Charis

Dave,

I think she is more vulnerable because of her anatomy and because of the consequences of the Fall. And I think, as NN suggested in 239

3) The instructions are intended to be universal as part of the current created order (whether due to God’s original design or as a result of the Fall it is the proper order now)

The consequence of the Fall for women involves multiplication of and pain in childbirth, as well as “her desire shall be for her husband and he will rule over her”. This is not a command any more than Adam’s consequence is a command to sweat and deal with thorns. Its a condition.

To the woman he [God] said,
“I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing;
with pain you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.”
Genesis 3:16

Not “command” but “condition”
Not “prescription” but “description”

Likewise- Ephesians 5:24 “wives [subject] to their own husbands in everything”

Not “command” but “condition”
Not “prescription” but “description”

What happened in Gen 3:16 is not called a “curse”.

God did not “curse” Eve (or Adam).

They received consequences, and the consequences recorded in Gen 3:16 are redemptive in that they create a level of pain which causes one to turn from what has become an idol and see God.

1. Before the Fall, they were eternal beings so if they had children they would not need to have many of them

2.Most animals only mate seasonally. Among animals (besides humans) a female “desire” for the male generally does not exist and there is no mating outside the season of fertility. Why are humans different when a rare “season” like animals would work fine for fulfilling “be fruitful and multiply”? For redemptive purposes IMO.

3. In the immediate context of Gen 3:16, multiplication of childbirth and pain in it is mentioned- two mentions of pregnancy, which is a result of sex

4. This one is anecdotal, but my mother always referred to menstruation as “the curse” and it does come with such unpleasantries as PMS and menopause so I rather think it was not part of Eve’s garden experience

5. There is no record that Adam “knew” Eve nor did she conceive before the Fall. People ASSUME that means I consider sexual pleasure an evil along the lines of Augustine who thought they would multiply with no pleasure. Not true. Sex was God ordained by “be fruitful and multiply” and God designed it pleasurable. But I believe their total intimacy with God and one another was extremely satisfying and pleasurable in a way we only see in a mirror dimly (if we are so blessed) and they were not focused on sex like we are. They were, perhaps, quite young and it was not time for that yet- Eve had not come into season

6. Gen 3:16 indicates that Adam would now “rule over her”. Testosterone is the hormone which drives male aggression. So, perhaps just as Eve had a huge hormonal change upon the Fall, so did Adam.

7. Husband “rule over” goes right along with “wives are subject” and that is in the PASSIVE voice. My experience is that my husband DOES “rule over” me, I AM “subject to him” in a way over which I have absolutely no control. He has the power to wilt me with a few sharp words or to make me bloom with some nourishing and cherishing.

DESIRE and RULE can be so very destructive, but they can also be REDEMPTIVE, bringing the marriage relationship into closer resemblance with garden intimacy.