A foundation principle--the husband's headship

"Since it is mainly on the facts of creation that Paul bases his case for the husband's headship (Eph. 5:22f.), his argument has permanent and universal validity, and is not to be dismissed as culturally limited. The cultural elements of his teaching are to be found in the applications of the principle, in the requirement of 'veiling' certainly, and I think also in the requirement of 'silence'. But the man's (and especially the husband's) 'headship' is not a cultural application of a principle; it is the foundation principle itself. This is not chauvinism, but creationism. The new creation in Christ frees us from the distortion of relations between the sexes caused by the fall (e.g. Gn. 3:16), but it establishes the riginal intention of the creation. It was to this 'beginning' that Jesus himself went back (e.g. Mt. 19:4-6). He confirmed the teaching of Genesis 1 and 2. So must we. What creation established, no culture is able to destroy."

--From "The Message of Ephesians" (The Bible Speaks Today series: Leicester: IVP, 1979), p. 221.

This is from John Stott's Daily Thought subscription which you can read in your e-mail. There is a Bible study and newsletter through Langhampartnership.org, one of the hundreds of resources I came across reading Kelly Kullberg's book, A faith and culture devotional; daily readings in art, science, and life. It's like getting a college education in your quiet time!