hermeneutical issues in canonical pseudepigrapha 107
Col 1:18 “and he is the head of the body of the church, who is the begin-
ning, the first-born from the dead, in order that he might be
first in all things.”67
Col 1:24 “now i rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf and i fill up what
is lacking of christ’s tribulation in my flesh on behalf of his
body, which is the church.”
Col 2:9–10 “since in him all the fullness of divinity dwells bodily, and you
are filled in him, who is the head of all every ruler and authority.”
Col 2:18–19 “let no one condemn you, insisting upon asceticism and wor-
ship of angels, who acquires vision, and is vainly arrogant by
the mind of his flesh, and does not grasp the head, from which
all the body, through the joints and ligaments, is supplied and
held together increasing in growth from god.”
Col 3:15 “and the peace of christ rule in your hearts, into which you
were called in one body and be thankful.”
Eph 1:22–23 “and he subjected all things under his feet, and he gave him,
the head, over all things to the church, which is his body, the
fullness, that which fills all in all.”
Eph 4:4–5 “one body and one spirit, even as you were called in one hope
of your call, one lord, one faith, one baptism.”
Eph 4:11–12 “and he gave on the one hand apostles, and prophets, and
evangelists, and pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the
holy ones in the work of service, for the building of the body of
Christ.”
Eph 4:15–16 “But speaking the truth in love, we might increase in all things
into him, who is the head, christ, from whom all the body, when
joined and held together by every joint of assistance accord-
ing to each measured action each part of the body increases,
makes itself into a building of itself in love.”
Eph 5:23 “since the man is head of the wife as also christ is head of the
church, he is the saviour of the body.”
Eph 5:30 “since we are members of his body.”
from these references, it is apparent that body language is apropos to a
description of the church, and head language flows naturally from such
descriptions. However, uses of κεφαλή occur that are distinct from the
body. thus, in col 2:9–10, christ is described as head of every ruler and
authority. among these texts, this specific passage is the only place where
an explicit connection is drawn between headship and authority, and
it occurs without recourse to a body/church metaphor. similarly, in
67 most english translations (KJV, esV, niV, nlt, etc.) seem to understand the syntax
of the construction τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας as appositional, that is, the church describes
and defines which body is being referred to.