The Gospel of Jesus Cancels Out Patriarchy?

 

Ok. Let's evaluate this statement here in this image.

Firstly, I don't know any Christians who do not define human beings, all human beings, in relation to being created in the image of God. None. I have never heard any Christian not have this as their first principle of humanity. I think it is strange that someone would even suggest that some Christians don't have this as their most basic understanding of humanity.

Secondly, does an understanding of the gospel of Jesus contradict Patriarchy? I don't even know how someone could be biblically literate and think that. If we just stick with the theme of creation in relation to the gospel of Jesus, this is what we find:

Genesis 2:18-25,  

"18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made[h] into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Woman,

because she was taken out of Man.”

 

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed."

 Jesus quoted this passage in Matthew 19, showing in the gospels that he based his understanding of marriage on this passage. This passages teaches that woman was made to be man's best companion. The creation account tells us that woman was created for he relationship with man. This is something the Apostle Paul himself builds off.

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11:8-12,

"8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God."

Did Paul not understand the gospel of Jesus? He defaults to explicitly patriarchal teaching here. He goes right back to creation to define men and women in relation to each other and God. Which is the Biblically faithful way to define humanity. We were not created to be individuals alone but live in families, or communities. Men and women were created to be paired off. There will be some people who are never married for a variety of reasons, some because of calling, like Paul himself, and others because of the tragedies of this world. But overall man and woman were created to be married together. And Paul says explicitly that, “Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man…” So, rage against the Bible all you want it teaches patriarchy.

Paul again says in 1 Timothy 2:12-15,

"12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control."

Again, Paul bases his argument on gender roles here not in culture, not in pragmatism, not in a unique situation in Ephesus (though many false teachers assert this) but in creation. He explicitly bases it in creation, "13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor." Paul bases his argument for why men should be the teachers in the church on the created order. He harkens back to Genesis 2 and 3 in this passage, arguably even Genesis 1, as that passage also mentions the man before the woman.

Here we have three passages, all harkening to creation, showing woman's creation in relation to man. This is the word of God, the quote in the picture is simply setting Genesis 1 against Genesis 2. Because modern audiences do not like what these other passages teach, and are desperate to shed them.

What does it mean to be created in God's image? To represent him. And the only way to truly represent him is to fulfil his will, and gender roles come into this, they are not extra. It is an understanding of what the Bible says about the created order for men and women that drives patriarchy, requires it, and praise God we see it resurging.

Just to define it, let me conclude by noting what Peter says. In 1 Peter 3 were read this,

“5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:5-7).

Here we have the basic break down of Christian patriarchy in the home. First, God the father is the true patriarch, this should not need to be said, but it does. Second, we see that Peter says a woman should call her husband “Kurios” which can be variously translated as “lord” (small ‘l’), "master" or "sir". Either way you translate it, it tells us that the wife should defer to her husband. Third, we see that the man should live with his wife in a considerate way because the woman is a weaker vessel. This speaks to her physical weakness compared to the man, but the word translated “vessel” can refer to a fine vase, or house ornament. So, Peter is saying that the men must honour and treasure his wife and treat her will delicacy, because she is more fragile. Here we have a quick summary of benevolent, or Christian, patriarchy. God is king of the home, and the man is to lead his wife in honour of this, and the wife is to likewise listen to her husband and defer to him. 

So, those who say that patriarchy contradicts the teachings or gospel of Jesus Christ, and the idea of humanity being created in the image of God are obviously wrong.