[Philip Payne, in his egalitarian treatise Man and Woman, One in Christ (Zondervan)] devotes nine chapters to 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, and hence his exposition is crucial for the argument of his book [which posits that women should be permitted to hold positions of leadership over men within the settings of public worship and Bible teaching]. Payne argues that the word kephalē means “source” in v. 2, giving fifteen reasons to support such a translation. For instance, the LXX only uses the word “head” as leader six out of 171 times. So, he concludes that Paul’s readers would not have considered the meaning “authority over” since this was not a standard meaning in Greek literature. By way of contrast, he argues that “source” was a common meaning for the term “head,” arguing his case from a number of examples. Payne thinks that elsewhere in Paul’s letters the word typically means “source.” In 1 Corinthians 11:3 “authority over” does not fit since unbelievers do not acknowledge Christ’s authority, whereas “source” works since Paul thinks of the creation of Adam.... Payne also maintains that this text does not refer to husbands and wives but men and women since there is no clear evidence that husbands and wives are in view.
I agree with Payne that the text refers to men and women rather than husbands and wives. Surprisingly, however, he does not interact with the alternative view defended by Bruce Winter. Payne’s discussion of the word “head” does not advance the discussion. First, he underestimates the evidence from the LXX, for there are more than six instances where kephalē has the meaning “authority over.” The evidence of the LXX is crucial since Paul often cites it in his letters. Second, there may be a few examples where kephalē means “source,” but Payne actually gives very few examples (which are themselves debatable) to substantiate his thesis. By way of comparison, Grudem has carefully sifted the evidence in three major articles, showing that the meaning “authority over” for kephalē is well attested.2 Third, Payne’s treatment of the New Testament evidence is singularly unconvincing. He suggests the meaning “crown” for Ephesians 1:22 and Colossians 2:10 where the meaning is obviously “authority over“.... Furthermore, it is clear that “head” means “authority over” in Ephesians 5:23, for the wife is to “submit” to her husband as the head (Ephesians 5:24). The call to submission fits perfectly with the idea that husbands are the authority over their wives. Fourth, kephalē may denote source in some texts (Ephesians 4:15; Colossians 2:19), but even in these instances, in accord with Hebrew thought, the one who is the source is also the authority. Fifth, to say that the term cannot mean “authority over” in 1 Corinthians 11:3 since not all acknowledge Christ’s authority misses the point. Christ is the authority over all men even if they don’t recognize it. Sixth, Payne says that 1 Corinthians 11:3 points to Christ being the source of Adam, but the text says that Christ is the “head of every man.” There is nothing about Adam in particular in this verse. Paul speaks universally here..... To sum up, Payne’s discussion of kephalē is unpersuasive and should be rejected.
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Author: Thomas R. Schreiner
Keywords: Priscilla, Priscila, Junia, Phebe, Phoebe, Female apostle, Deacon, Female deacons, Women deacons, Woman deacon, Deaconess, Minister, Clergy, Server, Serving, Church leader, Church leadership, prostatis, patroness, diakonos, head covering, Covering one's head, Female head covering, Headship, Male headship, Kephale, Philip Payne, Authority over, Egalitarian, Egalitarianism, complementarian, complementarianism, Women, Feminism, Female equality, Equality of sexes, gender equality, gender, gender roles, men and women
Bible reference(s): 1 Corinthians 11:3, 1 Corinthians 11:8, Colossians 2:10, Colossians 2:19, Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 5:23, Esther 6:12, Rom 16:1, Rom 16:27, Phil. 1:1, 1 Tim. 3:8, 1 Tim. 3:10, 1 Tim. 3:12, 1 Tim. 3:13
Source: “Philip Payne on Familiar Ground,” Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, Vol. 15, No. 1, November 30, 1999.
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