Is God a Misogynist?

Adam and Eve Reread

This is the fourth day of our series on the creation stories in the beginning of Genesis. For more on the series or to read earlier posts, follow this link. 

There is so much evidence that the Bible is hostile to women. Over and over again throughout history, men have cited Biblical passages to try to put women in their place. One has to ask the question if the Bible represents the character and heart of God, is God a misogynist? 

 One of the primary parts of the Bible used to subdue women and primary evidence for God being a misogynist is in Genesis 2 and 3. This is the famous creation myth where Adam and Eve are created and then eat the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. As a punishment, God kicks them both out of the garden and says that Adam will have to work with his hands while Eve will be cursed with painful childbirth and a desire for her husband. (Side note: since when is desire for one’s spouse a curse?)

Obviously no one would admit to God being a misogynist but would rather hold on to interpretations of the Bible that devalue women. In this creation myth, there are plenty of interpretations that can lead us to think that God is a misogynist. Let’s briefly run through their arguments: 

• Man is the first creature formed. Many times in ancient literature, the item that was created first took primacy. So according to many people Adam is created before Eve, making men more important than women. 
• Man is given a clear job. God says to Adam that his job will be “to till and keep the land.” Some say that God doesn’t really give a job to Eve, thus subjecting Eve and all women to subservience in the home for eternity. 
• Woman is created to be a “helper.” God was looking for a helper for Adam after he was created. First, God created all kinds of different animals to help Adam, but none were found to be suitable. Also in this line of thought is the equation of women to animals because both were created for Adam’s help.
• Eve was made from Adam’s rib, so obviously she is not as highly regarded. 

These are four arguments that people use to justify misogyny and oppression of women. They are ill-informed and complete misreadings of the story of Adam and Eve. With a proper reading of their story, we can see that not only are Adam and Eve equal, God is not a misogynist. 

Phyllis Trible, in “Genesis 2 and 3 Reread” offers informed and responsible scholarship that raises up women as equal partners in the journey of life. She gives plenty of reasons to understand Eve as an equal in the story and women as equals in our stories today. 

• In reference to those who claim primacy as superiority, Trible says: “But the last may be first…[the Genesis 2 account] moves to its climax, not its decline, in the creation of woman. She is not an afterthought; she is the culmination.” By portraying Eve’s creation as the last part of creation, the authors are making a statement about her primacy and importance. 

• Before Eve is created, the creature that exists is an androgynous being that has not been introduced to sexual separation. We get the name Adam from the Hebrew word, Adham, which is a generic term for human kind. Within Adham is the fluidity of gender and sexuality because in the original person, gender and sexuality has not been separated. Think about the significance of this! There is plenty of Biblical evidence to say that the first person God created was both male and female and everything in-between. 
• The word used for “helper” in the text is ezer. This word is used often to characterize God throughout the Hebrew Bible. If it were a subordinate description, it would not be used for God. Therefore, it must mean that Eve as a helper/ezer played a much more important role than we give her credit for. 
• Let us not forget that WOMEN AND MEN HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF RIBS. This is not a biological account of the creation of men and women. When the text refers to Eve’s creation out of Adam’s rib, Trible wants to be clear to point out to us that Adam has nothing to do with creating woman; he is asleep. He cannot take credit for it nor assume power from it. 

Clearly, if we read this story responsibly, we can see that Adam and Eve were created equal, but it is our retellings that have crafted the narrative to make them unequal. So it is not God that is misogynistic, it is us. 

 So if our ideas about the story of Adam and Eve must be reinterpreted as we did above, we may need to look at the story as a whole again to find new meaning and lessons. Remember, this is a creation myth, written to pass down particular lessons and identity. What could we learn from our rereading of the Adam and Eve story? 

1. It is in the human condition to shift blame. Adam and Eve shift blame to each other after they partake in the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Neither takes responsibility for their own actions. This is a reoccurring theme throughout human history. This story is profound in that way because it continues to repeat itself over and over as people shift blame. 

2. Life was meant to be lived in community. Whether you are with a longterm partner or you identify as asexual and do not seek a domestic partner, no one can live life totally alone. We need community and this narrative shows us the importance of community in our growth and development. Adam needed community which is why God began by creating the animals. Even animals can provide us with meaningful company. We thrive in community…even introverts. 

3. The pursuit of knowledge will always carry with it a danger. Adam and Eve were told to not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil because it carried with it dangers and consequences that were elusive and unnamed. When we seek knowledge in our time, there are many that are afraid of it because it can be dangerous. This story teaches us that there must be great responsibility exercised with the acquisition of new knowledge. 

God is not a misogynist and in fact, this story has much more depth than the creation of two unequal beings. It is a story of love, passion, courage, curiosity, and partnership. 

What are some lessons you’ve learned from this story?