When the Bible says that "the husband is the head of the wife" (Eph. 5:23), does "head" mean boss or source? We read in I Cor. 11:3 that "Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman and God is the head of Christ."
We know on earth, Jesus became a servant of God in the tradition of Moses, Jeremiah, David and other of God's servants. He said that the Father was greater than He and yet that He and the Father were and are ONE. He submitted to the will of His Father. But He also had power and influence with the Father by saying that He could ask the Father at any time and the Father would send sufficient numbers of angels to help Him (Matt. 26:53).
Early "church fathers" like Hippolytus (disciple of Irenaeus) and Irenaenus (a disciple of Polycarp) thought "head" meant source. Even in Paul's writings we see the "source" theme. Jesus is referred to as "head of the body, the church, and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything" (Col. 1:28). Here He becomes first, beginning and firstborn. Jesus is also called "the firstborn of all creation" (Col. 1:15).
Philo thought that the head resembled a spring, from which power flowed forth tithe other bodily organs. We know that the head containing the mind can have a powerful effect on our health. "A merry heard (mind) does good like a medicine" (Prov. 17:22).
Paul wrote that we have grown up in all aspects to Him who is the head - Christ, "from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies..."(Eph. 4:15-16).
In Colossians 2 Paul refers to "the head from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grow with a growth which is from God (vs. 18-18).
As Jesus is the head of the church, the Body of believers, He is also the head over all rule and authority -- the source of it. He recognized this Himself before Pilate. John. 19:11 "Jesus answered, "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason, he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin." (NAU) God was the source of all authority.
Jewish custom in the synagogues had women cover their head to indicate a commitment to their husbands. Paul addressed this in I Cor. 11. The Corinthians loved to show off their liberty and freedom even by going into the pagan temples and eating clean meat sacrificed to idols. These things were abhorrent to Jews and Paul didn't want to offend them. The synagogue where Paul originally preached to Jews and Gentile God-fearers was next door to the house where the Brethren met (see Acts 18:1-7).
Women had freedom of choice regarding what they put on their head but Paul didn't want messengers (angels) to go next door and report offensive behavior to the Jewish synagogue. More in today's message.
David L. Antion