Systematic Theology I1

Fall 2015

Anthropology and Hamartiology — Lesson 2

Man as Male and Female

Introduction:God created man as male and female.This was His perfect and beautiful design from the beginning before sin entered the world.Today, this beautiful design is under attack by foes both outside the church and inside the church.One writer asks the questions, “Has the modern church suffered a tragic loss of the beauty of manhood and womanhood as created by God? Has the feminist influence within today’s evangelical church led to a rejection of the effective authority of the Bible?” Here in this lesson we will discuss what the Bible says about:

- the roles of men and women in marriage

- women in the church and in church leadership

- theology and the concepts of equality, fairness, and justice

- claims that a complementarian view is harmful

Panel discussion on Complementarianism: John Piper, D.A. Carson, Tim Keller (17:05)

I.God created man with relationship in view

A.Relationship with Himself

Genesis 1:27-28 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Genesis3:8-10 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

B.Relationship in Marriage

Genesis2:18-25 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

“The fact that God created two distinct persons as male and female, rather than just one man, is part of our being in the image of God because it can be seen to reflect to some degree the plurality of persons within the Trinity. In the verse prior to the one that tells of our creation as male and female, we see the first explicit indication of a plurality of persons within God: ‘Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion”’ (Gen 1:26). There is some similarity here: just as there was fellowship and communication and sharing of glory among the members of the Trinity before the world was made (see John 17:5, 24, and chapter 14 on the Trinity, above), so God made Adam and Eve in such a way that they would share love and communication and mutual giving of honor to one another in their interpersonal relationship. Of course such reflection of the Trinity would come to expression in various ways within human society, but it would certainly exist from the beginning in the close interpersonal unity of marriage.[1]” Grudem, 456.

Question:If God intended for man and woman to be joined in marriage, why did Paul say that it is better not to marry in 1 Corinthians 7:26-31?

“It is not, however, without good reason that he (Paul) returns so frequently to proclaim the advantages of celibacy, for he saw that the burdens of matrimony were far from light. The man who can exempt himself from them, ought not to refuse such a benefit, and it is of advantage for those who resolve to marry, to be forewarned of those inconveniences, that they may not afterwards, on meeting with them unexpectedly, give way to despondency. This we see happens to many, for having promised themselves unmixed honey, on being disappointed in that expectation, they are very readily cast down by the slightest mishap. Let them know, therefore, in good time, what they have to expect, that they may be prepared to endure everything patiently. The meaning is this: ‘Marriage brings along with it hindrances, from which I should wish you to be free and exempt’.” – John Calvin, Commentary on Corinthians Volume 1

II.God created men and women as equals

A.Both male and female are said to be made in God’s image (Cf. Gen 1:26-27)

Genesis 5:1-2 This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.

“But if we are equally in God’s image, then certainly men and women are equally important to God and equally valuable to him. We have equal worth before him for all eternity. The fact that both men and women are said by Scripture to be ‘in the image of God’ should exclude all feelings of pride or inferiority and any idea that one sex is ‘better’ or ‘worse’ than the other. In particular, in contrast to many non-Christian cultures and religions, no one should feel proud or superior because he is a man, and no one should feel disappointed or inferior because she is a woman. [3] If God thinks us to be equal in value, then that settles the question, for God’s evaluation is the true standard of personal value for all eternity.[2]”

“Does such subordination itself detract from her capacity to image God? That is an important question for us to ask at this point. But the answer must surely be negative:

(a) Men too are always placed in relations of subordination to other people (Ex 20:12;Rom 13:1;Heb 13:17), but that does not prejudice their being the image of God.

(b) Jesus Himself became subordinate to His Father, even subordinate to human authority structures, in order to redeem us. Human authority, therefore, imaging Jesus, is to be a servant-authority (Matt 20:20-28). A willingness to subordinate oneself to others for God’s sake is, indeed, itself a component of the image, not a compromise thereof.” – John Frame, Men and Women in the Image of God

B.Both male and female were given authority to rule over the earth

Genesis 1:26-27 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.

“InGenesis1:28mankind as a whole was the mandate to fill, subdue and rule, meaning that mankind as a whole has authority over the earth. But of course, we don’t discern from this, for example, that children have authority equal to that of their parents. It is significant that both Adam and Eve are given this authority, and I don’t want to downplay the importance of that. But at the same time, we should not conclude from this fact alone that men and women have equal authority in all areas.Genesis 1:28addresses the authority they have over creation, but not theauthority they possess with regard to their relationships with one another. That authority is described inGenesis 2.”– Ra McLaughlin

C.The equality of persons in the Trinity teaches the equality of persons among the genders.Differences of roles do not equate to differences of value, nature or significance.

1 Corinthians 11:3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

“God is one and all parts of the Trinity remain equal in holiness, worth, beauty, etc., yet there is clearly presented within the Trinity an authority structure relationship. …We must allow this picture to form our understanding of value and authority in a culture that views beinginauthority as great and being under authority as horrible. The picture of submission within Scripture itself shows that submission to a rightful authority is a beautiful, noble, even wonderful task because it models the Trinity itself. Thus the husband is seen as a picture of Christ (because he is an authority over his wife, as Christ is authority over man) and the woman is seen as a picture of Christ (because Christ is under the authority of the Father and gladly submits to his will). Both positions in the relationship are godly and God-glorifying.” – Grace Fellowship Church,The God Ordained Relationship Between Men and Women

D.Women are equal heirs of the gracious gift of life in Christ

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Men do not possess a special status or privilege in the church.Men and women are equally important to the ministry of the church in the world.

