Genesis 2:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Just as at the inception of creation, when God proclaimed, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness,’ He now employs the same term in creating a companion for him, stating, ‘Let Us create.’ To whom is He speaking? Not to any created entity, but to His own Son, the extraordinary Counselor, the Sovereign, the Prince of Peace—His only begotten Son. This was so Adam would recognize that the being to be fashioned would share in his dignity; hence God said, ‘Let Us create,’ and now adds, ‘let Us create for him a helper who is his equal.’ The phrases ‘a helper’ and ‘one suitable for him’ hold considerable weight. He expresses His desire for Adam not to be solitary but to find solace in companionship, and furthermore, to have a helper that is indeed a wife. God's intention is made clear when He announced, ‘Let Us make him a helper,’ with the addition of ‘suitable for him,’ to clarify that, although all animals and birds are brought to Adam, He does not intend to imply they are the companions He speaks of. Many mute creatures may assist a man in various ways, yet none can match the companionship of a wise wife. Therefore, following the assertion ‘a helper suitable for him,’ it is added: ‘The Lord God formed out of the earth all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the heavens, and brought them to man to see what he would name them; whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.’

When God formed the woman, He mirrored His words when He created man. He stated: ‘Let Us make man in Our image after Our likeness,’ rather than merely saying, ‘Let there be a man.’ He did not declare, ‘let there be a wife,’ but rather said: ‘Let Us make him a helper,’ emphasizing the significance of her role as being equal in dignity. As mute beings can aid man's material needs, it is crucial to recognize that a wife is not to be regarded among servants; hence the sharp differentiation is established.

In earlier times, God proclaimed, ‘Let Us make him a helper’; however, now, after receiving the grace of the Spirit, who requires any other assistance? Does the Church, united with the body of Christ, seek any additional support? Man was created in the image of God, and now he is joined with God Himself.

Consider your own situation. A good wife is indeed your helper. But what if she lacks virtue? Strive to make her virtuous. Have not many faced both commendable and faulty spouses, offering no justification for your stance? Reflect on Job’s wife as a contrasting example—she was not a source of harm but instead counseled him toward blasphemy. So what should we conclude? Did she shake his resolve? Did she weaken this stronghold? Was she able to conquer this rock? Did she cause the ship to sink? Absolutely not. Her challenges only fortified his spirit; the waves she created did not drown the vessel, which sailed smoothly; while fruits were picked, the tree remained steadfast; though leaves may have fallen, the roots stayed strong. My point is made so that no one may cite the failings of a wife as an excuse. Is she not virtuous? Work to correct that. You may claim she has robbed you of paradise; yet in truth, she also elevated your standing to heaven. The essence may be the same, but the spirit is what varies. Is Job’s wife unrefined? Look to Susanna as an example of virtue. Is the Egyptian woman immodest? Yet Sarah embodies modesty. Consider the contrasts laid before you. Among men too, some embody evil while others choose goodness. Joseph was noble, while his elder brothers exhibited shame. Here you see both vice and virtue, which are not inherently determined by nature but are shaped by the individual’s spiritual condition. Do not offer excuses as justification for your conduct.

One such servant expressed in the Psalms, “I will hear what the Lord God speaks of me.” It is also possible that the announcement of the formation of woman was relayed to man via an angel using audible sounds, although the Scriptures do not clarify whether this occurred in a dream, a trance, or through another means, as experienced by the prophets. For example, an angel instructed Zechariah to “Speak in me,” or similarly, God’s voice emerged from a cloud proclaiming, “This is My Son.” We may not fully comprehend the method used in this instance; however, we can assert with certainty that God articulated these words. Should these statements have been expressed through physical sounds or temporal imagery, it is evident that God did not reveal them using His own essence, but rather through a created being under His dominion. We also recognize that God has manifested Himself to holy men in various forms, such as a radiant head like wool or a lower body resembling brass, while those who possess a blessed understanding know that the eternally unchanging essence of the Trinity does not exist within the confines of time or space, but directs other substances within those realms. Thus, let us focus less on the means by which God articulated these expressions and more on their significance. The necessity for creating a suitable helper for man is inherently found in eternal Truth, enabling those who understand this to discern the purpose behind creation.

Chapter III. The Role of the Wife in the Context of Procreation. When we contemplate the purpose of this helper’s existence, is it not most reasonable to conclude that her creation was intended for the act of procreation, much like the earth nurtures the seed to produce new life? This very notion is present in God's original design, articulated as, “God created them male and female, and blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it.’” This divine plan and blessing persisted even after humanity’s transgression and subsequent punishment, leading the earth to be filled with those who inhabit it.

