Made in the image of God?

[suzie]

Ligh--head or kephale means source or origin or and in Greek it rarely is used to denote authority over. the function of the head ws unknown before modern science as in rational processes. The head was not known to command the body the way we think of it today, but instead was thought of as the source of life. Greeks thought that the man's sperm was found in the head. When Jesus is called the head of the body, the idea Paul develops is that Jesus gives life to the body. Paul never talks about Jesus being in charge of the body when using the term "head". Husband then is not seen as authority over the wife, but source of life as Christ is source of life to the church. The discussion then is not about authority but love.

Paul used the traditional household codes of the Roman Empire and borrowed from the Greco-Roman moral writings of how the man of the household should deal with its members. This was not a new concept. Most ancient writers expected wifes to be obedient to their husbands, even some requiring absolute obedience. Paul was challenging the patriarchial structure of the home, calling on the husband to love their wives, something which he relates Christianity to the standards of his culture, he subverts his cultures values by going far beyond them. Both husband and wives must submit and love. instead of how he should rule her, Paul stresses how he should love her. We are all called to be imitators of Christ bringing about respect and humility that is to be self-giving servanthood that Jesus emulated. It is a matter of unity other than authority

The woman is created from the man-that is true. this makes a unique relationship unlike any other in creation. when husband and wife unite, they become one flesh. God did not mandate man in authority over woman. Rather man and women were created equally sharing the same image and nature of God.

In Ephesians, 1 Timothy, etc. Paul was dealing with cultural diversities and problems within the churches. In these scriptures you point out, is Paul mandating for all women for all time or is he addressing specific problems within the church. We know for a fact that women did teach men, Paul states we are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28) IN Ephesians 5:21 we are called to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. The word "submit"in v22 (wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord) does not even appear in the original writings, but has to be borrowed from v21. enjoining all Christians to submit to one another.
I think having a hermaneutical understanding of these scriptures gives very different dynamics than what our modern culture conveys.

 

[JohnR7]

quote...Ligh--head or kephale means source or origin

Actually, the Greek word used most often is hupotasso,

Ephes. 5:22
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Ephes. 5:24
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Col. 3:18
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

1 Peter 3:1a Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands;

Titus 2:5
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Husbands are instructed to love their wife as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it. The Husband wife relationship is a type or example of the relationship between Jesus and His bride. So as the Bride is subject onto Christ, the wife is subject onto her husband.

Even we are told if a husband is not loving toward his wife, then his prayers will be hindered. Perhaps if most husbands were honest there is a time they prayed and their prayers were not answered because in some way they had been unloving toward their wife.

 

[LightBearer]

Johnr7:

Vines expository dictionary of greek words says of (Kephale = Head)

I qouote "metaphorically, of the authority or direction of God in relation to the christ, of christ in relation to believing men, of the husband in relation to the wife, 1 cor 11: 3." unquote.

Vine is considered one of if not the foremost of Greek scholars and is highly esteemed.

Besides, the greek word used at 1 Cor 11: 3. is Kephale not Hupotasso

 

[JohnR7]

>>Besides, the greek word used at 1 Cor 11: 3. is Kephale not Hupotasso

In that passage, a "head" is someone who is the leader in regards to setting the pace for others to follow. They set the right and proper example.

My wife and I go around and around about this. I will ask her to do something and she tells me that she is not going to do all the work while I sit down and do nothing. She will help me with it though. Or sometimes if I am out working on the yard, I have to get after her to follow my example and get out and pull weeds. Rather than just to sit down and talk on the phone and do nothing.

A lot of men get confused about this. They think to be head means that they get to crack the whip and sit down and do nothing while people wait on them. It's not that way at all in the kingdom of God. To be head means to live a life of Holiness and Purity and to set a proper example for others to follow. Just as Jesus left us an example on how we should live.  

In our church the pastor is 81 years old, and he still sets a pretty good pace. The teenagers are actually the ones who have the most trouble keeping up with him. Maybe because they waste energy and have not learned how to focus yet. He tells us that we are just now getting started and that everything up tell this point in time was to prepare us.

