If Christ Broke the Curse, Why Does Male Rule Remain?

Guest writer Modupe Ayobami raises a bold theological question: if Jesus removed the curse of Genesis 3, why do some believe it still applies to women but not men? This article examines the Second Adam doctrine, biblical partnership, and whether Christ restored equality or reinforced hierarchy.

I have a question for Christian men, especially Bible scholars. When Adam and Eve sinned, God issued specific curses, right?

Adam’s curse (Genesis 3:17-19):

• Painful toil

• Ground cursed because of him

• By the sweat of his brow he’ll eat

  
  

Eve’s curse (Genesis 3:16):

• Pain in childbearing

• Desire for her husband

• Husband will rule over her

  
  

Now, here's where it gets interesting.

The "Second Adam" Doctrine

When Jesus came as the "second Adam," Christians teach that He removed the curse.

That’s why Christian men don’t say:"I accept painful, sweaty labor as my permanent curse."

Instead, they declare:

• "By grace, I prosper with EASE"

• "Everything works for my good"

• "I don’t have to struggle, Jesus removed the curse"

  
  

Beautiful. I agree. But then why (WHY) do those same men tell women:

"Your husband is meant to RULE you. That’s your curse from Genesis 3:16, and it’s God’s design for marriage."

Wait. Hold on.

If Jesus removed the curse for men (painful toil), why does the curse still apply to women (male rule)?

The logical inconsistency

Either:

Jesus removed ALL the curses for ALL people (including male headship over women),

OR

The curses still apply (meaning men, you need to accept painful toil without claiming grace exempts you)

You don’t get to say: "Jesus freed ME from my curse." But "Women are still under THEIRS"

That’s manipulation, not theology.

What Genesis actually shows: Partnership, not hierarchy

Let’s go back to Genesis 1-2 (BEFORE the fall).

"So God created mankind in his image... male and female he created them. God blessed THEM and said to THEM, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over... (creation).’" Genesis 1:27-28

God gave dominion to BOTH. Not Adam over Eve. Not man over woman. BOTH over creation.

"The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’" Genesis 2:18

The word "helper" (Hebrew: ezer) is the same word used for God Himself when He helps Israel (Psalm 121:1-2). It doesn't mean subordinate. It means strong ally, partner, co-laborer.

So Before Sin:

• No hierarchy

• No male rule

• Partnership and shared dominion

  
  

After Sin (Genesis 3:16): Male rule over women becomes part of the curse, not the design

The curse is a distortion of God’s original intent. Jesus came to UNDO the curse and RESTORE God’s original design.

So what did Jesus restore?

If Jesus is the second Adam who removes the curse:

For Men:

• Freedom from the curse of painful toil (Galatians 3:13)

• Prosperity and grace instead of struggle

  
  

For Women:

• Freedom from the curse of male rule

• Restoration of partnership and equality

  
  

"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28

Christ dissolved the hierarchies sin created. He restored the original design: partnership, mutual submission, shared dominion.

"But What About Submission?"

Christian men love quoting Ephesians 5:22:"Wives, submit to your husbands."

But let’s read the FULL context: Ephesians 5:21 (the verse right before):"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

MUTUAL submission.

Then Paul addresses the 1st-century Greco-Roman household:

• Wives submit to husbands (v. 22)

• Husbands love wives as Christ loved the church (v. 25), meaning sacrificial service, not domination

• Children obey parents (6:1)

• Slaves obey masters (6:5)

  
  

Notice something? Paul was addressing the household codes of his time — a patriarchal, slave-owning culture.

He didn’t say, "This is God’s eternal design for all time."

He said, "Within your current system, here’s how to live as Christians."

We don’t still enforce:

❌ Slavery (even though Paul told slaves to obey masters)

❌ Absolute parental authority over adult children

So why do we still enforce wifely submission as if it’s timeless?

What Jesus actually taught about leadership

When the disciples argued about who was greatest, Jesus said:"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them... Not so with you. Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." Matthew 20:25-26

Jesus explicitly REJECTED the "rule over" model.

He said: leadership is service, not domination. So when men say, "I’m the head, so I rule", they’re using the Gentile model Jesus specifically condemned.

The question christian men can’t answer

If Jesus removed Adam’s curse of painful toil, why do you insist Eve’s curse of male rule still applies? I've asked this question many times. Here's what I typically hear:

Response 1: "Submission doesn’t mean inequality, it’s just different roles."

My counter: If male rule over women was part of the CURSE (Genesis 3:16), not the original design (Genesis 1-2), then insisting on it means you believe the curse still applies. So does grace remove it or not?

Response 2: "The man is the head, just like Christ is head of the church."

My counter: Ephesians 5:25 says husbands should love like Christ loved the church, meaning He gave Himself up for her. He didn’t control her. He served her. If "head" means authority, show me where Jesus controlled, monitored, or restricted the church’s freedom. Headship is service, not rule.

Response 3: "This is cultural relativism. The Bible is clear."

My counter: So you believe slavery is still biblical because Ephesians 6:5 says "slaves obey your masters"? Or do you admit Paul was addressing cultural realities of his time? You can’t claim submission is timeless while admitting slavery passages were cultural. Either both are cultural, or both are timeless. Pick one.

Response 4: "Men and women are equal in value but have different roles."

My counter: "Separate but equal" was the justification for segregation. If the "role" for women always involves subordination and the "role" for men always involves authority, that’s hierarchy, not equality. And hierarchy was the CURSE, not the design.

You cannot claim that Jesus removed the curse for men but not for women.

Either:

Christ removed ALL curses for ALL people (including male rule over women)

OR

The curses still apply to everyone (meaning men, accept painful toil without claiming grace)

And if you try to have both, you’re not teaching theology. You’re simply justifying control.

I’ll like to hear from Christian men, Bible theologists and Thinkers. What do you think? Have you encountered this theological inconsistency? How do you respond? Let’s discuss in the comments.

© Modupe Ayobami