Although it is true that the meaning of the word kephalē has been debated extensively among evangelical commentators for years, what Ian and Averil do not tell readers are that among professional lexicographers there is no debate whatever. Standard professional lexicons do not include the meaning 'source, origin' for kephalē as understood by egalitarians, nor do recognized authoritative lexicographers debate whether the word means 'source, origin' or 'chief, ruler'.

Despite the years of egalitarian arguments and claims of new evidence, none of the standard lexicons has accepted the egalitarian definition of the word kephalē,¹⁰ although a number of the standard professional lexicons have been updated recently with additional lexicographical information derived from additional lexical studies or the discovery of new sources: ¹¹

'Grudem has responded with a thorough and definitive analysis [original footnote reproduced in footnote ¹² below] and a view that is attested by all standard Greek lexica, [original footnote reproduced in footnote ¹³ below] including the semantic studies of Nida and Loew. [original footnote reproduced in footnote ¹⁴ below] The evidence, as Grudem demonstrates, overwhelmingly indicates that κεφαλη in the New Testament means "leader or one in authority," not "source."' ¹⁵

'These recent developments therefore seem to indicate that there is no "battle of the lexicons" over the meaning of κεφαλη but that the authors and editors of all the English lexicons for ancient Greek now agree (1) that the meaning "leader, chief, person in authority" clearly exists for κεφαλη, and (2) that the meaning "source" simply does not exist.' ¹⁶

Furthermore, Ian and Averil do not inform readers that standard professional lexicons specifically identify kephalē as having meanings such as 'first, superior rank, pre-eminent status, leader, master, head' in the very passage under discussion, 1 Corinthians 11:3." Quoted from A Review of 'All One', Oct 2010, page 270.

"The Biblical position for the leadership role of males only

1. God's Headship Principle

In the beginning God created man and woman to have dominion over all creation (Gen 1:26-28). Man was made first and was given the role of protecting the garden and upholding the law of life and death before Eve was created (Gen 2:15-17). He stood accountable in these arrangements as a federal head (Gen 3:9, 24, Rom 5:12). Eve was created second with the role of being an help fit for the man (Gen 2:18).

Both the order and arrangement of these things were used by Paul as evidence of a divine headship arrangement where God is head of Jesus, Jesus is head of man and man is head of woman. These arrangements were symbolized in man worshipping with the head uncovered and the woman worshipping with the head covered (1 Cor. 11:3-7).

In this relationship between two spiritually-equal human beings, man was created first with a view to exercising the primary responsibility of leading the family in a God-glorifying direction.

The Bible describes male headship not as domination, or the wielding of 'power', but rather as:

• spiritual leadership in love and authority, like Christ (Eph. 5:25-26, 33).
• leadership in respect (1 Pet. 3:7).
• leadership in service (Mark 10:42-44).
• leadership in family guidance and provision (1 Tim. 3:4-5, 5:8).
• leadership in discipline and instruction (Deut. 6:7; Eph. 6:4).

This brings with it great responsibilities.

The woman practices true biblical submission by:

• showing a loving respect to her husband (Eph. 5:33; Titus 2:4).
• demonstrating a loving acceptance of her divinely ordained role as helper of her husband (Gen. 2:18; Eph. 5:21-33; Col. 3:18; 1 Pet. 3:1-7).

This role is not servile but is one requiring intelligent, willing cooperation towards the objective of building a strong family home to the glory of God (Mal. 2:15, 1 Tim. 5:14).

2. The Practice of Jesus Christ

Jesus upheld his Father's headship principle by appointing 12 male disciples as a basis for the management of the ecclesia and for future rulership of the world¹⁷ (Matt. 16:18, 19:28).

3. Apostolic Practice

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the apostles continued the Lord's example and appointed a male to replace Judas (Acts 1:21), appointed males to attend to the oversight of the widows (Acts 6:3), appointed males as delegates to represent ecclesias (Acts 15:22), and appointed males as 'bishops and deacons' (1 Tim 3:1-13). Although some women prophesied and laboured with Paul in the gospel, they were never appointed as apostles or overseers and were never appointed as formal teachers over men.

