Just as the head of every man is Christ, so “the head of the woman is the man” (1 Cor. 11:3). Man, however, should not be the head of the woman in himself. He should be the head only as he himself is under the headship of Christ.
On the one hand, Christ is under the headship of God, and, on the other hand, He is the head over every man. In like manner, man, on the one hand, should be under the headship of Christ, and, on the other hand, he should be the head of the woman. It is not an easy matter to be both under the headship and to be the head over others. But in the life of Christ we see an excellent example of how this is worked out. The four Gospels reveal that Christ was always under the headship of God. Nevertheless, simultaneously He was the head of all His disciples. Christ was never independent of the Father. In John 5:30 He said, “I can do nothing from Myself,” and in John 5:19 He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing from Himself except what He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, this also the Son does in like manner.” The Son was always under the headship of God the Father. However, He also exercised the headship over others. For example, He dealt with Peter very strictly whenever Peter acted as if he were the head and lived an independent life. The Lord corrected Peter by causing him to realize the headship of Christ. Just as Christ was under the headship of God the Father, so Peter had to be under the headship of Christ. In this we see that God is the head of Christ and that Christ, under the headship of God, is the head of every man. Likewise, man, under the headship of Christ, is the head of the woman.
As a picture of the relationship between God and man, man represents God, and woman represents man. In this sense man, typifying Christ, signifies the independent life. With respect to being under the headship of God, Christ has a dependent life. But with respect to being the head of every man, Christ has an independent life. This means that Christ is dependent on God, but independent of us. In relation to God, Christ’s life is a dependent life, but in relation to us, His life is independent. Man typifies Christ as the One with an independent life. With respect to Christ, the married brothers have a dependent life, but with respect to their wives, they have an independent life.
Just as man represents God, woman represents man in his relation to God. In this sense woman, typifying man, signifies the dependent life. With man there are two aspects, both dependence and independence. But with woman there is only dependence. It is God, not man, who has not allowed the woman to have an independent life.
Man should not be a male, but a “female,” one who lives a life of dependence on God. Only such a “female” life is useful to God. In Exodus, a book of pictures, this female life is portrayed by the midwives in chapter one and by all the females in chapter two—Moses’ mother and sister, the female slave, Pharaoh’s daughter, and the daughters of the priest of Midian. All men should be such “females.”
Man’s independence of God is rebellion. The moment we become independent, we become rebellious against God. Because the male life is independent and rebellious, God cannot use it for the accomplishment of His purpose.