 

[LightBearer]

I do agree John that being the head does not mean "cracking the whip" as you put it. LOL The scriptures say a man should exercise his headship lovingly. A Christian husband needs to remember that Scriptural headship is not as you say a dictatorship. He must imitate Jesus, his Head. Although he was to be “head over all things,” Jesus “came, not to be ministered to, but to minister.” (Ephesians 1:22; Matthew 20:28) In a similar way, a Christian man exercises headship in a loving manner that enables him to care well for the interests of his family. And surely a Christian wife wants to cooperate with her husband. As his “helper” and “a complement,” she supplies qualities that her husband lacks and thus gives him needed support. (Genesis 2:20; Proverbs 31:10-31) The proper exercise of headship helps husbands and wives to treat each other with respect and moves children to be obedient.

I appreciated your sincere comments.

 

 

[suzie]

Headship was not understood as authority over ---in Greek literature it is rarely used as such, but instead as source, origin, as in the headwaters of a river. Paul also did not deal directly with slavery. Instead he had instructed how to deal with slavery. Jesus did not denounce Roman taxation of Israel. Women were totally oppressed within this cultural time and literally property of the husband. Instead of looking at these verses as a means of husband in authority over wife, Paul was attempting to convert the Hellenized mind to Christian thinking where all people would be equal citizens in God's Kingdom regardless of sex, nationality, or financial status. The people had to be transformed by renewing of their minds in order to accept the NT standard for equality. God's message is not about one being in authority over another , but instead about unity and love, with God in authority. God never mandated one human over another but to serve one another for His kingdom. Husband and wife are both called to be spiritual leaders and we are individually accountable for what we do or fail to do.

 

[suzie]

As far as helper you quote from Genesis--the term "helper" ('ezer) is used over 20 times in the OT and almost always refers to someone in a superior position (Many times God), and never as in subordinate means. Does this term then express submission to but mutual dependancy. Women serves God with man.

 

[JohnR7]

(quote) Headship was not understood as authority over

In the ARK of Moses were three things. Arrons rod that budded, manna and the ten commandments. This represents God's leadership, God's provision & God's law or ordinances. These are the three areas that mankind has rebelled in, and the three area there is need for forgiveness.

 

[suzie]

I apologize John, I must clarify my answer. when I was speaking of headship not meaning authority, I was speaking about specifically about the Greek word Kephale as in 1 Cor and Ephesians 5.....If Paul were to be conveying the idea of "authority" he would have chosen "archon" which conveys the idea of leader, ruler, or authority.

When the term ro'sh (head) was used figuratively to mean source or beginning the translators used kephale, however, when ro'sh was used figuratively to mean "ruler" or "boss", (as the head of the tribe of Judah) the translators used archon meaning "ruler". This is based on research studies of headship in the Septuaging.

 

[Sinai]

Originally posted by psycmajor
Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

So, we were created in God's image. I've been familiar with this scripture for years, but what does it MEAN?

Both seebs and Reformationist have given some good answers, and several have alluded to God's being a spirit. Jesus said that God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4: 24). God is spirit, and he has placed a bit of his spirit within us so that we might have eternal fellowship with him as our Lord.

Hebrew has two words for soul--nefesh and neshama--and both come into play in the first two chapters of Genesis. When Genesis 1:21 tells us that “God created…every animal,” it signifies that all animals (humans included) are infused with the nefesh or soul of animal life. When humans are mentioned a few verses later (Genesis 1:27 and 2:7), the text tells of a further creation, which distinguishes humans from lower animals: The third “creation” mentioned in the first chapter of Genesis is of our eternal and immortal soul, our neshama (the first two “creations” were of the universe and of life).

 

[BaMerz]

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

So, we were created in God's image. I've been familiar with this scripture for years, but what does it MEAN?

For what it is worth, I have always felt this way.  God is a Triune being -- He is Creator, He is a physical being in the man Christ Jesus, and He is a Holy Spirit.  We, in a sense, are also triune.  We are creative beings, equipped with an intellect that has brought about in the world a variety of ideas, discoveries, and inventions.  We are also physical beings in the sense that we come into the world in a mortal body, which will one day, die.  We are also spiritual beings in that we are the only part of the creation intentionally put here to commune and to fellowship with God.  No ther part of the creation can claim this triune nature, but us.  We are truly created in God's very own image, regardless of the fact that we look different from each other and that we come as male and female.

To Him be all the glory.