4. Specific Apostolic Commands

1 Corinthians 14:33b-34 and 1 Timothy 2:11-14 are foundation quotes attesting that God does not permit women to teach men¹⁸ in ecclesial worship. The reasons advanced by Paul can be found in the fact that Adam was created first and Eve was utterly deceived when tempted by the serpent.

5. Relationships within the Marriage State

In Eph. 5:22-33 Paul spoke about the relationship of husband and wife in connection with their relationship with Christ and the ecclesia. Wives are to submit to their husbands as the ecclesia submits to Christ and husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved and led the ecclesia.

Similarly in 1 Peter 3:5-6 wives are to emulate the example of Sarah who was in subjection to her own husband, obeying her husband from the heart. In 1 Peter 3:7 the husbands are to respect their wives and dwell with them according to knowledge.

Both these quotations are consistent with the headship principle established by God in the beginning." Quoted from Male & Female Created He Them, Seminar held 9 Feb 2008.

This source has three excellent DVDs which cover

1. The challenge to headship (Bro Ron Cowie)
2. A refutation of the booklet "all one in Christ Jesus" (C Parry)
3. A refutation of the booklet "All One in Christ Jesus" Part 2
4. Practical Principles for Sisters (by Bro. Michael Edgecombe)
5. Question session by panel of 3 above brothers,

As well as supplementary reference material.

May be obtained from sales@digiflix.com.au

Additional commentary:

"It seems, even some -- a very few -- Christadelphians) seek to relegate vv 3-10 to a mere quote by Paul of his adversaries. They suggest that the passage can scarcely be inspired, since:

1. the order of headship it describes (i.e., v. 3: God, Christ, man, and woman) is not found elsewhere in the Bible, and
2. no distinction of any kind whatsoever ought to be made between men and women in the ecclesia.

To this Bernard Burt responds, "The idea of headship is a very common one in the OT and many different levels of it can be seen, if the occurrences of the word 'rosh' ('head') are examined. Firstly, on the human level of man to man, certain individuals inherited, or were appointed to, headship over others."

"Thus Aaron is described in Ezra 7:5 as the 'head priest' (AV 'chief priest'), and his son Eleazar inherited that title. When the twelve spies were chosen, they were described as 'heads of the children of Israel' (Num. 13:3). After the evil report of the ten had been accepted, the people appointed a head (AV 'captain') to return to their bondage (Num. 14:4; Neh. 9:17). This was of course a great error, for they should have recognized the truth that king Abijah later expressed: 'Behold, God himself is with us for our head' (AV 'captain') [2 Chron. 13:12]. This principle was even more clearly stated by David: '...Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever... thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head over all' (1 Chron. 29:10,11)."

"This latter concept is picked up by the Spirit through Paul in 1 Cor. 15 -- 'Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father... and when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all' (vv 24/28). Thus God is the Head (and in 1 Cor. 15 is shown to be the head) of Christ."

"The fact that Christ is the head of man is implicit in the teaching of Scripture that Christ is the head of the ecclesia. This is shown in Eph. 1:22; 4:15; Col 1:18, etc. The first of these passages, in stating that God 'gave him to be head over all things to the church', reinforces the previous point that God is the head of Christ. Hebrews 2:13, in saying that the saints are 'the children' which God gave to Christ, expresses the same three-stage order of headship [i.e., God, Christ, and the ecclesia]."

Examining the last link in the chain, Bro Burt continues: "The establishment of what is the true Scripture teaching on the relationship between man and woman is one of the most important prerequisites to a right understanding of 1 Cor. 11. It is vital that we know whether 'the head of the woman is the man' (1 Cor. 11:3) is an erroneous view held by some in the Corinthian ecclesia, or a Scriptural principle. Genesis 2 teaches that God created the man Adam from the dust of the ground (v 7), and subsequently formed the woman Eve from Adam in order that she might be 'an help [fit, or suited] for him' (vv 20-22). The chapter also presents to us the situation of Adam as a prophet teaching Eve concerning the relationship which would come into being between man and woman in the outworking of God's purpose. Paul, in 1 Tim. 2:11-15, confirms this order of creation and draws certain conclusions from it" (Bible Student 18:147,148).

