Thoughts on 1 Peter 3:7, or Why Women are Weaker than Men
In my estimation, marginalization and oppression can ultimately be traced to a combination of sin and raw physical power. White Europeans oppressed Native Americans both because they wanted to, and because they could (they had greater physical superiority through weaponry and numbers). We in the United States enslaved Africans for the same reason. It is latent within the fallen psyche for the greater to oppress the weaker. Simply put, to the strong goes the spoils.
In my mind, this same dialect between physical power and oppression applies to the relationship between the sexes. In 1 Peter 3:7, Peter refers to the woman as the “weaker” vessel. It seems evident the weakness Peter has in mind is physical (as opposed to moral, intellectual, or spiritual weakness). It is because of this weakness that women so often suffer under the hands of men. And I am not referring simply to physical suffering. Historically speaking, virtually every culture has marginalized women. At a root level, it is because men are physically stronger than women that women are marginalized. If women possessed the same physical power as men, oppression and marginalization would be not take place. Of course, the relationship between physical power and oppression is masked in our civilized, Christian/post-Christian, law-abiding culture. But the privileged status of women within our culture is only there because of the thin veneer of civilization that masks and restrains the Beelzebub that lies beneath the male psyche. It is in fact, only in a civilized culture that protects the equality of women with the use of force that we can even have a discussion about the equality of men and women. So what are we to make of the inherent physical inequality that exists between men and women? Should we be for it or against it?
Lest we suppose that the greater physical strength of the man is a product of the fall, it seems evident that the vulnerability of the woman is part of God’s original design. Too often the complementarian/egalitarian debate gets lost in a discussion about what should be, rather than embracing what is. Peter is not saying that women should be vulnerable before men; he is saying that they are. There is nothing that we can do to change this reality. I often get the sense when interacting with egalitarians that they resent the vulnerability of the woman before the man. For many egalitarians, equality of power is the ultimate goal. As long as the woman is vulnerable before the man, the egalitarian goal has not been realized. Complete independence from the power of men is what this form of egalitarianism seeks. But God does not desire the woman to be independent from the man (or man from the woman). He detests the abuse of power to be sure, but the imbalance of physical power is by his design. I fear that many egalitarians are balking at an inevitable God-ordained inequality, when what they should be fighting against is the abuse of this inequality.
In light of such chronic abuse, one appropriately wonders why God created women with an inherent physical weakness that so easily translates into marginalization. Why make one sex vulnerable before the other? I think that there is no way of satisfactorily answering this question—or the questions regarding “gender roles”—without considering the typological relationship that exists between human gender and the divine anti-type. God created the woman to be vulnerable and dependent upon the man as a reflection of the Church’s vulnerability and dependence upon Christ. It should not be our goal to help women be less vulnerable before men—which is physically impossible anyway—but rather to work toward the realization of the image of Christ’s self-sacrificial relationship to the Church.
Women by their very nature will always be vulnerable before men. The call of Christ is not to pursue an ill-fated attempt to abolish this vulnerability, but rather to protect and honor women in the midst of it . The man is to use his God-given strength for the exaltation and honoring of the woman. This is the way of Christ, who used his greater power for the exaltation and honoring of his beloved.
Categorized as: From Gerald, Gender Issues
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:10 am
[...] article from Gerald Hiestand of Harvest Bible Fellowship on Thoughts on 1 Peter 3:7, or Why Women are Weaker than Men In my estimation, marginalization and oppression can ultimately be traced to a combination of sin [...]
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:45 am
I think you make a great point. I have struggled with this issue for years and then this same typological relationship issue(only I use a much smaller word
) hit me. From God’s perspective and reality…what came first? Christ and the Church or man and woman? God did not create Adam and Eve and then say, “That is a great idea, I’ll pattern Christ and His Bride after that!”. Resting in my personal relationship with Christ and what HE did for His Bride has done remarkable freeing work in my life, and in playing my role as woman/wife. Thank you for your encouragment.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:23 am
[...] So just how important are green policies if they are the first thing to go in times of crisis? Why Women Are Weaker Than Men Gerald Hiestand: “Too often the complementarian/egalitarian debate gets lost in a discussion about [...]
