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kephale TDNT determinative member

TDNT (1964): kephale means 'first, supreme, prominent, outstanding, determinative'; acknowledges source for rivers but includes subjection

Mike surveys the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.

kephale Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon

Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1888): supports 'source' literally for rivers but metaphorical meanings don't apply to Paul

Mike surveys an 1888 lexicon.

kephale lexicon survey results source meaning extremely rare

Lexicon survey conclusion: 15 surveyed, only 3 mention source, none assign source to any NT passage

Mike summarizes his comprehensive lexicon survey.

BDAG Wayne Grudem Richard Cervin

Richard Cervin's article — the source behind egalitarian lexical claims; problematic methodology

Mike identifies Richard Cervin as the key source behind egalitarian lexical arguments.

Plato Wayne Grudem Richard Cervin

Cervin uses only author-specific lexicons (Plato, Thucydides) from much earlier periods of Greek — not Koine Greek

Mike critiques Cervin's substitution of classical Greek lexicons for NT lexicons.

kephale preeminence Richard Cervin

Cervin's own conclusion undermines egalitarians: kephale means 'preeminence,' not source — and he connects it to male dominance

Mike reveals the irony that Cervin's conclusion does not support the egalitarian position.

kephale BDAG LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones)

The LSJ focuses on classical Greek (8th-4th century BC), not biblical Greek — its kephale entry ignores NT examples

Mike explains the limitations of the LSJ for NT interpretation.

Lynn Cohick argument from silence Rebecca Groothuis

Groothuis and Cohick cite the LSJ as proof kephale doesn't mean authority — misleading because the LSJ doesn't address NT usage

Mike shows how egalitarians use the LSJ in misleading ways.

kephale Wayne Grudem LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones)

Grudem's critique of the LSJ: 'source' is literal (rivers only), not metaphorical; plural kephale = sources, singular = mouth of river

Mike presents Grudem's detailed critique of how the LSJ defines source for kephale.

kephale Wayne Grudem LSJ revision needed

Grudem argues the LSJ should be revised and provides extensive Greek examples of kephale meaning authority

Mike presents Grudem's broader argument about the LSJ's inadequacy.

kephale Wayne Grudem LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones)

Peter Glare, editor of the LSJ, writes to Grudem agreeing with his conclusions — 'the supposed sense source of course does not exist'

Mike presents the dramatic climax of the lexical argument — the LSJ's own editor sides with Grudem.

1 Corinthians 11:3 kephale The Passion Translation 1 Corinthians 11:3

26+ Bible translations translate kephale as 'head' or 'authority' — only The Passion Translation (2017) used 'source,' later corrected

Mike surveys Bible translations for how they render kephale.

research methodology footnote verification scholarly accountability

Mike's research journey: initially open to egalitarianism, checking footnotes revealed bad information

Mike describes the process that solidified his complementarian position.

1 Peter 3:1-7 Discovering Biblical Equality 1 Peter 3:1-7 Peter Davids

Peter Davids' egalitarian view of 1 Peter 3: submission is only for evangelism

Mike begins the egalitarian rebuttal section with Peter Davids from 'Discovering Biblical Equality.'

Genesis 1 Peter 3:5-6 Genesis 1 Peter 3:5-6 Peter Davids

Rebuttal: Every element about Sarah in 1 Peter 3 is found in Genesis

Mike refutes Davids' reliance on extra-biblical sources.

Peter Davids Testament of Abraham E.P. Sanders

Problems with Davids' reliance on the Testament of Abraham

Mike conducts detailed analysis of the extra-biblical source Davids relies on.

Ephesians 5:21-22 Craig Keener Ephesians 5:21-22 husband's submission

Keener and egalitarians find husband's submission in two places

Mike identifies where egalitarians claim to find the husband submitting.

BDAG hypotasso lexical definition

BDAG lexicon definition of hypotasso: 'to cause to be in a submissive relationship, to subject, to subordinate'

Mike appeals to the authoritative Greek lexicon.

Craig Keener Aristotle household codes

Keener gives only one ancient source (Aristotle's Politics) for slavery-marriage connection

Mike investigates Keener's evidence from ancient household codes.

Aristotle Politics (Aristotle) different bases for authority

Aristotle quote: 'the free man rules over the slave after another manner from that in which the man rules over the female'

Mike finds a decisive Aristotle quote that refutes the slavery-marriage parallel.

