1 Corinthians 11:3

1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 Corinthians 11:3 But shows that Paul has quickly moved from praise (v. 1 Corinthians 11:2) to correction. wife. See esv footnote. A woman’s head covering in first-century Roman society was a sign of marriage. Paul’s practical concern is not with the relationship between women and men generally but with the relationship between husband and wife. head. Some have argued that the Greek word used here for “head” means “source,” but in over 50 occurrences of this word in ancient sources, saying that “person A is the head of person(s) B,” person A has authority over person(s) B in every case. Therefore it is best to understand “head” here as referring metaphorically to “authority” (see also Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 2:10). As with the authority of Christ over the church, however, this is not a self-centered exercise of power but is the kind of leadership that takes care to serve the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of the wife. See Mark 10:44; Ephesians 5:23, Ephesians 5:25. the head of Christ is God. See notes on John 5:19; 14:28; 1 Corinthians 15:28. In marriage, as in the Trinity, there is equality in being and value but difference in roles (see Ephesians 5:22).