“And not holding the Head,” Colossians 2:19And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.The Son of God is very often in the holy scriptures called an Head, and may be so for divers consideration.
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- In respect of angels, he is the Head of all principalities and powers, Ephesians 1:21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
See All.... - In respect of man, the whole race of man; the Head of every man is Christ, 1 Corinthians 11:3But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
See All.... - In respect of the powers of the world, he is the Head of kings and princes, and all the powers of the earth.
- He is the Head of the Gospel-building: “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner,” Acts 4:11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
See All.... - He is the Head of the body, the church, which alludes to a natural Head, and doth agree therewith in divers respects; of which take these examples, Ephesians 1:22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
See All..., Colossians 1:18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
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| METAPHOR | PARALLEL | |
|---|---|---|
| The Head is the highest part of the body, more loftily placed than all the rest of the members. | The Son of God, as he was higher by birth than men, yea, than the greatest of men, kings, and mighty potentates of the earth, so he is by place and office: “therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows,” Hebrews 1:9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
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| The Head is the seat of the senses. There is the eye to see, the ear to hear, the organs to smell and taste, by which things are truly distinguished, even the good from the bad, for the benefit of the whole body. | The Son of God, the mystical or spiritual Head, is the seat of the spiritual senses. There is the clear seeing eye, the perfect hearing ear, the pure, true, and infallible taste, by which things are distinguished aright, the good from the bad, for the benefit of he whole body of the church. | |
| The Head is the common treasury of the whole man; whatsoever comes is lodged there for the rest of the members. | Jesus Christ, as a public person, and Head of his church, is Receiver-general, and common treasury of the whole body. Whatsoever came originally from God, for the good and benefit of the church, is lodged in Christ as Mediator, and Head of his church. As David said, all my springs are in thee,” Psalms 87:7As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.
See All....So may the church say of Christ, “and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth,” John 1:14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. See All.... “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell,” Colossians 1:19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; See All.... | |
| The Head doth transmit, or cause to be transmitted, by way of communication, all the supplies accruing to all other parts of the body, whether it be ease from pain, by application of comfort, etc. | The Son of God doth transmit, or cause be transmitted, by way of communication, all the supplies of the mystical body, whether it be peace of conscience, ease for soul-pains, by an application of his blood, and Spirit to comfort. It is by him, that the whole body, by joints and bands, have nourishment administered one to another, as knit together in all parts, and increasing with the increase of God, Colossians 2:19And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
See All.... “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace,” John 1:16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. See All.... | |
| The Head is the very fountain of strength, and cunning policy, so signified concerning the serpent: “It shall bruise thy Head,” Genesis 3:17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
See All.... | The Son of God is the fountain of strength to his church; it is said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth,” Matthew 28:18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
See All.... “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me,” Philippians 4:13 See All.... | |
| The Head is the place where burdens are carried. Three baskets were on the baker’s Head, Genesis 40:16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:
See All.... | Jesus Christ was a man of labour, that carried our burdens for us in divine respects: the burden of temptations from Satan and the world fell upon him; the burden of persecution, even death itself. “And the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all,” Isaiah 53:6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
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| The Head is the seat of sorrow; there it is received and centered, Genesis 42:38And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
See All.... | The Lord Jesus was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, Isaiah 53:4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
See All.... There was no sorrow like his, it was heaped upon him even to perfection. | |
| The Head receives the hand of blessing from the Father, Genesis 48:18And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
See All.... | The Lord Jesus is the man of God’s right-hand, made strong for himself, upon whom the blessing is conferred by the Father, as a token of good to the whole church. | |
| The Head receives the consecration of God, both in case of Nazarite and high-priest, Leviticus 21:10And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
See All.... The anointing with oil (or the holy unction) was upon the Head, whereby the whole man became sanctified, and set apart for God, Numbers 6:7He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head. See All.... | Christ, the holy and spiritual Head, received the consecration of God; for he was filled with the Holy Ghost from the womb, and as a perfect Nazarite continued separate until his baptism, at which time the holy anointing being upon him in a visible manner, did furnish him for his ministry, and fit him to be a Priest unto God; this holy unction descended on him, as it did on the Head of Aaron, not only drenching his beard, but all parts of his body also, even to the skirts of his garment, “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world,” John 10:36Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
See All..., “who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God,” Hebrews 9:14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? See All.... | |
| The Head beareth the glory, whether it be the holy mitre, and sacred crown, appertaining to the priest, Exodus 29:6And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.
See All...; or the royal diadem appertaining to secular princes, and crown of gold, Psalms 21:3For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. See All.... | The Son of God not only beareth the glory of priesthood, but the highest glory of his Father’s house. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour,” Hebrews 2:9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
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| The Head is the principal object of envy and fury, most threatened and struck at, and receives the signs of death. Jezebel threatened the Head of Elisha, 2 Kings 6:31Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
See All.... The wife of Heber struck at the Head of Sisera, Judges 5:26She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. See All.... The beast appointed for sin-offering was to have hands laid upon the Head; this was a sign of death. | Christ was the principal object of envy and hatred. The devil envied him, the Jews hated him without cause, Herod threatened him. One while they waited to kill him; at another time they led him to the brow of the hill, that they might cast him down headlong to destroy him. At last they came and laid their hands upon him in the garden, where he received the sign of death, after his most bitter agony; and was soon after offered up on the cross; as a public sacrifice: “how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures,”
1 Corinthians 15:3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
See All.... “For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us,” 1 Corinthians 5:7Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: See All.... | |
| The Head is the subject of humility. When men have been much affected with some great thing, they put earth upon their Heads.
