Women: do you think that you are inferior Status in the bible?

Question

Many verses in the bible (both testaments) make women much inferior to men:

1)Wives should submit to their husbands

"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." (Ephesians 5:22-24)

2)Silence the women:

"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." (I Corinthians 14:34-35)

"Let the women 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... (I Timothy 2:11-14)

sorry for the typos/ bad grammar.

Answer 1

mmm...
The truth is:

Galatians 3:28 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.

I am praying for you.
Peace!

Answer 2

NO NOTAT ALL!!!!
TERTULLIAN, a third-century theologian, once
described women as “the devil’s gateway.” Others have used the Bible to portray women as less important than men. As a result, many people feel that the Bible discriminates against women.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a 19th-century pioneer for women’s rights in the United States, felt that “the Bible and the Church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of women’s emancipation.” Of the first five books of the Bible, Stanton once said: “I know of no other books that so fully teach the subjection and degradation of woman.”

While some today might hold such extreme viewpoints, many still feel that some parts of the Bible support discrimination against women. Is such a conclusion justified?

How Women Are Viewed in the Hebrew Scriptures
“Your craving will be for your husband, and he will dominate you.” (Genesis 3:16) Critics point to this as a judgment of Eve by God and as divine approval of woman’s subjection by man. However, rather than a declaration of God’s purpose, this is an accurate statement of the sad consequences of sin and rejection of God’s sovereignty. Abuse of women is the direct result of mankind’s fallen nature, not God’s will. Wives in many cultures have indeed been dominated by their husbands, often in very harsh ways. But this was not God’s purpose.

Both Adam and Eve were made in God’s image. Moreover, they received the same mandate from God to become fruitful, fill the earth, and subdue it. They were to work together as a team. (Genesis 1:27, 28) Clearly, at that point neither was cruelly dominating the other. Genesis 1:31 says: “God saw everything he had made and, look! it was very good.”

In some cases Bible accounts do not indicate God’s view on a matter. They may just be historical narrative. The account of Lot offering his daughters to the Sodomites is related without moral commentary or judgment by God.*—Genesis 19:6-8.

The fact is, God hates all forms of exploitation and abuse. (Exodus 22:22; Deuteronomy 27:19; Isaiah 10:1, 2) The Mosaic Law condemned rape and prostitution. (Leviticus 19:29; Deuteronomy 22:23-29) Adultery was prohibited, and the penalty was death for both parties. (Leviticus 20:10) Rather than discriminate against women, the Law elevated and protected them from the rampant exploitation common in the surrounding nations. A capable Jewish wife was a highly respected and esteemed individual. (Proverbs 31:10, 28-30) The Israelites’ failure to follow God’s laws on showing respect for women was their fault, not God’s will. (Deuteronomy 32:5) Ultimately, God judged and punished the nation as a whole for their flagrant disobedience.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Jesus treated women respectfully
Is Subjection Discrimination?
Any society can function well only when there is order. This requires the administration of authority. The alternative is chaos. “God is a God, not of disorder, but of peace.”—1 Corinthians 14:33.

The apostle Paul describes the family headship arrangement: “The head of every man is the Christ; in turn the head of a woman is the man; in turn the head of the Christ is God.” (1 Corinthians 11:3) Every individual except God submits to a higher authority. Does the fact that Jesus has a head mean that he is being discriminated against? Of course not! The fact that men Scripturally have been assigned to take the lead in the congregation and the family does not mean that women are being discriminated against. To prosper, both the family and the congregation need women and men to play their respective roles with love and respect.—Ephesians 5:21-25, 28, 29, 33.

Answer 3

! corithians was addressed to a pagan church which had been praying to female deities. The women were being loud and boisterous and not allowing the gospel of God to be preached.
It also says that if the male haead of the household does not uphold his part in teaching his family the gospel then it falls to the woman.
Also there were several important prophetesses in the bible who made many true prophesies.
Granted the men take a central role but the woman is his helpmeet not his helpmat.

Answer 4

ok yes, totally agree with you. The women are put down in submission in the bible a lot. However there are certain verses where woman plays the key role in developing humanity. Like Mary, Jesus would not have been born for us, if not for an honorable woman like herself.
But you did forget the other part of that first verse. Which says, Husbands love your wives the way you love thyself.
I know, it is hard to understand, but if you think about it, what God told the men to write, they wrote it sure, BUT THEY ADDED THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE> this is keeping woman in control. I don't believe that was God's plan for woman. I mean look at society today. I know all families are different. But in my world growing up and today, WOMAN WEAR THE PANTS ~ it was always go ask your mother, what did your mom say?
No wonder they tried to keep us down, no more darling. Things always balance out, have faith in that.:o]

Answer 5

In the Old Testament, there is the Judge Deborah. In the NT, we have the prophetess Huldah. Dorcas and Priscilla are mentioned as deaconesses in the books of Timothy.