Finally, Bro Burt adds, the fact that Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him "lord" (Gen 18:12), is not dismissed in the NT - but is rather confirmed by Peter's citation in 1 Pet. 3:1,5,6 -- where he draws forth the exhortation to NT sisters as well. "Thus," he concludes, "the husband/wife relationship and hierarchy, which was ordained in Eden, is seen to run right through Scripture teaching, and 1 Cor. 11:3 is in harmony with it."

*****
Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God (NIV):

"Paul states the reason for the head-covering. As the whole church (the bride) is subject to Christ as her head, so the man is head of the woman... Is it man and woman in general, or husband and wife, that Paul is referring to? The words are anēr (man or husband) and gunē (woman or wife), and the context must decide.

There is no evidence in this section to restrict the interpretation to husband and wife, and there is one good reason not to make this limitation.

In v 2 gunē clearly refers to the woman who gave birth to a man and who cannot therefore be his wife. We conclude that the apostle is talking of man and woman in general, and most translators have followed this reasoning"
(Lewis; also cf. Marlowe).

"Dominion is fruitful of tyranny, and so it is well, before giving man dominion, to remind him that he also is a servant (Matt. 18:21-35; 5:7). Again, the arrangement makes the headship of the man over the woman parallel to the headship of God over Christ, and suggests that there should be between husband and wife a unity of will and purpose similar to that which exists between the Father and the Son. The unquestioned, immediate and absolute submission and concurrence of the Son leave no [need] for the exercise of authority on the part of the Father, and the infinite and unsearchable wisdom, love, benevolence and good-will on the part of the Father take from the Son every occasion of unwillingness or even hesitation. All Christian husbands and wives should mutually remember this parallel" (McGarvey).

Now I want you to realize: Paul doesn't want them merely to acknowledge this authoritative structure, but he also wants them thoroughly to grasp the concept and make it a fundamental principle of daily life. This is not the first time, even in this one letter, that Paul stresses an administrative order: God, Christ, man, and finally woman. We may take note of 1 Cor. 3:23 ("…you are of Christ, and Christ is of God", NIV), and 1 Cor. 8:6 ("For us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live", NIV).

In this complete four-step sequence here in 1 Cor. 11:3 (God, Christ, man, woman), each one is the "head"¹⁹ ...of the following one. Conversely, each member is the reflected splendor ("doxa", or glory) of the preceding one (e.g., v. 7). Again, to deny a part is to call in question the whole!" Quoted from unpublished notes on 1 Corinthians 11 by George Booker.

Sisters: when the ecclesia comes together

In the formal meetings of the ecclesia (breaking of bread, public talks, Bible classes, fraternal gatherings, baptisms, etc.) the sister is under the restriction of the Word of God. It counsels her not to usurp the authority of the brethren, but to display that quietness of spirit through her demeanour and head-covering that becomes one representing an ecclesia subject to Christ. Her discreet behaviour reflects that disciplined mind which Scripture enjoins her to cultivate. In these gatherings the sister remains silent, but does join in the praises of hymns, gives assent to the prayers, and by her presence witnesses to the faith of the ecclesia and the love of the ecclesia for its Lord and God. 1 Cor. 11:1-16; Eph. 5:22-33; 1 Tim. 2:9-15; 3:11."

Quoted from the Testimony Magazine The Role of Sisters handout 1992.

We now cite part of another commentary The Sister's Role -- The Bible's large picture, An assessment of the method of argument in the "All one in Christ Jesus" papers published by Christadelphian Scripture Study Service, in January 2009, 67 pages.

Biblical Evidence and a Consistent Method of Interpretation

When the Biblical evidence is approached in the order in which it appears in the Bible, the control texts are given priority, and explicit passages describing the Scripturally 'right way' of doing things are taken into account instead of being ignored, the consequences for the issue under discussion are found to be very different to the conclusions presented in 'All One - NT' and 'All One - OT':

• Leadership and teaching appointments in the Old Testament are almost always male, with female appointments exceptional and extremely rare and women being excluded from certain specific appointments (such as the priesthood and kingship)
• Christ and the apostles continue the practice of granting certain appointments to men exclusive of women, specifically where the leadership of the ecclesia is concerned (elders, PRESBUTEROI and overseers, EPISKOPOI), and such appointments are never presented as being the product of submission to societal norms
• Paul gives commandments regarding women speaking and teaching, which are not given to men.

