In Genesis 2 (the Adam and Eve story) not Genesis 1 (the seven days of creation) evil is already in the world, in God's good creation, darkness lurks. Despite this, God still has perfect communion with the humans (all 2 of them) in the garden. here two people not encumbered by sin, free from idolizing, objectifying, hating or being jealous of each other. God is their authority but, they hardly notice this authority - they are fine without extensive rules.
So a quick synopsis of authority (hierarchy):
1) Eden: no need for human authority or hierarchy
2) Post Fall: Individual Worship; Gender Hierarchy - Genesis 3:16b - "Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." Also, equal (preist-less) but individual (no special defining covenant*) worship of God - Man built altars or brought offerings to God and worshipped Him individually or as the head of the family (Gen. 4:3-4, 8:20, 13:18, Job 1:5 )
3)Mosaic Covenant: Community Worship; Spiritual Hierarchy - Priests are intercessors between covenant followers and God. Priests were born into priestly families.
With Jesus' restoration:
4)New Covenant: Community Worship; Non-hierarchial - a royal priesthood, a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9 - hierarchies are gone, turned upside down (the last shall be first), no priestly human intercessor, no gender intercessor (Galatians 3: 28).
Are we supposed to have a hierarchical authority in the New Testament (someone who we have to go to, in order to "get to" God)?
First, God wants us to be a new "nation" or gathering of people who identify as believers. He desired this when he called Abraham (Genesis 12:2) - that is why he called out a man who was already worshipping him. Second, God wanted a more Eden-like relationship with us. No more priests (Mosaic), holy places such as the inner temple (Mosaic), or sacrifices (Post Fall till Crucifixion). Just us with Him (to work the world and bring in a human harvest).
So, what should New Covenant (Christian) authority look like? A gender hierarchy as the Post-Fall world followed with men as intercessors for their family (see Job)? A priestly hierarchy as the Mosaic covenant followed with priests as born intercessors for their nation? or Edenic hierarchy with God as the authority and a kingdom that follows God, not based on any earthly measurement (gender, bloodline)?
Ah, but, some will argue, even in Eden Eve was made as a helper for Adam (Gen. 2: 23). And, the conclusion follows, women are just helpers - dress it up how you want, they are perceived as "under" men's authority. Even in Eden? If so, how does the curse change anything then? ...and he will rule over you (Gen. 3: 16). Sounds like a new situation between the genders, not the original idea of a helper.
A farmer without a wife will eventually be found wanting. And a farmer without a husband will eventually be found wanting. Parents will die, siblings will get old with you so both (all) of you won't be able to farm together after a time (Anne of Green Gables relates this exact outcome), nieces and nephews will be busy with their own parent's or in-law's farm, hirelings/slaves will flee, steal, subvert or neglect (death by a thousand careless mistakes). Farmers need spouses to help them have children (a future retirement strategy). In the garden this is an illustration of fertility between two genders, not an illustration of the authority structure between two genders. And, yes, the genders need each other for procreation. Equal (both needed), but different.
So in the Post Flood world (Genesis 9:1), people are given the command to procreate and fill up the world. Is this a code Christians are under? If we are free from the command to procreate, are we not also free of the gender roles as helpers to each other? We can choose to marry and have kids (we will need each other's help to do this), but it is not commanded of us.
Some people argue there is no gender hierarchy except in marriage.
Really? so a single woman can have authority over a congregation, but a married women can't?
"Oh, no!" They retort, "the whole congregation needs to come under the "authority" of the head pastor (a man)?"
What? Are we or is he responsible for our relationship with God? If we are, then it matters not a whit who is teaching, leading, etc. We need to judge their words for ourselves and gender doesn't matter. If they are an intermediary for our relationship with God, then don't they also need to be a Levite (the Jewish tribe that were their priests) as well as men?
"Oh no, that's Old Testament covenant!"
Okay, so how are we a priesthood of believers if only some can be chosen to lead?
"Well, this was how God made us!"
He made a hierarchy in Eden?
"Yes, Eve was his helper."
"And Adam was over her?"
"Yes, she is the helper, not him."
So, why did the curse curse her with something that already was in place "...and he will rule over you"?
"Look, I don't know! This isn't something I can explain right now, there are many other parts of the Bible that say this, etc."
So somehow this ancient observation about the husband and wife's need for each other's help in procreation has now become a biblical blue-print for husband/wife hierarchal relations. As if we were born with a spiritual role embedded in our DNA.
No human is a spiritual ruler/leader over another human in the Garden of Eden, and to literalists, our DNA doesn't have a hierarchy embedded in it, since it wasn't in the original plan.
