Uniqueness of men and women

Created different

God formed/fashioned man from dust
Gen 2:7  Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
No suitable helper found.
Gen 2:18  Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
All creatures formed from dust, except woman. Women were "built" from man (woman (Ihsa) means "from man")
Gen 2:22  The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man

1Co 11:1-12  Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.  Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.  But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.  Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head.  But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved.  For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head.  For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the 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.  Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.  However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.  For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.

firstborn son's are sanctified to the Lord

Exo 13:12  you shall devote to the LORD the first offspring of every womb, and the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to the LORD.

Num 3:11-13  Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,  "Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine.  For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast. They shall be Mine; I am the LORD."

Neh 10:36  and bring to the house of our God the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks as it is written in the law, for the priests who are ministering in the house of our God.

Rights of the firstborn son

Deu 21:15-17  "If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him sons, if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved,  then it shall be in the day he wills what he has to his sons, he cannot make the son of the loved the firstborn before the son of the unloved, who is the firstborn.  "But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the firstborn.

If no son, then to the daughters
Num 27:8  "Further, you shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter.

 

census, only males are counted (God's direction, not man's or "cultural")

Num 1:1-4  Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,  (2)  "Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers' households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head  (3)  from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies.  (4)  "With you, moreover, there shall be a man of each tribe, each one head of his father's household.

Num 3:14-15  Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,  (15)  "Number the sons of Levi by their fathers' households, by their families; every male from a month old and upward you shall number."

 

only men served
 

Exo 19:3-6  Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel:  (4)  'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself.  (5)  'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;  (6)  and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."
Exo 28:1  "Then bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the sons of Israel, to minister as priest to Me--Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.

As Husbands

Eph 5:25-28 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing[2] her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Eph 5:22-33  Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.  But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,  so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,  that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.  So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;  for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,  because we are members of His body.  FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.  This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.  Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Col 3:19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

As Fathers

Col 3:21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

As Wives

Gen 3:16  To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you."

Psa 128:3  Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine Within your house, Your children like olive plants Around your table.

Prov 12:4  An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.
Prov 18:22  He who finds a wife finds a good thing And obtains favor from the LORD.
Prov 19:13-14  A foolish son is destruction to his father, And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.  House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD.
Prov 31 [the whole chapter]

1Co 11:3 Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

Eph 5:22-33  Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.  But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,  so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,  that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.  So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;  for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,  because we are members of His body.  FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.  This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.  Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Col 3:18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

1Pe 3:1-7  In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,  as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.  Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;  but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.  For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands;  just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.  You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Tit 2:3-5  Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,  so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,  to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

 

Order of creation

1Co 11:3  But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
1Co 11:8-9  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.
"Yet, while on a level with males as to the offer of, and standing in grace (Gal_3:28), their subjection in point of order, modesty, and seemliness, is to be maintained" Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentary.

 

Instruction against teaching

1Co 14:34-35  The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.  If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.

1Ti 2:11-12  A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.  But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

Instructions for women teaching

Tit 2:3-5 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Women working in ministry

Judging

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
(Jdg 4:4)

Jdg 4:6-9 Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, "Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, 'Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun. 'I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon, and I will give him into your hand.'" Then Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." She said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.
 Was the prophesy of 'the honor shall not be yours' a rebuke for Barak's deferring to Deborah 'If you will go with me...'

Jdg 4:21 But Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg and seized a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died.
 

Prophetess

Exo 15:20 Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing.

Jdg 4:4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.

2Ki 22:14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her.

Isa 8:3 So I approached the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. Then the LORD said to me, "Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz;

Luk 1:41-42 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

Luk 2:36-37 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.

Act 21:9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.

Joe 2:28-29 "It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. "Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

false prophetess

Eze 13:17-19 "Now you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their own inspiration. Prophesy against them and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to hunt down lives! Will you hunt down the lives of My people, but preserve the lives of others for yourselves? "For handfuls of barley and fragments of bread, you have profaned Me to My people to put to death some who should not die and to keep others alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies."'"

Neh 6:14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.

Rev 2:20 'But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

Teaching?

Act 18:24-26  Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures.  This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John;  and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Note: Some take this that due to the order of the names, Priscilla (Prisca) took a leading role in correcting the brother Apollos. However, the ordering of their names is not universal. See Act 18:2  And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having
recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them,
Note2: It's clear that both Priscilla and Aquila were instrumental in the early church. However, I haven't found a single verse that lends credance to the notion Priscilla was in a position of authority over Aquila (and that notion contradicts many other verses both old and new)

2Ti 1:5  For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.
2Ti 3:14-15  You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them,  and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Note: Timothy appears to have heard the gospel first from his mother and grandmother. However, it's perfectly natural to conclude a mother should teach her child. This doesn't lend support for teaching in the assembly.
 

Ministering/serving (διακονέω - dee-ak-on-eh'-o)

Rom 16:1-2  I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea;  that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.
 

Financial support

Luk 8:1-3 Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.
 

The "Cultural Card"

Many dismiss what scriptures say re: head-coverings and submission as the apostle's speaking only to local cultural issues. 1 Ti 2:10-15 and 1Co 11:8-9 ties women's submission all the way back to the order of creation. Sin entered the world through a reversal of God-given roles, when Eve led Adam to the forbidden fruit (1 Ti 2:14). Eve was deceived. Adam sinned willfully.

Headcoverings, etc. "This is speaking to a cultural issue and doesn't apply today" - One can effectively dismiss any of the epistles with this. See 1 Thess 4:1-8 speaking to sexual immorality which was a cultural problem (parallel Acts 15:20 & 1Co 6:18) due to various idol worship (temple of Aphrodite (Venus to Romans) in Corinth) Thessolonicans worshiped Cabiri (sp?)- included sexual immorality in worship .

I also understand many quote Gal 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." as a basis for dismissing any distinction in roles [or all roles apart from pastor]. However, I understand this verse to speak to the universality of grace and salvation - not that there is no longer any distinction in roles. Consider exhortations to slaves in Eph 6:5-8, Col 3:22-25, and 1 Ti 6:1. If there is no longer any distinction in earthly roles as pertaining to slave or free, male or female, why the exhortations?

 

from "Wives" teaching from Alistair Begg's series on Christian Families.

All too easy to begin with man and his need rather than God and His glory

Dual citizenship. In Loveland, in Christ.

"What is the chief end of marriage? The chief end of marriage is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. What is the chief end of a wife? The same. Of a husband? The same. Of parents? The same."

Piety - godliness. Living of life with all pervasive sense of God's presence.

Mystery - the essence of Eph 5:33 the mystery of the initiative taking love of Jesus and joyful submission of his bride in the church to His love is mirrored in healthy biblical marriages. When a wife expresses submissive love for her husband she is depicting how a believer responds to the Lord Jesus. When she doesn't she is confusing the issue and marring the gospel.

Authority - we cannot says Jesus is Lord if we do not obey Him. Who is it who said wives should submit to their husbands? The husband is the head (Eph 5), not because he is bigger and stronger, but because God has constituted the order of the relationship in this way and God has done so for His purposes. The reason for a wife's submission is because ultimately she submits to Christ. The same Christ who gave authority to the man. God's order is disturbed when wives don't submit to their husbands and equally disturbed when husbands tyrannize their wives.

Liberty

A healthy Christian marriage is a mirror of the initiative love of Jesus towards His bride.

The significant truth about a Christian woman's relationship with her husband is that it mirrors her commitment to her Lord.

This goes back to creation. God created Adam and Eve