Topical Bible: Man: Woman Formed to be a Help For

◄ Man: Woman Formed to be a Help For ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical narrative, the creation of woman as a help for man is a foundational concept that underscores the complementary nature of the relationship between man and woman. This idea is rooted in the creation account found in the Book of Genesis, where God creates woman to be a suitable helper for man.

Creation of Woman

The account of the creation of woman is detailed in Genesis 2. After God created Adam, He placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. However, God observed that "it is not good for the man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18). To address this, God decided to make "a helper suitable for him" (Genesis 2:18). This statement highlights the intention of God to provide man with a companion who would complement and support him in his endeavors.

God then caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep, and from one of Adam's ribs, He fashioned a woman (Genesis 2:21-22). Upon awakening and seeing the woman, Adam recognized her as "bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" (Genesis 2:23), signifying the deep connection and unity between man and woman. This creation of woman from man emphasizes the intimate and equal partnership intended by God.

Role as a Helper

The term "helper" in Genesis 2:18 is derived from the Hebrew word "ezer," which conveys the idea of support and assistance. It is important to note that this term does not imply inferiority or subordination. In fact, "ezer" is often used in the Old Testament to describe God Himself as a helper to Israel (e.g., Psalm 33:20). Thus, the role of woman as a helper is one of strength and partnership, designed to complement and complete the man.

Complementary Partnership

The creation of woman as a helper for man establishes a model of complementary partnership. In Genesis 1:27, it is stated that "God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" . This verse underscores the equal value and dignity of both man and woman, as both are made in the image of God. The complementary roles of man and woman are further illustrated in their joint mandate to "be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it" (Genesis 1:28).

New Testament Affirmation

The New Testament reaffirms the complementary relationship between man and woman. In Ephesians 5:22-33, the Apostle Paul describes the relationship between husband and wife as analogous to that between Christ and the Church. Wives are called to submit to their husbands as to the Lord, while husbands are instructed to love their wives as Christ loved the Church (Ephesians 5:22, 25). This mutual relationship of love and respect reflects the original design of partnership and support.

Conclusion

The biblical portrayal of woman as a help for man is a profound expression of God's design for human relationships. It emphasizes the complementary nature of man and woman, each bringing unique strengths and qualities to their partnership. This concept, rooted in the creation narrative, continues to inform and shape the understanding of gender roles and relationships within a biblical framework.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 2:20-25
And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Bones and Flesh of Wisdom; the Side Out of which the Spiritual ...
... For man, having been composed, like water, of wisdom and life, has become ... the depths
of the mind; and is conceived and formed by the Church, as by a woman. ...
/.../chapter viii the bones and flesh.htm

A Community Rests Upon Justice and Good-Will. ...
... She should bear him children, that one man might always be a help to another. Again,
before the woman was formed, it was said of Adam: "There was not found an ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xxviii a community rests.htm

How Man is the Image of God. Whether the Woman is not Also the ...
... not the image of God; but as regards the man alone, he ... God as fully and completely
as when the woman too is ... And since it is so much the more formed after the ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 7 how man is the.htm

John iii. 6
... Needs He then the help of the Spirit that He may continue a Son? ... For the first-created
man, and the woman formed from his side, and the barren women, and ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xxvi john iii 6.htm

The Dignity of Woman.
... Whether spouse of Jesus Christ or of man, whether mother ... and that holy families,
fearing God, are formed by the ... A Christian woman who would never lose sight of ...
/.../sainte-foi/serious hours of a young lady/chapter iv the dignity of.htm

Authenticity and Credibility of the Pentateuch.
... For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being
deceived was in the ... No man can read the New Testament without the profound ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter x authenticity and credibility.htm

On the First Floor of an Ancient Mansion, in a Street which Slopes ...
... he knew well enough that it was a fraternity formed for the ... of, was the only fitting
reparation such a man as the Abbe could make to the dead woman who was ...
//christianbookshelf.org/corelli/the master-christian/xx on the first floor.htm

Woman's Position in the Army
... subject in the light of the Word of God and of history, and as a result she formed
a reasoned ... The Salvation fight demands the best a man and woman can give ...
/.../carpenter/the angel adjutant of twice born men/iii womans position in the.htm

Grace
... them all, one after the other, till Christ be formed in you ... the fault in such sad
case is on the man's side ... It is the woman who is the weaker, says St Peter, and ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon xx grace.htm

Gehazi
... Servants have always formed important members of the household, and ... The man or woman,
comes on the stage to deliver ... thing, and if you weaken a man's sense of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/milligan/men of the bible some lesser-known/gehazi.htm