1.31.2009

HEAD

A basic rule of sound hermeneutics requires that no biblical term or concept be infused with meanings foreign to it. For this reason, the meaning of head in the New Testament must be defined from within the New Testament itself. It cannot be assumed that the value of head in the English language as authority, leader or master carries over automatically into the New Testament's use of the same word head...it must be determined whether the word head, when used to describe Christ's relationship to the church, carries the same meaning of lordship or whether it is invested with a different value. The glib assumption may not be made that, because head denotes authority in English, it also does so in the language of the New Testament.-Gilbert Bilezikian
Can you think of a word that evokes more emotion with regard to men and women, marriage and the leadership of the church than the word HEAD?

My aim on this blog is not to write treatises or theses on the topics that I choose. Rather, my goal is to present thoughts that provoke our thinking and hopefully challenge some of the assumptions that seem to cloud our view on the 'role' of men and women. There are traditional interpretations of the Bible that can tolerate a review of their hermeneutics without challenging the authority or truth of the Scripture.

In my opinion, the use of the word head as it is denoted in English, rather than in the context of the New Testament, is one interpretation that needs to be reviewed and revised.

2 comments:

  1. So what did the word "head" mean in the culture of the New Testament?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I will answer your question in my next blog. Thanks for asking!

    ReplyDelete