But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God (1 Cor 11:3).
Some unitarians and Nicene
subordinationists cite this verse to prooftext their respective positions. But
that falls well short of what they need.
In the economy of salvation,
the Incarnate Son submits himself to many things. He submits himself to Joseph
and Mary. Does that make him intrinsically subordinate to his mother and
stepdad? He submits himself to Pilate, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin. Does that
make him intrinsically subordinate to Roman and Jewish authorities? He submits
himself to the Mosaic Law. Does that make him intrinsically subordinate to the
Mosaic Law?
1 Cor 11 is dealing with church order. That pertains to
the economy of salvation, not the immanent Trinity.
Given this distinction between Christ qua man and Christ qua God, how can we know what elements of the relationship between Christ and the Father revealed to us in the gospels are revelations of their intrinsic intra-trinitarian relationships and which are not and pertain to Christ qua man?
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