I will be sharing the writings of my partner in this writing who passed away 4 weeks ago. I hope it will
add further understanding of the topics I will discuss in the future and give a 'man's' perspective. Rick
was a brilliant man and scholar and so I offer his writings to those who may find a better perspective or
perhaps, even some challenging questions to ponder and grow. So here goes...
<strong>THE MYSTERY OF INTIMACY</strong>: A theological and philosophical perspective
October 17, 2012 by Rick Mittelstedt
<strong>IS PERFECTED LOVE POSSIBLE BETWEEN MAN AND WOMAN?</strong>
In 1 Corinthians 11 the Apostle Paul speaks of a divine order of intimate love between ‫ֹלהים‬
ִ ֱ‫ יְהוָה א‬the
Creator, the Messiah or Anointed Man, and every spiritual man [Ish] and spiritual woman [Ishah] within
the ecclesia. This divine order of intimacy cannot be experienced by mere natural men or women of the
world. This spiritual and supernatural intimate love defines the flow of the anointing or character of the
Elohim through those men and women who have been “called out” to make up His ecclesia. Intimate
love is possible, but only through divine insight and revelation.
In<strong> 1 Corinthians 11:3 </strong>the Apostle Paul writes:
It is my will that you come to an understanding [of the divine order of intimacy], that the source [head]
of intimate love for every man is the Messiah or Anointed Man, and man is the source [head] of intimate
love for woman, and the source[head] of intimate love of the Messiah is God the Father.
<strong>This statement contains the mystery of intimacy. An intimate love that the Elohim commanded,
that woman were created to receive and that all men desperately need to learn to give.
</strong>
Paul says that it is his personal will that all would know or obtain an understanding of this divine order of
intimacy.
Yet few women and men ever experience this intimate love in their lives and thus never fulfill the
purpose of their existence. The love relationship between man and woman never reaches its possible
perfection. Men are frustrated and women remain unfulfilled or worse abused, neglected or dominated.
Many religious traditions have used this statement to justify man’s dominance and authority over
woman. But nothing could be further from the truth and all that do insure that the intimacy that the
Elohim commanded remains hidden.
Paul declares the interrelationship of this divine order and hints at the responsibility within it when he
writes:
The head of intimate love for all men is the Anointed Man or the Messiah.
The word “<strong>kephale</strong>” is usually translated “head’ and is interpreted by many religious
traditions to refer to the authority or dominance the Messiah has over men. However, the same
religious men do not submit to that authority or acknowledge the Messiah’s right to express his will over
themselves. At the same time they are more than eager to exercise authority and dominance over
woman. The word “<strong>kephale”</strong> is primarily used in ancient literature to denote what is
first or foremost in position. Like the mouth of a river that is the source of its course. In like manner the
head of the body is prominent in the body because of its position and responsibility. In this position it is
the source of life for the body. Here Paul is not emphasizing the idea of authority at all, but rather
position and responsibility. The Messiah bore the responsibility in his life, through his words and actions,
to be an example of what men should be and can be in their words and deeds. In this capacity or
position, he is the source of the Father’s intimate love and anointing available to all men. Of course this
idea is expressed clearly in other Pauline passages, most notably Ephesians 1:22f, 4:15, 5:23;
<strong>Colossians 1:18-20; and 2:19.</strong>
In <strong>Ephesians,</strong> Paul emphasizes that the same anointing the Messiah experienced is
available to men and women who have formed an intimate spiritual union with him. This is most often
expressed by the term ‘<strong>en christo’</strong> or ‘in the anointing” and is found 27 times in
Ephesians alone. Those who form a spiritual union with the spirit of Messiah are known as the
<strong>ecclesia</strong> or “called out ones.” They are called out to be the object of his intimate love.
In 1:22 the Anointed Man is again called the “<strong>kephale</strong>” or head of the ecclesia which
is expressed as “his own body.” This is an expression that is often repeated to define the intimate
relationship of love between spiritual men [Ish] and spiritual women [Ishah] within the ecclesia. In his
position as the “head” it is the Messiah’s responsibility to be the source of intimate love between
himself and his body or bride, which is to be “the fullness or completion of him.” But the bride can never
be the fullness or completion of him, without him assuming the position and responsibility of being the
source of intimate love for her.
