"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman' for she was taken out of man." Genesis 2:23
The creation story of the first woman is in itself a profound mystery. Secular teaching on the subject tries to define gender roles of the modern North American family through this one scripture. In fact modern families have shaped the roles of men and women by the foundational understanding within it's meaning. It is believed that men are some how superior because the first male was created before the first female. To back this up, scripture also shares with us that the first female came from a male, using his rib to create a womanly body. Through this society has shaped some archaic ideologies about women and tries to define women's roles as being male dependent in a male dominant society.
The truth may seem obvious as interpreted by the English language, but when scripture is given over to Hebraic interpretation and stripped back to its intended meaning, the beauty of a woman is suddenly revealed.
"Adam said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman' for she was taken out of man." Genesis 2:23
In order to understand and redefine the true history and gender definition of women, we have to first redefine the true history including the gender definition of men. Beginning with the first two people that began the race of mankind, what we have come to believe and what has always been according to the Hebrew word are two entirely different interpretations.
By English definition the first man many of us have learned of in bible study from our youth was named Adam. Adam was never an English proper noun and remains in its vernacular. Adam is a Hebrew word that does not mean 'man' nor is it a man's name; Adam means 'human'. Another interesting insight into the value of this word is that Adam is gender neutral. In the original Hebrew context and meaning the name that we've come to know and admire was used to describe a human being created from the dust of the ground with that human being not yet created to be a gender specific being.
It isn't until after God makes a woman does the reference to adam, the human change. In Hebrew the woman that God created is called 'ishah'. This word is gender specific as it is the opposite of the word 'man'. Woman or 'ishah' came from man who is called 'ish'. The understanding may be a bit complicated to discern through modern understanding. The Hebrew language is set up in such a way that items are named according to what the item does and the function it carries out, or items are named according to their purpose. In the beginning of creation when God created the first human-'adam' in His likeness He did not give that creature a name, only a label; adam meaning human. When God put the human into a deep sleep to create another, He created a woman; an 'ishah'. Because God created a woman from the adam- 'human', the human became a man; an 'ish'. The under pinnings of Hebrew through the label or title of 'man' and 'woman' show us that men and women cannot define themselves fully as a human- an adam without the the other. We are not complete without our gender counterpart.
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." Genesis 2:24
When men and women marry and become one flesh the deeper meaning of scripture is that through conception a gender neutral human being -an adam begins the life cycle of creation over again. When husband and wife join together, they are returning to the original state of their creation before God separated the individuals from the foundational component as being one; a human being or adam.
This happens through the emotion of love. A man loves a woman for her character traits, and a woman loves a man for his character traits. Together united in emotional love, they create an emotional bond that allows these two separate individuals to become one in character. In character the man provides the woman what she lacks, and the woman provides the man in character what he lacks. These traits are passed down to their children also at the time of conception. What God created was perfect and never meant to be so misleading. Together 'ish' and 'isha' are one and only together can men and women reflect the image of God in His spiritual design. Without the individuals of men and women coming together in evenly yoked relationships; God's image created in human kind will forever be denied because only with two coming together as one can the trueness of God's image be reflected to the world.