Did The Authors of the Bible Think That Women Were Sexually Insatiable?
What modern evangelicals completely ignore about what the Bible says about women and sex
One of the most common (and notorious) teachings of modern Protestant sexual ethics is that while men are inherently lustful, sexually aggressive, and highly libidinous, women are conversely frigid, sexually restrained, and passionless, to the point that they can’t even fathom the struggles men have against lust and sexual temptation. No doubt, even if you didn’t grow up in an evangelical milieu, you’ve probably heard (and laughed at) the nonsensical, but highly prevalent, beliefs about sex that thrive in such communities: “Men are constantly at battle against lust,” “men are visually stimulated but women are not,” “sex is a duty for wives but a necessity for husbands.” And on and on. Female sexuality, women’s sexual needs or pleasure, and women struggling against sexual temptation and lust is almost unheard of. Or, if female sexuality *is* acknowledged, it’s seen as more holistic, or relational, or emotional, as opposed to the physically pleasurable and sensual.
But if one actually turns to the Bible itself, it may come as a surprise to see that, in many instances, women are depicted to be much more carnal, lecherous, and sexually sinful than many contemporary evangelicals realize (or admit).
Old Testament Wives: The Original Mrs. Robinsons
In Genesis, the very first book of the Bible, Potiphar’s wife lusts after Joseph, an employee of her husband, and abuses her position of authority by demanding that he sleep with her. Where have we seen that scenario play out before?
In Proverbs 7, an adulteress seeks to have sex with a random man while her husband is away on a trip, and as such, she aggressively follows and tries to seduce him. (This section of Proverbs is a favorite of pastors, who wish to “warn” young men of promiscuous, immodest women).
In Ezekiel, the spiritual infidelity of Israel is illustrated by Oholah and Ohobilah, two metaphorical sisters. Oholah and Ohobilah lust after “handsome Assyrian horsemen.” In this analogy, the two lusting sisters represent Israel and Judah, and the handsome horse-riding men represent the idols that Israel and Judah worship, instead of worshiping God. Quite a way to exemplify spiritual adultery, right?
And Gomer, yet another adulterous woman, cheats on her husband Hosea, as a representation of how God (Hosea) remains faithful to Israel (Gomer) despite her infidelity.
Were women in biblical times just randier than they are nowadays? These female biblical figures would certainly make it seem so.
Biblically, Men Are Required to Satisfy Their Wives’ Sexual Needs
In addition to this, the Bible acknowledges that women have sexual needs, and that marital sex is for a wife’s pleasure as well, not only the husband’s.
If he marries another woman, he must not deprive his first wife of food, clothing, and her conjugal rights. (Exodus 21:10)
The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. (1 Corinthians 7:3)
In Exodus 20:10, the word וְעֹנָתָ֖הּ is expressed into English in different ways: “conjugal rights,” “duty of marriage,” “marital relations,” or, most succinct of all, “sexual intimacy.”
It’s the duty of a husband to ensure his wife’s sexual satisfaction? That seems like a far cry from the marriage advice we hear from the pulpit nowadays.
Not only this, but according to the Bible, young women who are widowed are in such danger of falling into sexual sin that they must get remarried in order to satiate their desires in an appropriate way. Young women, writes the Apostle Paul, are unable to uphold a pledge to remain chaste, and must therefore find a new husband.
As for the younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. (1 Timothy 5:11)
In this verse, the Greek word καταστρηνάσωσιν is typically translated as “physical or sensual desires” (but also as “waxing wanton,” which is just a fancy term for, well, strong sexual desire).
The Modern Christian narrative of sex and female sexuality is unbiblical.
If the Bible is so adamant that women are indeed sexual creatures with physical needs, why are so many modern Christians ignorant of these verses and Biblical narratives? It’s important to remember that modern purity culture is a relatively recent phenomena, taking root in the 1980s and 1990s, and it isn’t representative of how Christians have always thought. Christian views on sex have varied widely throughout history, ranging from the belief that women were the visual, sexually tempted ones, to belief that all sex was sinful (outside procreation), to the modern script emerging in bestselling Christian books frequently seen in evangelical circles and given as gifts to adolescents, thereby influencing the way they view female and male sexuality.
So, how would Paul and the various other biblical authors react to what modern purity culture has to say about sex, lust, and female sexuality? They’d probably be more shocked and incredulous than any of the rest of us.