This fullness or completion expresses the intimate love between the Messiah, the head, and his own
body or bride, the ecclesia. In 4:15 this intimacy is expressed clearly, “This is a spoken truth, we all [as
ecclesia, men and woman alike] are to mature in love just like him.” The goal is that his body or bride
reaches the maturity of love found in her source, or head, the Messiah. The ultimate expression of this
maturity is the intimate love the Messiah himself received from God the Father. This flow of intimate
love from God the Father to Messiah, from Messiah to spiritual men, and from spiritual men to woman
is exactly what the Apostle Paul so desperately desires to reveal in 1 Corinthians 11:3. The purpose and
ultimate aim of this giving and receiving has remained a mystery for far too long. In fact, the Apostle
declares in <strong>5:32: “this is a MEGA MYSTERY</strong>.” As a result the relationship between man
and woman has failed to become what God the Father intended it to be from the beginning because it
remains a mega mystery.
When Paul declares in <strong>1 Corinthians 11:3
</strong>
that man is the head[or source of intimate love] for woman,
he is not declaring that men have authority or dominance over woman, rather he is expressing the same
responsibility man has to be the source of intimate love for his own body, woman, as the Messiah has to
his body, the ecclesia. This is precisely what is written in Ephesians 5:23.
“For the husband is the head for his wife, in the same way as the Messiah is the head for the ecclesia,
for he is her deliverer.”
This brief passage 5:23-33, reinforces no less than four times the position and responsibility of spiritual
men to step up and be the source of intimate love to their spiritual counterpart, their
“<strong>ishah</strong>” or woman. Spiritual men alone are in the position to deliver woman from the
historical cruelty of religious and cultural dominance.
In <strong>1 Corinthians 11</strong>, the Apostle reveals something long hidden from the religious
world of all faiths in all places at all times. Few women, and even fewer men, have ever understood the
importance of the creation of woman and the significance of her role in the redemptive plan of the living
God. In most cultures throughout history, she has be relegated as an object of lust and seen primarily as
the vehicle of procreation. Women have been limited to a life of cleaning, cooking and bearing children.
Yet, when one studies the ancient texts a different picture emerges. She was to be not only the bearer
of life, but of redemptive life. She was to be the object of the intimate love of God the Father, the
Messiah and spiritual men. Yet it is these same ancient texts, which have been misunderstood and
misused to subjugate woman into a life of submissiveness and silence. The writings of religious men
throughout history are rife with words that impede the will of God the Father. They are pawns of
malevolence in the cosmic struggle between good and evil.
“As regards the individual nature, woman is defective and misbegotten, for the active power of the
male seed tends to the production of a perfect likeness in the masculine sex; while the production of a
woman comes from defect in the active power….”
“And a man will choose…any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman…Sin began with a woman
and thanks to her we all must die”
“And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as
bands: whoso pleased God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.”
As a result of such theological prejudice against woman, a perverted authoritative view has developed in
the thinking of men and accepted in the minds of woman concerning the divine order between God the
Father, the Messiah and men and women. The picture most often accepted is a medieval feudal system
of dominance, control and authority. That God the Father Lords it over the Messiah and Messiah lords it
over men and men lord themselves over woman. Here woman is at the bottom of some militaristic
command structure, with no recourse but to listen and obey or pay the consequences.
T<strong>he Elohim
Messiah. Anointed man
Men
Women
</strong>
This is not in any way what the Apostle Paul is expressing in <strong>1 Corinthians 11:3.</strong> What
Paul is revealing is a mystery hidden through time. This is not a chain of command but an
interdependent relationship. And woman is not at the bottom of some feudal system in servitude, but
rather the ultimate object of all that God the Father, Messiah and spiritual men are to give, intimate
love. Why? Cause the woman is the life bearer, the life giver, and ultimately, in fulfillment of what God
the Father spoke in Genesis 3:15, it is her seed that brought redemptive life to the cosmos, <strong>not
the seed of Adam</strong>. It is “the seed of woman” that crushes the head of the one who introduced
death and destruction to the cosmos.
In great error, a view has emerged from the beginning that has all but eliminated the will of God the
Father, to establish a course of relationship where his own intimate love flows freely, unhindered from
himself through his creation and then to return to him. Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 11:3 should not
be represented by a vertical authoritative configuration. Paul is not suggesting that at all. He views this
connection as a horizontal flow of the Creator’s intimate love.
