This Momentary Marriage by John Piper
Week 6: Chapter 5 — Lionhearted and Lamblike: The Head of the Wife
Read Chapter 5 of This Momentary Marriage. Key Scriptures: Ephesians 5:23–25; 1 Peter 3:7.
Previewing Week 6 of This Momentary Marriage
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
Piper's vision of headship is neither the cultural stereotype of domineering authority nor a soft egalitarianism — it is a call to a costly, servant-shaped, Christ-defined leadership that most men have never been shown.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Piper uses the phrase 'lionhearted and lamblike' to describe the kind of headship Christ himself models and calls husbands to imitate. What does each word capture? Why does genuine headship require both qualities, and what goes wrong when a husband has one without the other?
2.Piper defines headship not as authority to be exercised over a wife, but as responsibility to be borne for her — specifically, to lead, provide for, and protect her in ways that serve her flourishing. How does that definition differ from the common caricatures of male headship (domineering on one side, passive on the other)?
3.Piper is clear that headship is modeled on Christ's headship over the church (Ephesians 5:23–25) — a headship that expressed itself in self-giving sacrifice, not self-serving command. What does it mean for a husband to lead 'as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her'? What specifically would need to change in the average husband's behavior for that standard to be taken seriously?