Working for an engineering firm many years ago I was promoted after two years with the company. I went from being a technical editor to being the department supervisor. It did not change my work location and it did not change my salary. It just increased my responsibility.
Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth makes an observation of relationships which is closely related to Ephesians 5:22-33. Who is the head of man? Who is the head of woman? Who is the head of Christ?
At first glance this may seem a way of putting every person in their place, of arranging a neat and clean pecking order for all people. God is in charge. Jesus is subservient to God. Man is subservient to Jesus. Woman is at the bottom.
But I believe this is a very naïve and uninformed (and un-Christian!) view of what is being presented here. We can concede that God is above all things. He is the Almighty Lord and everything must bow down to Him. But even as we concede that point we know in our hearts that God does not demand for us to grovel in His presence.
While God is over all things – He is the head of Christ – it is not a position of dominance and oppression. It is instead a position of responsibility and love. God is love and as love He is the constant expression of love. Thus, as head of all things God gives His love to all things and cares for each of us.
Just so, Jesus is the head of mankind. And what has Christ done for us? He has not taken a place on a throne and insisted we fall prostrate at his feet. Rather, Christ gave himself completely for our salvation and to give us eternal life. He sacrificed himself for our benefit.
Now we turn to men and women. If man is the head of every woman it does not mean that man is the overlord, the master, the tyrant ruler that is above woman. Instead it means that man holds the responsibility to provide for, lead, care, and nurture woman.
When I visit and interact with families I usually address the husband/father first out of social respect. It does not mean I do not value the wife and children. It simply means that I recognize the man as the head of the household – “head” being the one with the responsibility. All other family members are still valued and loved.
If God is the head of Christ and Christ is the head of man and man is the head of woman, it is not a hierarchy of ruler-ship but an intricate web of responsibility and care. It is a relationship of mutual love and respect among all.
DAILY CHALLENGE: For whom do you have the responsibility of leading in faith and care?
