Review: What’s the Difference?: Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible

John Piper. What’s the Difference?: Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible.  Wheaton, IL: Crossway, June 29th 2001.  91 pp.

4 out of 5

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The author John Piper is one of the editors along with Wayne Grudem of the massive Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.  In fact this present book was originally written as a chapter for the larger work and while Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.  While that work is more detailed in providing exegetical support and the reasons for why Piper and company takes the position they take yet Piper published What’s the Difference? as a stand-alone book is to present “a Biblical vision of manhood and womanhood as clearly and concisely as possible, and to leave the comprehensive technical discussion for other publications” (14).  Piper also wrote in chapter one that he wanted to have What’s the Difference? as a “portrayal of the vision that satisfies the head as well as the heart” (16).  In other words Piper’s second purpose is his desire to show how a biblical view of manhood and womanhood is “deeply satisfying gift of grace from a loving God” (16).

I appreciated Piper working towards a biblical definition concerning the discussion of manhood and womanhood.  Manhood and womanhood is one of those things that we feel that we know or take for granted but might be hard for us to define when we think of it consciously.  I appreciated that Piper offers definitions of manhood and womanhood by the end of chapter one of the book and was nuanced to note the difficulties and challenges along with how easily his definition could be read in the most uncharitable light (I might that’s true of anyone’s attempt at a definition).  With the definition of manhood and womanhood stated in the end of chapter one Piper then explains each part of his definition in chapter two and three on what is masculinity and feminity respectively.  I also appreciated Piper’s definition of biblical headship and biblical submission in terms of the roles of husband and wife.  As Piper defined it, “Biblical headship for the husband is the divine calling to take primary responsibility for Christlike, servant-leadership, protection and provision in the home” (66).  Piper defined biblical submission for the wife as “the divine calling to honor and affirm her husband’s leadership and help carry it through according to her gifts” (66).

I know the topic of a Biblical view of manhood and womanhood is controversial and goes contrary to what some within even Evangelical churches want to hear let alone what the greater culture in the West thinks about gender roles.  Piper explains it rather graciously and clearly.  I must add that this work should be seen as the first stop on the issue and not the last word for those who might find it disagreeable.  But I do think Christians would find it edifying.  I particularly enjoyed Piper’s discussion of the nine point of male leadership for its nuance and consideration and care for woman, the family and also for other men.  In essence biblical leadership is servant leadership and not tyranny.