Ever since Adam blamed his wife for what he did (Genesis 3:12), men have been devaluing women by misinterpreting the Bible. Even though the Lord didn’t blame the women for the rebellion in Eden, men have been doing so for centuries. In fact, during the Renaissance, artists, including Michelangelo (cir. 1510), Masolino (1425) and Hugo van der Goes (1470) painted the serpent in the Garden of Eden with a woman’s head, and their art not only decorates church buildings to influence the hearts of the attendants, but they are also lauded by placing them in museums for all to reflect on the artists’ interpretation of the event that took place in Eden.
Nevertheless, if one simply reads the text, it would be understood that such interpretations are clearly meant to impose the prejudices of the artists upon the minds of the unsuspecting observer, because the text simply does not say what the artist concludes. However, we can’t simply blame the artist for centuries of male devaluation and debasement of women. We need to take responsibility for what we do and not hide our sin as Adam did (Genesis 3:12). After all, clearly the word of God tells us that it was Adam who was responsible for the rebellion in Eden (Romans 5:12-14), and, if he is truly responsible, what is the basis of male supremacy over women? And, please don’t try to tell me that Christian theology doesn’t debase women, but it, instead, unveils for us the divine order of male/female relationships. What a farce! I haven’t read one thing in the Bible that can show with certainty that patriarchy (or complementarianism) is the image of divine order. What I do see is male arrogance, and a refusal to consider what the Bible truly tells us about male/female relationships.
Women are often cast as temptresses in the Bible, but, if one actually reads those scriptures concerning those women, it would be clearly understood that such an impression of the woman of note is completely false. For example, consider the wicked woman Jezebel. Although she is truly evil, it is important to note the stigma placed upon women, because of how Jezebel is remembered. She is often depicted as a promiscuous woman.[1] Yet, Jezebel is described as a murderer, not an adulteress. She murdered the prophets of the Lord (1Kings 18:13) and threatened Elijah (1Kings 19:2). Other women of the Bible who have been miscast as promiscuous women are Tamar (Genesis 38) and Bathsheba (2Samuel 11). Yet, nothing in the text could be used to show they were so. The fact is that both men and women are shown to be both righteous and evil in the Bible, but the majority of the cases of women in the Bible is that they are used by the Lord to strengthen the nation and their righteous characters are lauded for emulation by both men and women today.
Nevertheless, the fact remains that, today, men, especially those in religious power and having great influence, depict women as unworthy to lead the church, especially in matters of teaching, preaching and evangelizing the Gospel. The facts show that, if ever there is a choice that could be made one way or another in the word of God that involves male/female relationships, if it could be interpreted to mean the woman isn’t worthy of leadership, especially to lead men, the choice is almost always to devalue the woman and place her under the influence of the man. Why should it happen this way? What in the text of the Bible could be clearly used to show the man gets to influence the woman, but the woman never gets to influence the man? Why are positions of authority in the church given to men over women, but not vice versa? Where is the proof that this is the divine order of male/female relationships?
More effort should be taken by both men and women to take responsibility for what they read in the Bible, and not let those, who claim authority in the Body of Christ, to impose undue influence on how one reads the Bible. Faith is an individual matter, not a corporate one. What I believe is not the same as allowing another man to tell me what I believe. If I permit another man to believe for me, that removes me from the faith process. I am called to have faith “in” God, not “in” man/the preacher/the pastor/the evangelist.
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[1] Collins online dictionary uses the word, licentious, to describe Jezebel.
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2 responses to “Misogyny, a Misrepresentation of the Bible”
If you don’t believe in patriachy or complementarianism, then what do you believe in?
Greetings Rafs, and thanks for reading my studies and for your question.
I believe that in Christ there is neither male nor female. In other words, neither gender has any prominence in Christ. Patriarchy and Complementarianism debase women, some churches saying women should be silent in the church, others concluding they can speak, but they can’t teach men, not even teenage boys, even when some women have doctorate degrees in divinity. The teaching makes no sense at all.