Dictionary of Bible Themes – 5714 men
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5714 men

5714 men

God created both men and women in his image and likeness. Scripture portrays men in both their strengths and weaknesses, their successes and failures. While noting that they are incomplete without women, and share equally in the privileges and tasks entrusted to them by God, men have nevertheless been given specific responsibilities by God.

The place of men

Men are equal with women in creation Ge 1:27 See also Ge 5:2

Men are incomplete without women Ge 2:18 See also Ge 2:21-25; 1Co 11:11-12

Absence of men in society seen as a curse Isa 3:1-3 See also La 5:14; Eze 17:11-14

Men are equal with women in redemption Gal 3:28 See also Ac 2:17-18; Joel 2:28-29

The role of men

As leaders in marriage and family life Eph 5:22-24 See also 1Co 11:3; Col 3:18-21

As leaders in Israelite society and worship Nu 1:16 See also Ex 34:23-24; Nu 3:10-15; Dt 1:9-15; 1Sa 8:1; Ezr 10:16-17

As leaders in the early church 1Ti 3:2 See also Ac 6:2-6; 1Ti 2:12 The role of teaching and exercising authority is here restricted to men. Interpretations vary as to whether Paul is reflecting cultural circumstance or establishing theological principle; 1Ti 3:8

The character requirements of men

To be prayerful and godly 1Ti 2:8 See also Da 6:10-11; 1Ti 4:7-8; 1Ti 6:11-12

To be courageous 1Co 16:13 While courage can be exercised by all, it is identified here as a specifically male characteristic. See also Ac 4:13; Ac 27:21-25

To be determined and decisive Mt 11:12 See also 1Ch 12:38

To be humble 1Pe 5:5 See also Nu 12:3; Da 10:12; Mt 11:29

To love their wives Col 3:19 See also Pr 5:15-19; Eph 5:25-33

To be good fathers to their children Eph 6:4 See also Ge 37:3-4 Jacob’s favouritism was the cause of resentment developing in the family; 1Sa 3:12-13 Eli is rebuked for having failed to father his sons properly; Col 3:21

To exercise proper sexual restraint 1Th 4:3-7 That Paul is particularly thinking of men here seems apparent from the NIV footnote at verse 4. See also Lev 18:1-22; Pr 6:23-29; Mt 5:27-28; 1Co 5:1-2; 1Co 7:2-5

Examples of godly men

Ge 6:9 Noah; Ge 22:1-12 Abraham; Ex 32:30-32 Moses; 1Sa 24:1-7 David; 2Ki 18:1-7 Hezekiah; Job 1:1-8 Job; Da 6:10 Daniel; Ac 4:13-20 Peter and John; Ac 7:54-60 Stephen; Heb 11:4-28 OT heroes of faith; Jas 5:17-18 Elijah

Examples of godly men who had moments of failure

Ge 20:1-3 Abraham was deceitful; Nu 20:2-12 Moses and Aaron showed unbelief; 2Sa 11:1-27 David committed adultery with Bathsheba and plotted Uriah’s death; 1Ki 19:1-5 Elijah became fearful and wanted to die; Jnh 1:1-3 Jonah ran from God’s call on his life; Mt 26:69-75 pp Mk 14:66-72 pp Lk 22:55-62 pp Jn 18:16-18 pp Jn 18:25-27 Peter denied Jesus Christ; Ac 16:36-40 Paul and Barnabas fell into sharp disagreement.

Examples of ungodly men

Ge 19:4-5 The ungodliness of the men of Sodom lay in sexual immorality; Ge 38:8-10 Onan’s ungodliness lay in failing to fulfil his obligations to his brother’s wife; Nu 16:1-35 Korah’s ungodliness lay in rebellion against God’s leaders; 1Sa 2:12 Eli’s sons’ungodliness lay in their abuse of the sacrifices; 1Ki 16:29-33 Ahab’s ungodliness lay in intermarriage and idolatry; 2Ki 21:1-9 pp 2Ch 33:1-9 Manasseh’s ungodliness lay in idolatry, divination and human sacrifice; Mt 2:16 Herod’s ungodliness lay in the wholesale slaughter of infants; Mt 14:3-11 pp Mk 6:17-28 Herod the tetrarch’s ungodliness lay in immorality and murder; Ac 8:9-23 Simon’s ungodliness lay in the practice of magic; Jude 4-19 The ungodliness of men in the church lay in their rejection of apostolic doctrine and lifestyle.

Examples of fearful men

Ge 26:7-9 Isaac’s fear of the Philistines led him to lie; Nu 13:26-33 The spies’fear led them to give a bad report; 1Sa 28:5-7 Saul’s fear of the Philistines led him to enquire of a medium when the Lord did not answer him; 2Sa 3:7-11 Ish-Bosheth’s fear of his brother led him to stay silent concerning sin; Jn 19:4-16 pp Mt 27:19-26 pp Mk 15:9-15 pp Lk 23:13-25 Pilate’s fear of the crowd led him to condemn Jesus Christ, even though he knew he was innocent; Ac 24:24-25 Felix’fear arose from the message of the gospel.

Examples of weak men

Lev 26:36-39 Men who are disobedient to God will be weak; 1Sa 3:12-13 Eli’s weakness lay in failing to restrain his sons; 1Ki 21:1-16 Ahab’s weakness lay in his allowing his wife to rule his life and his kingdom.

See also

2033Christ, humanity
5001human race, the
5020human nature
5658boys
5680family
5684fathers
5700headship
5702husband
5707male and female
5745women
6238homosexuality
7733leaders

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