1 Peter3:7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Notice that our equality of persons should lead to mutual honor of one another.

“…for in Christ no distinction of sex is regarded, men and women are all one in him, and equally regenerated, justified, and pardoned, and will be glorified together.” – John Gill

E.Men and women are called to serve together in the body of Christ

Acts2:17-18 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

1 Cor 12:7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

“Men and women, equally made in the image of God, enjoy equal access to God by faith in Christ Jesus and are both called to move beyond passive self-indulgence to significant private and public engagement in family, church, and civic life.”– The Gospel Coalition Confessional Statement

F.Men and women are dependent on each other

1 Corinthians 11:11-12 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.

“This is said, partly to repress the pride and insolence of man, that he might not be too much elated with himself, and his superiority over the woman, and look with any degree of disdain and contempt upon her, and treat her with indifference and neglect; and partly to comfort the woman, that she might not be dejected with the condition and circumstances in which she was, since the one is not without the other; nor can they be so truly comfortable and happy, as not the man without the woman, who was made for an help meet for him…” – John Gill

III.God gave different roles to men and women

“Male and female were created by God as equal in dignity, value, essence and human

nature, but also distinct in role whereby the male was given the responsibility of loving authority over the female, and the female was to offer willing, glad-hearted and submissive assistance to the man.Gen 1:26-27makes clear that male and female are equally created as God’s image, and so are, by God’s created design, equally and fully human.But, asGen 2 bears out (as seen in its own context and as understood by Paul in1 Cor 11and 1 Tim 2), their humanity would find expression differently, in a relationship of complementarity, with the female functioning in a submissive role under the leadership and authority of the male.”
– Bruce Ware

A.Such differences do not negate the equality that exists between men and women

“Subordination is not inferiority, and it is godlike.The principle is imbedded in the very cohesion of the eternal Trinity and it is inseparable from the unity, fraternity and true equality of men.It is not a mark of inferiority to be subordinate, to have an authority, to obey.It is divine.”– P.T. Forsythe

“If human beings are to reflect the character of God, then we would expect some similar differences in roles among human beings, even with respect to the most basic of all differences among human beings, the difference between male and female. And this is certainly what we find in the biblical text.

“Paul makes this parallel explicit when he says, ‘I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband and the head of Christ is God’ (1 Cor 11:3).

“Just as God the Father has authority over the Son, though the two are equal in deity, so in a marriage, the husband has authority over the wife, though they are equal in personhood. [6] In this case, the man’s role is like that of God the Father, and the woman’s role is parallel to that of God the Son. They are equal in importance, but they have different roles.[3]” Grudem

B.The Distinction of Roles between men and women are not the result of the Fall, but from the design of God in creation

John Piper sermons on man/woman-hood before and after the fall:

Manhood and Womanhood: Conflict and Confusion After theFall

Manhood and Womanhood BeforeSin

1.Adam was created first, then Eve.

“The fact that God first created Adam, then after a period of time created Eve (Gen 2:7, 18–23), suggests that God saw Adam as having a leadership role in his family. No such two-stage procedure is mentioned for any of the animals God made, but here it seems to have a special purpose. The creation of Adam first is consistent with the Old Testament pattern of ‘primogeniture,’ the idea that the firstborn in any generation in a human family has leadership in the family for that generation. The right of primogeniture is assumed throughout the Old Testament text, even when at times because of God’s special purposes the birthright is sold or otherwise transferred to a younger person (Gen 25:27-34; 35:23; 38:27-30; 49:3-4; Deut 21:15-17; 1 Chron 5:1-2). The ‘birthright’ belongs to the firstborn son and is his unless special circumstances intervene to change that fact. [11] The fact that we are correct in seeing a purpose of God in creating Adam first, and that this purpose reflects an abiding distinction in the roles God has given to men and women, is supported by 1 Tim 2:13, where Paul uses the fact that ‘Adam was formed first, then Eve’ as a reason for restricting some distinct governing and teaching roles in the church to men.[4]” Grudem

2.Eve was created as a helper for Adam.

Genesis 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.”

1 Corinthians 11:8-9 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

3.Adam named Eve which indicates authority.

Genesis 2:23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

4.God named the human race “man,” not “woman.”

5.The serpent came to Eve first.

6.God spoke to Adam first after the fall.

“After the moral pattern had been broken by both Adam and Eve, God came to call them to account in chapter 3 (Gen 3:9). And even though the woman had eaten the forbidden fruit first, God came to Adam first, not Eve, to hold him accountable for the failure to live by the pattern he had given. …Why would God come to the man first, and call him to give and account instead of going to the woman first, especially since she ate the fruit first? The most natural answer is that God gave to the man a primary responsibility for the moral life of the garden and therefore man has a primary accountability for the failure to live by it.” – John Piper