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How does 1 Peter 3:5, 6 with the Bible’s use of the word “obey” affect wives and in particular women in ministry?<\/p>\n
Some say that wives are to “obey” their husbands in everything and that this makes the husband the “lord” or “master” of the wife. \u00a0Many hierarchists will reason that it follows then that if a wife is to obey everything her “master” tells her, if she were to be in a leadership position, then the husband would be in the position to control her decisions and her position as he is the wife’s “lord”. \u00a0But is unquestioning obedience and a role of the husband’s “lordship” what Peter is speaking of in 1 Peter 3:5, 6?<\/p>\n
To determine the meaning of these two verses, we must first look at the complete context of the book of 1 Peter. \u00a0The book starts with a statement by Peter that Christians are chosen to obey Jesus Christ. \u00a0Obedience is a big part of Peter’s instruction, and it is always ultimately an obedience to Christ<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n 1 Peter 1:1, 2 \u00a0Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens,…who are chosen…to obey Jesus Christ…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Another important theme from 1 Peter is service toward others<\/em><\/strong>. \u00a0In 1 Peter 1:10-12 Peter reveals that the Prophets were not serving themselves, but they were serving us.<\/p>\n 1 Peter 1:12 \u00a0It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n It is also interesting that Peter shows that the wife’s actions are not to be coerced since the term “without being frightened by any fear” according to the\u00a0Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, it is preferable to be taken in the active sense (as not fearing human intimidation). \u00a0 The\u00a0Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament also says this –<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Honor, then is to be given one to another in humility, in brotherly love and in blessing each other in the fear of God. \u00a0This is required from all Christians.<\/p>\n What 1 Peter 3:5, 6 does not say:<\/p>\n 1. \u00a0Peter doesn’t say that the husband is the wife’s \u00a0master.<\/em><\/strong> As Christians, we have only one Lord and Master, and that is Jesus.<\/p>\n 1 Corinthians 8:6 \u00a0yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n 2. \u00a0Peter does not say that the husband has authority over the wife. <\/em><\/strong>Instead of being slaves of other humans, Peter shows that all Christians are free in the spirit and have the ability to have self-determination, yet that self-determination is not to be used for evil.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nIn this service, Peter tells us that we are called to holiness in our behavior<\/em><\/strong>.<\/div>\n\n
1 Peter 1:15 \u00a0but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;<\/div>\n1 Peter 1:16 \u00a0because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nWe need to note here that all of us are called to obedience to Christ. \u00a0All of us are called to serve others, and all of us are called to holy living. \u00a0We are also called to a sincere love for the body of Christ.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
1 Peter 1:22 \u00a0Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\nPeter then goes on in chapter 2 to describe the Christian’s behavior before the unsaved. \u00a0In 1 Peter 2:12 he writes:<\/div>\n\n
1 Peter 2:12 \u00a0Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\nWhile Christians are to live an exemplary life among those who are not saved, we are also called to submit to human institutions set up to govern the people. \u00a0The reason we are to submit to the governing authorities is because it is the will of God that we do what is right. \u00a0Submission to the government will also silence those who look for something to accuse us of wrongdoing. \u00a0It is a witness to the unsaved.<\/div>\n\n
1 Peter 2:13 \u00a0Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,<\/div>\n1 Peter 2:14 \u00a0or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.<\/div>\n1 Peter 2:15 \u00a0For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nHowever even though we are called to submit to human governments, we are free to act as though we are indeed free men. \u00a0In 1 Peter 2:16, the Greek word for the word “free” means “political and social freedom allowing for self-determination<\/em><\/strong>.” \u00a0 That self-determination is not meant to be used for doing what is wrong, but the freedom is to be used to align ourselves with Christ.<\/div>\n\n
1 Peter 2:16 \u00a0Act as free<\/strong> men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nA bondslave<\/em><\/strong> means\u00a0one who serves in obedience to another\u2019s will<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/div>\n
\n<\/em><\/div>\nNext Peter admonishes Christians to honor, love, fear.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
1 Peter 2:17 \u00a0Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhile we honor all people and honor the governing authorities, the only one that we are to fear is God. \u00a0In chapter 2, Peter admonishes servants. \u00a0The term “servant” here means one who is within the household, one who belongs to the family. \u00a0These servants were to honor God by being\u00a0submissive to their masters with a respectful attitude. \u00a0While service normally was to be a “duty” that was owed by a servant, Paul makes it a service that is given freely to the master and done in honor serving God. \u00a0The service is given not only to the good masters but also to those who are unreasonable whose personal behavior is\u00a0unscrupulous, unfair or dishonest.<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThen in 1 Peter 3:1 Paul says “in the same way” wives are to be submissive to their own husbands.<\/div>\n\n\n
