Headship of Christ in Marriage and Relationships
Ephesians 5:23 establishes the foundational analogy: "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior" [1]. This parallel between marital headship and Christ's relation to the Church appears also in 1 Corinthians 11:3, which places Christ as "the head of every man," the man as "the woman's head," and God as "Christ's head" [2]. The concept of headship thus operates within a hierarchical framework that extends from the Godhead through Christ to human relationships.
Christ's Headship Over the Church
Christ's headship over the Church was predicted in Psalm 118:22 and declared by Christ himself in Matthew 21:42 [5]. This headship involves several functions: Christ commissioned the apostles, instituted the ordinances, and imparts gifts to the Church [5]. The relationship is described as mystical union—"Christ being in us" and "our being in Christ"—maintained through faith, abiding in him, and obedience [3]. Easton's Bible Dictionary identifies this kingly office as one of three mediatorial functions (prophet, priest, and king), exercised "in his Church, and over his Church, and over all things in behalf of his Church" [4].
Application to Marriage
The husband's headship, however, differs from Christ's in a crucial respect. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown notes that while Christ's headship is "united with, nay gained by, His having saved the body in the process of redemption," the husband "is not saviour of the wife, in which particular Christ excels" [6]. John Chrysostom emphasizes that "the head is the saving health of the body," and that Paul had "already laid down beforehand for man and wife, the ground and provision of their love" [8]. The headship involves authority [9], but Chrysostom warns against understanding this authority as identical to Christ's salvific role, asking rhetorically whether the husband is to be "head and saviour and defender" in the same manner as Christ [12].
The spiritual marriage between Christ and the Church serves as "the foundation and archetype" of earthly marriage [10]. Paul's argument in Ephesians 5:31 about leaving father and mother points not primarily to natural marriage but to "the spiritual marriage represented by it," whereby Christ left the Father's bosom to woo the Church [7]. Yet Jamieson-Fausset-Brown observes that "neither sex is insulated and independent of the other in the Christian life," for together they "realize the ideal of redeemed humanity represented by the bride, the Church" [11].
Sources
- Ephesians “Ephesians 5:23 (BSB) — For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.”
- I Corinthians “I Corinthians 11:3 (Geneva1599) — But I wil that ye know, that Christ is the head of euery man: and the man is the womans head: and God is Christs head.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Union With Christ — As Head of the Church -- Eph 1:22,23; 4:15,16; Col 1:18. Christ prayed that all saints might have -- Joh 17:21,23. Described as Christ being in us. -- Eph 3:17; Col 1:27. Our being in Christ. -- 2Co 12:2; 1Jo 5:20. Includes union with the Father -- Joh 17:21; 1Jo 2:24. Is of God -- 1Co 1:30. Maintained by Faith. -- Ga 2:20; Eph 3:17. Abiding in him. -- Joh 15:4,7. His word abiding in us. -- Joh 15:7; 1Jo 2:24; 2Jo 1:9. Feeding on him. -- Joh 6:56. Obeying him. -- 1Jo 3:24. The Holy Spirit witnesses -- 1Jo 3:24. The gift of the Holy Spirit is an ev”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Kingly office of Christ — One of the three special relations in which Christ stands to his people. Christ's office as mediator comprehends three different functions, viz., those of a prophet, priest, and king. These are not three distinct offices, but three functions of the one office of mediator. Christ is King and sovereign Head over his Church and over all things to his Church (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; Col. 1:18; 2:19). He executes this mediatorial kingship in his Church, and over his Church, and over all things in behalf of his Church. This royalty differs from that whic”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Christ, the Head of the Church — Predicted -- Ps 118:22; Mt 21:42. Appointed by God -- Eph 1:22. Declared by himself -- Mt 21:42. As his mystical body -- Eph 4:12,15; 5:23. Has the pre-eminence in all things -- 1Co 11:3; Eph 1:22; Col 1:18. Commissioned his Apostles -- Mt 10:1,7; 28:19; Joh 20:21. Instituted the ordinances -- Mt 28:19; Lu 22:19,20. Imparts gifts -- Ps 68:18; Eph 4:8. Saints are complete in -- Col 2:10. Perverters of the truth do not hold -- Col 2:18,19.”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:23: (Co1 11:3.) even as--Greek, "as also." and he is--The oldest manuscripts read, "Himself (being) Saviour," omitting "and," and "is." In Christ's case, the Headship is united with, nay gained by, His having SAVED the body in the process of redemption; so that (Paul implies) I am not alleging Christ's Headship as one entirely identical with that other, for He has a claim to it, and office in it, peculiar to Himself [ALFORD]. The husband is not saviour of the wife, in which particular Christ excels; hence, "But" (Eph 5:24) follows [BENGEL].”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:31: For--The propagation of the Church from Christ, as that of Eve from Adam, is the foundation of the spiritual marriage. The natural marriage, wherein "a man leaves father and mother (the oldest manuscripts omit 'his') and is joined unto his wife," is not the principal thing meant here, but the spiritual marriage represented by it, and on which it rests, whereby Christ left the Father's bosom to woo to Himself the Church out of a lost world: Eph 5:32 proves this: His earthly mother as such, also, He holds in secondary account as compared with His spir”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: is not, “but, nevertheless,” as the Church is subject to Christ, so let wives be to their husbands, etc.—Ellicott, Meyer, Bengel, Calvin, and Alford.—G.A.] as the Church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their husbands in everything.” Then after saying, “The husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is of the Church,” he further adds, “and He is the Saviour of the body.” For indeed the head is the saving health of the body. He had already laid down beforehand for man and wife, the ground and provision of their lo”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 5:23: 5:23-24 a husband is the head of his wife: To be the head is to have authority (see 1 Cor 11:3). • Christ is the head of the church: See Eph 1:22; 4:15; Col 1:18; 2:10, 19.”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:22: (Eph 6:9.) The Church's relation to Christ in His everlasting purpose, is the foundation and archetype of the three greatest of earthly relations, that of husband and wife (Eph 5:22-33), parent and child (Eph 6:1-4), master and servant (Eph 6:4-9). The oldest manuscripts omit "submit yourselves"; supplying it from Eph 5:21, "Ye wives (submitting yourselves) unto your own husbands." "Your own" is an argument for submissiveness on the part of the wives; it is not a stranger, but your own husbands whom you are called on to submit unto (compare Gen 3:16”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 11:11: Yet neither sex is insulated and independent of the other in the Christian life [ALFORD]. The one needs the other in the sexual relation; and in respect to Christ ("in the Lord"), the man and the woman together (for neither can be dispensed with) realize the ideal of redeemed humanity represented by the bride, the Church.”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 & 2 Corinthians: of this very Epistle, he said, ( 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23 .) “All are yours, and ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” What then? Are all in like manner ours, as “we are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s?” In no wise, but even to the very simple the difference is evident, although the same expression is used of God, and Christ, and us. And elsewhere also having called the husband “head of the wife,” he added, ( Ephes. v. 23 .) “Even as Christ is Head and Saviour and Defender of the Church, so also ought the man to be of his own wife.” Are we then to under”