Grudem and kephale

These are just a few stray thoughts in response to Gender blog's response to CBE.

Grudem wrote,

In these texts the word kephalē is applied to many people in authority, but to none without governing authority:

1.the king of Egypt is called "head" of the nation
2. the general of an army is called the "head" of the army
3. the Roman emperor is called the "head" of the people
4. the god Zeus is called the "head" of all things
5. David as king of Israel is called the "head" of the people
6. the leaders of the tribes of Israel are called "heads" of the tribes
7. the husband is the "head" of the wife
8. Christ is the "head" of the church
9. God the Father is the "head" of Christ

So, let's take this apart. First, we want to know what "head" means in the NT, so we need to remove several points. This leaves ,

1.the king of Egypt is called "head" of the nation
2. the general of an army is called the "head" of the army
3. the Roman emperor is called the "head" of the people
4. the god Zeus is called the "head" of all things
5. David as king of Israel is called the "head" of the people
6. the leaders of the tribes of Israel are called "heads" of the tribes

Now, let's cancel out one or two.

In the LXX, in Job 1:17, the kephale was a raiding party. In the Greek army the kephale was the right hand phalanx. So let's balance out #2. Put a backslash after it. \

Zeus is the "head" that is, the beginning and the end. Hmm. Maybe, "origin," but beginning, certainly. Backslash.\

Leaders of tribes are still the "head" after they are dead. No ruling there. \

The Roman emperor is called the "head" of his people because that is how the word caput was used in Latin. \ There is actually quite a difference between kephale and caput, in terms of range.

Now, let's add Adam as the "head" of the human race. This is not during his lifetime. And Esau as the "head" of his clan.

1.the king of Egypt is called "head" of the nation
2. the general of an army is called the "head" of the army\
3. the Roman emperor is called the "head" of the people (influenced by Latin)
4. the god Zeus is called the "head" of all things \
5. David as king of Israel is called the "head" of the people
6. the leaders of the tribes of Israel are called "heads" of the tribes \
7. Adam is called the "head" of the human race\
8. Esau is called the "head" of his clan\

Now think about David. He was still being talked about in the NT. He was dead. His significance went beyond his role as ruler. He represented something else. He represented the people. As does Adam. He represents the human race.

This is a passage from Cyril of Alexandria, (died AD 444), De Recte Fide ad Pulch. 2.3, 268.as quoted by Kroeger Clark.

Therefore of our race he become first head κεφαλη, which is the source αρχη, and was of the earth and earthy. Since Christ was named the second Adam, he has been placed as head, which is source, of those who through him have been formed anew unto him unto immortality through sanctification in the spirit. Therefore he himself our source, which is head, has appeared as a human being: indeed, he, being by nature God, has a head, the Father in heaven. For, being by nature God the Word, he has been begotten from Him. Because head means source, He established the truth for those who are wavering in their mind that man is the head of woman, for she was taken out of him. Therefore one Christ and Son and Lord, the one having as head the Father in heaven, being God by nature, became for us a “head” accordingly because of his kinship according to the flesh.

Here is the same passage as quoted by Grudem,

The one of the earth and dust has become to us the first head κεφαλη of the race, that is ruler αρχη: but since the second Adam has been named Christ, he was placed as head, that is ruler of those who through him are being transformed unto him into incorruption through sanctification by the Spirit. Therefore he on the one hand is our ruler, that is head, in so far as he has appeared as a man; indeed, he, being by nature God, has a head, the Father in heaven. For, being by nature God the Word, he has been begotten from Him. But that the head signifies the ruler, the fact that the husband is said to be the head of the wife confirms the sense for the truth of doubters: for she has been taken from him. Therefore one Christ and Son and Lord, the one having as head the Father in heaven, being God by nature, became for us a “head” accordingly because of his kinship according to the flesh.

I think this passage makes clear that "source" or "origin" is the plain meaning of "head." With the mention of kinship and nature, one can see that God shares his nature with Christ, Christ with man, and man shares kinship with woman. Is sounds so simple. Christ becomes our head when he became man. Does Christ need to become man to be our ruler? I think not. Does he need to become man to share our nature? Yes, he does.

The Greek word αρχη used in this verse meant "beginning" "origin" "foundation" and "source." Those who see "source" and "origin" in headship, see sameness of nature and kinship between men and women. Those who see "ruler" in headship see the curse of Gen. 3:16.

PS John Reynolds and I ended our conversation amicably. Neither one of us has a definitive answer.

Addendum: Here is the quote from Philo regarding the king of Egypt. He is not exactly head of the nation. Here one a citation of this,

The King of Egypt is called "head" of the nation in Philo, Moses 2.30, "As the head is the ruling place in the living body, so Ptolemy became among kings."

And here is a longer one,

and, in a word, the whole family of the Ptolemies was exceedingly eminent and conspicuous above all other royal families, and among the Ptolemies, Philadelphus was the most illustrious; for all the rest put together scarcely did as many glorious and praiseworthy actions as this one king did by himself, being, as it were, the leader of the herd, and in a manner the head of all the kings.

It is no wonder that the word "head" is sometimes considered as "prominent" and not "ruler." In any case, I don't know why Grudem calls Ptolemy the ruler of the nation.