* See Genesis 9 - the covenant God makes with Noah only deals with man's authority over the animals. To humans he bids them to fill up the earth, it doesn't assign mediators or leaders to guide people spiritually at this point - only a sign from heaven to remind them of their covenant with Him (a rainbow).
So a quick synopsis of authority (hierarchy):
1) Eden: no need for human authority or hierarchy
2) Post Fall: Individual Worship; Gender Hierarchy - Genesis 3:16b - "Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." Also, equal (preist-less) but individual (no special defining covenant*) worship of God - Man built altars or brought offerings to God and worshipped Him individually or as the head of the family (Gen. 4:3-4, 8:20, 13:18, Job 1:5 )
3)Mosaic Covenant: Community Worship; Spiritual Hierarchy - Priests are intercessors between covenant followers and God. Priests were born into priestly families.
With Jesus' restoration:
4)New Covenant: Community Worship; Non-hierarchial - a royal priesthood, a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9 - hierarchies are gone, turned upside down (the last shall be first), no priestly human intercessor, no gender intercessor (Galatians 3: 28).
Are we supposed to have a hierarchical authority in the New Testament (someone who we have to go to, in order to "get to" God)?
First, God wants us to be a new "nation" or gathering of people who identify as believers. He desired this when he called Abraham (Genesis 12:2) - that is why he called out a man who was already worshipping him. Second, God wanted a more Eden-like relationship with us. No more priests (Mosaic), holy places such as the inner temple (Mosaic), or sacrifices (Post Fall till Crucifixion). Just us with Him (to work the world and bring in a human harvest).
So, what should New Covenant (Christian) authority look like? A gender hierarchy as the Post-Fall world followed with men as intercessors for their family (see Job)? A priestly hierarchy as the Mosaic covenant followed with priests as born intercessors for their nation? or Edenic hierarchy with God as the authority and a kingdom that follows God, not based on any earthly measurement (gender, bloodline)?
Ah, but, some will argue, even in Eden Eve was made as a helper for Adam (Gen. 2: 23). And, the conclusion follows, women are just helpers - dress it up how you want, they are perceived as "under" men's authority. Even in Eden? If so, how does the curse change anything then? ...and he will rule over you (Gen. 3: 16). Sounds like a new situation between the genders, not the original idea of a helper.
A farmer without a wife will eventually be found wanting. And a farmer without a husband will eventually be found wanting. Parents will die, siblings will get old with you so both (all) of you won't be able to farm together after a time (Anne of Green Gables relates this exact outcome), nieces and nephews will be busy with their own parent's or in-law's farm, hirelings/slaves will flee, steal, subvert or neglect (death by a thousand careless mistakes). Farmers need spouses to help them have children (a future retirement strategy). In the garden this is an illustration of fertility between two genders, not an illustration of the authority structure between two genders. And, yes, the genders need each other for procreation. Equal (both needed), but different.
So in the Post Flood world (Genesis 9:1), people are given the command to procreate and fill up the world. Is this a code Christians are under? If we are free from the command to procreate, are we not also free of the gender roles as helpers to each other? We can choose to marry and have kids (we will need each other's help to do this), but it is not commanded of us.
Some people argue there is no gender hierarchy except in marriage.
Really? so a single woman can have authority over a congregation, but a married women can't?
"Oh, no!" They retort, "the whole congregation needs to come under the "authority" of the head pastor (a man)?"
What? Are we or is he responsible for our relationship with God? If we are, then it matters not a whit who is teaching, leading, etc. We need to judge their words for ourselves and gender doesn't matter. If they are an intermediary for our relationship with God, then don't they also need to be a Levite (the Jewish tribe that were their priests) as well as men?
"Oh no, that's Old Testament covenant!"
Okay, so how are we a priesthood of believers if only some can be chosen to lead?
"Well, this was how God made us!"
He made a hierarchy in Eden?
"Yes, Eve was his helper."
"And Adam was over her?"
"Yes, she is the helper, not him."
So, why did the curse curse her with something that already was in place "...and he will rule over you"?
"Look, I don't know! This isn't something I can explain right now, there are many other parts of the Bible that say this, etc."
So somehow this ancient observation about the husband and wife's need for each other's help in procreation has now become a biblical blue-print for husband/wife hierarchal relations. As if we were born with a spiritual role embedded in our DNA.
No human is a spiritual ruler/leader over another human in the Garden of Eden, and to literalists, our DNA doesn't have a hierarchy embedded in it, since it wasn't in the original plan.
* See Genesis 9 - the covenant God makes with Noah only deals with man's authority over the animals. To humans he bids them to fill up the earth, it doesn't assign mediators or leaders to guide people spiritually at this point - only a sign from heaven to remind them of their covenant with Him (a rainbow).
