The Original Order
One of the main differences in views when it comes to complementarianism is whether or not male headship is rooted in the order of creation. Or, in other words, was this God’s design from the beginning, before the temptation and fall, or was it a result of the fall? The first expresses God’s designed plan and function for men and women, while the second claims that role distinctions were a part of the curse. That is a massive difference, is it not?
So, here is the biblical understanding of the complementarian: Adam was created as the leader (male headship), and Eve was created as the helper for Adam, and from this, we get the idea of distinct roles and functions for men and women. We say this primarily because:
1. God created Adam first.
2. God created Eve from Adam.
3. God created Eve as a helper to Adam.
4. God held Adam responsible for Eve’s sin.
There are other nuances in Genesis that will be discussed, but these are the primary points. Therefore, we would say that God created Adam as the head of his household, which also had a ripple effect as the Church was established (which will be discussed in the next article).
The pushback from the opposite perspective is that these four points, in and of themselves, don’t prove male headship or distinct and differing roles. While I suppose one could argue that what I’ve outlined is a matter of personal interpretation, we also need to realize that scripture will often interpret scripture, and there are many times when New Testament writers will elaborate on Old Testament scriptures to clarify their meaning.
So, if we can get some additional commentary from trusted sources, we should have confidence in this particular claim, right? So the question becomes, does anyone in the New Testament elaborate and clarify this claim? The answer is a solid yes. Both Jesus and Paul argue particular points and then appeal to the order of creation in Genesis 1-2 before the fall and the curse (and not the current cultural norms) to back up their claims.
Jesus and Paul appeal to God’s original created order
On two separate occasions, Paul makes an argument concerning men’s and women’s roles, and then appeals to the created order in Genesis 1-2 to reinforce his point:
1. 1 Timothy 2:12-13 when saying women are not to teach or have authority over a man because man was created first, then Eve (Gen. 1:27, 2:8), and Eve was deceived, not Adam (Gen. 3:6,13).
2. 1 Corinthians 11:1-18 says that man is the head of woman, just like Christ is the head of man, and the head of Christ is God Himself (v. 3). Also, (from vv.7-8) man shouldn’t have a symbol of authority on his head because he is the glory of God, but a woman should because she is the glory of man. Why? Because man was created first, then woman (Gen. 2:21-23).
(By the way, Jesus did this same thing when he wanted to prove a point. Jesus appealed to Genesis 2:24 when explaining God’s original design for marriage in Matthew 19:1-9. Essentially, Moses gave a provision for divorce if adultery was involved, but there was a standard in God’s design from the beginning – namely, one man married to one woman for life. So, when Paul argues a point from the created order, he is simply imitating Jesus).
In all three cases, neither Jesus nor Paul pointed to the current culture. Marriage is not a manmade institution. God designed it in a specific way. Likewise, male and female roles are not inventions of human minds. God designed them in a specific way before the fall in a way that was ‘very good’ so that they can reflect His glory in special and unique ways.
Because Adam was the head, he was held responsible for the fall
This concept is called Adam’s Federal headship of humanity. Because he has been given the responsibility to lead, he bears the consequence of the fall. Even though Paul made it clear that Eve was the one who was deceived in 1 Tim. 2:12-13, she did not bear that responsibility. Why? Because Adam was put in authority, Eve’s sin is ultimately his sin… not to mention the fact that he was right beside her when she was being tempted!
To help us understand this in more detail, I’ll unpack this in three points below, using two New Testament scriptures and one Old Testament scripture.
1. In Acts 17:26, Paul is in the Areopagus in Athens, tying Yahweh — the God of the universe — to the ‘unknown god’ in their city. In his famous speech on Mar’s Hill, he explains that Yahweh, not Zeus, created all things of creation and all humans in creation. As he explains the creation of humanity, he says that all humans stem from one man.
