ARE WOMEN MORE EASILY DECEIVED THAN MEN?

A large portion of Christians believe that women are more susceptible to being deceived than men. Scripture does not tell us why the serpent spoke to Eve not to Adam, however, it is an assumption to think that all women are prone to deception because of Eve’s lack of discernment. In 2 Timothy 2:11-14, Paul speaks of Eve’s deception to expose the deception of certain women in the Church who had fallen into error, or one particular woman perhaps, and were being led astray by false teachings of Gnostics who were teaching that women were the originators of man. He is instructing these women who have been under the influence of this false doctrine to learn quietly, not dominating their husbands but to be in godly submission to their husbands, and to be peaceable, reminding them that Adam was created first, not Eve. Paul is warning them against being deceived due to a lack of sound doctrine. This is the reason he commands ‘a woman” to “learn” in verse 11 contrary to the Jewish cultural norms and religious traditions of his day. Paul knew that learning sound doctrine would enable them to detect and avoid spiritual deception.
In Ephesians chapter 4 and 5, Paul had previously warned the Ephesians not to be blown about by every wind of doctrine (Eph. 4:14), and warned them against those who would lead them astray (Eph. 4:17–24, 5:6–14])
In 2 Corinthians 11:3 Paul cautions the entire church against being deceived as Eve was. He warns them not to be led astray in their thoughts from a “sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” This is not a warning for women only, but a warning for ALL believers. Nowhere in Scripture is Eve’s sin ever excused by God because she was deceived. Neither she or Adam was more guilty or less guilty than the other, and they were both punished equally for their sin.
To conclude that women are more easily deceived than a man is a misguided interpretation of scripture. Women are image bearers of the one true Living God, and we reflect His glory because we were made in His likeness. We have been sealed with the same Spirit of the Almighty God as men, therefore, we are taught by the same Teacher who leads us into all truth. Men do not have more of the Spirit than women. Nowhere in Scripture does Paul say that certain gifts or callings are for men and others for women. Both men and women have been called by God into a holy calling, not according to gender, abilities, or education but based on God's grace.
Being deceived is not a problem for women alone; it’s a problem for ALL humanity. If women are more easily deceived why would women be allowed to teach other women and children who are most vulnerable to deception? If women are more easily deceived why did Jesus appear to Mary Magdalene and other women before He appeared to the apostles? The very first person to proclaim the good news of Jesus’ resurrection to the apostles was Mary Magdalene. She was the first to see the resurrected Jesus, before Peter and before John. None of the writers of the Hebrew Bible or of the gospels ever mention or hint that women are more gullible or more easily deceived than men. Women such as Priscilla, Phoebe, Junia, Euodia, Lydia, Chloe, Nympha, Apphia, Mary, Persis, Tryphena, Tryphosa and Syntychr were among Paul’s fellow workers in evangelization, and many had leadership roles.  

By Lynette Hughes