Male and female

The creation of male and female

Genesis 1:27 KJV 1900

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

See also Ge 2:20–24; Ge 5:2

The fall disrupted relationships between male and female

Genesis 3:14–19 KJV 1900

And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, 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. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

See also 2 Sa 13:1–19; Pr 5:3–14; Mt 5:28; Ro 1:26–27

The equality of male and female

Equality under many old covenant regulations

Numbers 5:5–7 KJV 1900

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty; Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.

See also Le 20:10–12; Nu 5:1–4; Dt 15:12–15; Dt 23:17–18

Equality in religious observance

Exodus 35:22 KJV 1900

And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the Lord.

See also Nu 6:1–4; Dt 31:12; 2 Sa 6:19

Equality of accountability

Lamentations 2:21 KJV 1900

The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: My virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; Thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied.

See also Le 20:27; 2 Ch 36:15–17; Ac 5:1–11

Equality in Christ

Galatians 3:26–28 KJV 1900

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

See also Ac 2:17–18; Joe 2:28–29; 1 Co 11:11–12

Variations in the treatment of male and female

In OT patriarchal society

Leviticus 27:1–7 KJV 1900

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the Lord by thy estimation. And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels. And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels. And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver. And if it be from sixty years old and above; if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels.

See also Ge 17:9–14; Ex 13:1–2; Ex 13:14–15; Nu 3:14–15; Nu 5:11–31; Nu 18:8–10

In legislation protecting women under the old covenant

Numbers 27:1–7 KJV 1900

Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah. And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons. Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father. And Moses brought their cause before the Lord. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.

See also Nu 36:1–12; Dt 22:13–19; Dt 22:25–29

In roles within the NT church community

1 Corinthians 14:33–35 KJV 1900

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 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.

See also 1 Co 11:3–10; Eph 5:22–24 The idea of “headship” is complex, but is generally regarded as including the ideas of responsibility and authority within a relationship; 1 Ti 2:11–15; Tt 2:1–5

In behaviour within the NT church community

1 Timothy 2:8–10 KJV 1900

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

See also 1 Co 11:3–16; 1 Ti 5:1–2

Male and female roles within marriage

1 Corinthians 7:1–7 KJV 1900

Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

See also Pr 31:10–31; Eph 5:22–33; Col 3:18–19; 1 Pe 3:1–7

Male and female imagery used of God

Female imagery

Matthew 23:37 KJV 1900

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

See also Pr 8:1–11; Is 66:12–13

Male imagery

Psalm 47:2 KJV 1900

For the Lord most high is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth.

See also Ex 15:3; Ps 23:1; Mt 6:6; Lk 11:11–13