My Notes re: Genesis 1:26–28:
- He created “mankind” (NIV), “man” (KJV-1611), or “humankind” (NRSV) depending on the translation. In verse 27 it is clear that regardless of the word it says; “male and female he created them.”.
- Ver. 28 “God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” He did not order the male to rule over the female. The female is also created in the image of God.
- Clearly, if one says Paul’s statement to the church in Corinth, regarding what Paul allows, applies to all of mankind for all time then Paul did not agree with God.
Genesis 2:18 – Transcript from Tabor here. “Help Meet” vs. “Fit to Him”
In Genesis 2, verse 18, when the Lord God, Yahweh or Jehovah, Elohim, the Lord God said, “it is not good that the man should be alone”.
So this is the King James. “It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him and help meet for him.“
Now that began to be taken as a “thing”. In other words, a woman is a “help meet”. You see it in Shakespeare*. It means something fitting him, like hand in glove, that idea. Literally in Hebrew, it’s as one before him, side by side, meaning the masculine and the feminine version of what’s called the human race or the human being. And so earlier in chapter one, when God creates overall male and female, it says he created, let us make man, which is like humankind, not the male, but humankind, male and female, he created him, meaning it, the race, as we would say, or the species or the genus today.
So actually this originally meant I’ll make him a helper that fits him. And as you can see, the Revised Standard Version makes that pretty clear. I will make him a helper fit for him, or literally you could say fit to him.
Genesis 2:18 – See page and video here where Tabor points out that the KJV uses “help meet” in Genesis 2:18; which is an old English usage that means a helper that fits Adam.
- NRSV – 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.”
- YLT98 – 18 And Jehovah God saith, ‘Not good for the man to be alone, I do make to him an helper — as his counterpart.’ [YLT98 is Young’s Literal Translation of 1898]
- TOJB2011 – 18 And Hashem Elohim said, It is not tov that the adam should be alone; I will make him an ezer (a helper) suitable for him. [TOJB is The Orthodox Jewish Bible]
.* Shakespeare first arrived in London in the late 1580s or early 1590s while the KJV was published in 1611. Hence, Shakespeare is a good indicator of word usage at the time. In addition, Shakespeare was a sponsored playwright (Macbeth was written in King James’s honor). The language of the KJV is Early Modern English—the language of Shakespeare’s plays. Partially from GotQuestions.com
Genesis 1:26–28 – Man (KJV-1611) vs. Mankind (modern English)
NIV
26 Then God said, “Let uso make mankindp in our image,q in our likeness,r so that they may rules over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,t over the livestock and all the wild animals,a and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God createdu mankindv in his own image,w in the image of Godx he created them; male and femaley he created them.z
28 God blessed them and said to them,a “Be fruitful and increase in number;b fill the earthc and subdue it. Rule overd the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.e”
NRSV
26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”
From Margaret Mowczko
“Paul’s Theology of Ministry” Marg’s article and other posts are very good presentations countering the male chauvinist’s use of the Bible to diminish the view of women.
A List of the 29 People in Romans 16:1-16 – I’ve numbered and named (or, identified) the people and quoted the verse or phrase from Romans 16:1-16 where they are mentioned. I’ve also included a line or two about them. Perhaps this list will be useful to others too.
Paul’s Theology of Ministry: 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 – She discusses 1) The Interpolation Theory, 2) The Quotation–Refutation Theory, and then says 3) Neither the interpolation theory or the quotation-refutation theory are my preferred approach. Rather, I take verses 34 and 35 as having been written by Paul and as expressing his own thoughts. The key to my approach is to zoom out further and look at the passage beginning at verse 26 to the end of the chapter in verse 40. Click the link to read the remainder of her position.
From BAS Library
So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality” Acts 10:34 ESV
I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.1 Timothy 2:12 ESV
The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 ESV
But every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 1 Corinthians 11:5 ESV
“And he said to them, ‘Not everyone can receive this saying, but those to whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and eunuchs who have been castrated by people, and there are eunuchs who have castrated themselves for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone who can receive this, receive it.’”Matthew 19:11–12
Tabitha in the Bible – A disciple known for doing good
Luke praises her as a disciple (mathetria) who was always doing good and helping the poor (Acts 9:36); her specific designation as a disciple proves that Jesus had female disciples. In fact, there are three places where the words disciple or disciples include women: Acts 9:1-2, 36; 18:24-26b.
Phebe
Romans 16 – Young’s Literal Translation
16 And I commend you to Phebe our sister — being a ministrant of the assembly that [is] in Cenchrea 2 that ye may receive her in the Lord, as doth become saints, and may assist her in whatever matter she may have need of you — for she also became a leader of many, and of myself.
7 salute Andronicus and Junias, my kindred, and my fellow-captives, who are of note among the apostles, who also have been in Christ before me.
Romans 16 – Revised Standard Version
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cen′chre-ae, 2 that you may receive her in the Lord as befits the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well.
Romans 16 – NIV
16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon[a][b] of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among[d] the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
