Wayne Grudem on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

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Christian Manhood & Womanhood

This past weekend my church (Bethlehem Baptist Church) sponsored a seminar on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. It was taught by Dr. Wayne Grudem of Phoenix Seminary. He was influential together with John Piper in the founding of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. I recently added their journal to my sidebar, by the way.

The seminar was excellent. It consisted of a Friday night session and two Sat. morning sessions. I plan on posting my notes from all 3 sessions. So here are the notes from the first session.

Manhood and Womanhood in Creation and Marriage:
5 Key Issues

  1. Men and women are equal in value and dignity. Gen. 1:27; Gal. 3:28
    • This corrects the error of male dominance/superiority.
  2. Men and women have different roles in marriage as part of the created order.
    • Note to singles: No where does the Bible say all women are to be subject to all men.
    • The primary relationship picture of the relation between men and women in a church is brother and sister–which implies no subjection.
    • Marriage is good, but God teaches us that some are called to be celibate for His sake (and this is also good).
    • 10 proofs that male headship in marriage was ordained before the Fall.
    1. Order — Adam created first then Eve. Gen. 2:7, 18-26 (cf. 1 Tim. 2:13)
    2. Representation — Adam represented all mankind (even though Eve sinned first). 1 Cor. 15:22
    3. Naming of Woman — Adam named her “woman”. Gen. 2:23
      • The Hebrew idea of the word “call” involves authority–see its use in Gen. 1 where God named the earth and seas, etc.
    4. Naming of the Human Race — God named it “man” not “woman” or even a generic Hebrew word for “people” or “humankind”. Gen. 5:1-2 (this recounts what happened before the Fall)
      • The Hebrew word for “man” is “Adam”.
    5. Primary Accountability — Adam responsible chiefly for the sin. Gen. 3:9 (also Rom. 5:12ff.)
    6. Purpose — Eve was a helper for Adam. Gen. 2:18-22
      • “Helper” is not a demeaning term for God is called “helper” often in Scripture.
      • Eve was to help Adam in hisresponsibility.
    7. Conflict — The curse brought distortion of previous roles not an introduction of new roles. Gen. 3:16
      • “Desire for” can mean “desire against”. The phrase is only used 3 times in the OT, and only 2 times in Moses’ writings: here (Gen. 3:16) and Gen. 4:7. Just like sin desires to control and use you, the woman will be naturally tempted to control and oppose her husband.
      • The word for “rule” in 3:16 has the connotation of oppress or dominate by strength. This is surely not what the Scriptural idea of godly male headship should look like. This too is a tendency after the fall in men, to dominate and oppress their wives.
      • The curse brought pain in Adam’s responsibility–getting food from the ground; pain in Eve’s responsibility–child bearing; and pain in their relationship.
    8. Restoration — Salvation in Christ restores the created order. Col. 3:18-19
      • Submission not opposition on the part of the wife.
      • Love not harshness on the part of the husband.
    9. Mystery — Marriage from the beginning of creation was a picture of the relationship between Christ and His church. Eph. 5:31
      • A mystery is something hinted at in the OT and explained fully only in the NT.
      • So marriage is meant to be a pattern of Christ and the church–and that relationship obviously includes submission to Christ’s authority.
      • This means that submission is NOT culturally variable, since the relationship between Christ and his church is not culturally variable.
    10. Parallel with the Trinity — The equality, differences, and unity between men and women reflect the equality, differences, and unity in the Trinity. 1 Cor. 11:3
    • How does this look in practice?? How does it work?
      • The following chart demonstrates the Biblical ideal contrasted with various errors we as fallen humans tend toward.

      Click to expand table

    • In addition to leadership roles, the Bible teaches primary responsibilities.
      • The husband is to provide for and protect his wife and family.
      • The wife is to nurture the children and care for the home.
  3. The equality and differences of men and women reflect the equality and differences in the Trinity. 1 Cor. 11:3
    • 1 Cor. 11:3 compares the Son’s submission to the Father with a wife’s submission to her husband.
    • Jesus did not complain that His Father’s having the role of leader within the Trinity was unfair. Rather he said, “I desire to do thy will” (Ps. 40:8)
    • When did the idea of headship and submission begin?
      • 1987?? (when the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood was founded) NO
      • With the OT patriarchs?? NO
      • At the Fall in Gen. 3?? NO
      • With the created order in Eden?? NO!!
      • Answer: It never began. It has always existed within the eternal fellowship of the Trinity.
    • This shows us that authority is not based on gifts or value but rather role.
    • Submission to authority is noble–this virtue has been demonstrated eternally in the glad fellowship and unity of the Triune Eternal God.
    • Submission to authority does not exclude the mutual giving of honor.
    • Due to this verse–1 Cor. 11:3, some egalitarians/evangelical feminists (even evangelicals!!) have begun to tamper with the doctrine of the Trinity–saying the Father actually submits to the Son and that “mutual submission” exists in the Trinity.
  4. The equality and differences between men and women are very good.
    • The created order is fair.
    • The created order is best for us.
    • The created order is beautiful and “very good”.
    • Because of the controversy surrounding our culture and this Biblical teaching, we do not rejoice in this as we ought.
    • Equality, differences, and unity beautifully coexist in the glory of human sexuality within marriage and it brings joy.
  5. Our view of manhood and womanhood is a watershed issue that tests our obedience to the Bible.
    • Evangelical feminism/egalitarianism does not advance on the strength of exegetical arguments.
    • Egalitarianism advances through:
      • incorrect interpretations
      • reading into Scripture things that are not there
      • incorrect assumptions about the meanings of words
      • incorrect assumptions about world history
      • methods of interpretation that reject the authority of Scripture and tend toward liberalism [for instance denying the authority of Gen. 1-3–this is even being done by “evangelicals” to defend egalitarian principles.]
      • rejecting Scripture as our authority and deciding on the basis of personal experience or private revelations
      • suppression of information [particularly in the local battles within particular churches, as egalitarian pastors try to push their ideas through]
    • Evangelical feminism has 2 significant allies:
      • much of secular culture
      • Christian leaders who are complementarian [this word describes the position taken by CBMW] yet they lack courage to teach their views or to take a stand in the controversy. (note Acts 20:26-27)

∼striving for the unity of the faith for the glory of God∼ Eph. 4:3,13 “¢ Rom. 15:5-7

2 thoughts on “Wayne Grudem on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood”

  1. I did a series on Grudman style theology a while back which effectively refutes his position on a key point. “When did the idea of headship and submission begin?” the evidence is pretty clear that headship in the sense he means it began around the 19th century and didn’t fully until the 20th as a reaction against feminism. His position is even less “traditional” than the feminist one.

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