Head ≠ Authority

The general understanding of the concept of headship in the New Testament is that "head" is a metaphor for "source of origin" or "provider," whichever is indicated by context... except in the cases of two verses in which the metaphorical meaning is "authority."

I confidently reject the exception and will explain why in this article.

Here are some examples of the Greek metaphorical use of "head" in the New Testament.

1 Corinthians 11:3
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head [origin] of every man (Colossians 1:16; John 1:3), and the husband [man] is the head [source] of his wife [woman] (Genesis 2:21-23), and God is the head [source] of Christ (Luke 1:35).

Eph 4:15-16
But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head [provider], into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

Ephesians 5:23
For the husband is the head [provider] of the wife just as Christ is the head [provider] of the church, the body of which he is the Savior.

The case is really easy to show that "head" in these verses relates to caretaking and/or origin. A common rebuttal from complementarians is to show that there are a few verses in the New Testament that use the word "head" to mean "authority." There is no need to concede this point; yet many egalitarians do. Here are the verses.

Colossians 2:10

and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.

For this verse to be talking about Jesus' authority over secular rulers, Paul should have used the word "authority" instead of "head." Certainly, Jesus has authority over rulers and authorities; but the Lord's authority is not the subject of this verse. One need only look back a few paragraphs in Colossians to know what this verse is talking about.

Col 1:15-17
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him [i.e., Christ is their source of origin]. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together [i.e., Christ is their sustainer].

Headship in Colossians 2:10 is about source of origin and sustenance. Not "authority."

Ephesians 1:22

And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church,

"Under his feet" and "head over" mean two different things. "Under his feet" does denote authority. "Head over..." does not (in Greek culture).

To begin, it is important to avoid drawing too firm of conclusions from this verse. "Head over," for example, should be translated as "head for" (kephalē hyper) if the translators were consistent. "For the church" (ho ekklēsia) is not quite right either. A strictly literal translation would be "the the church" but that is kind of awkward. "Ho" means to indicate "ekklēsia" and if we want to translate "ho" into the English translation we should render something like "namely, the church." Thus, a completely accurate and proper translation of the verse would be,

And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head for all things, namely, the church.

The verse means, and I paraphrase, "God has placed Christ in authority over everything and God has made Christ the sustainer [= head] of all things, that is, the church" [the second use off all things denotes the church].

Now, could this verse mean that Christ's headship means Christ's authority? It could; but not even close to conclusively. Understanding Christ's headship as provider for the church is bolstered by context.

Christ is

• the source of every spiritual blessing

  Ephesians 1:3
  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

• our source for adoption

  Ephesians 1:5
  He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,

• our source of redemption

  Ephesians 1:7
  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

• our source of inheritance

  Ephesians 1:11, 14
  In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will....
  this [the Holy Spirit] is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

• giver of the Holy Spirit

  Ephesians 1:13-14
  In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians chapter 1 seems to be saying that Christ is the giver of all spiritual blessings for the spiritual health and success of the church.

Christ as source for the church is the strongest likelyhood of the meaning of "head" in Ephesians 1:22. To interpret "head" as authority in that verse is not supported by good biblical exegesis. To claim as much with an air of confidence is an artificial attempt to "teach from a position of authority." Many teachers in the churches of Christ think that uncertainty about this-or-that Bible verse is BAD TEACHING. I disagree. Teaching with confidence something that is not clear or conclusive in the Bible is BAD TEACHING.