In sketching out a Biblical theology of women one must start where the story of God and his creation starts, in Genesis. I still remember being a seminary student taking my first course, introduction to the Old Testament, from Dr. Sandra Richter. I will never forget the first time she used in a lecture the phrase, “God’s original intent is his final intent”. That was one of those divine moments in the structuring of personal theology that the story of God began to make clearer sense to me. God had an original intent when he created the world and everything in it. God’s intent has not changed just because we failed to follow his rules. So the question we must ask ourselves when we look at God’s view of gender issues is “what was God’s original intent for the relationship between male and female”?
We see that both man and woman (humankind) was made in the image of God (Gen.1:26-27): This is significant because it was not an accident for the writer of Genesis one (probably Moses) to mention that women were a part of the created humanity and the image of God. This is significant especially due to the fact that the surrounding culture was patriarchal, as was the Hebrew culture.
o In v.26 we see that God decided to make אָדָ֛ם in “our image”. This wordadm is unfortunately translated in the KJV as “man” but is better translated as human kind. This noun is common and can be seen as describing all of human kind, not just a particular sex, whether it be male or female. In understanding this word as “humankind” we see that encompasses both male and female humans, and God created both of them in his image.
o In the ancient world an image was believed to carry the essence of that which it represented. This would not suggest that the image could do what the deity could do, nor that it looked the same as the deity. Rather, the deity’s work was thought to be accomplished through the idol.[1]
o It seems clear that the image of God was to be best displayed in a humanity made up of both male and female. In the words of Aida Besancon Spencer, “At creation, conversely, male and female form a unity. It is that unity that mirrors God’s likeness.”[1] It is communal nature of humanity, both male and female, that best reflects the image of a God that is communal in his nature; Father, Son, Spirit. Humanity, both male and female together are needed to reflect who God is.
So, in conclusion, just in looking at the first couple of verses mentioning humanity, we can see from the beginning, both male and female were created equally by God, together as both essential to represent the image of God. More from Genesis soon.
[1] Bensancon Spencer, Aida. Beyond the Curse: Women Called to Ministry. 1985. (p.22) Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers.
[1] Walton, John H. The IVP Bible Background commentary: Genesis-Deuteronomy. 1997. (p.18) Downer’s Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press.
