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Mark,

Mark writes: “i dont try to gain my hierarchy from Gen 1:26-27 explicitly. What i see throughout the rest of scripture is mens leadrship resposibilities and so i believe that same was there at creation. Adams responsibilty for what happened, his banishment, his conversions with God is consistent with this in my view. Could you please explain how you get equality in roles from being made in ‘the image of God’”

Divinely sanctioned hierarchy between a husband and wife relationship is no where expressly stated in scripture. What I suspect you see as “leadership responsibilities” throughout the rest of scripture, I see as counter-cultural calls to adopt virtues and character that reflect the kingdom ethic. I can’t wrap my mind around you seeing hierarchy in a husband and wife relationship because in Adam’s banishment “the man” was solely addressed even though you wrote you believe they were both banished.

Additionally, I can’t wrap my mind around you seeing hierarchy from Adam’s conversations with God. Why, with the whole of scripture and the revelation of God in Christ, would anyone infer from what is not stated and in light of the beauty of what is stated that there is hierarchy in marriage?

There seems to have been a progression in your question. In previous posts you have asked if “we are again all equal in every aspect of life” (88); are we “equal in every way” (98, 109); pre-fall were they (males and females) totally equal (88) to know asking me to explain how I get “equality in roles from being made in ‘the image of God’”. This is not a claim I have made, so you will have to explain to me what “equality in roles from being made in ‘the image of God'” means to you. I want to make sure we are speaking the same “language”.

That said– I believe only males can be husbands, fathers, sons, uncles, brothers…and only females can be wives, mothers, daughters, aunts, sisters… Males and females have the same degree of intrinsic value as human beings made in the image of God. For Christians, both males and females are called to live counter-cultural lives and are expected to walk worthy of their vocation (calling) by adopting virtues and character (putting on the mind of Christ) and living out the kingdom ethics to reflect their citizenship in Christ’s kingdom. I do not think that either gender has a greater responsibility to live out kingdom ethics in their varying relationships and circumstances.

Mark writes: “It is quite easy to see that ‘the man’ is discussed by God because he is the leading party.”
I disagree. You have yet to indicate what specifically points to ‘the man’ being the leading party.

Mark continues: “I agree that Eve did not stay in the garden, but i disagree with cheryl that she ‘followed’. No where in the text is this discussed. “The man’ is resposible for what has happened in the garden as the leader of his wife.”

Again, I can’t wrap my mind around you seeing hierarchy in a husband and wife relationship just because “the man” was addressed even though you wrote you believe they were both banished. (Let’s not forget that Eve was addressed in this same context.) The reason, I suspect you see hierarchy here, is as you have conceded, you read that into the text. As I said in a previous post, regardless of whether one believes Eve “followed” or was “banished”, she was no longer in the garden and how hierarchy in marriage can be assumed from that is beyond me.

I’ll get back later with your other questions.