Chapter X.
Why did God not approve of man until after the creation of woman, and why especially did he sin through her deception? Also, why was she created not from the earth like Adam, but from his rib?
46. Another question arises here because the Lord said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone' (Gen. II, 18). First of all, understand that in the earlier passage, when God created man from the dust of the earth, He did not add, 'And God saw that it was good' (Gen. I, 11 et seq.), as He did in each of His other works. For if He had said there that it was good because man was made, it would be contrary to say here that it was not good, since He had said earlier that it was good. But understand this, that it was only there that Adam was created. However, where he includes both man and woman together, although he does not specifically mention them there; nevertheless, because later you have: And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good (Genesis 1:31), it is clearly declared that it is good that both man and woman were created.
But from this question another question arises again. For how is it that when Adam was alone, it was not said that he was good, but when the woman was made from him, then everything was deemed good? Although there he praised every creature, and the creation of the universe was approved, since in man there is that predicted community of nature, it nevertheless does not seem idle, to explain how, when Adam was alone, not only was there no preaching of good added to the pleasing work; but it was also said that man alone was not good: since we know that before the woman was made, Adam did not go astray; but after the woman was made, she tempted her husband, transgressed God's command, and became an incentive to him. If, therefore, a woman is truly the author of sin, how does it seem right that she is added for a good purpose? But if you consider that God has care for the universe, you will find that it pleased the Lord more that in that which was the cause of the universe, it should be necessary, than that in that which was the cause of sin, it should be condemned. And therefore, because the propagation of the human race could not take place solely from the man, the Lord declared that it was not good for man to be alone. For God preferred that there should be many whom He could make safe, and to whom He could give sin, rather than that there should be only one Adam, who would be free from sin. Finally, because the same author of both works came into this world to save sinners. Finally, Cain, guilty of murder, did not suffer before he generated children. Therefore, due to the human succession, a woman must be added to a man. (See St. Augustine, Book II against Julian of Eclanum, chapter 7, number 20). Finally, these are the very words of God, saying that it is not good for man to be alone. For although the woman was the first to sin, she should not have been excluded from the use of divine operation in order to obtain redemption. Although Adam was not deceived, but woman, having been deceived, was in the transgression, yet she shall be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and holiness with modesty. (1 Timothy 2:14-15).
And not without reason is it recorded that God made woman from the rib of man, rather than from the earth as He made Adam, for this was done to signify the unity of the human race in both man and woman. Therefore, from the beginning, it was not two men or two women, but first a man and then a woman. For God, desiring to establish the unity of mankind, began with one creature and took away the ability for many different and disparate natures to exist. Let us make, he says, a helper similar to himself (Gen. II, 18). By helper, we understand assistance for the generation of human constitution. And truly, it is a good helper. For if you take the assistance for the better, a certain greater operation in the cause of generation is found in the woman; just as this earth, by first receiving seeds and gradually nurturing them with its own support, makes them grow and produces them in the field. Therefore, the assistance of the woman is good, although she is also called a helper of lesser rank; as we also find in human experience, because those who are usually more powerful in dignity choose a helper of lesser merit.