1 Peter 3:1 \u00a0In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,<\/div>\n1 Peter 3:2 \u00a0as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nThe term “in the same way” means likewise, of equal degree or manner and denoting perfect agreement, similarly, in like manner. \u00a0In context, the “likewise” means to show honor, love, respect in the fear of God. \u00a0The reason is given is that if any husband is not a believer, that husband may be won to a faith in Christ through the respectful behavior of his wife. \u00a0“In the same way” would also connect what Peter has already said about submission showing that the wife is free,\u00a0allowing for\u00a0self-determination, <\/em>yet<\/span><\/strong> that self-determination is not meant to be used for dishonor and disrespect towards her husband. \u00a0Instead, she is to freely honor her husband and is so doing she honors her Lord and Savior. \u00a0In this way she is putting on the Christian character that is precious to God.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
1 Peter 3:3 \u00a0Your adornment must not be merely external–braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;<\/div>\n1 Peter 3:4 \u00a0but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nThis is where we can take all that we have seen in 1 Peter and apply it. \u00a0Let’s take the first part of 1 Peter 3:5 –<\/div>\n\n
1 Peter 3:5 \u00a0For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves…<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n“For in this way” means the way of respect, honor, love and fear of God. \u00a0These were women who hoped in God. \u00a0The term “hope” means\u00a0an attitude of looking forward to, usually, a trusting, confident hope. \u00a0It was a trust in God that He would take care of them.<\/div>\n\n
1 Peter 3:5 …being submissive to their own husbands;<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nThese women voluntarily submitted to serve their own husbands. \u00a0Verse 6 shows several ways that Sarah served her husband and honored him.<\/div>\n\n
1 Peter 3:6 \u00a0just as Sarah obeyed Abraham…<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nThe term “obey” has a basic meaning of “listen to” <\/span>(<\/span>Vol. 4<\/span><\/em>: <\/span>Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament<\/span><\/em>. Baker’s Greek New Testament library). <\/span>Sarah honored Abraham by listening to him. \u00a0In much the same way, Abraham was instructed by God <\/span>to listen to<\/em> Sarah when she instructed Abraham to drive out Hagar from their midst.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/div>\n\n
Genesis 21:9 \u00a0Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.<\/div>\nGenesis 21:10 \u00a0Therefore she said to Abraham, “Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.”<\/div>\nGenesis 21:11 \u00a0The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son.<\/div>\nGenesis 21:12 \u00a0But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her<\/strong>, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nNot only did Sarah respect Abraham by listening to him but she also called him “lord”.<\/div>\n\n
1 Peter 3:6…calling him lord…<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nThe term “lord” was a cultural term\u00a0that was “a form of address showing respect sir, lord” \u00a0Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament<\/em>. <\/span><\/em>Not all godly women called their husbands “lord” but Sarah did. \u00a0This is one form of respect. \u00a0It was her<\/em><\/strong> way of showing respect. \u00a0There are other ways. \u00a0Today, it is not culturally correct in our society for a woman to call her husband “lord”. \u00a0However, it would be very respectful for her to call him dear or sweetheart. \u00a0Sarah calling Abraham “lord” was a term of respect but calling him “lord” was not the description of his “role”. \u00a0If the husband was to be the “lord” over his wife, where is such a “role” stated? \u00a0There is no second witness that a term of respect was to be interpreted that God Himself gave the husband the ability to “lord over” over his wife. \u00a0In fact, the disciples were told that there was to be no “lording over” the others in the body of Christ. \u00a0(Matthew 20:25-28; 1 Peter 5:3)<\/div>\n\n
1 Peter 3:6…and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nIn this verse, Peter encourages wives to be respectful like Sarah. \u00a0Sarah is not the standard of reverence and respect. \u00a0She is an example <\/em><\/strong>of respect while Jesus is the one who is the standard.<\/div>\n\n\n
1 Pet 3:6, in the exhortation to Christian women married to non-Christian men: \u201cfear no intimidation<\/em> [from the men]”<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nPeter is emphasizing that Christian women are to fear God and not to fear intimidation from their husbands. \u00a0The submission then is not something that is forced on them or demanded by the husband. \u00a0Instead, it is loving acts of kindness in service to their husband that flows from their service to God.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter doesn’t stop with the wives. \u00a0He goes on to make it clear that husbands also must give honor to their wives.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
1 Peter 3:7 \u00a0You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\nIt is such an important issue to Peter that men show honor to their wives, that he tells them that their prayers will be hindered if they do not honor their wives as fellow heirs of God in the grace of life.<\/div>\n<\/div>\nPeter sums up everything that he has written so far.<\/div>\n\n
1 Peter 3:8 \u00a0To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;<\/div>\n1 Peter 3:9 \u00a0not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n3. \u00a0The wife is never said to be the bond-servant of the husband.<\/em><\/strong> A\u00a0bondslave<\/em><\/strong> (or bondservant means\u00a0one who serves in obedience to another\u2019s will.) <\/em>A wife is never said to be one who serves in obedience to her husband’s will. \u00a0Rather than being subject to her husband’s will, the wife has self-determination by owning her own will and she is not to be intimidated by her husband. \u00a0Instead, she is to freely serve him by doing good for him as an active service to her Lord. \u00a0The difference is free-will service, not bondage.<\/div>\n