Today in the world there is a rise of a movement called “Woman’s Liberation.” The purpose of this movement is to obtain equality of women with men. With the rising pressures from the world it is good therefore to examine the Bible’s position of the role of the woman.
In the Garden of Eden, a curse was placed upon Eve because she ate of the forbidden fruit and offered it to her husband. God said to Eve in Gen. 3:16, “I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception: in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” Because of Eve’s sin, her desire was to be to her husband and he was to rule over her.
In other words she was to be subject to her husband. This is said many other places in the Bible. Eph. 5:22 states “Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” The husband then, according to the Bible, is to be the head of the house.
Why is man head of the woman ? I Cor. 11:3 says that the marriage between a man and a woman is to represent the relationship between Christ and the Church. As Christ is head of the church, so man is head of the woman. Also look at Eph. 5:24, 25.
Because woman is subject to the man she has certain responsibilities. She is to pray with her head covered, to keep silent in the church, and not to usurp authority over a man. I Cor. 11:5 tells us that a woman should not pray or prophesy (teach) with her head uncovered. The covering of a woman’s head is a symbol of her subjection to the man. I Cor. 14:34 states that women are to keep silent in the churches. This is why women are not permitted to teach or exhort. It is not because women are mentally deficient but because they are commanded to keep silent. I Tim. 2:11 says “Because man was created first, before woman, a woman ought not to usurp authority over a man.”
The Bible conclusions are for a woman to be subject to the man. However the man is commanded to love his wife as his own body. If he does this, there will be no cause for a woman to resent her position. A man should realize that women are not inferior. They are as intelligent as men, and can do many things men can do. They are just commanded to be subject to their husbands.
In a true marriage, there is partnership and working together. If a man assumes himself as superior and unjustly uses his position as head, the marriage will no longer be as one body, it will no longer be truly representing Christ and the church. Likewise the same is true if the woman refuses to be subject to her husband.
For a true partnership, the partners should work together. The wife helping her husband and likewise the husband helping his wife, being help meets for each other. A sharing of tasks in the home helps create strong feelings of togetherness and unity. Many problems of the day can be discussed while the dishes are being done, one washing & the other drying; and both helping in getting the children ready for bed, enables both to share in the joys of parenthood. By taking turns staying home with the children, both parents can go to classes so that both are able to grow spiritually. Likewise the woman can help her husband in the yard making the yard work a family affair. This also helps the family grow together as a strong unit. Also the woman can help her husband prepare for his lectures, exhortations, classes, etc. She can help by giving him the time to himself and a quiet place in which to work or she can also help by giving him ideas and helpful suggestions. Just because a woman can’t speak, doesn’t mean she doesn’t have good ideas or that her opinions aren’t worthwhile.
A problem that occurs today is that when a woman is confined to her home with children or other things, she is less apt to keep her mind expanding in learning. Whereas the man works outside on new problems and expands his knowledge, they then grow apart mentally. Actually there are many ways a woman can keep her mental sharpness she had in school. Some ways are to get scholastical books from the library; conduct your own personal Bible study at home; read Christadelphian books and take notes, ask questions as you read and try to answer them; go to a Sister’s Bible Class during the day; teach Sunday School or correspondence Sunday School and study and plan for the lessons; and many other things. There are many things that can be done besides house cleaning, washing, cooking or keeping of the children. A precaution should be not to become so busy that the children are neglected. It is important to bring up your children “in the Lord.” This should also be kept in mind by working women in the outside business world. How can the children be raised up in a good spiritual environment if the mother or father is hardly ever home? Mothers should work when there are children, only if it is an absolute necessity. Then she should be sure that they have adequate care while she is gone.
Woman’s position in the Bible is that of subjection to man which is a representation of the relationship between Christ and the Church. In Christ we are all one now, but we are to remain in our present positions just as in the time of Paul when both slave and master were baptized into Christ, they remained slave and master after baptism. When Christ comes and sets up his kingdom we will be released from our present positions and we will all then truly become one in Christ Jesus.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One