Wives Submit!!
Notes
Transcript
The Submissive wife
The Submissive wife
1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Pray.
We are going to talk about a topic that I believe is extremely important and coupled with the lack of seeking God is responsible for the collapse we are seeing in society today.
In today’s society we see a total collapse of gender roles, sexuality and family morals. feminism has become rampant.
60% of woman consider themselves feminist.
We have become a society that thrives on the emasculation of men and then wonder why there are no good men out there.
The biblical core family values have completely eroded into something foreign.
And we wonder why society is collapsing.
So at the end of I Peter we saw Peter addressing the believers on how they should respond to authority. I Peter 2:13 sums up pretty much the rest of the passage.
13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
We as Christians are to submit to authority not because they are right and perfect but because we are commanded by God to do so. Jesus came to earth in human form and submitted him self to authority. and we find as the I Peter continues that not only did he submit but he did so willingly and respectfully. When reviled he reviled not.
In Verse 21 we are even told that we are called to suffer and endure and we are to do so following Christ Example.
Isn't this almost impossible? Especially when we feel out “rights” have been violated. (Authority Example)
1 Peter 3:1 (ESV)
1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives,
As we know that verses and Chapters didn't exist until about 1560 AD. It is easy to begin to read this passage and believe that it is a continuation of a thought that we really haven't read because there is some disconnect between 2:25 and 3:1. Maybe this is a temporary command, a concession or an adaptation to the times that the church would outgrow.
After all we live in a society of strong powerful females that can do anything!! Right? The Bible don't apply to today, to modern feminist america. Or does it?
I don't disagree with the thought that a woman can do anything they want. The right person with the right mindset can do anything but are we supposed to?
I peter was written in a time when it was uncommon for married men and women to have different religions. There was a rise in feminism in ancient Rome.
And this is what Pete is addressing.
I really like how peter uses connecting word.
Likewise. - or In Like manner. Peter is comparing the submission to authority, using the example we were given by Christ, to how wives are to submit to their husbands. Notice here it says your own husbands. If a wife was to submit to another husband in the church (Especially if she was wed to an unbeliever) there could be an attachment that occurs. a sense of spiritual adultery.
Uh oh, he used the “S” word. Subject - or submit to, to obey.
The problem we have here is that we live in a culture where obey and submission are dirty words. Among the charismatic Christians these words are made a joke of. A way of demeaning women.
We cant look at it this way.
Ephesians 5:22 “22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.”
This is willingly submitting to God through your husband.
We have to look at these words (obey and submit) as words of empowerment by using Jesus Christ as our example. He came to earth with all authority over everything but yet he submitted himself to the worlds authority. He could have called 10,000 angels to come down and remove him from the cross and take out every person there, but he didn't. Why? Because he came to earth to willingly submit him self to the rulers of this earth so that gods plan could be carried out and Our sins could be nailed to that cross with him.
Luke 22:25-27 “25 And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27 For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
Women are not directed to submit out of obligation. its a submission out of willingness to trust God and follow the leader that he put over them. Romans 13:1 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” There has to be a belief that God has it all worked out. Jesus didn't submit because he was obligated to, he submitted because he wanted to.
I Corinthians 11:3 “3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.”
Headship means authority. Biblical authority is never given for the advantage of the one in authority or so they can dominate those under them. Rather, God Delegates authority for the blessing and protection of those under authority so that they will become all that God wants them to be. Authority as Christ had. He came to earth to serve and build believers up.
In this passage why were wives directed to be subject to their husbands?
Because God said so is why… Not really. I mean really but not. but actually It is an evangelistic calling.
Lets see how
So that even if some do not obey the word - This was a very common situation in early Christianity. Because In the early church it was more common for women to be converted to Christianity then it was for men. Lets face it. Male ego, Christianity was not cool nor was it widely accepted. Men had more to loose socially then women did. Because they were the business men, politicians, rulers etc.
I find it interesting here, it doesn't say wives submit to your husbands when they are godly enough or will lead you in the right direction. It says Be subject to them. (Period) We will talk a little more about this later.
Calvin says “But if wives ought to obey ungodly husbands, with much more promptness ought they to obey, who having believing husbands.
they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives
It doesn't say here that they will be won by preaching, or sharing scripture or trying to pressure them in to believing.
In some older manuscripts instead of saying they may be won, it actually was interrupted they Shall be won. which indicated a almost certainty that it will happen. “Unspoken acting is more powerful than unperformed speaking”
How powerful of a testimony is our actions that a wife can win over her husband solely on her actions.
