophet. We may not acknowledge that now, but we will then.
One final verse, Colossians 2:9, which one of the most important verses on this subject:
"For in Christ
all the fulness of the Deity lives in bodily form." And that verse was written AFTER His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. So He still has His resurrection body--"in bodily form". Deity in a body! God in a body!
Peace