October 24th, 2008 at 2:50 am
Amen! Well said!
October 24th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Very nicely said!
October 26th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
[...] for the wingnuts. I found this little gem on women from the ever-informative Challies, whom I use as a sort of Christian wingnut repository. What is [...]
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Gerald, as always – you ROCK! Keep preaching His truth loudly, boldly, and without apology.
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:49 pm
This is a wonderfully expressed perspective on something I too have struggled with.
Thank you!
June 5th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
[...] The woman was created to be vulnerable (“weaker,” 1 Peter 3:7) in relation to the man so that the selfless the kind of love which [...]
June 5th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I remember looking up the Greek for “weaker” vessel because it seems so, I don’t know, mean or condescending I guess. It is a relief to know that God did it on purpose and since I trust Him and His unsullied goodness this too must be ultimately good for me.
June 24th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
This article is sickening. First of all the physical strength of men and women overlap. I’m sure there are plenty of girls who lift weights who could kick your rear end. There are many geeky scrawny guys who are in fact weaker than strong in shape women. So really your whole logic is flawed.
June 24th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Additionally, women may have been weaker because they were not allowed or encouraged to do things that would make them stronger. Sure men have more testosterone, but women are more sensitive to smaller doses of it. Also I think the whole just because nature is that way means that was God’s plan argument has too many flaws to even begin attacking here.
June 24th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
And one more comment. New research seems to indicate women can tolerate more pain. This is only a different type of physical strength. Women also live longer period and live longer through chronic disease. Simply put, women may not be as able to lift a boulder as well as a man but they can tolerate it smashing their toe better than a man.
June 25th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Anna,
Thanks for your comments. A couple of thoughts/questions for you in response:
1. What do you think Peter meant about women being the weaker vessel? Obviously you disagree with my interpretation that the “weakness” refers to physical strength. I’m interested to know your alternative interpretation.
2. Your observation that women live longer and are better able to withstand pain is interesting but doesn’t really speak to the point of my post. The “strength” my post is talking about is raw physical power (i.e., bench pressing 200 lbs, etc.). It is an undisputed fact that men, as a general rule, are stronger than women in this way. Not even the staunchest feminists would really try to dispute this. (They would say it’s irrelevant, but they wouldn’t dispute it).
3. If women are weaker than men, and if God made men and women, than it is appropriate to ask “Why did God make women weaker than men?” I’ve tried to provide an answer here, based on Scripture, but I’m open to hearing your answer to this question.
4. And finally, no doubt “there are plenty of girls who lift weights who could kick my rear end.”
Blessings to you as you seek to sort all of this out.
Gerald
July 7th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
I understand that men are generally stronger, however I think you are ignoring the part of my argument that says had women been allowed to do the physical tasks of men, they may have in fact evolved to become just as physically strong as men. We cannot as Christians deny micro evolution.
It is extremely upsetting as well for you to compare men to Christ and women to the church. Who cares if men have more physical strength, this has nothing to do with their leadership ability nor their morality. Men are in no way more like Christ except for their reproductive organs. It is unfair to allow the men the freedom to love like Christ but to degrade women to a subservient sort of love in a marriage. Lets use our heads not an ancient text that was written by men in an extremely sexist society. Jesus says nothing of women being weaker or what have you. Additionally in the most accurate translation of the Bible (NAS) it only says the weaker gender. This does not imply that we are only weaker physically, but in all ways.
July 8th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
If we are to ask “why are women weaker than men and what does that imply?” Couldn’t we ask something like “why are midgets weaker than regular sized people and what does that imply? Is this to say that regular sized people have some sort responsibility to lead midgets? Of course not, most people would think this sounds silly. To me the question about strength between the sexes is just as silly.
July 8th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Or for that matter why are old people weaker than young people? Should the young lead the old since the old are weaker? Of course not, their knowledge and wisdom far outweigh any differences in physical strength. I believe this whole argument is flawed.
