Is Christianity Anti-Woman?
A Lesson from John Ortberg
Does Christianity favor man over woman? Does Christianity encourage husbands to rule over their wives?
God, a spirit, transcends gender. He created male and female in His image, both getting the same blessing and calling to steward His creation (Genesis 1:27-28).
After the fall, God proclaimed that the husband rule over his wife (Genesis 3:16). Like death, this is a curse. This is part of the suffering Christ came to save us from.
If so, then how about:
Learn from Christ. During those days, woman took care of things while man focused on learning. But Christ commended Mary for sitting at His feet learning instead of preparing the house for Him like Martha (Luke 10:38-42).
In Christ’s time, a woman’s highest calling was childbirth and nursing. But Christ defined woman by the life she lived, by hearing and obeying God’s words, not by her husband or her child (Luke 11:27-28).
Similarly, Paul commanded the husband to yield his body to his wife, as the wife yields her body to her husband (1 Corinthians 7:4). He endorsed women teaching or delivering messages to the congregation (1 Corinthians 11:5). Paul also taught both sexes to submit to each other (Ephesians 5:21).
Therefore, husbands and wives should love, respect, encourage, challenge, serve, befriend, and cherish one another, regardless of gender.
Summarized from a John Ortberg’s sermon at:
https://menlo.church/series/thats-a-great-question#/modal/message/4893/mlo
God, a spirit, transcends gender. He created male and female in His image, both getting the same blessing and calling to steward His creation (Genesis 1:27-28).
After the fall, God proclaimed that the husband rule over his wife (Genesis 3:16). Like death, this is a curse. This is part of the suffering Christ came to save us from.
If so, then how about:
- Man being made first?
- If order determines significance, then farm animals should be above humans.
- Eve as a helper suitable for Adam? (Genesis 2:18)
- The Bible also refers God as our helper (Psalms 33:20).
- Woman covering her head? (1 Corinthians 11:2-7)
- Paul might have suggested this as a way against sexual promiscuity when temple prostitutes in those days always exposed their heads. Also, didn’t Jewish men wear prayer shawl over their heads when praying?
- Woman having long hair, while man short? (1 Corinthians 11:6, 14, 15)
- That was the culture. Didn’t Samson also wear long hair as a sign of obeying God?
- The head of a woman being a man? (1 Corinthians 11:3)
- Such concepts reflected the social norm. Cultural changes take a long time.
Learn from Christ. During those days, woman took care of things while man focused on learning. But Christ commended Mary for sitting at His feet learning instead of preparing the house for Him like Martha (Luke 10:38-42).
In Christ’s time, a woman’s highest calling was childbirth and nursing. But Christ defined woman by the life she lived, by hearing and obeying God’s words, not by her husband or her child (Luke 11:27-28).
Similarly, Paul commanded the husband to yield his body to his wife, as the wife yields her body to her husband (1 Corinthians 7:4). He endorsed women teaching or delivering messages to the congregation (1 Corinthians 11:5). Paul also taught both sexes to submit to each other (Ephesians 5:21).
Therefore, husbands and wives should love, respect, encourage, challenge, serve, befriend, and cherish one another, regardless of gender.
Summarized from a John Ortberg’s sermon at:
https://menlo.church/series/thats-a-great-question#/modal/message/4893/mlo