Troublesome Topic: Why Did God Make the Woman? Gen ch 2

Lesson 1 of 13

Genesis 2:18

Translation

Then YHVH

ELOHIM (read Adonai Elohim) said, “It is not good for the adam to be alone; I will make him a rescuer

opposite him.”

Paraphrase

Then THE PERSONAL AND ETERNAL GOD who is also THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS said, “It is not good for the man to be without a partner; I will make someone who comes to his aid, surrounds him and rescues him, someone who

will compliment him well.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT SHE IS HIS RESCUER?

The word “rescuer” means “help, succor or rescuer, the one who gets me out of jams.” It comes from a root word that means “to aid, to rescue, to surround.” The first level of meaning is supplied by the immediate context. All the other animals had partners, but Adam did not. Therefore, when Jesus was not walking and talking with him, Adam was lonely. He had a job to do but no one to do it with him. So God made a wife for him to rescue him from his loneliness and to be a partner in his work. This word is sometimes used of God; in the Psalms God is often portrayed as our rescuer. He comes to our aid and surrounds us with his presence. A wife does much the same thing. Just like God does not do our work for us, or fight our battles for us while we watch from a safe distance, she does not fight all of his battles for him or take over his role in the home. However, she does rescue him from disaster by surrounding him with the things he needs, e.g. the right atmosphere and context so he is not tempted to go anywhere else because his needs are met at home. He can face his battles with is head and his shoulders up, not down. This is not a demeaning word; it is an uplifting word. While the husband and wife do not have the same roles, they are equals in most ways. When a team captain is needed, he is the captain, but she is an important team player. She is not presented here as a servant that does his every bidding, or as a door mat for him to walk all over, or as a slave for him to order around or as a sex slave or a baby factory. She is just like him, just different.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT SHE WAS PLACED “OPPOSITE” HIM?

The word I have rendered “opposite” means “in front of, in sight of, or opposite.” It is used here of someone who is “over against, or in contrast to.” The fact that it is describing the word “helper” gives us the idea that it is a complimentary opposite, not someone standing opposite him in battle or some other form of confrontation. Likewise she is not an exact replica of him; she does not fulfill a role that is identical to his; she contributes something different to the team and it starts with how she is different from him physically and emotionally.

The next lesson is: Passive Men and Dominant Women

Footnotes

1: "Rescuer"

This word means “help, succor or rescuer, the one who gets me out of jams.” It comes from a root word that means “to aid, to rescue, to surround.” The first level of meaning is supplied by the immediate context. All the other animals had partners, but Adam did not. Therefore, when Jesus was not walking and talking with him, Adam was lonely. He had a job to do but no one to do it with him. So God made a wife for him to rescue him from his loneliness and to be a partner in his work. This word is sometimes used of God; in the Psalms God is often portrayed as our rescuer. He comes to our aid and surrounds us with his presence. A wife does much the same thing. Just like God does not do our work for us, or fight our battles for us while we watch from a safe distance, she does not fight all of his battles for him or take over his role in the home. However, she does rescue him from disaster by surrounding him with the things he needs, e.g. the right atmosphere and context so he is not tempted to go anywhere else because his needs are met at home. He can face his battles with his head and his shoulders up, not down. This is not a demeaning word; it is an uplifting word. While the husband and wife do not have the same roles, they are equals in most ways. When a team captain is needed, he is the captain, but she is an important team player. She is not presented here as a servant that does his every bidding, or as a door mat for him to walk all over, or as a slave for him to order around or as a sex slave or a baby factory. She is just like him, just different.

2: "opposite him"

This word means “in front of, in sight of, or opposite.” It is used here of someone who is “over against, or in contrast to.” The fact that it is describing the word “helper” gives us the idea that it is a complimentary opposite, not someone standing opposite him in battle or some other form of confrontation.

Likewise she is not an exact replica of him; she does not fulfill a role that is identical to his; she contributes something different to the team and it starts with how she is different from him physically and emotionally.