Topical Bible: Head: Put for the Life

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In biblical literature, the term "head" is often used metaphorically to represent life itself. This usage underscores the significance of the head as the seat of life and vitality, reflecting the ancient understanding of the human body and its functions. The head, being the most prominent and vital part of the body, is frequently employed in Scripture to symbolize the essence of life and the person as a whole.

One of the most illustrative examples of this metaphorical use is found in the context of vows and consecration. In Numbers 6:18, during the Nazirite vow, the individual is instructed to shave "the head of his consecration" at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, symbolizing the dedication of one's life to God. The act of shaving the head signifies the offering of one's life in service and devotion.

The head is also used to denote the life of an individual in the context of judgment and punishment. In 2 Samuel 1:16, David declares to the Amalekite who claimed to have killed Saul, "Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’" Here, the "head" represents the life of the Amalekite, which is forfeit due to his actions and confession.

In the New Testament, the metaphor continues with the Apostle Paul’s writings. In Acts 18:6, Paul, facing opposition from the Jews in Corinth, declares, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." This statement emphasizes personal responsibility for one's life and the consequences of rejecting the message of salvation.

The head as a symbol of life is further seen in the context of leadership and authority. In Ephesians 5:23, Paul writes, "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior." Here, the headship of Christ over the church signifies His life-giving authority and leadership, underscoring the idea that the head is the source and sustainer of life.

Moreover, the head is used in prophetic literature to symbolize the fate of nations and individuals. In Daniel 2:38, Nebuchadnezzar is described as the "head of gold" in the statue of his dream, representing the zenith of his kingdom and its eventual decline. The head, in this context, signifies the life and duration of his reign.

The metaphor of the head as life is deeply rooted in the biblical worldview, where the physical and spiritual dimensions of life are intertwined. The head, as the locus of thought, decision, and identity, naturally becomes a symbol for the entirety of one's life and existence. This usage reflects the holistic understanding of human life in the biblical narrative, where the physical body and spiritual life are inseparable and mutually reflective.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Daniel 1:10
And the prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall you make me endanger my head to the king.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Samuel 28:2
And David said to Achish, Surely you shall know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make you keeper of my head for ever.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

One Way to Help Boys
... him, he will be very apt to make a mess of his life"not to ... them into a class, you
get them into some little hall and put upon every boy's head a little ...
/.../stones rolled away and other addresses to young men/iii one way to help.htm

Schleiermacher -- Christ's Resurrection an Image of Our New Life
... For if we put together all that the evangelists and ... to Him who is the only fountain
of this spiritual life! ... always pouring forth afresh from Him the Head to us ...
/.../the worlds great sermons volume 3/schleiermacher christs resurrection an.htm

Death and Life in Christ
... Put your soul in his hand and you are saved. If I have brought you under the first
head of my ... In the text we see death, resurrection, life, and life eternal. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 9 1863/death and life in christ.htm

Faith and Life
... her tears, and wiping them with the hairs of her head. ... down; by divine mercy he is
led to put his trust ... all the rest of them"counting not his life dear unto ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/faith and life.htm

A Life for a Life
... they knew about city government, and about city life, and about ... a great labor war,
and the working men put their heads ... and in a few months was the head of that ...
//christianbookshelf.org/drummond/a life for a life/a life for a life.htm

Saul's Mean Jealousy
... David's wife, told him, "If you do not save your life to-night ... god and laid it in
the bed, and she put a pillow of goat's hair under its head and covered ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/sauls mean jealousy.htm

Apostolic Exhortation
... you put your trust in Christ, forsake your old way of life, and become ... Christ to
the cross, nor plait the crown of thorns and put it on his head, nor stand ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 14 1868/apostolic exhortation.htm

The Self Life.
... we might bring it as an empty vessel unto God; that He might put into it His life. ...
There was one at the head of a great company, and he began to look upon ...
//christianbookshelf.org/murray/the masters indwelling/ii the self life.htm

A Sight of the Crowned Christ
... The presence within the man shines out through head and eyes and limbs, as light,
intense dazzling light, even as the sun ... He has put His very life into it. ...
/.../quiet talks on the crowned christ of revelation/iii a sight of the crowned.htm

Addition to Acts of Philip.
... wall of corruption, and prepare for thyself a life chaste and ... he seized her by the
hair of the head, and dragged ... It would be better for thee to be put to death ...
/.../unknown/the acts of philip/addition to acts of philip.htm