Some of Paul's comments are his own opinion, which he clearly labels as such, saying 'decide for yourselves'.

These kinds of questions are pointless in that they are endlessly asked from nearly trollish point of view.

Answer 6

In response to Ephesians 5:22-24, you completely ignored the next five verses.

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:" Ephesians 5:25-30.

It is my duty to submit to my husband's authority, yes... but it is *his* duty to care for me unconditionally, and to die for me if it is called for... just as Christ is head of the Church, and the Church submits to Christ... Christ gave everything given to Him to the Church, and even died for the sake of the Church. It is a give and take relationship.

As to 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, see Ephesians 5:25-30.

Just as the Church is in submission to Christ, and does not teach Christ anything, but rather, it is Christ who teaches the Church, so too does the imagery follow within the Church, that it is the man's job to do the speaking within the congregation.

That does not mean women are not to speak at all, but rather, it is the man's job to speak/teach/preach to a congregation, and the woman's job to speak/teach/preach to younger women and children (Proverbs 31:1, Titus 2:3-5). Both sexes are encouraged to evangelize and witness the truth of Christ outside of the church (Matthew 28:19-20).

And as to our supposed "inferior status"...
* We have 95% of a chapter, the last one in Proverbs, entirely dedicated to just how wonderful a good woman is. There is no equivalent for a good man.
* Two books, Esther and Ruth, focus entirely around the lives of specific women. Most other books in the Bible revolve around Israel or Jesus Christ.
* We are called a "helper"... that is, man cannot accomplish what he sets out to do without our support. Woman was taken from man's rib... the rib supports, protects, and gives substance to the chest... woman supports and protects the man in the ways that he cannot do so himself, and gives substance to his life.
* The first people to see Christ arisen were women.
* God chose *us* to bear children... not men.
* Solomon glorifies his bride-to-be

Most importantly :
"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." - Galatians 3:28

Here on earth, man is to lead, woman is to support. In Christ's reign, Christ will lead, and both will be equal to support.

Edit : An afterthought... if you have ever played an MMORPG (specifically Guild Wars, in this example), let me ask you this: What is the Warrior without the Monk? The Warrior leads the party and needs the Monk to heal him as he takes blow after blow on behalf of the Monk, while the Monk needs the Warrior to kill for him. Both are in submission to each other, needing each other, fulfilling their own individual roles to complement each other. Is the Monk inferior to the Warrior? No. Is the Warrior inferior to the Monk? No. But both submit to each other.

Such as it is with man and woman. Man protects the woman from the viciousness of the world, while the woman gives the man the strength to survive the emotional battles.

Answer 7

Personally I do not feel inferior. I have no problem accepting my role. My husband loves me and protects me. I only have to obey him so I have the easier part. Also I like being treated as a woman. Personally I feel I am treated better because of my sex. And if God says it I accept it.
Peace Be With You,
Debra

Answer 8

No. Not at all. Why should they think so? They are in superior position in Bible and all the world.

Answer 9

No, I don't think the Bible tells me I'm inferior. In the first quote you mention, submission doesn't means inferiority. In fact, there's another verse not too far away from the ones you quote that states Christians are to submit one to another (i.e in a Christian home the husband and wife have an attitude of submission towards each other). In other words, Christians are too put the needs of others before their own; selflessness is one of Christ's main teachings, so it's only natural for a Christian wife to be like that towards her husband. Husbands are also taught to be selfless towards their wives as well since they are taught to love their wives as Christ loved the Church and "gave Himself up for her" (what is giving yourself up for someone but a form of submission and selflessness). In fact, Christ is also referred to as a servant, but no Christian would ever refer to Him as inferior!

Yes, the Bible does teach that men and women have different roles (isn't that obvious? i.e., a man can't be the childbearer), but different roles does not mean inferior. Only those who don't understand the beauty of mutual submission and selflessness would ever propose that submission or difference is the same as inferiority.

Answer 10

Not anymore

Answer 11

i'm not an atheist, but I honestly don't care about what the bible says