1 Corinthians 11:3

θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι (= οὐ θέλω κ. τ. λ. of 1 Corinthians 10:1; see note): “But I would have you know” the previous commendation throws into relief the coming censure. The indecorum in question offends against a foundation principle, viz., that of subordination under the Divine government; this the Cor [1598], with all their knowledge, cannot “know,” or they would not have allowed their women to throw off the ἐξουσία ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς (1 Corinthians 11:10). The violated principle is thus stated: “Of every man the Christ is the head, while the man is head of woman, and God is head of Christ”. As to the wording of this sentence: παντὸς ἀνδρὸς bears emphasis in the 1st clause asserting, like the parl [1599] 2nd clause, a universal truth which holds of the man (vir) as such; the predicate of the 1st clause is distinguished by the def. art [1600], “Christ is the (proper, essential) head,” etc. (cf. ἡ εἰρήνη, Ephesians 2:14, and see Bm [1601], pp. 124 f.); ὁ Χριστός, in James, 3 rd clauses, means “the Christ” in the wide scope of His offices (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 1 Corinthians 15:22); for anarthrous κεφαλὴ γυναικός, cf. note on 1 Corinthians 2:5. That Christ is “every man's” true head is an application of the revealed truth that He is the “one Lord” of created nature (1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:15 f.), combined with the palpable fact that the ἀνὴρ has no (intervening) lord in creation (cf. 9); he stands forth in worship, amidst his family, with no visible superior, holding headship direct from his Maker, and brought by his manhood into direct responsibility to Him “through whom are all things”. Ed [1602], following Cm [1603] and Mr [1604] (not Hn [1605]), limits this manly subordination to the Christian order of life; “the man is head of the woman in virtue of the marriage union, Christ of the man in virtue of union with Him through faith”: but faith is common to the sexes, on this footing οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ (Galatians 3:28); on the other hand, in Pauline theology, the law of marriage and the social order are grounded in Christ. Paul's argument has no force unless the parl [1606] assertions rest on a common basis. The question is one that touches the fundamental proprieties of life (1 Corinthians 11:8-15); and the three headships enumerated belong to the hierarchy of nature. “The Christ” of the 3rd clause is “the Christ” of the 1st, without distinction made of natures or states; He who is “every man's head,” the Lord of nature, presents the pattern of loyalty in His perfect obedience to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:28; Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 5:5; Hebrews 5:8, etc.); cf. 1 Corinthians 3:22 f., where with the same δέ … δὲ a chain of subordinate possession is drawn out, corresponding to this subordination of rule. Submission in office, whether of woman to man or Christ to God, consists with equality of nature.

[1598] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[1599] parallel.

[1600] grammatical article.

[1601] A. Buttmann's Grammar of the N.T. Greek (Eng. Trans., 1873).

[1602] T. C. Edwards' Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians.

[1603] John Chrysostom's Homiliœ († 407).

[1604] Meyer's Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Eng. Trans.).

[1605] C. F. G. Heinrici's Erklärung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer's krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).

[1606] parallel.