The Bride

When Jesus was on earth he did not take authority over his bride. Instead of taking authority over her and making her decisions, he spoke gently to his bride and he used persuasion instead of authority. One of the best examples of this is when Jesus submitted himself to wash the feet of the disciples. Peter, part of the bride of Christ, refused to have Jesus wash his feet. If the patriarchal way of taking authority over the wife was the right way, then Jesus surely should have taken authority over Peter and made the decision for Peter to wash his feet even if it was against Peter’s will. However Jesus did not do that. Instead of taking authority over Peter’s will, Jesus told Peter why he needed to wash his feet. When Peter understood Jesus’ actions as serving Peter in his need, Peter was very willing to submit to the service of Jesus.

The actions of Jesus are representative of a godly husband. A godly husband does not take authority over his wife’s will. Instead of making decisions for her, a godly husband will gently persuade and lovingly sacrifice for his wife. When a husband does these things, a wife will find joy in submitting to his sacrifice and it will be an act of her own free will that will accept what he offers her.

Two heads one master

by Cheryl Schatz

While Paul said that the husband is the head of the wife (1 Cor. 11:3) with this metaphor implying that the wife is the body of the husband, scripture also tells us that Jesus is the head of the body of Christ and the believing wife is part of that body too. This means that the metaphor of head/body is used both of a physical relationship between husband and wife and a spiritual relationship between believers and Christ. But does head mean master?

Many believe that head means one who has authority over another. Some believe that a woman is not allowed to teach the bible if her husband does not give her permission to do so. In essence he is her master and she must obey what he tells her. But if head means master, then scripture contradicts itself because the bible says that we have only one master. In John 13:13 Jesus says that he is that Master.

John 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. KJV

The word translated as “master” is didaskalos and it means teacher, instructor, master. Jesus then goes on to show that we are all brothers and only one is our master/teacher.

Matthew 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Matthew 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

Matthew 23:11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. KJV

Jesus also taught that no one can serve two masters:

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.

The word for master here is kurios and it means lord, master, owner.

It is impossible for “head” to mean “lord, master, owner”. Jesus is both head and Master because he alone is God. No husband is to be in the position of master because we are to have only one master and that is Jesus Christ.

It is a wonderful thing when a husband agrees that his wife should teach the bible. However his agreement should have no bearing on the obedience of a servant of the one and only Master. There is only one spiritual head and only one Master. The husband is in a one-flesh union with his wife and together they should work out their marriage relationship. But scripture never gives the husband the position of master over his wife and scripture never tells the wife that she must obey her husband as her master, for no one can serve two masters.