July 11th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I am hoping you will reply back!
July 11th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Yes Anna. Give me a couple of days though. Busy at present.
Gerald
July 12th, 2009 at 10:00 am
No problem. I appreciate the thought you are putting into it.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Anna,
You write, “Lets use our heads not an ancient text that was written by men in an extremely sexist society. Jesus says nothing of women being weaker or what have you.”
I think this gets to the ultimate rub. I’m committed to the historic, orthodox view of Scripture that believes the writings of Christ and the apostles are still valid today. It’s a bit convenient to call one’s self a Christian but to pick and choose which portions of the Bible one is going to submit to. I think that as long as we disagree about the authority of the apostolic teachings found in the New Testament, we’re never going to come to any sort of agreement on this issue.
As to your point about micro evolution, if men and women were created equally strong, in what way would men have been able to “not allow” them to become strong. You’re argument there assumes them to be weaker from the outset, which is ultimately defeating for the point you are trying to make.
One other thought, it appears to me that you have bought into a worldly perspective that equates worth and value with power. The person in a position of power is not more valuable than the person in a position of submission. This is true in the parent/child relationship, government/citizen relationship, police officer/civilian relationship, etc., ect. The church is not “subservient” to Christ in a demeaning or servile way. Christ loves the church and exalts the church and serves the church and dies for the church. In response, the church loves Christ, serves Christ, follows Christ, and defers to his leadership. If you view the relationship between Christ and the Church as servile and oppresive, then I’m not sure how I would be able to convince you of the beauty of the husband/wife relationship contained in Scripture.
If you haven’t yet read my series on Gender Roles and the image of God, you might find that helpful in better understanding where I’m coming from. http://blog.harvestbiblefellowship.org/?p=2226
Blessings
Gerald
July 16th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Your flaw in your thinking comes with equating men to Christ. Men are not perfect and thus should not be equated with Christ. Women should be allowed every freedom a man has regardless of their body shape. The fact that you are saying that Men are stronger, thus representing Christ does not make any more sense then saying that young people are stronger than old people thus they represent Christ. I am trying to get you to use logic, with the brain God gave you, not a dependence on Paul. If we are to accept what Paul says then we must believe that Harriett Tubman was going against God’s will as she did not submit to her master. I dare you to find me one person that will say that she was in the wrong. If you say it then I can go on ignoring your other comments because clearly this is wrong and everyone knows it, not matter what sexist Paul says.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Also what do you think about the NAS version of this verse which says we are the weaker gender, not just the weaker vessel?
July 16th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Additionally what do you think of Ephesians 5:21 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Do you think this is referring only to men, or also men to women and vice versa?
July 16th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Also do you think it is fair (from your own mind, not the Bible) that women are degraded to a subservient form of love and men are allowed to love like Christ in a marriage.
July 16th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
One last comment. Paul contradicts his own words later. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28) If this is true then there is no reason to separate out who is in submission to whom.
July 16th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Oh and if women had an inherent weakness it was having to bear children. This doesn’t mean we started out physically weaker. This just separated us from men in their minds and we were then restricted from doing “men’s jobs” thus evolving to become less able to “benchpress 200 lbs”
October 15th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
I guess you are not going to reply back. I am assuming this is because you do not have a good counter. Well I have another point. What about the good ‘ol golden rule: Matthew 7: 12: which states that one should do unto others as they would have them do to them. Would you like to be treated as inferior to anyone? Would you like to think that your word is not final and that someone can override you even though you are a fully cognitive adult. Absolutely not, therefore there is no way both of these can be correct. Either women must be submissive or they are to be treated in a way that men want to be treated according to the golden rule. I keep coming back because I hope you will either see the error in your thinking, or you will reveal something to me that actually makes me see why I should be under the command of someone else based solely on gender.
October 15th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I just don’t understand how an all loving God would create us with equal mental cognition yet would have one be above the other. It doesn’t make sense in my heart or mind. I want to believe the Bible but some things don’t ring true…mainly how women are viewed.