<strong>God the Father, Messiah, Anointed Man and Women
</strong>
In this view, the Messiah is both a receiver of his Father’s love and a giver of it to all mankind. Spiritual
men too, are both a receiver of the Messiah’s love and a giver of it to his spiritual counterpart, woman.
What about woman? Is she merely the final receptor of God’s love through man? No. She is not merely
at the end of an interdependent relationship, but is uniquely created to hold the most important
position of all. It is true, it is the <strong>weakest</strong> of positions, because she is somewhat
dependent upon the flow of God’s anointing and love through man, but at the same time it is the most
important position.
‘For the spiritual man [ish] is to live with his spiritual woman [ishah] in this understanding: although
she is in a weaker position, yet she is ishah and the Ish is to grant her honor as an equal heir of the
Father’s faithfulness of life so that their[God, Man and Woman] communion will not be hindered.’ 1
Peter 3:7
Despite the fact she appears to be at the end of this movement of intimate love, <strong>she
alone</strong>, like the Father, is able to bear and give life. In this capacity she becomes the reflection
of the glory of the Father she has received through man. Without her it is impossible for the Father to
ever be fully glorified in heaven and earth.
God the Father, Messiah, Anointed Man, &amp; Women
This is exactly the principle that the Apostle is addressing in <strong>1 Corinthians 11:7, 8, 9 alluding to
the creation of Adam and Chava in Genesis, when he writes:</strong>
“For a man is not obligated to have his head covered, since he initiates the image and glory of God the
Father, BUT woman is the glory of man. For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man,
for INDEED, man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake.”
Obviously man was created for God’s sake. But what is this need man has? That the Father saw it
necessary to create woman for his sake? Of course Adam was alone and had no one like himself. But
Chava is more than a mere physical companion. She was to be the very spiritual manifestation of
whatever anointing he received from God the Father. Why? So that the flow of intimate love, the
instruction of his very character, might be received by the Adam then given to the woman, then through
the woman back to the man and ultimately back to God the Father from which it originated. Why? So
God the Father can be fully glorified in all of his creation. The Apostle expresses this completion of
intimate love by saying: “That every individual member of the whole is filled with fullness.”
What emerges is interdependency between God the Father, anointed man [Ish] and his spiritual
counterpart [ishah] woman. In this interdependency receiving and giving are integral actions of the flow
of the intimate love that originates in God the Father. Without it the flow is hindered and every part of
the whole is not filled with the love of the Father, and consequently he is not glorified throughout
creation. By subjugating woman into a life of submission and silence, man finds himself literally working
hand in hand with the one who diminished the glory of God in the Garden of Eden, the CORRUPTOR.
Why? What is it that hinders or impedes this flow of intimate love? It is primarily ignorance. But it is also
the inability of man to receive revelation concerning his role in this interdependency. Man is in a greater
position than woman. Not in the sense of domination or authority, but rather in responsibility. For the
most part, man has never lived up to his position or his responsibility. Both of which are clearly
demonstrated in the words and deeds of Y’shua the Messiah concerning his own bride. But for the rest
of the sons of Adam, they have failed to become both receiver and giver of the intimate love of the
Father. Without supernatural revelation Man cannot fully appreciate his role as a receiver, or the bride
of Messiah. Such a man cannot then turn to the woman and fully appreciate her as receiver. Man must
first see himself as the feminine [ishah] of his husband, the anointed man, Messiah, before there can be
any hope of him being the husband of a woman. In his rebellion, man cannot see this truth or
understand the mega mystery of intimate love the Apostle describes in Ephesians 5:23-33. The
consequence of this ignorance and rebellion is that men can never fully relate to the needs of a woman.
They have difficulty in understanding why woman are never fully satisfied physically or spiritually. They
are at a loss of why the marriage relationship is so frustrating and miserable.
Are women completely innocent in this rebellion against the flow of the intimate love of God? No. For
women have failed to seek out and find the truth of intimate love. They have become complacent with
the status quo. They have accepted the lie of their inferiority. They willingly in most situations place the
noose of domination and cruel authority over their own precious necks. They help perpetuate their own
servitude by raising their own children to accept what they have endured from the beginning.
To correct this great injustice against God the Father and woman, the concept of spiritual man [ish] and
spiritual woman [ishah] must be explained. The responsibility and position of both in the love
relationship must be understood. <strong>The flow of intimate love between the two must become
experiential knowledge.</strong>