8 minute read.
The Old Testament, does not directly state that Eve was weaker than Adam either physically or spiritually. It only indicates that Eve was made from Adam and for Adam as a helper fitting for him:
Genesis 2:18-22: "Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him 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 ribsמִצַּלְעֹתָ֔יו (miṣ·ṣal·‘ō·ṯāw)and closed up its place with flesh. And the ribהַצֵּלָ֛ע (haṣ·ṣê·lā‘)that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.”
These verses indicate an order of creation but not necessarily a hierarchy of strength or ability.
As for after the Fall, Genesis 3:16 may be interpreted as a demonstration of the imbalance between Adam and Eve, but it is a consequence of their disobedience, not an indication that women are intrinsically weaker than men:
"To the woman, he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain, you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
Once again, this verse indicates a hierarchical order that emerged after the Fall, but it does not state that Eve or women, in general, are weaker than men. Rather, it refers to the social order that was established as a consequence of the Fall. We will come to "why" a little later on in this text.
REMEMBER: This analysis is based on English translations of either Masoretic text Hebrew or Septuagint LXX Greek. Therefore, we have some limits that I will address next.
Genesis 2
The relevant passage is Genesis 2:21-22, which in English ESV is: "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."
More to the point, verse 21 makes the statement: "... and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh."
The word "rib" is a translation choice and not an good one. Why? Because translations are based on the theology, beliefs, and worldview of the translators. In this case, not only are the translators all men, but they are patriarchal men who are mentally programmed to think of women as being under or subject to men (there is some truth here, but its complicated and not simplistic).
The word being translated as "rib" is the Hebrew word "צֵלָע" (tsela). It is used in different contexts in the Old Testament to refer not just to a rib but also to the side of something, such as the side of a building or the side chambers of the temple in Ezekiel. In the context of Genesis 2:21-22, it is traditionally translated as "rib". The word can also be translated as "aspect".
Therefore—the use of "צֵלָע" (tsela) in Genesis 2:21-22 adds to the larger metaphorical and symbolic interpretations of the text, because the same word can also mean "side" or "aspect", which opens up other interpretative possibilities for this passage. For instance, it's often seen as emphasizing the equality and complementarity of male and female in the creation narrative. This is especially true if we strike out an overwhelming propensity to lens the translation through patriarchy and women being "less than" (or weaker than) men in some qualitative sense.
Thus, we are left with Adam and Eve being full equals in pre-fall Edenic creation. But is this one word the only proof that we have? Not at all. Even though we might be satisfied to stop here, further proof comes in the form of God's own words to Eve after the fall.
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” And God said to the woman, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” - Genesis 3:13-16 ESV
There are three changes made by God as a result of what Eve experienced as she was attacked and then what she did as a result (rebelled/disobeyed):
1. Pain in childbearing.
2. Contrary (adversarial) to her husband.
3. Him ruling over her.
The first item is interesting and will need further exploring. God mentions it and it comes off as being "strange and weird", which is a strong clue to its importance. Nevertheless, we won't spend any time with it here and move to the next two items on God's list of changes to Eve.
Items two and three are the relevant parts. Prior to her deception and rebellion, she was not adversarial, but in excellent unity (perhaps perfect, we don't know) with Adam. She did nothing contrary to Him. They didn't have to "talk-things-out" in a contrarian negotiation. They didn't need to find common ground or compromises, which is a post-fall result of sin and rebellion. Instead—they just knew what needed to be done in unity with God and each other; they did so with fluid cooperation.
The next item God tells her is that Adam will rule over her. Why? Because prior to the fall, the head of Eve was God just like the head of Adam was God. The LORD was the head of them both and was the source of their perfect unity with each other. She was not over him and he was not over her. God was over them both. Upon falling, the estrangement of sin changed the dynamics. It was as scripture states:
1 Corinthians 11:3. It says, "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." (ESV)
This is the temporary order imposed from Genesis 3 onward, but it is not permanent! It will be done away with when that which is perfect comes (Jesus Christ and us remade into His perfect image in both spirit and body).
