Are Women weaker then Men?
Bibles Verses That Make Women Cringe
There are some verses in the bible that the modern woman does not know how to grapple with. I would like to do a mini series on the verses in the bible that women want to tear out of their bibles.
Right now we will focus on the scripture in 1 Peter 3:7. It says, "Husbands in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives,and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you as the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
I recently have started attending a women's mini bible studies that is called,"Kingdom Woman". It is about embracing your purpose, power and possibilities. I have never been to a bible study so volatile. I won't go into everything that had my head ringing but I got plenty of ideas for future writing material! All the points in dispute were related to women's roles. Or not "roles" because it seemed that some women did not want roles. If that makes any sense.
So on to 1 Peter 3:7, this scripture (the part about women being weaker) made some of the women's eyes POP with astonishment! In our study handbook they omitted the part, "weaker". So when the ladies looked in their bible they were shocked and thought it must have been a mistake, must be a bad version. They asked what version is that??? Someone said, they thought it could just mean that they are physically weaker. This made the ladies very angry. Some snapped that men are not physically stronger then women. I just thought I was in the twilight zone at this point.
I actually then had to google if men are physically stronger then woman as a whole and as a result it is true that men have more muscle mass in general then woman. I am not saying a strong muscular woman can't crush some small dude in a heart beat, I believe that can happen! I don't understand why believing that is offensive to women. I think women are physically stronger when it comes to longevity and diseases and having our immune system working better. I personally think its a diservice to tell young women that the truth is that we are physically strong as men in the way of muscle mass.
Just because some is physically stronger does not mean they win the battle. Look at David and Goliath. Goliath was way more physically stronger then David, yet David won the fight with his strategy and intelligence.
I am fascinated now by 1 Peter 3:7. I keep studying it over and over. I am actually not offended at it, I love it! In the King James version(My go to version). I think it is the most accurate one. Instead of respecting your wife, it says honor. Since I love words, that word from respect to honor has a little bit more punch to me. I like it because I came from a controlling relationship that did not have any honor for me as a wife. There are a lot of men that just want women to be servants and obey them like a dog and they are not co partners with them. Wives should be treated like a queen in the highest respect. It even says in that same scripture that if a husband does not honor is wife, his prayers will be hindered! It's funny because when I looked up sermons on you tube of pastors teaching on 1 Peter 3:7, the teachings were made up mostly of convicting men to love their wives and how to honor them and how to give them the proper love and attention. Actually I think married men and men wanting a wife in the future should thoroughly study this out so they know how to have a great relationship.
Husbands should be treating the wife with love, praise, tenderness and high esteem. They should treat wives as Christ treats the church.The symbolism between our Lord and the church is marriage. Giving himself up for the church and dying for us!! We are precious and should be honored as such.
The ladies did not have a "bad version". Although there is a way to dive deeper in the whole meaning surrounding this word. When I looked up the word weak, it had the synonym, delicate right next to it. That really made sense to me because when I was researching this I saw a video how someone described men as tupperware and the women as fine china. Just because the fine china is more fragile it does not mean it has less worth in fact is probably has a lot more! We keep the fine china protected and it is very costly. This is why men open doors for me and yes I like it! This is why on the Titanic the women and children were allowed on the boats first. This is why we have chivalry. I have don't have a problem with this but I can see how some ladies can struggle with it.
I think the word "weaker" in this scripture is tied directly with the word "Feminine". I looked up the word feminine and the definition is, having qualities or appearance of traditionally associated with women,especially delicacy and prettiness. There the word delicate/delicacy is again!! See the connection.. That's when I had ah hah moment. For me personally this word, "weaker" means delicate and femininity but what it really means is "delicacy". All stemming from the connection of weaker to the word feminine to the word delicacy.
So what does it mean to be a delicacy?? Well according to the dictionary, first of all it is quality or state of being luxurious.Expanding on Luxurious meaning, upscale, 5 Stars, Well Appointed, deluxe, splendid. Ok, I will take that. The dictionary also describes delicacy as the state of being delicate, fineness in structure,being fragile and something delightful and pleasing, especially a food choice with it's regard to it's rarity and costliness. A woman of God it rare and is worth more then diamonds and rubies. That is why we should be treated with such high esteem! We are daughters of the king and I pray the men in our lives will give honor on to us as a delicacy and coheirs of this gracious gift of life so we can walk in all unity and love.
Blessings!