Craig Keener Kevin Giles NT slavery-marriage parallel

Keener claims the NT bases slave obedience on same principles as wifely submission -- but never demonstrates this

Mike addresses the second pillar of the slavery objection.

Linda Belleville Two Views on Women in Ministry Huldah

Linda Belleville says Huldah's renown as a religious counselor was such that Josiah's advisors sought her out specifically.

Third egalitarian quote on Huldah

Judges 4:4-5 Deborah Judges 4:4-5 divine appointment

One complementarian source claims Deborah wasn't appointed by God since the text doesn't say so specifically — Mike rejects this as wrong.

Rebutting a fringe complementarian argument

1 Corinthians 15 Romans 5 typology priesthood 1 Corinthians 15

Priests were teachers of the law, determined cleanness, mediated between people and God, bore the sins of the people — typologically pointing to Christ.

Functions of the priesthood and typological significance

women in ministry methodology comprehensive biblical view

Mike's goal is not a summary of what to think, but a thorough, comprehensive biblical view that navigates all relevant debates.

Closing remarks on methodology

Philip Payne kephale source meaning

The hairstyle view: Philip Payne's interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11

Mike presents the second of five interpretive approaches.

1 Corinthians 11:11-12 Philip Payne egalitarianism 1 Corinthians 11:11-12

Payne on verses 11-12: Paul repudiates hierarchy of man over woman

Mike presents how Payne makes the passage actively egalitarian.

kephale Craig Keener source meaning

Keener: kephale means 'source' or if 'authority' then only cultural authority

Mike details Keener's handling of verse 3.

1 Corinthians 11:9 Craig Keener translation comparison 1 Corinthians 11:9

Keener translates verse 9 as 'through' instead of 'for the sake of,' absorbing it into verse 8

Mike identifies Keener's handling of the problematic verse 9.

interpolation textual criticism W. Walker Jr.

Question 1: Does this passage belong in the Bible? The interpolation argument

Mike begins addressing the 14 questions, starting with textual authenticity.

Ephesians 5 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 Philip Payne kephale Ephesians 5

Push back on kephale as 'source': even if source, it still implies authority; verses 11-12 prove too much

Mike addresses two independent problems with the source interpretation.

Plutarch Elaine Fantham Valerius Maximus

Plutarch's error about older customs doesn't invalidate his knowledge of his own time

Mike addresses Plutarch's misunderstanding about pre-150 BC customs.

Juvenal Ovid Roman hairstyles

Other ancient sources on hairstyles (Juvenal, Ovid) don't refute head coverings

Mike addresses evidence sometimes cited against head covering customs.

1 Corinthians 11:9 Philip Payne Craig Keener 1 Corinthians 11:9

Egalitarians consistently ignore or absorb verse 9 into verse 8

Mike demonstrates the pattern of egalitarian avoidance of verse 9.

1 Corinthians 11:15 Tom Schreiner doxa 1 Corinthians 11:15

Tom Schreiner's consistent interpretation of glory as 'honor' works for both uses

Mike presents what he considers the best interpretation of glory.

Mark Goodacre Troy Martin peribolaion Mark Goodacre

Martin's two ancient sources for peribolaion meaning testicle: Achilles Tatius and Euripides

Mike examines Martin's evidence for the word meaning.

Mark Goodacre translation comparison Troy Martin peribolaion

Euripides source: all published translations use clothing metaphor, not testicle

Mike examines the second and stronger piece of evidence.

textual criticism Gordon Fee A.C. Wire

The displacement manuscripts likely derive from a single source

Mike explains that the handful of manuscripts with relocated verses may trace back to one scribal change.

manuscript D manuscript F manuscript G

A.C. Wire's analysis showing the displacement manuscripts are connected

Wire demonstrated that every displacement manuscript is either a Greek-Latin bilingual or Latin text with traceable connections.

Craig Keener Paul, Women and Wives education view

Craig Keener's version of the education view

Mike presents Craig Keener's more balanced version of the education interpretation.

Craig Keener Plutarch ancient lecture etiquette

Ancient sources on disrupting lectures with uninformed questions

Mike acknowledges the historical evidence Keener cites about lecture decorum.