Women Are Weaker

Women Are Weaker
Nov 14, 2011
1 Peter 3:7 "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 of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."


There is a peculiar verse in the Bible that suggests women are the weaker sex. While a few might argue the interpretation of that being men are superior to women, they would be displaying their ignorance. On the contrary, this verse must be interpreted using the entire text of the Bible, supporting the fact that women are completely equal to men in the eyes of the Lord. When the verse was written, as is true even in modern times, women were often exploited, kept down, and ruled over by aggressive men. This was then perpetuated over the years, creating a societal norm. The Lord was quick to write about this through the Apostle Peter, in an effort to put an end to the subjugation of women.

If you read the very beginning of the Bible, you'll be reminded of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden. As part of the curse received from eating of the forbidden fruit, a woman's desire would be for a man and that man would rule over her. This desire then leads to the temptation and opportunity of allowing a man to dominate her life. Couple this with a man's own sinful nature to overpower and his ability to do so through his strength, and an environment is created where a woman can be subjugated to the point of being truly controlled by a man.

Since this phenomenon is a direct result of the curse, then the opposite would have been true in the Lord's original design. He created them in His own image, with the ONLY difference from each other being gender. Neither was stronger or weaker, neither desired to rule over or be ruled. His own words describe them as in His image, male and female (together reflecting all the qualities of the Lord). Otherwise, they were created equally, to be partners in life and co-heirs in eternity.

But because of the curse and our own sinful nature, we must be aware of the tendency to subjugate women, thinking they are the weaker sex. To help combat this, Scripture says it is a man's task and responsibility to overcome it, not a woman's job to break free and rebel against it. It is a man's job, then, to be cognizant of his own tendency to overpower a woman physically, emotionally, and sexually. He is to be respectful of her, in the manner of Christ's love. This respect is defined as lifting up and honoring a woman, supporting her in the important roles she plays in our lives. The word for respect was not simply being kind or nice, but one of physical action propelling her onward and upward in Christ and in her place in this world. To respect a woman is to hold her in high regard for her tremendous value.

If a man does not lift her up and honor her, Scripture says the Lord may not hear his prayers. If you read throughout the Bible, the only prayers the Lord ignores are the prayers of a wicked man who is on his own path to destruction and Hell. Peter was not necessarily saying that the man who did not respect his wife would be going to Hell. He was, however, trying to stress how important it was to the Lord's own heart, that treating a woman with the utmost of respect and supporting her was more important to Him than any other prayer request a man might have. It is to a man's benefit, then, to lift up and honor women as it means he will have the attention of the Heavenly Father who is the giver of blessings and rewards in this life and the next.

If a man is dominating a woman, thinking she is the weaker sex, he is only demonstrating folly and his own weakness as a man. It takes a strong man to honor the women around him. It takes a true Christian to lift her up.


Don't take my word for it; look it up: Gen 1:26-27, Gen 3:16, 1 Cor 12:22