Deborah a Prophetess and Women in the Ministry

Genesis 2:16-25

16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest

freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that

thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an

help meet for him.

19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the

air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called

every living creature, that was the name thereof.

20 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.

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of

his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her

unto the man.

23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called

Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife:

and they shall be one flesh.

25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Before sin ever took place “the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I

will make him an help meet for him.” A help meet is an aid. God chose to make man and then

provide a help meet for Adam. Eve was not formed out of the dust of the ground like Adam.

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the

breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen 2:7) Rather Eve was made by God by one of

Adam’s ribs. Adam was a man and because Eve was a help meet and was not first formed before

Adam, Adam named her. Adam chose to call her “Woman” because “Adam said, This is now

bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh”. Adam also named his wife. Eve was not given the

option to name herself because she was not formed first and “she was taken out of Man”. “And

Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.” (Gen 3:20) Since

Eve “was the mother of all living” there can be no other humans that were created by God other

than Adam and Eve because the qualifications for humans to be living was described by God

when he made Adam when God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a

living soul.” So for Eve to be “the mother of all living” her and Adam had to “Be fruitful, and

multiply” (Gen 1:28) to procreate the human race. So even before the fall of mankind into sin

Adam was first formed and Eve was made to be his help meet.

In the process of time Eve was tempted by the serpent to disobey God which we know that satan

was using.

Genesis 3:1-8

1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.

And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat

of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall

be as gods, knowing good and evil.

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes,

and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also

unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed

fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and

Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the

garden.

Eve was tricked or beguiled by the serpent because she was told “ye shall be as gods, knowing

good and evil” thus to her it was “a tree to be desired to make one wise”. Adam was not

deceived but rather “hearkened unto the voice of thy wife”. (Gen 3:17)

1 Timothy 2:14-15

14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity

and holiness with sobriety.

This is not to say that Adam did not sin in obeying the voice of his wife.

Romans 5:14

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the

similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

So because of their sin God punished Adam, Eve, and the Serpent.

Genesis 3:9-19

9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid

myself.

11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I

commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and

I did eat.

13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman

said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed

above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt

thou eat all the days of thy life:

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it

shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow

thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast

eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the

ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast

thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Adam’s punishment being not deceived but because he “hearkened unto the voice of thy wife”

was given this punishment by God, “cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of

it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat

the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the

ground”. Eve’s punishment being deceived by the serpent was told by God, “I will greatly

multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire

shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”

It is important to understand that when the Apostle Paul told Timothy “And Adam was not

deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she

shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety”,

(1 Tim 2:14-15) that he was speaking directly of the punishment given to Eve concerning her

punishment given by God. This doesn’t mean a woman can’t be barren and saved as the

scripture continues on to say “if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety”.

A major confusion that is taking place in the Church today is not understanding that just

because we are living in the New Testament these punishments didn’t go away nor did the

created order change or become irrelevant. It is spoken of continuously throughout the New

Testament as well as the Old Testament.

We must understand the purpose of why the Law of Moses was given.

Romans 3:19-20

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law:

that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the

law is the knowledge of sin.

The Law was given “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty

before God” “ for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” The Law was given to show you that you

were guilty before God and living under condemnation and were thus in need of a Savior

because “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is

the knowledge of sin.”

Since the Law was given for these reasons it also reflects within it the different roles of man and

woman and their punishments given to them by God! This is highly overlooked! The Law

reflected the punishments given to Adam and Eve within it. Let me share a few examples.

Leviticus 12:1-8

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man

child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her

infirmity shall she be unclean.

3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall

touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she

shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a

lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering,

unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:

7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed

from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons;

the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an

atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

We can see very clearly here an example of the purpose of the Law which was to make “every

mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” “for by the law is the

knowledge of sin” and how it reflected the punishment given by God to whether you were a man

or whether you were a woman. Since the woman is “saved in childbearing, if they continue in

faith and charity and holiness with sobriety” while part of her punishment was “I will greatly

multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children” it is reflected

here in the Law. “If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be

unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be

unclean” (Lev 12:2) “And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty

days” (Lev 12:4) for a male child. “But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two

weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and

six days.” (Lev 12:5) The time for her purification is doubled if she has a female versus a male

child. The reason why is because “by the law is the knowledge of sin” and “that every mouth

may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” A constant reminder of the

punishment given to Eve by God in the Garden of Eden.

Another example of the Law reflecting the different roles of man and woman and their

punishments given to them by God is how the father and husband could stop a vow of the

woman that she vowed to God. It didn’t say the father could stop the vow of his son or the wife

could stop the vow of her husband. This is because another portion of the punishment of Eve

given by God was “thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” This being

reflected in the Law and also showing the created order given by God in the Garden of Eden.

“For Adam was first formed, then Eve” (1 Tim 2:13) and Eve was Adam’s help meet.

Numbers 30:3-8

3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's

house in her youth;

4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father

shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath

bound her soul shall stand.

5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds

wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her

father disallowed her.

6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith

she bound her soul;

7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows

shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow

which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of

none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.

When God gave Moses the Law he also established a priesthood known as the Aaronic

priesthood because Aaron, the brother of Moses, of the tribe of Levi, was to be the first high

priest and to his sons after him. While God then gave the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons

to do the service of the tabernacle. This is a very important point. Only the males of the tribe

of Levi were to be used. This again reflecting the created order of Adam being first formed then

Eve and also the punishments given by God to Adam and Eve.

1 Timothy 2:12-14

12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in

silence.

13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Numbers 3:5-13

5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister

unto him.

7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle

of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of

the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him

out of the children of Israel.

10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the

stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the

firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be

mine;

13 Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of

Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am

the LORD.

So what about Deborah a prophetess and a judge in Israel?

Judges of Israel did not have to belong to the Aaronic priesthood nor to the tribe of Levi,

therefore Deborah a prophetess and Judge in Israel can not be used to establish that women in the

New Testament can be in ministry other than the calling of a prophet. What has become known

as the 5 fold ministry does include prophets. However, this does not include the role of being

an apostle, evangelist, pastor, or teacher as well as a preacher as this goes against the clear

teaching of the scripture in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

So even though the Law was given by God, and the Aaronic priesthood set up by God, and the

tribe of Levi given to the Aaronic priesthood to do the service of the tabernacle the Judges of

Israel did not have to be of the tribe of Levi. Thus Deborah a prophetess and a judge in Israel

can not be used to establish that women in the New Testament can be in ministry other than the

calling of a prophet, because the judges did not have to be of the tribe of Levi.

The judge Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother was of the tribe of Judah.

Numbers 13:6

6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

Judges 3:8-11

8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of

Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim

eight years.

9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the

children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and

the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand

prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

Judges 10:1-3

1 And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man

of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.

2 And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

3 And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.

So we must remember that the punishments given by God to Adam and Eve were not only

reflected in the Law but still remain in the New Testament as well as seen throughout the New

Testament.

1 Timothy 2:11-14

11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

If the woman is to learn in silence with all subjection how then can she be the pastor of the

Church seeing the Apostle Paul went on to say “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp

authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam

was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression”?

This is the Apostle Paul bringing our attention back to the created order of God and the

punishments given by God to Adam and to Eve. What is to be misunderstood in this passage of

scripture above? It was very clearly stated. In case there still be any confusion let's hear it

again.

1 Corinthians 14:34-37

34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but

they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for

women to speak in the church.

36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things

that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

If the woman is to “learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for

women to speak in the church”, then how can she be the Pastor of the Church? The word

shame that is being used here in the Greek is the same Greek word used for shame concerning

women praying or prophesying with their head uncovered.

1 Corinthians 11:5-6

5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her

head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be

shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

You can not try to answer this question by saying “there is neither male nor female: for ye are all

one in Christ Jesus”, (Gal 3:28) because you are not only undoing what was written by the

Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2:11-14 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-37, but you are also doing away

with the headship that was also taught by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:3 “But I would

have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man;

and the head of Christ is God.”

You can not nullify these scriptures concerning the instruction given by the Apostle Paul

concerning women by using the Apostle Paul's words against himself saying “there is neither

male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus”.

This question also can not be answered by saying that we are a royal priesthood so whether we

are male or female doesn’t apply because the Apostle Peter is referring back to Old Testament

scripture stating almost the identical thing and we know that only the Aaronic priesthood and

the Levites, all male, were permitted to the service of the sanctuary.

1 Peter 2:9

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye

should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous

light:

Deuteronomy 7:6-7

6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be

a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number

than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

Exodus 19:5-6

5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a

peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which

thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

God is not going to break his Word and call a woman to pastor his church when we “are built

upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Eph 2:20) and the Apostle Paul is laying the

foundation saying “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman

to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed,

then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the

transgression.” The Apostle also stating, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is

not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith

the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a

shame for women to speak in the church. What? came the word of God out from you? or

came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him

acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”

There isn't anything to debate within these scriptures in regards to a woman being called to

pastor a church as it is clearly written and can not be done away with.

Just four verses after the Apostle Paul makes the statement “Let the woman learn in silence

with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to

be in silence, (1 Tim 2:11-12) he immediately begins to speak of the office of a bishop stating

“This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.” (1 Tim

3:1) But he then qualifies who can be a bishop at verse two which reads, “A bishop then

must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to

hospitality, apt to teach”. Notice very carefully that a bishop must be “the husband of one wife”.

This again establishes that a woman can not be called to be a pastor of the Church. Furthermore

the Apostle Paul explains that a bishop must also be “One that ruleth well his own house,

having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own

house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)” (1 Tim 3:4-5)

Many churches use the word bishop as an overseer of many churches, but notice here the Apostle

Paul speaks of the church of God singularly. If the Apostle Paul had intended this reference to

be referring to many churches he would have used the word churches just as he did

continuously throughout his epistles. So the use of the word bishop here is being used

interchangeably with being a pastor of the Church.

So again we see a woman can not be the pastor or bishop of the Church. The Apostle Paul goes

on to teach who can be a deacon within the Church stating “Likewise must the deacons be

grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;” (1 Tim 3:8) “Even

so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the

husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.” (1 Tim 3:11-12) Here

we also learn that a deacon can not be a woman.

Many people have tried desperately to find a way to allow women to be pastors, teachers, and

deacons within the church but as anyone can plainly see from the wording of the Apostle Paul

this is not the case. God does not call women to be pastors and teachers. The Apostle Paul

spoke this very plainly in the preceding chapter stating “Let the woman learn in silence with

all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to

be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the

woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (1 Tim 2:11-14) He follows this up by

explicitly excluding women from the roles of bishop and deacon by saying that a bishop or

deacon must be “the husband of one wife” (1 Tim 3:2, 12) Within these verses of scripture we

also see that the husband is “to rule his own house” (1 Tim 3:5) “ruling their children and their

own houses well.” (1 Tim 3:12)

Many people have contended that Phebe (Rm 16:1-2) was a deacon. However as the Word of

God has clearly stated through his servant the Apostle Paul a deacon must “be the husbands

of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.” (1 Tim 3:12)

The scriptures are very clear that a woman can not be the pastor or bishop of a Church. Neither

can they be in the office of a deacon. The Apostle Paul explained why this is “For Adam was

first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the

transgression.” (1 Tim 2:13-14) This is all about the divine order of God. Since Eve was in the

transgression God's punishment to her was: “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply

thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be

to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” (Gen 3:16) So the divine order of God is directly

tied in with the created order and the punishment given by God to the woman. “But I

would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the

man; and the head of Christ is God.” (1 Cor 11:3) “For the man is not of the woman; but the

woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the

man.” (1 Cor 11:8-9)

1 Peter 3:1-7

1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word,

they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of

gold, or of putting on of apparel;

4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of

a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned

themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do

well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife,

as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be

not hindered.

Even the Apostle Paul who believed he was following after God in haling Christians,

consenting to put them to death, and compelling them to blaspheme God immediately changed

when he was given the correct understanding. Even so should everyone that comes to the

correct understanding of what the Word of God teaches us. The Apostle Paul thought as a

Pharisee that God had called him to do the things he was doing contrary to Jesus of Nazareth

until Jesus of Nazareth appeared to him and revealed the truth to him.

Ephesians 5:22-33

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the

saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in

every thing.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such

thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth

himself.

29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord

the church:

30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and

they two shall be one flesh. [Pointing back to the Law and Adam Prophesying of his wife Gen

2:21-25]

32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife

see that she reverence her husband.

The Apostle Paul is speaking here of the husband and wife, which is Christ and the Church that

we are married. Speaking of this mystery once we have taken on Christ as our husband as the

Church we are now members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones! And we are to behave

ourselves accordingly! This passage of scriptures is also explaining how the husband and

wife are to treat each other and again we see the reflection of the punishments given to us by

God in the Law in the Garden of Eden that the woman is to be under subjection to her husband

which is her head in everything whereas the husband is to love his wife nourishing and

cherishing her while also being ready to die for her! The Apostle Paul has also explained to

us our marriage as the Church to Christ while also explaining to us our roles according to our

punishments given to us by God in the Law in the Garden of Eden and then we see the Apostle

Paul again speaking of the Law with the Prophecy of Adam concerning his wife as found in

Genesis 2:21-25 here stated as “For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his

bones.”

Genesis 2:21-25

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of

his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her

unto the man.

23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called

Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and

they shall be one flesh.

25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.