1 Samuel 4:12And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
See All.... | The Lord Jesus was a subject of great humility, much affected with God’s providences, and men’s wickednesses. He wept when Lazarus died. Christ wept, when the Jews rejected him to their own destruction, Luke 19:41And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
See All.... The devil, Herod, Pontius Pilate, with the Jews, were not content to persecute and drive the Son of God to corners: but after they had agreed with Judas to betray him, they endeavored, as much as lay in them, to take this blesses Head off from his body; nothing would satisfy them, till they had slain the Lord of life and glory. | |
| But notwithstanding all, the Head is the glory of the man. | And so is Jesus Christ the glory of God, the glory of his church. She glories in him: “he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem,” Song of Solomon 5:16His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
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| The Head showeth the greatest signs of pity and sympathy to the poor, distressed, and afflicted members. | Christ, being in all things like unto us, sin only excepted, hath showed no small signs of pity and sympathy, as one touched with our infirmities, as appears both before he left the world, and since. 1. He comforts them by good words and promises; he will not leave them comfortless, but will come to them. 2. He assureth, that he would send another Comforter, the Holy Spirit. 3. He prays the Father to take them into his care and protection. 4. He cries out from heaven, when violence is offered to them: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Acts 9:4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
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| The Head is the governing part of the whole man; the eyes, the ears, the hands, the feet are all governed by the Head. | The Son of God, as Head of the Church, hath the government on his shoulders: his members hear his voice, and keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous unto them. | |
| The Head loves the body that belongs to it, and is concerned night and day for its prosperity. | Jesus Christ loves his Church, and all his members. He died to save and redeem them, he shed his blood to wash them, and went to heaven to prepare a place for them, and is concerned for their prosperity and welfare: he will come again from thence to solemnize the glorious marriage, and receive them unto himself, that where he is, there they may be also. “I love them that love me,” Proverbs 8:17I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
See All.... “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,” Titus 2:14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. See All.... “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,” Revelation 1:5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, See All.... “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also,” John 14:3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. See All.... | |
| The Head receiveth reverence and respect, love and honour, from the body and the members. | The son of God receiveth reverence and respect, love and honour from the Church, and all its members, when others despise him, and account him an imposter and deceiver. But the church says, he is the son of God, both Lord and Christ, Lord of glory, Lord of all the princes of this life, the Head of angels, the choicest and chiefest of ten thousand: “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory,” 1 Peter 1:8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
See All.... He is precious in their esteem: his name is as ointment poured forth. |
| METAPHOR | DISPARITY | |
|---|---|---|
| The natural Head is joined but to one numerical and physical body. | The Son of God, the mystical Head, is joined to many numerical and physical bodies: he is not only Head of angels, even of all principalities and powers, but of all men in some sense; and to the Church, and every true member thereof, in a more special and peculiar sense; “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ,” 1 Corinthians 11:3But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
See All..., “even as Christ is the head of the church,” Ephesians 5:23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. See All.... | |
| The natural Head is joined to the physical body, by fleshly bonds and ligaments, veins and sinews, nerves and arteries, etc. | Jesus Christ is joined to the mystical Head, by spiritual and more lasting bonds; as the bond of voluntary choice, or promise, and invisible union. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” John 15:16Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
See All.... “Because I live, ye shall live also,” John 14:19Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. See All.... “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one,” John 17:23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. See All.... | |
| The natural Head is sometimes sick, being liable to many distempers of very dangerous consequence, and being so, it cannot help the body. | The Son of God is never sick, always in a capacity, not only to help his sick body on earth, but also against all diseases; much more permanent than the angels of God, dwelling where sickness cannot approach: “and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain,” Revelation 21:4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
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| A natural Head doth many times fall asleep, and so becomes insensible, and incapable of securing its body and members, at that juncture of time. | But the Son of God is the Angel of God’s presence, and made the Keeper of Israel, who neither slumbers, nor sleeps. | |
| A natural Head is weak, and wants help itself; for there is no man so wise, but may receive additions from others, and doth so in all arts and sciences: yea, the angels themselves have made known to them by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God, and are in some respects charged with folly. | The Son of God is not weak, wants no help from other men, in respect of any arts or sciences whatsoever: for if the first Adam had such strength of wisdom and knowledge as to give names to all things, suitable to their natures, who was but earthly; much more the second Adam, who was the Lord from heaven. “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, “ Colossians 2:3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
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| A natural Head may afford some small help to the body, but cannot bless what it affords. | The Son of God cannot only afford suitable help to the body, and members, but can bless the help to them, bless society and communion, bless word and sacraments, bless lenitives and corrosives, rod and staff, make all things work together for good, Romans 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
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| A natural Head may be broken, dashed in pieces, and lose its power of helping the body, and members. | The Son of God, though he was hard laid to, and much struck at, by the powers of darkness, yet could they never reach high enough to break his head, to dash him and destroy his power, but were destroyed themselves in the very attempt; “And having spoiled principalities and powers,” Colossians 2:15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
See All.... He bruised the head of the combatant, Genesis 3:16Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. See All.... | |
| A natural Head may die. Where is then its help? | The Son of God hath passed through the gates of death, hath conquered him that had the power of death, and can never die, death hath no more dominion over him: he ever lives to make intercession for the saints; lives for evermore. |
INFERENCES
- This showeth the great love and goodness of God in giving such a Head.
- The great love of Christ, and his wonderful condescension in stooping so low, as to become a Head to poor mortals.
- What a happy condition the Church and members of Christ are in. (1.) Interested in the same love with the Head. (2.) Under the same degree of election with the Head. (3.) Allied to the same relations, interested in the same riches, and assured by membership of the same life and immortality in the world to come: “because I live, ye shall live also,” John 14:19Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
See All.... - Affords a very great motive to all men to seek union and membership with him, because as he is, so shall they be also hereafter in the next state: “but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is,” 1 John 3:2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
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