Sermon Tone Analysis

*1 Corinthians 11:2-3…* I praise you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I passed them on to you. 3 But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

*Commentary*

            After lambasting the Corinthians for their immorality and immaturity in the previous chapters Paul now praises them in v. 2 because they “remembered” him and were keeping the “traditions” he had passed on to them.

They remembered all that Paul had taught them theologically by recalling where they learned about Christ; they called to mind Paul as their spiritual father – the one who brought them to Christ.

They were also keeping the “traditions” he had passed down to them.

“Traditions” refers to his teachings that they were keeping.

This is further indication that the Corinthians didn’t have a theological problem (one where they misunderstood God’s teachings), rather, they had a moral problem.

They knew the Truth, but they were confused morally as to how their theology of God affected their lifestyles morally.

From v. 3 through the end of chapter 14 Paul addresses issues relating to public worship.

The issue, in vv.

2-16, deals with authority in the church as it relates to men and women.

Paul calls attention in v. 3, as he sets the stage for his teaching about the roles of men and women in the church, to Jesus Christ who is the “head of every man.”

The word for “head” in vv.

2-16 is used both metaphorically referring to the “leader; ruler; the one in authority” and also in a literal way to refer to the physical head on one’s body.

When Paul says that Christ is the “head” of every man he is obviously referring to the fact that Christ is the authority and ruler over every man because he is the Creator of all things and the Savior of all men.

Ephesians 5:22-23 says that Christ is the “head” of the church, and this is clearly a reference to his authority over the church.

In a metaphorical way Jesus Christ is the head while all who profess their faith in Him make up the body.

The “head” has authority over the body, both literally and figuratively.

The first phrase in v. 3 clearly teaches that Christ is the authority over every man.

Then the second phrase states that “man is the head of a woman.”

Though difficult teaching for the godless in the 21st century, God clearly teaches a distinction between the roles of men and women.

In the same way that Jesus Christ is the undisputed authority over mankind along with His creation, the male is the authority over the female.

It must be stated here, as the transition moves to the third phrase of the verse, that man’s authority over the woman does not mean that he is greater than she.

For the third phrase says that “God is the head of Christ.”

So in the same way that God the Father has authority over the Son of God, so too does the male have authority over the female.

Now since the Father is not greater than the Son (both are God), the Son, however, is submissive to the Father, giving the Father authority over the Son (cf.

John 14:28).

*Food for Thought*