2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
When they see.... - having witnessed - to inspect. this leads me to believe that maybe when they are perplexed by the good conduct that they are going to start studying the actions trying to figure out whats going on.
3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—
In the roman empire what women wore and how did they hair was a status symbol. But these symbols were bringing attention to the outward appearance of the woman. Woman would spend hours braiding and curling their hair, putting on all this jewelry and keeping up with the latest fashions. But they were not spending anytime on adorning the inner them.
I do not believe that Peter is restricting woman from wearing makeup and jewelry but whats the priority? To draw attention to our self. And where is our priority? Making ourselves LOOK good on the outside or truly making ourselves good?
4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
Here peter is using the old adage true beauty is on the inside. Spend your time adorning the inside. Making your heart (Entire inner being) right with God. See outward beauty will fade away, wrinkles, scars, things over time just don’t look as good. But the focus should be on the imperishable beauty. the beauty that doesn't fade. the beauty on the inside. Cultivate your spirit and create a calm, gentle quiet spirit. These attributes are more pleasing to God then the outward beauty. Men are the same way. Studies show that men are more attracted to a good spirited smiling woman then one all gussied up.
5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands,
For - when we see this used in the new testament we know that there is going to be some important background information given.
This is how holy woman - Peter is trying to entice the woman to follow the example of the matrons of distant past. it was common for moralists to add an appeal to the great matriarchs. Woman like Sarah, Racheal, Rebekah and leah. These are women that were studied and talked about and christian women yearned to be like these holy woman. and they adorned themselves by submitting to their own husbands.
6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
Peter references Sarah and Abraham. Saying that Sarah called him lord, or sir when she addressed him daily.
Boy was I relieved when I saw looked into Abraham’s example of a husband! It took a lot of weight of my shoulders. I know I am not the perfect husband but man lets look at Abraham.
He didn't listen to God and stay in the land that he was promised. Instead he fled during the famine. He and Sarah went to Egypt
As they almost get to Egypt Abraham said babe your so beautiful and when these Egyptians see you they are going to agree with me but then they will kill me. So lets pretend your my sister.
And sure enough they get to Egypt and Sarah was taken to Pharaoh. Abraham got honored because he had a hot sister.
Sarah was taken as a wife to the Pharaoh. We will leave it right there.
Even the pagan Pharaoh told Abraham he screwed up and what he did was wrong.
And then several years later Abraham had a son with Sarahs Slave.
Abraham was a jellyfish, he avoided issues, put off decisions, and shirked his responsibilities. and even after All of this Sarah submitted. I am quite certain she knew that lying about her relationship to Abraham was a bad idea. But she submitted. Not to Abraham because he was a wise leader. She submitted to God because she trusted and had faith.
And she called Abraham sir.
The obedience here was not like the obedience of a child to a parent but more so submission to a leader. Like Christ submitting to his executioners.
And you are her children- is actually interpreted as and you have become her children referring to becoming a Christian.
And the end of the address to women peter gives some practical advice. It was common for women to fear their husbands as they could throw out babies, resort to prostitution, and make their wife's lives miserable. But Peter want Christian women to peruse peace without being intimidated.
Now that we covered 6 verses of Peter admonishing Christian wives we will finish up this section with the one verse addressing Men.
7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Here is the likewise word again.
So we are comparing how a wife is to submit to her husband to how a husband is to live and care for his wife. Jesus had a high regard for woman in his ministry and this carried on to his apostles. Men are being commanded to live in a compassionate way.
Showing honor to our wife as a weaker vessel. This was against cultural beliefs. “Weaker” women were desired but there was a lack of trust. even the traditional roman legal system simply assumed that women were weaker and were incapable of making sound decisions on their own. Aristotle argued that women by nature were inferior to men in every way except sexually.
Ephesians 5:25-30 “25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body.”
One thing I found interesting here is that when Peter starts addressing the wives he assumes that their husbands are not believers but when he is addressing the husband he is assuming that their wives are believers. “Since they are heirs with you of the grace of life”
According to data collected by Promise Keepers and Baptist Press, if a father does not go to church, even if his wife does, only 1 child in 50 will become a regular worshiper. If a father does go regularly, regardless of what the mother does, between two-thirds and three-quarters of their children will attend church as adults. If a father attends church irregularly, between half and two-thirds of their kids will attend church with some regularity as adults.
And finally we see something here with the men that we didn’t see with the women. We see an explicit warning to men what will happen if they fail to treat their wives with love and failure to treat their wives with understanding will destroy their prayer lives.