7. Woman and the divine image.
The Gnostic sect of the Encratites in the second century, later called Severians, denied the divine image of woman in connection with their false asceticism.1551) But that also the woman was created in God's image is explicitly stated in Gen. 1:26: God created man in His image, בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ [HEBREW], namely, as v. 27 is expressly added, man and woman (זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה [HEBREW]). The same is also evident from New Testament passages. That the regeneration into the divine image described in Col. 3:10 and Eph. 4:24, which happens in Jesus Christ, is also granted to the woman, is certain, because there is no difference between man and woman concerning the participation in the goods of Christ, Gal. 3:28: "Here is neither Jew nor Greek, here is neither bond nor free, here is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Jesus Christ." Also, the same dominion over the creatures came to the woman, as is evident from the plural רְד֞וּ [HEBREW] (reigns), Gen. 1:28. That Eve had a lesser knowledge of nature, as Baier thinks,1552) cannot be proven from Scripture.
On the other hand, it is clear from Scripture that even before the Fall, woman was in a relationship of subordination to man
1551) So reports Eusebius, Kirchengesch. 4, 29.
1552) Comp. II, 158: Ratione scientiae rerum naturalium Eva Adamo cessisse videtur.
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This relationship to the man is denoted in Gen. 2:18 by the עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדֹּֽו [HEBREW] (his helper). The same is expressed in the New Testament, 1 Cor. 11:9: "Man was not created for the sake of woman (διά τήν γυναίκα), but woman for the sake of man (διά τον άνδρα). From this it follows that the woman is forbidden to occupy a position of dominion over the man, 1 Tim. 2:12: γυναικι ονκ έπιτρέπω ανϑεντεϊν άνδρός. This prohibition is established in a twofold way: a. by the fact that Adam was created first, then Eve, v. 13: Άδάμ πρώτος επλάσΦη, είτα Ενα; b. By the fact that the woman has introduced a very harmful innovation, namely, sin, v. 14: Άδάμ ονκ ήπατήϑη, ή δε γννη άπατηϑεισα εν παραβάσει γέγονεν. The Scripture, then, teaches quite clearly that subordination is due to the woman in relation to the man, both according to the Creator's order and in consideration of the order which applies in the world through the Fall and after the Fall.
Especially in our time, the position of women within human society has largely been forgotten. The reason for this is twofold. The first is that with all the spread of the Bible, it has less influence on human society than ever before. The other reason is that with all the progress in technology, natural common sense among men is going downhill very fast. In Luther there is a double set of statements about the position of woman within human society. On the one hand, he says:1553) "The female generation is not ordered by God to governance, either in the church or otherwise in secular offices." Further:1554) "The Holy Spirit has excluded women from governance in the church." On the other hand, Luther inculcates,1555) that the female generation is due special reverence (reverentia) from the manly generation because woman is the mother and nurturer of the human race. Mulier ut est creatura Dei, cum reverentia spectanda est; ad hoc enim est creata, ut circa virum sit, ut filios nutriat et educet honeste et pie. [Google] Luther states throughout: Just as God created man and woman with sexual diversity, he also designed different spheres of activity for both.
1553) St. L. II, 687.<w:t xml:space="preserve">1554) XVI, 2280.
1555) V, 1516; Opp. ex., Erl. XXI, 170.
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He says about this:1556) each one is created, so he also works most suitable. A woman grasps a child with the smallest finger much better than a man with both fists'. Therefore let each one remain in the work to which he is called and ordained by God." This is a scriptural position. The Scriptures definitely transfer the sphere of activity of the woman to the home, by distinguishing very sharply between the forbidden public activity and the permitted and commanded domestic activity of the woman. As to public speaking and teaching, 1 Cor. 14:35 says: "It is evil for women (αισχρόν εοτιν) to speak among the congregation." [Luther Bible] Nor should they present questions for instruction to their own husbands in the public assemblies, but at home (έν οϊκω). To public teaching, according to the context, also goes the prohibition 1 Tim. 2:12: "A woman I do not permit (ονκ επιτρέπω) to teach." On the other hand, Scripture assigns to women a rule and teaching role in the home, 1 Tim. 5:14: "I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house" (οϊκοδεοποτεϊν, be mistresses of the house). The older women are to be good teachers according to Tit. 2:3 (καλοδώάσκαλοι), that they teach the young women to love their husbands, to love children (φιλότεκνοι) …, be domestic (οϊκονροί, guarding the house; other reading: οίκονργοί, doing housework). Probably no teacher of the church has so often and so eloquently praised the glory of woman in her position as housewife and housemother as Luther. He says against Rome's elevation of the status of monks and nuns:1557) "What can be taught in the congregation of God that is better and more useful than the example of a godly housemother, who prays, sighs, cries out, thanks God, rules the house, does what the office of a pious woman entails, desires that she may have children, with great chastity, gratitude and godliness?" The women who push themselves out of this sphere into public life are naturally those who do not love children, but wish to prevent the blessing of children. What is a woman's highest honor, they consider a disgrace. Many others, because it is fashionable, run along in thoughtlessness. The "statesmen" (and of course also the pastors) who have praised and pursued women's suffrage as a progress of mankind
1556) St. L. V, 1517.<w:t xml:space="preserve">1557) II, 540.
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have thus proved that in this respect, as has already been reminded, common sense has come to an end with them even before the end of the world. As is well known, the biblical view, according to which the woman has her sphere of activity in the house, is called "oriental". It has been seriously claimed that the apostle Paul, writing to American congregations, would not have said: "It is not fitting for women to speak among the congregation", and: "A woman should learn in silence with all submissiveness. A woman I do not permit to teach," but, considering the various relationships, he would have expressed himself thus or similarly: "Women to the front"; "Get on the platform"; ονκ αισχρόν γάρ εστιν γνναιξίν εν εκκλησία λαλεΐν. But there is a great deception here. That we have to do with 1 Cor. 14 and 1 Tim. 2, not with a temporary "Oriental," but with a universal order, is evident from the reason which the apostle immediately adds. He justifies his veto against the public address and teaching of the woman a. by the Creator's order, namely, that Adam was made first, then Eve; b. by the part played by the woman in the Fall, namely, that "Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and introduced the transgression." These facts remain the same in the Orient and in the Occident and at all times, and so also the order based on these facts. Then one more point should be pointed out here: To drag the woman from the place of honor in the home into public activity should be prevented by the generally recognized fact that the woman is the most influential teacher of the human generation. If the women in the house are "good teachers" (καλοδώάσκαλοι, Tit. 2:3), they have greater influence on the growing generation than the men together with the pastors and school teachers. And how, in general, has the reverence for the female generation diminished since it entered public life as a competitor of man! When the author of this dogmatic was still a student, every representative of the manly generation immediately offered his seat in the tramcar to every representative of the female generation, whether poor or rich. Already for about two decades this happens only exceptionally. The world with its cleverness proves to be foolish and blind also in this case.
630 ><w:t xml:space="preserve">The doctrines of man. [English ed. 526-527]