Ephesians 1-2
For nearly any metaphor, the key is to find Paul’s meaning from the context. The dictionaries aren’t much help.
(Eph 1:20-23 ESV) 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Paul refers to Christ as “head” over everything. But clearly Christ’s relationship with the church, His body, differs from His relationship with “everything.” Christ is head — not over the church — but for the church. His headship is for a purpose, and that purpose is for the benefit of the church. Moreover, we see the church referred to as Christ’s “body.” Paul then says that the church is the “fullness” of Christ “who fills everything in every way.”
The conclusion that Christians are not viewed in this passage as being under Christ as a “head” is confirmed by Ephesians 2:6-7:
(Eph 2:6-7 ESV) 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
First, we are shown a picture of Christ sitting on His throne in heaven at the right hand of God. Paul says that God “seated him … in the heavenly realms.” We now read that all Christians are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms.
The present tense — as though we are presently on the throne even though we are obviously still here on earth — is only partly proleptic. Prolepsis is a figure of speech in which a future event is considered so certain that the speaker can use the present tense. And that’s part of what Paul intends, I’m sure.
But Paul is also saying that we were baptized into Christ. We are now part of his body here on earth, and somehow this gives us a mystical presence with him in heaven. What is true of his body on earth is somehow true of his body in heaven. We sit on his throne with him and therefore are already above the powers that he defeated — because he really just has one body, a body that exists on earth through believers and his church and the same body has a present heavenly existence on the throne. We are both not-yet and already there. (Sorry. This is not easy and perhaps not helpful, but it’s what Paul says.)
So, as this chapter speaks of his quickening us together with Christ, it goes on to say that he raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. In 1:3 the apostle has said that God has ‘blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places’. Now he says more specifically that our life has come to be there, enthroned with Christ.
If this is not explicitly stated elsewhere in the Pauline letters, the meaning is implicit in such a passage as Colossians 3:1–3. Humanity, by virtue of Christ’s conquest of sin and death and by his exaltation, is lifted ‘from the deepest hell to heaven itself’ (Calvin). Citizenship is now in heaven (Phil. 3:20); and there, and not under the limits imposed by the world, nor in conformity to its standards (Rom. 12:2), true life is found.
Francis Foulkes, Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale NTC 10; IVP/Accordance electronic ed. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1989), 82.
In this highly symbolic language, the thought is not that Christians (the body) are ruled by Christ (the head). Rather, the thought is that we Christians rule with Christ! This is not to say that Christ has no authority over Christians — only that Christ’s authority over the church is not the thought contained within the metaphor “head” as used in Ephesians.
Thus, the church is pictured as not so much in subjection to Christ as an extension of Christ. And being a part of Christ, there is no question of being “under his feet.” After all, the church cannot be both under Christ’s feet and his body!
In this light, as we covered just a few weeks ago, this otherwise-obscure passage starts to make better sense —
(1 Cor 6:2-3) Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
We customarily think of Jesus judging us at the end of time. Paul here says that we’ll be the judges — which only makes sense if Paul’s metaphor of the church sitting on Christ’s throne with him is much more than a metaphor!
However, we shouldn’t deny the fact that Jesus, as head, is said “to be head over everything for the church.” “Over” translates huper (over) whereas “for” translates te (to). Hence, “head” in this verse has a double meaning.
Jesus (head) and church (body) sit on the throne (symbolic of authority) and, together, rule “everything,” but the rule of Jesus, as head, is for the benefit of the church, which is also above “everything.” The head has two relationships. As to the church, the head is acting for the church. As to all else, it is ruling over his enemies.
Ephesians 4
The next occurrence of “head” in Ephesians is in chapter 4 —
(Eph 4:15-16 ESV) 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Once again, Paul refers to Christ as “head” and the church as his body. But we also see the image of the body growing “from him” with the “head” being seen as the source of growth and building up.
We modern folks know that thought and control come from the brain, that is, a part of the head. First Century Greeks thought of thought as coming from the midriff.
Bedale reminds us that the functions of the nervous system were not known to the ancients, who, accordingly, did not view the head as we do (they held that man thinks with the midriff, the phren).
(Leon Morris, The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, ibid, pages 151-152). Thus, “head” does not refer to the man as the thinking member of the household.
While the ancient Greeks did not have the understanding of anatomy that is familiar to 21st Century readers, it would have been easy enough for a First Century reader to see the “head” as the source of nourishment for the body, and this certainly seems to be Paul’s image. And once again we see the image of the body as the extension of the personality of Christ, with each part doing its own work as part of a single living organism.
In short, just as is stated in 1:21-23, the image is Jesus, as head, acting for the church, not over the church. Indeed, if we recall the common usage of “head” as life, we see Paul picturing Jesus as nourishing and providing growth to the church, its body. Indeed, a very likely sense of “head” as between Jesus and the church is “sustainer.” He gives and provides all that is necessary for life.
Ephesians 5
(Eph 5:23 ESV) 3 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Which meaning of “head” does Paul have in mind? That the husband has rule over the wife as Christ has rule over his defeated enemies? Or the husband is to be the source of support, nourishment, and growth? Is the husband head “over” the wife or head “for” the wife?
The answer is obvious enough from the fact that Paul specifically says that it’s the relationship of Christ to the church that he is comparing to. Moreover, the prepositions are not huper but te, which proves the parallel.
The point is further affirmed by verses 29-30, plainly parallel to Eph 4:15-16 (quoted above) —
(Eph 5:29-30 ESV) 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body.
Therefore, the notion that kephalē means ruler or such like in Eph 5 misses the context entirely. Rather, Paul is specifically contrasting Christ’s two roles — as ruler of over his defeated enemies and as sustainer of the church. Therefore, husbands are to be “heads” of their wives in the sense of being sustainers — the sources of sustenance and of strength.
After all, Paul’s use of head is obviously a reference back to the most recent reference to Jesus as “head,” but applied to marriage —
(Eph 4:15-16 ESV) 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, [wives] are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into [their husbands], 16 from [the husbands] the whole body [of husband and wife], joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Isn’t that the image Paul is painting for us?
The mystery of Christ and church
(Eph 5:31-32 ESV) 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
To this point, therefore, we see that Christ has the entire universe under his feet, and that he sits on his heavenly throne as a king, and yet we see the church made a part of the person of Christ Himself — not so much ruled as a part of the ruler! The church can hardly be in rebellion to Christ, because it is a part of him. Indeed, the church, as part of Christ, will judge the universe and angels!
Paul declares in Eph 5:31-32 that the language of Genesis 2 applies to Christ and the church — they are “united” and “one flesh.” Of course, Paul often speaks of the church as the bride of Christ, as well as the body of Christ. To our way of thinking, these are two different metaphors, but Eph 5 indicates that Paul sees them as one — as the bride is “one flesh” with her husband, she is his body. This is the ontological unity of Christ and the church that he pictures in Ephesians and Colossians.
And, of course, this tells us much of the relationship Paul wants for husbands and wives.
“Head” as ruler/sustainer
And so, for purposes of Ephesians, I suggest that “head” is a double metaphor. As to the universe, particularly his enemies, and not the church, the head is ruler (not spiritual leader). As to the church, the head is sustainer, the source of growth and nourishment.
It’s not a dictionary definition, but it’s not far from “life” or “beginning,” and Paul offers plenty of explanation in context to make his meaning clear. He is free to coin his own metaphors and doesn’t have to consult the dictionary makers to make his point clear if he explains himself.
The critical point — often overlooked — is that the church sits on Jesus’ throne with him, judging the universe along with him. His rule is with and for the church, not over the church. And this is the sense of his teaching of husbands in Eph 5.
