the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Head
Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary
or This word has several significations, beside its natural one, which denotes the head of a man. It is sometimes used in Scripture for the whole man: "Blessings are upon the head of the just," Proverbs 10:6 .; that is, upon their persons. God says of the wicked, "I will recompense their way upon their head," Ezekiel 9:10 . It signifies a chief or capital city: "The head of Syria is Damascus," Isaiah 7:8 . It denotes a chief or principal member in society: "The Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail. The ancient and honourable, he is the head," Isaiah 9:14-15 . "The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent," Genesis 3:15; that is, Christ Jesus, the blessed seed of the woman, shall overthrow the power, policy, and works of the devil. The river in paradise was divided into four heads or branches. In times of grief, the mourners covered their heads: they cut and plucked off their hair. Amos, speaking of unhappy times, says, "I will bring baldness upon every head," Amos 8:10 . In prosperity, they anointed their heads with sweet oils: "Let thy head lack no" perfumed "ointment," Ecclesiastes 9:8 . To shake the head at any one, expresses contempt: "The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee," Isaiah 37:22 .
Head is taken for one that hath rule and preeminence over others. Thus God is the head of Christ; as Mediator, from him he derives all his dignity and authority. Christ is the only spiritual head of the church, both in respect of eminence and influence; he communicates life, motion, and strength to every believer. Also the husband is the head of his wife, because by God's ordinance he is to rule over her, Genesis 3:16; also in regard to pre- eminence of sex, 1 Peter 3:7 , and excellency of knowledge, 1 Corinthians 14:35 . The Apostle mentions this subordination of persons in 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." "The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner," Psalms 118:22 . It was the first in the angle, whether it were disposed at the top of that angle to adorn and crown it, or at the bottom to support it. This, in the New Testament is applied to Christ, who is the strength and beauty of the church, to unite the several parts of it, namely, both Jews and Gentiles together.
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Watson, Richard. Entry for 'Head'. Richard Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/wtd/h/head.html. 1831-2.
