Genesis 1-3 Research Paper

Male headship has been a long debated topic. There are many biblical texts to support either view from Timothy to Philippians in the New Testament. However, why not start in the beginning, the beginning of time. Genesis 1-3 is the start of the whole argument. These three chapters shape the view of Christian women for centuries to come. There are two different accounts on the creation of Adam and Eve in these chapters, which need to be further, explained. These three chapters lead to how the roles of women are portrayed in the Bible. Then like a domino affect, the women of the Bible have helped assign the roles of the women in our church. Although the role of women has varied throughout time from the beginning of creation, to later biblical

For example, Sarah’s laughter at God’s promise to her that she will bear a child is seen as mistrust in the Lord, yet when Abraham laughs it is understandable. The Lord questions Sarah when she laughs and when she says almost the same thing Abraham had said earlier. Many commentators find fault in Sarah for not trusting in the word of God. Yet, Abraham did the same, God did not question him and neither do readers. Lot offers his daughters be raped by the entire city, in order to spare the angels, who can clearly take care of themselves. Many still think of Lot as a righteous character while dismissing the threat of sexual abuse of his daughters as “oriental hospitality”. Lot knew they were angels and that was why he insisted so harshly they sleep in his home. Offering his daughters to be raped by an entire city is atrocious and hardly an ‘oriental hospitality’. More literary evidence shows how self-serving Lot really is. He was told to leave the city, yet he hesitated so the angels had to take him by hand. Then when he was told to go into the mountains, he lacked faith in God and asked to go to a nearby city instead, for fear he would starve to death. Then to end the saga of Lot, his daughters, in a perverse reversal of justice, sexually manipulate their father, to become pregnant by him. He was pathetic

He initiated conversation with a Samaritan woman, who was an outcast in her own town. She went on and evangelized her entire town (John 4). He protected Mary, caught in adultery, from a stoning and then gave her a new life in him (John 8). He defended the mothers who brought their children to him from his very own disciples (Mark 10). Lastly, while he was dying on the cross he made arrangements for the care of his mother (John 19). Christ reached out to the women and offered them love. He did not see them as lower than him on some hierarchal ladder. Even if he did he did not act as such. He showed them tender love and attention as he did to any man. They were equal in his eyes. “Christ’s ministry lifted women up, and in turn, the church empowers women to lift Him up”. Instead of being worried about where a woman’s place should be, why not just follow the example of Christ? He took care of them and did not care whether they were female, outcasts, or