Wives and Husbands

Peter has been addressing believers and teaching about the practical outworking of salvation - our service to God. How does our submission to God impact our human relationships?

First, Peter reminds us that we ought to submit to governmental authorities.

Then, Peter addressed slaves and instructed them to obey not just the good masters, but all masters - invoking the example of Christ who suffered injustly as He was crucified and had taken on the form of a servant.

After the interlude speaking about Christ’s suffering as a servant and how His example ought to remind all of us to take on the humility of a servant - even when suffering wrongly.

Now Peter turns his attention to another instance of our service to God manifesting itself in a submissive attitude in earthly relationships.

1 Peter 3:1 KJV 1900

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

Parallel passages in Eph 5; Colossian 3, and Titus 2

Peter spends most of the passage talking about the wife,but does include a directive to Christian husbands

As a result, Peter is speaking primarily to wives of unsaved men - or men who are not in obedience to Jesues Christ

Submission of a Wife

Submission of a Wifeolikewise, in the same fashion - following the same example of Christ. This does not mean that he is comparign the status of a wife as that of a slave, but rather that there is a similarity in their need to submit based upon their obedience to God.

He addresses wives and requires them to submit and to fear their husbands

Robert Picirilli:

James, 1, 2 Peter, & Jude a. The Responsibility of Subjection (vv. 1, 2)

Wives are therefore to manifest a similar attitude of “fear,” which is rooted in a reverential awe toward God that leads one to obedience and a sense of answerability, and which manifests itself in a meek and submissive relationship to their own husbands.

Peter is not talking about an actual fearfulness of what your husband will do - if you are in a situation like that, then get out - be safe!

Rather, Peter is instructing wives to have a reverence or a respect toward their husbands.

Primarily, he is addressing wives of unbelievers since as Edmond Hiebert ocmments:

“Wherever the love of Christ holds sway in the lives of both husband and wife, (the wife’s) submission to her husband will be an occasion of deep joy, not one of grief and groaning.” D. Edmond Hiebert

Testimony to a Husband

1 Peter 3:1 KJV 1900

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

Peter gives not only a command, but also gives a reason for this submission to an unsaved husband - through their upright or chaste behavior, the unsaved husband might be brought to faith in Christ.

This is similar to the admonition in chapter 2 about having our behavior honest before the unsaved in general

1 Peter 2:12 KJV 1900

Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

And Peter states that this might occur without a word

Now this does not mean without the Word of God, but rather it tells the reality of a testimony of behavior convincing someone of the reality of our belief

In other words, a wife by her behavior can cause a husband to become interested in the gospel and can even spur him to accept Christ without a word from her. She would simply be acting like a Christian in her behavior and attitude.

Peter uses the word chaste here - the concept is that of purity or innnocence. Obviously, Peter has more in mind here than sexual purity, but rather is looking at all of life.

The Beautiful Wife

1 Peter 3:3 KJV 1900

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

1 Peter 3:4 KJV 1900

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Peter makes it clear that true beauty is not in outward appearance. - the elaborate braiding of hair, putting on jewelry, and focusing on your wardrobe.

This does not mean that braiding hair or cutting your hair and having a hairstyle is sinful or wrong since in the same verse Peter talks about putting on clothing. Rather it is the concept that true beauty is not outward, but inward beauty.

Peter is referring to the elaborate hairdos of Roman women who would have a hairdresser spend hours creating a masterpiece which was then topped by golden combs and hairnets

In addition, there was much elaborate jewelry placed on

And then fine clothing and it emphasized the process of putting it on - in other words, there were numerous changing of clothes and displays of wealth

I

Meek and Quiet Spirit

James, 1, 2 Peter, & Jude b. The Nature of True Beauty (vv. 3, 4)

“Meek” (Greek praus) is closely related to “humble.” Humility means seeing oneself as lowly, and meekness is the way one relates to God or others that grows out of that humble disposition.

James, 1, 2 Peter, & Jude b. The Nature of True Beauty (vv. 3, 4)

“Quiet” (Greek hesuchios) as an adjective is used elsewhere only in 1 Tim. 2:2, referring to the life of one who is undisturbed by tensions.

1 Timothy 2:2 KJV 1900

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

In God’s sigght, it is costly and precious

James, 1, 2 Peter, & Jude b. The Nature of True Beauty (vv. 3, 4)

How much better to “wear” inside that which God sees as “expensive” than to wear outside that which others see as “expensive.”

The example of OT women and Sarah in particular

1 Peter 3:5 KJV 1900

For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

1 Peter 3:6 KJV 1900

Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

It is interesting taht the particular incident that Peter references here where Sara called Abraham Lord - is the incident when God has promised an heir and Sarah is having difficulty believing it. Yet she submitted to Abraham and trusted him and His God.

In the same way, wives can be the daughters of Sarah - If Abraham is father of all those who have faith, then Sara can be “mother” to women who manifest the qualities of conduct she modeled. In that sense, one may be a “son” or “daughter” of anyone whose way is emulated.

Robert E. Picirilli, “Commentary on the Books of 1 and 2 Peter,” in James, 1, 2 Peter, & Jude, ed. Robert E. Picirilli, First Edition., The Randall House Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Randall House Publications, 1992), 164.

So, these women ought to be:

doing good

fearing God

both are ongoing action

this relates to the qualification he placed on subjection to civil authorities in 2:16: obeying them as being really free from their authority but voluntarily submitting because one is the servant of God. If that is the case, then what Peter means for the Christian wives is similar: their subjection to their husbands does not suggest that they are afraid of human intimidation or terrorizing, such as an unbelieving husband might be especially inclined to demonstrate. Indeed, they should fear no such intimidation at all (the Greek words are emphatically all-inclusive): no “storm of temper of a bad husband or by other domestic alarms” (Wand 91). At the same time, they will manifest the meek and quiet spirit, practicing subjection to their husbands and good works “in fear” (v. 2) because they know that they are really under Christ’s authority and wish to obey Him.

Robert E. Picirilli, “Commentary on the Books of 1 and 2 Peter,” in James, 1, 2 Peter, & Jude, ed. Robert E. Picirilli, First Edition., The Randall House Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Randall House Publications, 1992), 165.

1 Peter 3:7 KJV 1900

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Duty of a Christian Husband

Live with her in knowledge

Give honor unto her

as a different vessel - weaker not in spirit but of a different temperament

Heirs Together

Peter reminds the husbands that they are on equal footing with God - they are heirs together of Christ

1 Peter 3:7 KJV 1900

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.