The Man Is The Image And Glory of God: But The Woman Is The Glory Of The Man? Part 1 - Impacting Righteously

So men are glorious and have glory like God? They share in His awesomeness? And women don’t? Women are glorious, but only have glory like a mere man? I had to pray for clarification in understanding the Apostle Paul’s statement in 1st Corinthians 11: 7.

“For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man.”

• I prayed and asked God to help me understand this better, because some people were using the verse out of context.

• They implied that women are less godly in status or character, and are not created in the image of God.

• Through prayer and studying God’s word, I was able to receive understanding.

I now understand “glory” in this context is referring to a man and woman’s position, and reflective role in the chain of command.

Apostle Paul is not referring to importance, value, or godly character existing in the man moreso than the woman.

The man is under headship of Jesus Christ, and the woman is under the man’s headship, as helper to him.

• The man has responsibility of leadership in carrying out God’s will. He is in submission, under the authority and direction of Jesus Christ ( he is described by Apostle Paul as the “glory” of God).

• The woman is a helpmeet to the man in carrying out God’s will, and is in submission to her husband (she is described as the “glory” of the man).

When I prayed and studied this passage, the Lord showed me the truth about this statement referring to the chain of command. This statement is actually indicative of the difference in authority and roles for a man and a woman. 

This passage does not indicate a difference in a man and woman’s value, worth, holiness or importance.

This is simply the lingo that the Apostle Paul used. As his helper, the woman is the man’s “glory.” She serves God by serving as a helpmeet to her husband in his God-given mission.

Remember how God created Adam and put him to work in the garden before Eve was separated out from him? This showed Adam’s responsibility and leadership. This responsibility and leadership remains the same. The man is the “glory” of God.

Neither position is superior or inferior.

“For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.”

Notice the details that the woman was created for the man; not the man for the woman. What does this mean?

Apostle Paul is referring to the very first man and first woman that were created. In like fashion, the rest of the men and women who get married are to fulfill their roles according to God’s design and the order of creation.

The man already was at work and needed a help-meet. It was not the woman who was already at work and needed the man to help her. It is the other way around. Being created as his helper, the woman is the man’s “glory.”

Both people are serving and glorifying God, but in different roles. The man has a greater responsibility, in that he is positioned as head of his wife and ideally leading in obeying all of God’s directives.

I will consistently provide supporting Bible evidence for the points I am going to make. I may seem repetitious, at times, but the points I make are going to require me to revisit some of the same verses. Bear with me.

So, let’s talk about the image of God! Are women created in the image of God?

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Genesis 1: 26.

“So God created man in his own image. In the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”  Genesis 1: 27.

As we see, “him” (Adam) = them; them=the male and  the female. The name for both the male and the female at this time was Adam. We know this, because it explains this also in Genesis 5: 1-2.

Not only have some falsely stated women are not in the image of God, but they went on to say the woman is in the image of man, and imply she was not created for God’s glory. The Bible does not support this!

The Bible very clearly shows us both male and female are created in the image of God:

“This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he THEM; and blessed THEM and called THEIR name Adam, in the day when THEY were created.” Genesis 5: 1-2.

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Man (male and female) was created on the 6th day, before God actually formed Adam from the dust, giving him a body first. Later, he took a rib from the man’s body and formed a woman. This shows that both the male and female spirits were created before they received their bodies on earth.

Some people do not understand the fact that the male and female, (again, their name was Adam) were created and in existence in spirit on the 6th day. This was before Adam and Eve existed in physical form on earth.

Some men in particular, have pushed the idea that the woman is basically an afterthought; simply a rib from the physical form of a man.

I can see how this thinking diminishes who the woman really is. This thought process may appeal to the ego of some insecure people, but it is simply not true, and the word of God tells us so. She is spirit, existing before getting her physical form.

What about the glory of God, the glory of the man, and the glory of the woman?

Through prayer and studying God’s word, I understand that in 1 Corinthians 11: 7, the Apostle Paul was referring to the man’s role, and position within the chain of command. This is when he was referring to man as the “glory” of God, and the woman being the “glory” of the man.

Men and women are both to serve and glorify God. They have different roles and assignments to do so. Each role is equally valuable.

1) God formed the man first from the dust and set him to work in the garden of Eden. In this sense, Adam was God’s helper, reflector. I believe this is what the term “glory” is referring to in 1 Corinthians 11: 7.

2) Later, God said it was not good for man to be alone, and He would create a suitable helper for the man.

3) God took a rib from Adam’s body and created a woman. Eve was Adam’s helper. The woman is also to reflect the God. The woman is the “glory” of the man as his helper.

What about God’s glory?

In the context of who God is, I understand God’s glory to describe God’s nature. This includes His power, character, excellency, and perfection. It is His excellent magnificence and righteousness, in all that He is.

This lets me know that Paul was not saying in 1 Corinthians 11: 7 that men have God’s excellence, holiness, magnificence, and nature, and women don’t.

Both men and women are called as Christians to be godly and represent Him on earth. Paul was not saying that a woman does not have the character of God, but only has the character of the man.

The context of “the glory of God” and “the glory of the man” used in 1 Corinthians 11: 7 is key.

• Paul was not referring to the man being the glory of God to suggest that the righteousness, holiness, and character of God exists in a man, but not in a woman.

• He was not saying that a man has the character of God, but the woman doesn’t.

Instead, the man being the “glory” of God describes his position- his duty, role, within the chain of command, directly under the headship of Jesus Christ. He is to reflect God by leading in righteousness as God’s representative, not only on earth, but within the home. Women also are to represent God. Within this same context, the woman is under the headship of the man and is his “glory.”

Remember, the image of God was both the male and the female, and women are also called to holiness, righteousness, and to have godly character.

However, the man’s position is to serve God directly under the leadership of Jesus Christ within the chain of the command. The wife is under the husband’s authority in the chain of command.

The man needed a helpmeet. God created the woman as a helpmeet. Therefore, the woman is the man’s glory; his help.

God created Adam and set him to work in the garden of Eden in the very beginning. Adam submitted himself to God and did what God required of him. Therefore, the man is the glory of God. This is the best way I can describe it, based on prayer and how the Lord has helped me to understand.

“GLORY”  is simply describing the position of the man and woman : the difference in their roles and authority in the chain of command; the woman as helper to the man, and the man’s service to God directly under the headship of Jesus Christ.

Glory is NOT referring to difference in importance, personal worth, value, or the righteousness of the man versus the woman.

Man being the “glory” of God shows that he has the lead responsibility in being an example of righteousness.

I continue this important discussion here: The Man Is The Image And Glory Of God: But The Woman Is The Glory Of The Man? Part 2