What is biblical womanhood?

The very fact that woman was taken out of man proves her equality with him. She is not his inferior, but his equal, his helpmeet. There is equality, but with it diversity. Woman was made for man and to be with him at his side. God never intended that woman should be an independent creature apart from man, but that she should be associated with him, and that together they should be one flesh typifying Christ and His bride, the Church. Woman never shines more brightly than when fulfilling the object for which she was created, which primarily was to be man's helpmeet.

The very fact that woman was “taken out of man” proves her equality. She is not an inferior, but an equal, a helpmeet. Between man and man there is similarity, identity—between man and woman there is equality, but with it diversity.

The very fact that woman was “taken out of man” proclaims the headship God has given man, as, also, her privilege to accord man the place God has given him.

“Nevertheless, neither is the man without (or independent of) the woman, neither the woman without (or independent of) the man, in the Lord” (v. 11). There is a unity in God's creation that is seen to be most beautiful when both man and woman keep their place and function as each is properly fitted to function. For though the woman came from man to begin with, yet since that time man has come through the woman. Both are given a dignity that is peculiar to each and both should act in the dignity that is becoming to the particular place God has given.

"Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord" (v. 11). There is a unity in God's creation that is seen to be most beautiful when both man and woman keep their place and function as each is properly fitted to function. For it is to be remembered also that though the woman came from man to begin with, yet since that time man has come through the woman. Both are given a dignity that is peculiar to each, and both should act in the dignity that is becoming to the particular place God has given.

First, we see men and women seated together. This tells of their equal and common interest in Christ, where there is neither male nor female, as we read here, "For neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord"; for, personally considered, they have the same standing in the church of God.

There is a great difference between preaching the gospel and sharing the contentions of the gospel. Even a man might have laboured diligently and never have preached in his life; and there might be some striving every day in the gospel as diligently, or more so even, than those who preached it every day. There is beautiful choice in the language of the Holy Ghost. We all ought to know that the New Testament puts the Christian woman in the place of exceeding blessedness, removing every thought that would give her an inferior place in Christ; but it puts her also at the same time in the background, wherever it is a case of public action. Here officially, so to speak, the man is called to be uncovered, the woman to be veiled. She is thus, as it were, put behind the man; whereas, when you speak of our privileges in Christ, there is neither male nor female. It is of importance to see where there is no difference and where there is.

The first epistle to the Corinthians is most plain that the head of the woman is the man; and as Christ is the glory of the man, so the man is the glory of the woman. We find there the administrative difference between the man and the woman. When you come to the heavenly privileges we have in Christ, all these distinctions disappear. There is no public action that I know in the world or in the Church allotted to the Christian woman. As to private dealing with souls, the case is different. In their father's house, the four daughters of Philip may have prophesied. They were evidently highly gifted women; for it is not said of them that they laboured in the gospel, but that they prophesied — one of the highest forms of gift from Christ. At the same time the Holy Spirit, who tells us that a woman might and did prophesy as a fact, instructs us that it is forbidden to a woman to speak in the Church where prophesying properly had its course. But there a woman was forbidden to speak, not even allowed to ask a question, much less to give an answer. Yet as to the private scene, at home, even with an Apollos, a woman might fitly act; that is, if she acted under and with her husband. Priscilla might be of more spiritual weight than Aquilla; but this very thing would lead her to be the more careful to take an unobtrusive lowly place. The yokefellow of the Apostle seems to have been somewhat timid of helping these women. The Apostle, accordingly, entreats him also as he had exhorted him. "Help those women in that they contended with me in the gospel." They were not putting themselves forward in an unseemly public sort, but they had shared the early trials of the gospel with the Apostle Paul.

The Old Testament refers to more men than women. Men also had a more public position than women in the conduct of worship under the law (e.g. the priesthood was given to Aaron and his sons: Ex. 28:1) and in the administration of Israel’s affairs (as seen, for example, in the fact that the right to reign passed through the male line). However, neither fact suggests any bias for or against either gender. God loves every individual who has ever been born with the same love — ‘all are precious in His sight’, as the children’s chorus states. God shows the same grace and favour to all, irrespective of gender, race or any other characteristic of nature which might distinguish one person from another. While He has given men the primary responsibility in connection with the public testimony for Him on earth in all dispensations, this is part of His order for earthly things.[1] It does not carry any suggestion that God values men more than women or that He takes less pleasure in the service of women than that of men.

If anything, the Bible demonstrates God’s special regard for women and the Lord’s appreciation of their faithfulness and the spiritual insight which they possess, and which often seems to surpass that of men. Of all the impoverished people in the Middle East at the time, it was a widow to whom God sent Elisha (2 Ki. 4:1–7). Phoebe has the longest commendation letter in history (the book of Romans) because of her faithful service of the Lord’s people (Rom. 16:1). Mary of Bethany appears to have had the best understanding of the Lord’s statements concerning His death and resurrection during His earthly ministry.

It is evident from scripture that women were anciently held in much more honour and esteem in Eastern countries than they are now. Solomon, speaking of women, said that such as his soul sought for he did not find one in a thousand. Ecc. 7:28. This tells of fallen human nature; but the true thought of woman is that she is the glory of the man, his true helpmeet. This is fulfilled in the relationship of the church to Christ.

In the N.T. the true place of the woman in subjection to the man is plainly stated, as indicated in creation; and in the assembly the woman is to be silent, and not to teach. Her bearing and deportment are expressive of what she learns as taught of Christ. 1 Cor. 11:3-15; 1 Cor. 14:34-35; 1 Tim. 2:11. 12. Nevertheless women were greatly honoured in ministering to the Lord, and are accredited as helping on the work of the Lord in the gospel and among the saints. Luke 8:2-3; Luke 23:27, 55, 56; Rom. 16:1, 3, 6; Phil. 4:2-3; 2 John 1, 10.

Every thoughtful reader will surely agree that God has given woman a special and wonderful place in the family and in society and that she is especially fitted of Him for this unique place which no man can properly fill. Scripture, from beginning to end, shows us woman's special place in creation, in the fall of humanity, under the law in the Old Testament, and under grace in the Church of the New Testament. We shall see from the Word of God that woman has her own sphere of service and that it is a very blessed and necessary one.

While our subject is woman's Scriptural place in the Church, it will be very helpful to a proper understanding of our topic to consider first her place in creation, in the fall, in the home, and under the law. The discerning of woman's God-given place in these spheres will give us the proper background for considering and understanding her Scriptural place in the Church.

On the other hand, when woman abides in her God-given place, she is a most effective power for good and her presence and power in the service of Christ are, under God, vitally essential to the success and continuance of the Church. The Bible is full of examples of godly, faithful, and devoted women who performed great services for God in their divinely appointed spheres. Of this we shall have more to say later.

Gathering up what has been before us, we may summarize it thus: as a consequence of the fact that Eve was deceived by Satan and took the lead in the act of the first sin, woman was put (in the governmental dealings of God) in a place of subordination to man, and she is to learn in silence with all subjection and is never to exercise authority over man. This is what we learn as to woman's Scriptural place because of her part in the fall of humanity in Eden. This divinely appointed status remains unchanged in the present Church period of Grace. Furthermore, as has been pointed out, woman's history has only proved the wisdom and justice of the circumscription of her sphere as imposed by God.