Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 8
He claims many Western Christians “deny that the Father is the head of Christ” and says that denial is an overreaction to Arianism, later amplified by Augustine’s influence (“three brothers”). If the Father is eternally head of Christ (not only during the incarnation), what changes would that demand in how you pray, preach, or think about obedience within the Godhead—and why might that feel threatening to common evangelical ideas of “equality” in the Trinity?
Another way to ask: He says some Christians resist the idea that the Father is eternally the head of Christ, not just during Jesus’ human life. If that were true, how would it change your praying, preaching, or how you think about obedience in God—and why might that feel threatening to common Trinity “equality” ideas?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
In his view, affirming the Father as eternally head of Christ would normalize speaking of real order within the Godhead: the Father commands/sends and the Son obeys, not just during Jesus’ earthly life but also “before” and “after.” That can feel threatening because many Western Christians equate “equality” with equal authority, and he says Augustine’s influence flattened headship into something like “three brothers.”
- He says many Christians “deny that the Father is the head of Christ,” calling it “irony” since JWs accept it.
- He insists equality is of nature, not authority: “equal in nature… but they’re not equal in authority.”
- He uses John 12:49 to argue headship predates incarnation: the Father “gave me a command… when he was still in heaven.”
- He uses Matt 20:23 to suggest headship continues after exaltation: seating “not mine to give… prepared by my Father.”
- He quotes 1 Cor 11:3: “the head of Christ is God,” and summarizes 1 Cor 15 as Christ handing the kingdom back.
- He cites early Christians: “It is the Father who commands and the Son who obeys” (Hippolytus); “God is his head” (Origen).
- He claims post-Nicaea overreaction led people to say headship was “only on earth,” then Augustine denied the Father’s superiority “in any way.”