#3 The Roles and Responsibilities of Husbands and Wives in Genesis 2-3 and the Whole Bible

Genesis 2-3 is a beautiful story where God’s faithfulness, care, and atoning for sin are first revealed. Many people are probably familiar with this first propitiatory sacrifice of God on behalf of men and women: “[t]he Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them” (Gen 3:21).¹ However, this section of scripture has much more to share than the simple clothing of Adam and his wife. It reveals the roles and responsibilities of men and women as husbands and wives. Moreover, it foreshadows Christ as the ultimate victor over sin and Satan, the final and greatest propitiatory sacrifice for sin, and as the husband of his wife, the Church.

The beginning of the story of interest takes place in Genesis 2:7, “the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” However, “for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him… [so] God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man” (Gen 2:20, 22). This creation of man and woman are the prerequisites to the story that unfolds. 

In Genesis 3:1-20 the temptation and fall of humanity into sin, as well as the consequences for sin, are clearly perceived by the reader. It is written, “the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which God had made” and he succeeded in tempting the women beyond what she could resist: to be like God and possess the knowledge that He possesses (Gen 3:1, 5). Because of this, Eve shared the forbidden fruit with her husband, Adam, and together they committed the first sin (Gen 3:6). Immediately, they recognized their nakedness and tried to cover themselves up, but God already knew what had happened asking Adam the rhetorical question, “[h]ave you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” (Gen 3:7, 11). Because of the rebellious action of the serpent, women, and man, God condemns all of them. He curses the serpent to endless suffering on its belly (Gen 3:14). The next three paragraphs will deal with how God both curses man and woman and provides for them.

Prior to the fall, Adam had several tasks. Initially, he was placed into the garden to cultivate and keep it (Gen 2:8, 15). Then, he was tasked with naming all of the creatures that the Lord created, including his wife (Gen 2:19, 3:20). After the events of the fall, Adam's job remained the same, to look after the garden, to care for it, and to care and have authority over all of the creatures in it. However, the task that used to be pleasing to Adam became toilsom. God decreed that because Adam listened to his wife and did the forbidden, “cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it… [and] you will return to the ground… for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen 3:17-19). These tasks reflect the way a man should act in marriage. He should have authority over his dominion, not in a tyrannical way, but in a caring way, just as Adam originally tended the garden. Above all else, he is to “love [his wife], just as Christ also loved the church (Eph 5:26). Because of the fall, the task and role of the husband in marriage may also be toilsome, just like his work in the field. However, God has provided for that in the work of His Son, Jesus. 

Eve was originally created to help Adam in his task of caring for the garden and having authority over it, for “there was no helper suitable for him” (Gen 2:20). Her task as a helper was by no means condescending to her, rather she experienced joy in it, for all things were good before the fall. After the fall, however, God condemned the women to painful childbirth and cursed her role as a helper to that of submission (Gen 3:16). Her roles as a wife included helping her husband in his task of cultivating the earth and having dominion over it, bearing children to multiply the kingdom, and caring for them along with her husband. She was to “be subject to [her own] husband, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church” (Eph 5:22). 

Another curse God places upon the serpent is that He “will put enmity between [the serpent] and the women, and between [its] seed and the her seed; [her seed] shall bruise [the serpent] on the head, and [the serpent] shall bruise [her seed] on the heel” (Gen 3:15). This curse is more of a blessing for the man and the women. Their victory over their tempter is hinged upon this promise of God, Who in Christ fulfills this prophecy. Jesus, the offspring of the women, crushes the head of the serpent at the cost of the serpent bruising his heel, taking his life. Of course, this was not a crushing like the serpent received for Christ did not stay dead. He rose from the grave three days after being victorious over sin and Satan. This victory is then applied to Christ’s wife, the church. His merits become her merits. His task of bringing redemption and salvation to the world also became hers. He accomplished it, but like Eve was made to help Adam, so is the church made to help Christ spread the good news. Moreover, Christ and the church become one in body just as Adam and Eve became one in body. After Eve was made from Adam, God decreed that “a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh” (Gen 2:24). Paul even quotes this scripture when he is talking about the oneness that the church has with Christ, who are “members of his body” (Eph 5:30-31).

Genesis 2-3 is a beautiful section of Scripture where both the promises and faithfulness of God and the consequences of sin are made evident. However, it also reveals the roles and responsibilities of men and women as husbands and wives. Most importantly, it foreshadows Christ as the great husband of the church, who becomes one with Christ just as men and women become one in marriage. This section of scripture is as trustworthy in terms of doctrine as the rest of Scripture. Christians can count on God’s promises in this passage as much as they can count on His promises and His word in others. Likewise, they can count on the warnings and decrees of God in this passage as much as they can in others. 

• Footnote

  1. All Bible references in this paper are to the New American Standard Bible (NASB) (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1995).