From Authority to Origin: What Paul Really Meant by 'Head'
Part 3 of 7 in a series on "Headship"
The Greek word kephalē — often translated as “head” — has become a theological flashpoint in debates around gender, leadership, and authority in the Apostle Paul’s letters. Traditional interpretations often assume that Paul uses kephalē to denote hierarchical authority. But a growing body of scholarship, including the work of Philip Payne, Richard Cervin, and Catherine Kroeger, challenges this reading. Instead, they propose that Paul employs kephalē metaphorically to signify "source" or "origin," drawing from Greco-Roman linguistic contexts and early Christian theology. The implications of this shift are significant, particularly for understanding gender roles in marriage and the church.
Let’s explore three pivotal passages: 1 Corinthians 11, Ephesians 5, and Colossians 1. Each text uses kephalē in a different relational metaphor. A deeper dive into their linguistic, theological, and contextual dimensions reveals a far more nuanced view than hierarchy alone can offer.
1 Corinthians 11:3 – “Head” as Source, Not Boss
Paul writes, "But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is man, and the head of Christ is God" (1 Cor. 11:3, ESV). At first glance, this verse reads like a chain of command. But a hierarchical interpretation falters when we consider its Trinitarian implications. If "God is the head of Christ" means the Father has authority over the Son, we risk endorsing a form of eternal subordinationism — a position inconsistent with Nicene orthodoxy, which affirms the co-equality of Father and Son.
Instead, scholars like Payne argue that kephalē here should be read as "source". Just as Christ is the source of life for man (cf. John 1:3), and man is the source of woman (cf. Gen. 2:22), so God is the eternal source of the Son (cf. John 1:14, "the only Son from the Father"). This reading aligns with Paul's later statement: "Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God" (1 Cor. 11:11-12, ESV). Paul affirms mutual dependence, not hierarchy.
Payne's lexical work supports this interpretation. In classical Greek, kephalē often referred to the "source" or "origin" of something, like the head of a river or the starting point of a lineage. Importantly, Paul does not use Greek words that unambiguously denote authority (exousia, kurios, or archōn) when describing these relationships. This suggests Paul intended a metaphor of relational origin rather than command structure.
Ephesians 5:23 – Christlike Love, Not Commanding
This verse has often been wielded to support male headship in marriage: "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" (Eph. 5:23, ESV). But again, context tells a different story. Just two verses earlier, Paul exhorts all believers to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (v.21). Whatever follows must be read within the framework of mutual submission.
The husband's role is then defined not by authority but by Christlike love: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (v.25). This love is self-sacrificial, not controlling. It reflects a posture of relational devotion that prioritizes the other’s good. In Ephesians 4:15–16, Paul describes Christ as the head “from whom the whole body... builds itself up in love”—not as a source of sustenance, but as part of a relational system where each contributes to shared growth that allows the body to function as a unified whole.
This imagery reflects the ancient physiological belief that the head played a vital role in coordinating and unifying the body. Payne and others argue that Paul draws on this model to portray the husband not as a ruler or central source of life, but as one who contributes to the relational cohesion of the marriage. Paul deliberately avoids explicit authority language. Instead, he describes a relationship of mutual giving—anchored in love, service, and a shared commitment to the other’s flourishing.
Colossians 1:18 – Preeminence, Not Patriarchy
Paul writes, "And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent" (Col. 1:18, ESV). Here, kephalē clearly denotes Christ's preeminence as the source of resurrection life. The surrounding context emphasizes origin and supremacy in the sense of primacy in creation and redemption: "For in him all things were created... all things were created through him and for him" (v.16).
There is no indication in this passage that kephalē implies command-and-control authority over the church. Instead, Christ's headship is expressed through his role as the beginning, the first to rise from the dead, and the sustainer of all things (v.17). It is a generative, creative headship — one that empowers rather than dominates.
Reconsidering Tradition: A Theological and Linguistic Shift
Historically, many church traditions have interpreted kephalē through a patriarchal lens. As Payne details, figures from Aquinas to Calvin to Wesley often treated women as ontologically inferior and thus subordinated them. Even modern complementarianism, which claims equality in value but difference in role, imports a hierarchical framework under a different guise.
But tradition, as Payne reminds us, is not static. Just as the church has reformed its stance on slavery, monarchy, and Gentile inclusion, so too it must be open to reexamining so-called gender roles. Galatians 3:28 offers a foundational vision: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
The Bottom Line
Across these texts, Paul uses kephalē metaphorically, but not consistently as a symbol of authority. In 1 Corinthians 11, it points to relational origin. In Ephesians 5, it reflects sacrificial, self-giving love. In Colossians 1, it denotes Christ's preeminence and life-giving power. None of these uses demands a hierarchical reading.
This alternative interpretation not only aligns better with lexical and contextual evidence, but also resonates with Paul's broader theology of mutuality, unity in Christ, and Spirit-empowered gifting. As Payne argues, limiting women based on misunderstood metaphors stifles their calling and misrepresents the gospel's redemptive trajectory.
It's time to reconsider what kephalē truly signifies in Paul's writings — not as a token of dominance, but as a metaphor for source, sustenance, unity, and sacrificial relationship. A theology of kephalē as source invites us into a vision of marriage and church life marked not by hierarchy, but by interdependence, dignity, and shared vocation.
References
Cervin, R. S. (1989). Does Kephalē (“Head”) Mean “Source” Or “Authority Over” in Greek Literature? Trinity Journal, 10(1), 85–112.
Grudem, W. (2004). Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth: An Analysis of More Than 100 Disputed Questions. Multnomah.
Kroeger, C. C., & Kroeger, R. S. (1992). I Suffer Not a Woman: Rethinking 1 Timothy 2:11–15 in Light of Ancient Evidence. Baker Books.
Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S., & McKenzie, R. (1996). A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Mowczko, M. (n.d.). The Meaning of Kephalē (“Head”) in Paul’s Letters. Retrieved from https://margmowczko.com/
Payne, P. B. (2009). Man and Woman, One in Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Paul’s Letters. Zondervan Academic.
Payne, P. B. (2022). The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood: How God’s Word Consistently Affirms Gender Equality. Zondervan Reflective.