If husbands and wives are equal partners why did Paul (in I Corinthians 11) say the husband is head of the wife?
A. Paul was a Jew raised with Old Testament traditions that included this idea (see Numbers 30), which he took literally (Paul’s epistles, being sermons and commentaries on the Gospels, do not contain an internal, spiritual sense like the rest of the Scriptures). But in the spiritual sense there is no thought of men ruling over women. Rather a husband and wife represent the human will and understanding in a reciprocal partnership, one that often requires the understanding to lead, and check, and moderate the inclinations of the will.
Related Questions
- What is the significance of Pauls discussion about head covering in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 for the discussion of the role of women in the church?
- Should Christians believe Paul when he says wives should obey their husbands and slaves should obey their masters?
- What does Pauls instruction in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 on head coverings mean for us today?