One must further understand all of this in the overarching context of the lusts and arrogant pride of the satans' (the fallen sons of God or Watchers). The lusts of the sons of God started with Eve and then her daughters (the daughters of men or mankind).
NOTE: The phrase "daughters of men" in Genesis 6 uses "men" in the sense of "mankind" or "humanity," not solely males. The Hebrew word used here is 'Adam' which generally refers to humanity as a whole and not just to males. This context implies that these were human women as opposed to the "sons of God" mentioned in the same verse. These are the Watchers of 1 Enoch and found in the Book of Daniel.
The opening of the beachhead to the females for the Watchers was to get both Adam and Eve to rebel against God's command. Eve wasn't chosen because she was weaker. She was chosen because the Nechash (deceiver) was lusting after her and was not only trying to deceive her, but was lusting for her as he did!
Once the deception and resulting rebellion of Eve, then Adam was in place, then Genesis 6—a full on lust-filled invasion of earth—could begin. Therefore, Genesis 6 was highly dependent on Genesis 3. The latter could not happen without the former. And I want to point out a further implication of Genesis 3.
The rebellious sons of God (Watchers) could not—in their acted-out rebellious state—risk coming into the presence of God and the object of their lust (Eve) was safely in the presence of God in Eden with Adam. They knew if Eve (and then Adam) rebelled like they were planning, then sin would drive them from God.
This is just like the Watchers understood their own separation because of their own rebellion and sin that was soon forthcoming. Their own relationships with God would be over. Thus, the Watchers needed Eve and Adam separated by sin from God in order to carry out the actions of their lust—that is—forbidden sex with human women—the only females in creation—ever! This is what they wrestled with inwardly and ultimately acted out upon in Genesis 6.
The overarching point
Eve was not less than or weaker than Adam prior to the fall. Moreover, women are not less than men even after the fall. Both men and women have battle-damage from our Genesis 3 rebellion, which was instigated by one of the rebellious sons of God directly at Eve and then she carried it to Adam and they both fell together. Therefore—women are not weaker than men, even now—in spirit and in the eyes of our common Creator and Savior, Jesus.
I am going list a number of scriptures (below) that have been used by an overbearing "patriarchal" mindset to subjugate women in a way that is not respectful of how we were all created and stood as equals with God. I am quoting these scriptures within a new light of understanding that offers respect to the damage of what was done by the Watchers and its implications since then until now.
In this way of thinking, all of scripture on this topic presents two important vectors: One is the resulting changes made by God towards His relationship with both men and women. It also points at what He was forced into doing as a result of the rebellion of Adam and Eve. The other vector has to do with the sins of the Watchers (Genesis 6), further rebellions (Genesis 11), the deepening of sin and depravity in humanity, and the results of it through the rest of scripture. Along these lines also comes the twin vectors of both the reversal of this train-wreck brought by Christ and how it plays out in being man or woman in a fallen, but now redeemed by Christ humanity.
If there is anything that could be thought of or quantified as "less than" between men and women in the 21st century reality of being a Christian, it would be aspects having to do with both the damage done by the Watchers and how the reversals of Christ push back and roll back or otherwise make changes to how we operate as human beings.
The overall take away for us is that the ideas and notions of simplistic "woman-is-less-than-man-for-blah-reasons" and then stepping into authoritative and possibly abusive man-over-woman is dangerously childish and coming from minds not driven by the Spirit of Christ, but by flesh, lust, passion, and demonic influence. We must always bear in mind that the influence of yet unchained Watchers (as gods), demons, and the powers of darkness we cannot see are still hard at work to destroy what Adam and Eve (and us) were created for at the Garden before the fall.
Relevant Scriptures
In the same way, you husbands, live with your wives in an understanding manner [with great gentleness and tact, and with an intelligent regard for the marriage relationship], as with someone physically weaker, since she is a woman. Show her honor and respect as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered or ineffective.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.