Originally published 9/26/23
When we look at the role of women throughout Scripture, there are several ways to interpret them. We must look at the culture in which each woman lived. Context is essential when trying to interpret Scripture. We cannot assume that just because a particular woman did something that Scripture is implying we should do that also. There are two major views when it comes to the role of women in Scripture. The two major views are complementarianism and egalitarianism.
A complementarianism is one that follows the belief that God ordered the role of men and women through creation. Gen 2:26-27 ESV, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Gen 2:18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” God created Adam first and then Eve. She was created to be Adam’s helpmate.
To put it simply, men and women complement each other. They each have been given different roles. Adam and Eve were created to do different things and we are to continue that plan. Ephesians 5:21-27 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
The best way to honor the Lord is to follow his plans. This passage is the God-given model for the home and the church. Scripture is clear that there are positions in the church that women should not hold. Scripture compares earthly marriage to our relationship with Christ.
1 Timothy 2:11-15: Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.
Titus 2:3-5 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
As I think about my marriage, my husband and I have different skills and abilities. My husband can fix almost anything. He can open any jar and reach everything on the top shelf. I could never play catch the way he could. I could never put the toys together like he could. However, he could never comfort a crying child the way that I could. He struggled with getting them to eat. He even struggled to keep track of our children. (If you see him, ask him about the time he lost our son.)These are just a few of the differences between my husband and me. Pointing out these differences is just to make a point that there are God-given differences between men and women. God made us the way we are for a purpose.
In today’s world, I am told that those are sexist comments and antiquated beliefs. I didn’t have the luxury of staying home when our children were little. I worked outside the home, but I had summers off. I guess I had the best of both worlds. Even though I worked, we kept our roles pretty traditional. If I had had the burden of keeping everything working in our home, it would have been disastrous.
The church is the same as the home. God in his infinite plan designed us with certain roles and functions. According to www.gotquestions.com,
“The ultimate example of this concept is the Trinity itself. All three Persons of the Godhead are equal: morally, spiritually, in power, in divinity, etc. And yet there is submission within that equality as each divine Person fulfills a different role. This does not imply one Person of the Trinity is more moral or more important than the others. It simply means each has a part to play. In the same sense, God intended the unique abilities of men and women to be used according to a mutually balanced design.” Jesus was completely God yet he still submitted to the will of his Father.
When we step out of his design, we become unhappy. We also attempt to tell God that his plan isn’t the best plan for us. I think we stray into dangerous territory if we try to tell God that he is wrong.
We will look at the egalitarian view next week.