October 15th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Anna,
I haven’t responded because I’m not sure what else to say beyond what I’ve already said. Did you listen to the lecture I pointed you to? (Search the apologetics page of the Harvest Bible Chapel, Rolling Meadows website, entitled “Feminism, Gender, and the Image of God”.) I’d rather not repeat here everything I’ve already said there.
If you want to carry on this conversation, I’d be happy to dialog via the phone. The church number is 847-398-7005. My extension is 1139. I don’t know that I can make you see something you don’t want to see, but I’d be happy to share my perspective on this issue.
blessings,
Gerald
October 15th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Do you happen to have a text version?
October 16th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Anna,
No, sorry. Just my lecture notes, which wouldn’t be much use to anyone else.
Gerald
October 17th, 2009 at 6:12 am
That is ok. I want to apologize for acting out of fear initially. I thought, when I accidentally stumbled on this site, that maybe I was the only one that thought this was crazy and unfair. As I have searched more I see that many, many people feel the way I do, not just women but men also(and pretty much all psychologists–control is a key issue in mental health). I will find time to listen to the lecture and I will give a fair, reasoned, and loving rebuttal. I would like you to at least consider what you are saying is harmful to women. There is no other area in life that one is put above you by birth right, but all positions of power are determined by merit in our times. I hope can prove that these verses need to be looked at with the context of their time. It is my desire to shed some light on the consequences of teaching women that they do not have final control and say in what happens in their life.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:02 am
I have listened to the lecture. If you would like to send me your notes it might really help me derive the main points and have good counters to them. If you don’t want to send them to me that’s fine but I do think it could be helpful. I am honestly doing this because I think these ideas can be very harmful. I hope that you can open your heart to my ideas as I have to yours. If you could send me the notes that would be helpful but not necessary.
October 21st, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Anna,
From a previous e-mail, you made it clear that you and I are coming at this subject from a very different view of Scripture. I believe it is inspired and relevant for today. You seem to think it is a fallible document written by men. Frankly, without common ground regarding the authority of the apostolic writings (in this case Paul and Peter), I don’t see how we’ll make any further progress. I’ve thought deeply about these issues. You’re welcome to send along your thoughts, but I don’t want to give you an improper expectation about my willingness to reconsider my position. Frankly, I’ve said all I can think to say. You don’t agree. I’m OK with that, though saddened by your inability to see the beauty of God’s design for men and women. Maybe someday you will. But perhaps not.
If this subject is a barrier to you giving your life to Christ, I encourage you to consider the reality of Christ and his resurrection independent of this issue. The real questions behind the reality of Christianity are”Was Jesus Christ the Son of God, did he really rise from the dead, and is salvation found in him alone?” I’d much rather have you come to terms with those foundational questions, than get sidetracked by the gender questions. (I’d rather have you be a Christian egalitarian than a non-Christian complementarian.) Christianity isn’t true or false based upon it’s view of gender; it’s true or false based upon the reality of who it says Christ is and what he’s done. Spend your energy there; the other issues will take care of themselves.
blessings to you on your journey,
Gerald
October 27th, 2009 at 7:40 am
I posted a long message. It didn’t get up here. I don’t know what is going on??? Do you want me to send it to you in an e-mail?
October 27th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Hi Anna,
Thanks. No, I got it. I copied it to a Word file and read it last night. It was just too long to post. Thanks for the time and energy you put into it. When I have a few spare moments I will send you a response.
blessings till then,
Gerald
October 27th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Thanks Gerald.
November 4th, 2009 at 9:46 am
I know you haven’t gotten a chance to write back but I thought you might find this site interesting as well. It is about a pastor who once believed the way you do and then dove further into the translation and changed his beliefs.
http://www.spiritledwoman.com/wim/rousu.html
November 4th, 2009 at 10:08 am
http://spiritledwoman.com/display_cms.php?id=1499
Here is another. Thanks!