HEAD (κεφαλή).
1. Natural importance.—The relationship of the head to the body is that of master to servant. In this service the body is expected to ignore its own wants, and homelessness is to be without a resting-place for the head (Matthew 8:20). The anointing of the head was an accompaniment of festive happiness (Matthew 26:7, Mark 14:3, Luke 7:46), and this mark of joy was to be borrowed by Christian self-denial (Matthew 6:17). A crown of thorns on the head was part of the mock dignity thrust upon Christ as King of the Jews (John 19:2).
The importance thus attached to the head gave a higher significance to the gestures which, among an emotional people, often emphasized or took the place of words. Such movements of the head are practised to-day in Palestine alike by young and old, and are resorted to on occasions similar to those described in the OT and NT. Thus a rapid shaking of the head from side to side, with a similar twirling of the open hand on the wrist, indicates that one is perplexed by some mystery, as when the owner of the garden asked why that useless fig-tree was still there (Luke 13:7). It also indicates that the hearer has not heard distinctly, or grasped the meaning of what has been said. An abrupt jerk of the head backward does duty, especially when at some distance away, for an emphatic ‘No.’ the bending of the head downward is the attitude of the inferior in the presence of his superior (Isaiah 58:5, Luke 18:13). The slow turning of the head once in one direction means that the words just heard or the scene witnessed pass all description. Such a gesture would be common among those who looked upon Christ’s miracles of healing power. This motion, repeated several times, along with a dissociating wave of the hand, means contempt or disgust towards some action, or the abandonment of hope in the case of some party referred to (Jeremiah 18:16, Zephaniah 2:15). The movement of the head up and down is the soliloquy of one speaking to himself and saying, ‘It is as I expected; I knew it must come to this’ (Lamentations 2:15, Matthew 27:39). The head laid to one side, with a slight protrusion of the underlip, means, ‘Causes must have consequences, you may do as you please’ (Psalms 22:7). Such a gesture seems to fill the gap in the debate over the fig-tree in the garden (Luke 13:9).
2. Figurative authority.—The connexion thus recognized between head and body was used to express all situations involving a relationship of authority and submission. The patriarchal East, with regard to both secular and sacred matters, has always attached more importance to the sceptre than to the statute. It does not understand impersonal edicts, and gives its homage to the official who can enforce his decrees. Its conception of life is of graded authority rather than of democratic equality. It was not so much in disapproval of this as by way of supplying a new line of action to the familiar instinct, that Christ said that in the coming Kingdom of God the way to honour would have to be sought through abundant and self-humbling service (Matthew 20:26 f., Matthew 23:11). The customs of swearing by the head and of appealing to heaven and earth and Jerusalem, are condemned, because, while such a habit of appealing under distress to the name of some one who could and must come to deliver and punish was a protection to the oppressed under primitive conditions of life, it was here diverted from its original meaning when the appeal was made to that which was not free, but already belonged to another. The practice was at once foolish and idolatrous. The true help is from the Lord which made heaven and earth; and this help is for those whose speech is ‘Yea, yea; nay, nay’ (Matthew 5:33-37).
For the headship of Christ see following article.
G. M. Mackie.