John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 11:3

"But 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 (ASV)

But I would have you know. It is an old proverb: “Evil manners beget good laws.” As the rite discussed here had not been previously questioned, Paul had given no ruling concerning it. The error of the Corinthians was the occasion for him to show how it was fitting to act in this matter. With the view of proving that it is an improper thing for women to appear in a public assembly with their heads uncovered, and, on the other hand, for men to pray or prophesy with their heads covered, he begins by noting the arrangements that are divinely established.

He says that as Christ is subject to God as His head, so is the man subject to Christ, and the woman to the man. We shall later see how he comes to infer from this that women should have their heads covered. Let us, for now, note those four gradations which he points out. God, then, occupies the first place: Christ holds the second place. How so? Because He has in our flesh made Himself subject to the Father, for, apart from this, being of one essence with the Father, He is His equal. Let us, therefore, remember that this is spoken of Christ as mediator. He is, I say, inferior to the Father, because He assumed our nature, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

There is some more difficulty in what follows. Here the man is placed in an intermediate position between Christ and the woman, so that Christ is not the head of the woman. Yet the same Apostle teaches us elsewhere (Galatians 3:28) that in Christ there is neither male nor female.

Why then does he make a distinction here, which in that passage he removes? I answer that the solution to this depends on the context in which the passages occur.

When he says that there is no difference between the man and the woman, he is discussing Christ’s spiritual kingdom, in which individual distinctions are not regarded or taken into account. For it has nothing to do with the body, and nothing to do with the outward relationships of humankind, but has to do solely with the mind—for this reason he declares that there is no difference, even between bond and free.

In the meantime, however, he does not disturb civil order or honorary distinctions, which are indispensable in ordinary life. Here, on the other hand, he reasons concerning outward propriety and decorum—which is a part of ecclesiastical polity.

Hence, regarding spiritual connection in the sight of God, and inwardly in the conscience, Christ is the head of the man and of the woman without any distinction, because, in that respect, no distinction is made between male or female. But regarding external arrangement and political decorum, the man follows Christ and the woman the man, so that they are not on the same level; on the contrary, this inequality exists.

Should anyone ask what connection marriage has with Christ, I answer that Paul speaks here of that sacred union of pious persons, of which Christ is the officiating priest, and He in whose name it is consecrated.