THE BIBLICAL WIFE

Throughout all the ages of the Church, the question of woman's place in creation has been echoed over and over again. Indeed, what is her place not only in creation, but also in the church, and furthermore, in the home as wife? The topic of wife was not ignored in the scriptures, and many theologians have attempted to define it as they have understood scripture. But like all topics within scripture, there is clarity and confirmation within its text for the topic at hand. In God's word it is recorded, "And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1: 26 - 27) Herbert Lockyer in his work ALL THE WOMEN OF THE BIBLE wrote "woman is the feminine of man". He also included Matthew Henry's comment on the creation of Eve as follows: If man is the head, she [woman] is the crown, a crown to her husband, the crown of the visible creation. The man was dust refined, but the woman was double-refined, one removed further from the earth. The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, not out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.

It is needful for both man and woman to understand that with God, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abrahams's seed, and heirs according to promise." (Galatians 3:28&29). Woman as wife must first recognize her relationship to Christ as His calling separate from her husband's. She like Mary seated at the foot of Jesus "hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken from her." (Luke 10: 42) In other words if woman is to function as a biblical wife, she and her husband must both distinguish between the wife's relationship to Christ and the husband's relationship to Christ. In doing so, led by the Holy Spirit, woman will be better able to fulfill her role as biblical wife. Thus, the necessity of understanding woman's place in creation is not to establish a higher place than that given to woman in the scriptures. Adam was formed first to be the headship. That should be an acceptable truth for all women in Christ. The necessity is rather that woman understand that she, too, has a place with God, her own relationship with Him. Again, not for a married woman to think less of her partnership in Christ with her husband, but rather her own responsibility to God for the position and relationship that He has defined for her in the scriptures. Therefore, woman is to be diligent in seeking God's word that she may truly understand her role, not only as woman, but as wife; not only as wife, but as biblical wife.