Although it is noted that Adam and Eve began to bear children following their banishment from Eden, I see no reason to doubt that they were capable of a proper union while still in paradise, their bond remaining pure. Had they lived righteously and faithfully, they could have conceived children according to God’s will, void of carnal desire and the pains associated with childbirth. The offspring would not merely inherit the mortal condition of their parents. Instead, as long as the parents remained in the nourishing state provided by the tree of life, they would sustain that status, leading to children born in a state of vitality, until, upon fulfilling a designated number of generations, they would transition into a transformed state that bypassed death, being endowed with spiritual nature, animated solely by the Spirit. All of this might have come to be had it not been for their disobedience.

Some may argue against the feasibility of such an existence, viewing only the ordinary course of nature post-fall as real. Yet we must resist the inclination to believe solely what is commonly perceived. Consider that the miraculous provision seen with the Israelites, whose garments sustained them intact for forty years, offers a glimpse of what was inherently possible.

Chapter IV. The Timing of Adam and Eve’s Unity. Why, then, did they refrain from intimate relations until after their expulsion from paradise? A concise answer is that immediately following the creation of the woman, the transgression occurred, resulting in their removal from that blessed place. Scripture does not specify the duration between their sin and the birth of Cain. It may also be inferred that God had not yet sanctioned their union in such a manner; would they not have sought divine permission for such an act, particularly in the absence of lust, the very temptation of disobedience? God, in His omniscience, arranged all events knowing the forthcoming fall of humanity, after which human procreation would indeed be necessary.

Chapter V. The Divine Purpose of Womanhood. If the woman was not meant to assist in childbirth, what purpose did her creation serve? If to cultivate the earth, then laboring the land was not burdensome enough to require a helper; if for comfort, surely friendship would suffice without the need to combine male and female. And if the dynamic necessitated a hierarchy wherein one commanded and the other obeyed, the order of creation would have sufficed to maintain peace. What justification would there be for creating woman unless for procreation?

Chapter VI. The Sequence of Humanity After Adam’s Fall. If it were essential for parents to pass from life to allow for offspring, achieving the intended fullness of the human race, then individuals, after fulfilling their roles, could transition to a higher existence not through death, but via transformation—either to a heavenly state, analogous to angels, or through some lesser form, a state better than our present condition. The possibility of Adam and Eve entering into such a glorious state after the birth of their children cannot be dismissed, especially since Enoch, a righteous man who had offspring, was taken from life without experiencing death. If even they, burdened by the consequences of ancestral sin, could attain a better existence, it follows that Adam and Eve, if they had remained blameless, might have too.

Chapter VII. The Purpose of Womanhood in Childbearing. I see no other reason for the wife’s creation than for producing offspring. If the cause of procreation is negated, why value her existence? The virtue of faithful, pious virginity is greatly esteemed because it demands abstention from marital relations when the need for procreation is most pressing. Marriage supports the fragility of both sexes, allowing what is duty for the healthy to become a remedy for the mentally and physically weary. While this might invite critique regarding impudence, the sacred nature of marriage, which binds even weaker elements, must not be disdained. The goodness found within marriage encompasses faithfulness, procreation, and the sanctity of the union, ensuring natural fertility flourishes and restraining ungodliness.

Chapter VIII. The Flaws of Human Desires. Now, what assistance does a wife provide if she and her husband were prohibited from marital relations in paradise? Some might argue that all cohabitation is sinful. When people obsessively evade one vice, they often encounter the opposite. For instance, fear of greed can lead to extravagance. Those unmindful of divine disapproval regarding adultery and fornication might even despise marriage in the name of chastity.

Chapter IX. The Essential Nature of Womanhood for Parenthood. It is mistaken to think that the divine provision of fertility was merely in response to mortality. The original humans could certainly have engaged in relations uninhibited by sin, thereby giving rise to their children in a righteous manner. In similar fashion, as even today, when the earth is heavily populated, there exists a righteous obligation for offspring to replenish humanity, bringing forth life through marriage and not through birth alone.

Chapter X. The Nature of Desire and Sin. Conversely, it is more respectful to consider that the original humans, existing in paradise in an untainted state, possessed no carnal desires but were governed by their creator. Their encounter with the forbidden fruit initiated a distortion of their nature leading them to experience a conflict between body and spirit—a struggle reflected in the Apostles’ writings about the body of death.