• The following table lists verses described by Paul as based on divinely ordained eternal principles established by God both in Eden and in the Law, rather than the product of submission to societal norms or the product of a fallen world.

• The following table lists occasions where Paul uses universal terms of the Scripturally 'right way' of doing things, not emergency measures applied merely to local situations

An unforced reading, with the text presented naturally instead of in an artificial manner and contrived order, together with basic principles of sound exposition, leads inevitably to a conclusion which is the complete opposite of the case being made in "All One".'

Bold is added to the NET above to emphasize the meaning.

The following brief commentary is quoted from Women Priests by M. Ashton:

'Different roles

It is the job of men, Paul wrote to Timothy, to lead congregational worship:

"I desire then that in every place (i.e. wherever there is a group of believers) the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarrelling." (1 Timothy 2:8, RSV)

Here the word "men" means just what it says; the males are to lead the prayers. It is worth noting that no further special qualifications are indicated....

The woman's position is different. Her role in communal worship is more in the nature of offering support:

"... women should adorn themselves modestly and sensibly in seemly apparel, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly attire but by good deeds, as befits women who profess religion. Let a woman learn in silence with all submissiveness. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over men; she is to keep silent (verses 9-12, RSV).

This does not mean that women have nothing to do among the community of believers, or that they are somehow "second class" believers. We have already seen that there is no distinction so far as salvation is concerned, and we shall discover later that Paul anticipates this reaction to God's commands and deals with it. But his comment about women keeping silence is often quoted as an inflammatory attack on the female sex. Paul, so his critics say, was being chauvinistic. They claim that such language is not fitting for our enlightened age where, in common with men, women expect totally equal treatment and opportunities.

Was Paul anti-women?

What exactly did Paul mean? Was he relegating women to the kitchen sink, as if they are fit only to bear and rear children, and prepare meals? This suggestion is refuted in his letter to another young convert, Titus. Paul explained how everyone has a part to play, old men and old women, young men and young women, servants and masters. He explained that older women, like the aged men, are "to be reverent in behaviour ... they are to teach what is good" (Titus 2:3 RSV). So, when he wrote to Timothy, Paul's strictures on women teaching are meant to apply only in situations of communal worship. Paul says the same when writing to believers in Corinth: "Women should keep silence in the churches...." (1 Corinthians 14:34, RSV). In every other aspect of life women believers have the same responsibility as their male counterparts to teach and to preach, both directly and by example. This sort of reverent behaviour by men and women will "...adorn the doctrine of God our Savior (Titus 2:10, RSV). The commandments of God are not just to be accepted as some sort of philosophical statement. They have to be put into practice in the believer's life if they are to fulfil their real purpose. Then, and only then, can they be seen in their true beauty.

If the apostle had left his comments at that point there would have been a command, without supporting reasons, for the different roles of men and women in the organization of the communal life of believers. He therefore continued to explain that men are to lead communal worship and women are to remain quiet in the congregation, "for Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor" (1 Timothy 2:13,14, RSV). By this simple statement he was reminding his readers of what happened in the Garden of Eden at the dawn of man's history, and relating it to Christian worship.'

If the writer of the most NT epistles had been the converted Apostle Pauline then Sis. Robin would have a valid dispute. If the Messiah were Christine we would not be writing this Critical Review. But neither of these is the case.

Other sources²⁰ could be cited but this review²¹ is probably long enough.

However, a recent article by Bro Andrew Walker in the Christadelphian, July 2017 has excellent content and a good one to finish on; to which the reader is directed:

e.g.: "...Let's be clear. Gender differences are part of God's creation and so matter. While women and men are equal before God in many respects, in some respects there are differences which are intentional...". P 315.
"The passage of time has not altered these enduring principles..." P. 318.