Headships of Christ, The

From: Doctrinal Definitions: A Handbook of Doctrinal Terms & Expressions in the New Testament By: Stanley Bruce Anstey

• 7 min. read • grade level: 7

This refers to the direction, the control, and the supply of Christ in various spheres over which He is Head. W. Scott said that there are at least four such headships of Christ (The Young Christian, vol. 5, p. 1; The Book of Revelation, p. 111). The following references state them in the order in which Christ took them on:

1) Headship Of Creation—(Col. 1:15-17¹⁵Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: ¹⁶For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: ¹⁷And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:15‑17); 1 Cor. 11:3³But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3)).

The Lord took this Headship at His incarnation—when He became a Man (Luke 1:35³⁵And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35); Phil. 2:7-8⁷But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:7‑8)). Being who He was, in stepping into His own creation, He couldn’t take any other place in it than that of “Firstborn of all creation” (Col. 1:15¹⁵Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:15)). Being the Son, He must of necessity have preeminence in position and dignity, of which “Firstborn” indicates. The vast creation was not only created by Him (John 1:3, 10³All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3)
¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (John 1:10); Col. 1:16¹⁶For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16); Heb. 1:2²Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:2); Rev. 4:11¹¹Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11)), but He also sustains it by His power. Men speak of the creation being ordered by the laws of nature, but Scripture says that it “subsists” by the power of the Son of God (Col. 1:17¹⁷And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17)).

Not only is Christ the Head of the inanimate objects in the creation, but Christ is also “the Head of every man” in the creation (1 Cor. 11:3³But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3)). This refers to all men—saved and lost. W. Scott said, “Christ is the Head of every man. It is not a question of a man being saved or not. It is not that Christ is the Head of every Christian man merely” (The Young Christian, vol. 5, p. 41). In creation, God has established an order in connection with the roles of men and women, and it is to be observed in ordinary life and in the assembly. In this connection, the Apostle Paul says, “The man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man” (1 Cor. 11:8-9⁸For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. ⁹Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. (1 Corinthians 11:8‑9)).

2) Headship Of The New Creation Race—(Rom. 5:12-21¹²Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: ¹³(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. ¹⁵But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. ¹⁶And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. ¹⁷For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) ¹⁸Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. ¹⁹For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. ²⁰Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: ²¹That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:12‑21); 1 Cor. 15:22, 45-49²²For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22)
⁴⁵And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. ⁴⁶Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. ⁴⁷The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. ⁴⁸As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. ⁴⁹And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Corinthians 15:45‑49); 2 Cor. 5:17¹⁷Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17); Rev. 3:14¹⁴And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14)).

The Lord became Head of the new creation race of men when He rose from the dead (Col. 1:1¹Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, (Colossians 1:1)8b).

God has purposed that “the world to come” (the Millennium) would be under the rule of man. Psalm 8 indicates this. It is something that was never said of angels. God made angels to serve, but not to rule (Heb. 1:13-14; 2:5¹³But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? ¹⁴Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:13‑14)
⁵For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. (Hebrews 2:5)). The only creature that He ever made to rule was man. However, the fall of man has rendered him quite incapable of ruling for God in any proper sense (Eccl. 7:29²⁹Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. (Ecclesiastes 7:29)). In his fallen state, he is no longer fit for this purpose. God cannot use man in his present state to rule the world to come; he would only make a mess out of it, as he has done in this world since his fall. Thus, the entrance of sin has seemingly frustrated God’s purpose for man. However, God has met this dilemma in Christ’s coming and taking up manhood for the glory of God. He became a Man and assumed the liabilities that man had incurred by going into death and making expiation for sin (Heb. 2:9⁹But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)). In rising from the dead, Christ became the Head of a new race of men (Col. 1:18¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18); Rev. 3:14¹⁴And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14)), which is well able to rule the world to come as God has purposed (1 Cor. 6:2²Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? (1 Corinthians 6:2)).

Colossians 1:1¹Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, (Colossians 1:1)8b states that the Lord Jesus Christ is "the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead." When Christ rose from the dead, He became the "beginning" and thus the Head of this new creation race (2 Cor. 5:17¹⁷Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17); Gal. 6:15¹⁵For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. (Galatians 6:15); Eph. 2:10¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10); Rev. 3:14¹⁴And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14)). Hebrews 2:10¹⁰For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10) refers to this, stating that if God was going to bring "many sons" (the new race) to "glory" (glorification), the "the Captain [Author] of their salvation" (the Lord Jesus Christ) would first have to be made "perfect." This refers to Christ's resurrection and glorification (Luke 13:32³²And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. (Luke 13:32); Heb. 5:9⁹And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Hebrews 5:9)). This shows that there had to be a glorified Head in heaven first before there could be a race under Him which He would bring to glorification. Thus, the Son of God became the Son of Man that He might make believing sons of men to be sons of God. In resurrection, the Lord signified His authority as Head of the new race by breathing on the disciples (John 20:22²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: (John 20:22)), which is what He did with the first race (Gen. 2:7⁷And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)). (See New Creation.)

3) Headship Of The Body—(Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:23²²And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22)
¹⁵But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (Ephesians 4:15)
²³For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (Ephesians 5:23); Col. 1:18; 2:19¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)
¹⁹And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. (Colossians 2:19)).

The Lord became the Head of the body by ascending to heaven and sending the Holy Spirit to baptize the believers into one body (1 Cor. 12:12-13¹²For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. ¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:12‑13)). As a person’s head is the seat of his intelligence, giving directions to his body, so Christ as Head of His (mystical) body is the controlling and guiding authority of the Church. Thus, we are to look to Him for everything in connection with the assembly. The Colossian believers were getting distracted and were looking to others things in the spirit world, and Paul told them that they were “not holding the Head” practically, which is a collective responsibility of the body.

Ephesians 5:23²³For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (Ephesians 5:23) states that “Christ is the Head of the Church,” but Ephesians 1:22-23²²And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, ²³Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:22‑23) says that He is also “the Head over all things to the Church, which is His body.” These things are slightly different. Being Head “over all things to” the Church refers to the fact that He controls everything that touches the Church, for He is the controller of all circumstances. Therefore, nothing touches the members of His body that He doesn’t know and care about (Acts 9:4⁴And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (Acts 9:4)).

Christ’s Headship of the body is frequently confounded with His Headship of the new creation race. Our connection with Christ as Head of the new creation is said to be “in” Him; it is individual (2 Cor. 5:17¹⁷Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) – “if any one be in Christ...”). Whereas our connection with Christ as the Head of the body is “to” Him, which is union—a collective thing (Eph. 4:15¹⁵But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (Ephesians 4:15)). Hence, Scripture does not speak of the Church as being “in Christ,” but as individual brethren in the new creation race we are. Both are true of believers, but they are different lines of truth in connection with our relationship with the Lord. W. Scott said, “When membership in the body is predicated of any, it is not said they are ‘in Christ.’ We [as members] are not in the Head. The union of the various parts and members of the human body is not in the head; united to the head they are, but not in it. ‘In Christ’ conveys a different order and character of truth from union to Him. United to Him is the body; in Him is the [new creation] race. Both, of course, are true of believers” (The Young Christian, vol. 5, p. 14). The epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians are the only epistles which mention Christ’s Headship of the body.

4) Headship Of Principalities & Powers—(Col. 2:10¹⁰And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:10)).