Creating the male first did not establish his superiority, rather it established his need: “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone (Genesis 18a).”
Creating the woman second did not establish her inferiority, rather it established her mission: “I will make him an help meet for him (Genesis 18b).”
Continuing this Biblical narrative we move to Genesis 2:21-24: “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
From Genesis 1:27 we learn three important facts about Adam and Eve. First they were made in the image of God; second, although they were equal to God therefore equal to each other, they were different in that they were male and female.
This was done so they could accomplish the primary task God set before them as detailed in Genesis 1:28a: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” That is to say to fill the earth with their offspring.
Adam and Eve were equal, but each had a different set of responsibilities as parents.
Next time: Part Two: The Creation of the Male and the Female