Though Eve is described as the mother of all the living, all mankind comes from its head — Adam. This is because Eve came from Adam’s side, so even though she bears humanity through her womb, everything from her body originally came from Adam’s body (his rib). He could have said that all humanity came from one couple, but he didn’t because Paul was driving home an important point. We have physical life through one man — Adam, who is the head of the human race. We have spiritual life (and will escape judgment) through one man — Jesus, who is the head of all things, physical and spiritual.
2. In Romans 5:12-21, Paul masterfully explains the connections to the first and second Adams, aka, Adam and Jesus. Sin came through Adam, and death came through sin. Spiritual life came through the removal of sin, and that came through the grace of Jesus Christ. In summary — in Adam all die, but in Christ, all are made alive.
But why didn’t sin enter the world through Eve? Isn’t she the one who was deceived? Yes, she was, but Adam failed to lead, protect, and provide for her. Adam was the only one given the command to refrain from eating fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16-17), and even though she knew God’s command because she quoted it to the serpent, Adam failed to enforce it. He is responsible. Adam was the keeper of the garden and failed to keep the serpent out in the first place, and he failed to protect Eve from Satan’s deception as he was speaking to her.
3. After Adam and Eve sinned, God came looking for them. When they heard Him walking, they hid. As God looked around, who did he call out for? Did he call for Eve? Did he call for both of them at the same time? No, he called out for Adam (Gen. 3:9). This can’t be a case where God simply couldn’t locate them or was unaware of what had happened. He knows and has preordained all things. He knew exactly where they were and what had happened. So, while this is subtle, it is still an intentional action on God’s part to call out to the one he put in charge. Adam.
Secondary Connectors
Those are the primary points, but there are other, secondary points that might not prove the point on their own, but can reinforce the design of differing roles and Adam’s headship. I would encourage you to think through these points carefully, not asking, “Does this prove differing roles,” but rather, ask yourself, “Why did God do it this way?”
• Man was made first in the created order, and Eve was not made at the same time but rather later and from his flesh. Nothing else in the created order happens this way.
• Eve was made from Adam’s side – Parallel this picture with the church born from Jesus’ wound in his side on the cross. In both cases, the head sacrificially gives of himself for his bride (this will be elaborated on in the next article).
• Adam named Eve (after naming the animals and after God named the elements of creation).
• The human race is named ‘man,’ not ‘woman.’
• Eve was created as a helper for Adam, not the other way around. Does this not point to functionality?
Creation Mandate takes two
While Adam and Eve had different roles, please remember the points from the previous article. Differing roles does not imply inferiority, deficiency, a lack of competency, or make it solely a man’s or woman’s issue.
The differing roles complement one another, and therefore one is incomplete without the other.
Both Adam and Eve are needed to:
1. subdue the earth
2. be fruitful to multiply and fill the earth
The need for both highlights the complementarity of the created order. One cannot fulfill the mission without the other. Adam was commissioned as the garden’s caretaker. He was the laborer and provider for Eve. Eve’s name is the mother of all the living. She is the only one who can bear children and fill the earth. So, as each one fulfills their role, the earth is filled and subdued.
So, when they sinned, and God brought about the curse, He didn’t just arbitrarily throw out curses. They were specifically tied to their complementary roles, making them more difficult to achieve: physical labor for Adam and birth pains for Eve. Adam’s fallen inclination will be to be a domineering ruler over Eve, and Eve’s inclination will be to usurp his authority. The curse did not bring about differing roles, it cursed their existing roles that were designed to be ‘very good.’
Conclusion
Genesis 1-2 shows us what God’s original design in marriage. To say that male headship is a result of the curse and, therefore, part of the curse is to ignore what Jesus and Paul are pointing to as the foundation of their arguments. They did not appeal to 1st-century culture but rather stood on the solid foundation of the created order, which was God’s intention from the very beginning. We should exercise caution, therefore, and not call evil what God has declared to be ‘very good.’
If differing roles for men and women are God’s good and righteous design, then we can have confidence that:
1. We will live radiant, joyful, fulfilling lives if we live in accordance with the way we were designed.
2. Our obedience will bring God glory and display His greatness to those around us.
Continue in the series: