Genesis 3:16 is a commonly misunderstood verse, it is translated correctly, however the meaning is lost in light of modern meanings of words and phrases.
Gen 3:16 ~ "To the woman he (God) said: ......Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."
This phrase seems pretty straight forward doesnt it?
Let's go a mere 12 verses forward and read how the same wording is used:
Genesis 4:7 (caps mine) ~ "The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. ITS DESIRE IS FOR YOU, but you must rule over it."
Sooo...what do you think, does this verse help you to see Gen 3:16 any differently?
"Did you know that the woman is a gift to the man, not a curse?
"And if Eve was cursed to forever want to control her husband, and all women, including you and I. (Because it's a curse, and we're not free of it) then if anything it's more of a curse for the man, isn't it? Having to put up with his mean, controlling wife. Why is it a curse for women if men are naturally supposed to lead and be in charge?
"You yourself have said that's the way God created women to be, gentle and soft spoken and help mates.
"You are basically calling women a curse to men, and if all women are cursed to control their husbands, and Two knows it, why bother even looking to get married?"
MsMarvel, as I said in my second(?) reply to this thread, I do believe that woman was created to be man's helper. Also, I have not said that women was created to be a curse. Woman's sin is just that: SIN; it is not God's plan. I don't think that the view of the curse as being God's plan for marriage is Biblical. But again, if you can support your view with Scripture, I'm happy to consider it.
Yes, woman's curse does impact man, just as man's curse impacts women. Our sin almost always affects other people. I'm not sure what I said that would indicate otherwise?
Why is it a curse for women? Because it's a sin to want to usurp the role of one's husband, other God-established authorities, and God, and the consequence of sin is death. God could have removed this sin nature from Eve, but He didn't. He told her that she would continue in her sin... that the sinful attitude she donned in the garden would be something she would struggle with her whole life and that would become part of the sin nature passed to all generations.
Yes, women are to be gentle, etc. BUT, who we were created to be and who we are in a our fallen state are different things. We're not perfect; we sin. Again, the curse is just that, a CURSE. I see no Biblical evidence to it being a statement of how a Godly marriage should work. (But again, if you have such Biblical evidence, please present it so that we can discuss it.)
Yes, women can be a curse to men. In our fallen, sinful states, we're a curse to each other all of the time. So why get married? Because God ordained and blessed marriage as being a part of His design for men and women.
... ... ...
"Men are cursed to till the soil, and work the ground! And they still do, because they go to work and provide for their families, BECAUSE they're cursed to have to work hard, it's on-going, you understand? It doesn't stop. Women are cursed with painful childbirth, if any woman wants to get married and have children, she'll have to suffer pain through child birth, and that still happens right, to every women, would you say, who's had children?
"Okay, well... Then every woman desires to control men, including the finest and most virtuous women, because it's a CURSE. And the curse doesn't end on us as individuals until we die or praise Jesus, The Lord comes back!
"But I tell you, I just don't feel the need to control my husband, boss him around, tell him I'm head of the house now, and I don't like being protected or taken care of! I really like the idea of all that stuff. But the curse isn't lifted!"
Yes, I realize that the curses are ongoing. I don't believe that I've implied that they aren't. (I'm starting to wonder if you're actually reading the entirety of my replies?)
Yes, every woman does have a desire to control men.
I like the idea of those things, too. It's right for us to like the idea. And as Christians, who ought be dying to their sin natures daily and embracing God's plan for womanhood, it shows a sign of growth to see sin as unappealing. It's evidence of our sanctification and God's work in our lives. However, sanctification is a process and we will struggle with sin until we die/become glorified. None of us perfectly submit 100% of the time; if we did, then we wouldn't be sinners.
... ... ...
One final note: I want to clarify that I did not respond to this thread initially with the intention of arguing, nor do I want to argue about this topic. I'm open to discussing things Biblically, but not to arguing; there is a difference. If you genuinely need for me to clarify something, I'm happy to do so. If you genuinely have questions, I'm happy to answer them. If you genuinely believe that there is an alternative explanation to Genesis 3:16, then I'm glad to consider it. However, as I must base my beliefs on the Bible, I'm not going to consider an interpretation that doesn't come with Biblical support. Accusing me of wrongful interpretation of Scripture without any Biblical support for your view is an attack. It's not Christ-centered discussion, nor is it loving reproof. I will not participate in either.
I understand that you disagree with me, MsMarvel. There is no need for you to continue to repeat that or for me to continue to state my views. I'm not just going to change my beliefs simply because you don't like them. If I changed my beliefs every time someone didn't agree with me, I'd be changing my beliefs every 5 minutes.
If I am wrong in my interpretation, then show me where I'm wrong, lovingly and Biblically. Don't attack me and don't offer up arguments with no Biblical support. Neither are convincing.
Pixy, you've retold me the whole story of genesis, and told me your theories of why it means what it means, but you haven't told me anything as to why it says what you're saying it says by using biblical scripture.
I'm attacking you? Or am I trying to understand the truth from you?
"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!
I don`t know about you but I choose to live in blessings not curses.
Jesus lived in the blessing on earth and took authority over the curse. So don`t say that`s because He was God. He gave up His divine powers on earth and walked as a man.
As He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17) Right now not when we go to heaven