Chapter XI. The Intended Purpose of Womanhood for Humanity. Undoubtedly, it is undeniable that woman was created for the husband in a manner that aligns with the Divine design for procreation, leading to all humanity’s lineage. The female aspect contributes to the filling of the earth with believers who were not born infected with the impulse to sin—a state that entered through the fall. Thus, God’s purpose persists, allowing children to be born through divine grace rather than inherent sinfulness, promising them a heavenly reward through obedience that triumphs over the inherited transgression of our forebears.

This Bride is the mother of all; here is the spiritual abode, here is the everlasting city that knows no end; this is Jerusalem, now manifested on earth, yet destined to be elevated beyond Elijah (cf. Gal. 4:25-26, 2 Kings 2:11)—and Elijah stood alone!—and will be lifted above Enoch (cf. Gen. 5:24, Sir. 44:15, Heb. 11:5), who did not experience death, as he was taken up so that unrighteousness would not sway his heart (cf. Prv. 11:5). Christ cherishes this Jerusalem because it shines with glory, holiness, and is free from blemish (cf. Eph. 5:27). How much more magnificent it is for the entire body to be elevated than for any individual! This is the hope of the Church. Truly she will be caught up, lifted, taken into heaven! Elijah was taken up in a chariot of fire; likewise, the Church will also be taken up. Doubt my words? Trust in Paul, who states that Christ proclaimed, We shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:17).

Now, another question arises: Why is it that Adam's solitary creation is not deemed good, while the creation of Woman from him is acknowledged as good? It is likely that in His concluding remarks, God affirmed the entirety of creation and endorsed the beauty of the world, with man as part of that visible nature. However, a crucial question persists as to why there is no blessing on Adam's creation, but rather a rebuke: It is not good for man to be alone (Gen. 2:18). We know that Adam fell into sin following the creation of Woman. The wife crafted after him disobeyed the divine command, ensnared him in sin. If it was the wife who sinned, how can it be understood that she was given to her husband for his benefit? Reflect on God's intention to fill the earth, and recognize that it was of greater significance for the Lord to commend the fullness of creation than to draw attention to sin through condemnation. From one man alone, the human race could not flourish, and the Lord affirmed: It is not good for man to be alone. God chose to gift salvation not to a solitary Adam, unblemished, but to a multitude of humanity, allowing them to fall, while eventually the Creator Himself, who fashioned both husband and wife, entered the world to redeem sinners. By permitting even Cain, the fratricide, to live until after he had children, it indicates that for the continuation of humanity, the wife needed to unite with her husband, which is the essence of God's words: It is not good for man to be alone. Though the wife was the first to sin, she attained redemption through motherhood and must not be removed from divine providence. It was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who fell into wrongdoing, yet she will find salvation through childbearing (1 Tim. 2:14-15), among whom Christ shall be born.

While marriage was esteemed then, the state of being unmarried is celebrated now, with virginity itself regarded as even more honorable and esteemed. Saint Cyprian states: “Virginity is the sister of angels, the overcoming of the passions, the queen of the virtues, and the inheritance of all blessings” (On Virginity). Moreover, during the time of the Old Testament, several righteous individuals chose to live celibately, preserving their virginity incorruptibly from birth; these include Elijah, Elisha, Daniel, the three young men, and John the Baptist.

The creation of a woman did not provide Adam with a greater perfection than that which he possessed before her existence, and there are situations where it is beneficial for a man to refrain from conjugal relations (1 Cor. 7:1, Matt. 19:12). It was not ideal for Adam to be solitary, likely because his observation of the animals made him aware of his need for a companion who was similar to him (Gen. 1:20). When the woman is described as a helper for her husband within God's counsel, it indicates her role in assisting him with childbearing and nurturing, as well as meeting the various needs of earthly life. The term used for helper in this context suggests one who corresponds to him, reflecting a nature akin to his own, and distinguishing her from other forms of life, providing him with the closest companionship (1 Cor. 11:9), which involves ongoing interaction and a shared dwelling. Christ serves as the Head of humanity; however, the first Adam caused the fall of all those he represented. In contrast, the Second Adam is designated to unite all things in Himself, both in heaven and on earth (Eph. 1:10).

There are even instances where ‘it is good for a man not to touch his wife’ (1 Cor. 7:1). The Lord acknowledged Adam's solitude as lacking, anticipating that Adam would realize this shortcoming upon seeing the animals, as will be discussed later, and thus recognize his need for companionship with a being akin to himself. Given that the fulfillment of this need aligned with God's purpose for the continuation of humanity, the Lord intended to create a helper for Adam—a being similar to him—who would support him in raising and nurturing children, as well as addressing all his other needs.