As I have previously posted in this series, the Trinity and the Gospel provide the framework for how we are to understand biblical manhood and womanhood. In this post I will go over what we can learn about what it means to be a man, and husband, as we look to the example of the Triune God that we serve. It is very common to answer that question by immediately looking to the life of Jesus, specifically on His submission to the Father. Yes this is true, but if we solely looks upon this, I believe we miss out on an opportunity to see the beauty of the headship of the Father to the Son, and its relation to the headship of the Husband to the wife. You will notice in this post that I will move on from solely discussing manhood, and start talking more about husband and wife. Keep in mind that biblical manhood does not demand that a man have to be married (Jesus, for instance). So when I discuss manhood in marriage, much still applies to manhood in general.
“I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Cor. 11:3
I believe this to be one of the least explored ideas in the teaching of biblical manhood and womanhood. In what way does the Father being the head of Christ, teach us how a husband is to be head of his wife? Most assuredly we could find an infinite amount of treasures within the inner-workings of the Trinity with implications on marriage. Today, I want to look at few.
“The Father loves the Son.” Jn 5:20
When we think about God (Father, Son, Spirit) do we think about a community of perfect love? Many wrongly believe that the incarnation of Jesus was motivated by the Father loving humanity more than He loved the Son. The Father loved the Son, and thus sent the son in Love for his own Trinitarian glory. It is horribly wrong to miss that the Father sending the Son was a loving action by the Father, an action that the Son and Holy Spirit were unified in. Jesus knew the Father’s sending was about his own joy.
“For the joy that was set before his, endured the cross.” Heb 12:2
So, what is a husband to learn from the Father’s love of the Son? The husband is to love his wife enough to lead her in her God given mission. God has made my wife Jordan and I one flesh, however she has been gifted by the Holy Spirit in ways that I have not. As a husband it is my responsibility to help point her in a direction that although may be filled with difficulty, will be what refines her gifting and enhances her joy. I never want to encourage Jordan to run from a challenge or live in such a way that only requires her strength alone. Its my role to be the head of my wife as the Father is the head of Christ. If I do that, Jordan will know that my encouragement and sending of her will be for her good, and not for harm.
Another treasure we can extract from the Fathers headship of the Son is that he has a purpose with the Son , “Father, glorify your name.” Jn 12:28, and with the Holy Spirit , “But the helper, the holy spirit, that the father will send in my name, will teach you all things.” Jn 14:26. As husbands, we then are to have purposes for our wives, and others around us. I am not talking about purposes that advance personal human glory, but purposes that advance the Glory of God. When the Father sent the Son, He had purpose for the Son, and the Son was united in that purpose. As a husband I am to lead Jordan in a life, and marriage that has a joint purpose. Since the bible has laid out the purpose for our lives,
“For you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. That you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you our of darkness and into this marvelous light.”1 Pet 2:9-10
I have the responsibility of keeping Jordan’s purpose in my mind, and to lead her into a daily life of declaring the excellencies of Jesus Christ.
The list of awesomeness continues. As we see in God’s word how the Son trusts the Father, even in the most difficult moment in all of human history. In Jesus famous prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, we see Jesus trust the headship of his Father. Even though Jesus was in inexpressive agony, we see that He was trusting the Father’s will. As men, we are to mirror the headship of the Father by being the type of men that our wives and friends can trust. Men, when your wife is in times of difficulty is she strengthened by knowing that she can trust you? Does your wife know that you always have her good in mind, and that you always have her back? Does your wife know that even though things might at times look crazy, you will still have a plan, and it will always be fixed on the glory of God?
The last implication for today, of the Headship of the Father is that the Holy Spirit was sent to the Son to provide power and comfort. When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist we get a image of the Holy Spirit descending on the Son as He would later descend on the church. The Father provided for Jesus be sending the Holy Spirit to help and commune with Him. Husbands we are to provide for, and communion with our wives in such a way that they are encouraged to live the fullest life possible by living to the Glory of God.
The Godhead is imperative for men and women to understand the beauty of manhood and womanhood. The second thing we need to look at to clarify and point to the beauty of these truths is the Gospel. That will be my next post. Much good news to come!!!!
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