C. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Marriage-V—1Peter 3:1-7
Governance by God in Marriage.
Attention:
Peter pressed & confirmed the crucial role of Christian governance regarding Christian marriage.
Christian governance is foundational in/to Christian marriage.
How is Christian governance addressed in our marital obligations?
...OR...
What does Christian governance or submission look like in Christian marriage?
2 applications of Christian governance for/in marriage.
2 aspects of Christian governance that are addressed in/within marriage.
Thus far we have discovered that Christian governance in MARRIAGE addresses/encompasses...
1. A Submissive Attitude for WIVES(:1-6)
A. SOUL-WINNING CONDUCT(:1-2)
B. INWARD ADORNMENT(:3-4)
C. OBVIOUS REGARD(:5-6)
2. A Submissive Attitude for HUSBANDS addresses...
A. UNDERSTANDING TOGETHERNESS(3 aspects--i-iii)(:7a-d)
B. UNHINDERED PRAYERS(:7e)
So far we have found that UNDERSTANDING TOGETHERNESS involves,
i. HONORING HIS WIFE(:7b)
Today, we will unpack another aspect of a HUSBAND’s UNDERSTANDING TOGETHERNESS by looking at how he addresses...
*ii. DISPARATE WEAKNESS(different in kind)(:7c)
“as to the weaker vessel,...”
“Living “knowledgeably,”[with understanding”-:7a] then, refers to living as persons whose patterns of thought & judgment have been transformed so as to reflect more faithfully the thoughts & judgments of God.”—2HNTC
A “husband’s” “giving honor to his wife” is motivated by his rightly viewing her as “the weaker vessel” of the two of them.
Paul’s description of a wife as a “weaker vessel” in comparison to her husband has caused no end of debate.
*So what does Peter mean by “weaker”?
“Nothing else in the New Testament suggests that women are intellectually inferior”, nor “intrinsically weaker in character”... nor is it clear that women are weaker “emotionally”...“nor”.. “weaker in conscience”...nor “weaker morally or spiritually than men.” They are not “light-minded” as secularists might assume.....“The most obvious meaning therefore, is that women are weaker than men in terms of their strength.”—NAC/NICNT/MNTC/2HNTC(2 Horizons New Testament Commentary)
Due to the physical strength of men as expressed in the workings of secular society, women are made more vulnerable in many if not most societies.—NICNT Thus “Christian husbands are to be the sacrificial providers & protectors of their wives.”—MNTC
**I personally(BKS) believe that the key to grasping Peter’s meaning for a woman’s being a “weaker vessel” is found in Eve’s approach to Satan’s trickery aimed at instilling disregard for God’s directive. This trickery is first expressed by Satan regarding the Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good & Evil, in Gen. 3:1-7. That application also guides Paul’s instruction to Timothy regarding headship in 1Tim. 2:8-15(particularly :14), & has little to do with physical strength but rather more to do with relationship & role.
1Tim. 2:8-15—“I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath & doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety & moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, & holiness, with self-control.”
There ‘may be’ a ‘deceptive aspect’ common to women in general, that is countered thru a godly “husband’s” recognition & care regarding such ‘trappings’ of femininity’(gunaikeiov)(Eph. 5:25-28). Her ‘women’s intuition’(femininity) CAN sometimes be her worst enemy, in that it can keep her from weighing things properly by not pulling in the logical nature of things as well. She may do what she ‘feels’ is right whether it is or not! Her femininity makes her fit for the nurture of children & for encouragment & exhortation of those who have children(1Tim. 2:15; Titus 2:3-5).
1Tim. 2:15—“Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, & holiness, with self-control.”
Titus 2:3-5—“the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things--that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
*Of course her femininity covers & counters the ‘trappings’ of masculinity as well.
So the “weaker vessel” aspect here hints at a “weakness” that certainly involves, but also appears to be beyond, mere physicality. Certainly many aspects are surely & incalculably intertwined(Heb. 4:12).
**The “wife” is definitely the “weaker vessel” in regard to her relation to the granted authority of her Christian “husband” as ‘head.’ In that same sense the man is indeed the ‘weaker’ in relation to his ‘head’, Christ Jesus Himself(1Cor. 11:3; 1Pet. 5:4).
1Cor. 11:3—“But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”
1Pet. 5:4—“& when the Chief Shepherd[implying undershepherds] appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”
“As to”(See below—“As being”)—wv—
“Weaker”—asyenhv—Adj. Dative Sing. Neuter—1) Weak, infirm, feeble. Strong—Strengthless(in various applications, literal, figurative & moral). Used 25X.?From—A(as a negative particle) —& the base of—syenow—from syenov(bodily vigor; probably akin to the base of isthmi); To strengthen, i.e. figuratively--Confirm(in spiritual knowledge & power).
“Vessel/Partner”—skeuov—Noun Neuter—1) A vessel; 2) An implement—2a) in the plural—2a1) Household utensils, domestic gear, 2a2) The tackle & armament of vessels, used specifically of sails & ropes; 3) metaph.—3a) A man of quality, a chosen instrument, 3b) in a bad sense--An assistant in accomplishing an evil deed. “Vessel” was a common Greek metaphor for "body" since Greeks thought of souls living temporarily in bodies. Strong—of uncertain affinity; A vessel, implement, equipment or apparatus(literally or figuratively[specifically--A wife as contributing to the usefulness of the husband]). Used 23X.
Argumentation:
*Prov. 31:1-5—“The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him: What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows? Do not give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; Lest they drink & forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.”
*What is King Lemuel’s(possibly Solomon) strength? It is surely not mere physical strength, but is more tied to his granted/ordained & accepted authoritative ‘strength’ as king!
1Cor. 12:20-26—“But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker(asyenhv) are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; & our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
1Cor. 15:34-57—“Awake to righteousness, & do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain--perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, & to each seed its own body. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, & another of birds. There are also celestial bodies & terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, & the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, & another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, & there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, & afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; & as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh & blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, & the dead will be raised incorruptible, & we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, & this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, & this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, & the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Illustration:
A steel leader when fishing, prevents the monofilament from being cut by the fish’s teeth/The monofilament is more susceptible to wear than steel is/DISPARATE WEAKNESS
A cake/A husband compliments his wife on the cake which she’s slaved over to get juuuuust right for her family/She is bitterly disappointed because all three layers of the cake were misshapen, so that the cake didn’t look very appetizing in her opinion, & thus was an utter failure from her perspective/However her husband never really cared whether the cake looked good anyway!—He’s concerned about the taste—& it is deeeelicious!/DISPARATE WEAKNESS
Car parts/Must work together because ALL of them are necessary to the overall function/If the ‘weaker’ parts are not properly Protected-Cared for-Placed—then leaks occur, wear begins, overheating happens, pressures are too much or too little, metals fail & crack, gaskets blow, pistons seize, rods get thrown, etc./DISPARATE WEAKNESS
Application:
?Is Your Attitude as a HUSBAND Submitted to the Governance of DISPARATE WEAKNESS by Christ required in Christian MARRIAGE?
?Does Christian Governance constrain/govern Your Marriage?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
Christian governance in MARRIAGE addresses/encompasses...
2. A Submissive Attitude for HUSBANDS(:7) addresses:
A. UNDERSTANDING TOGETHERNESS(:7a-d)
ii. DISPARATE WEAKNESS(different in kind)(:7c)
i. HONORING HIS WIFE(:7b)
1. A Submissive Attitude for WIVES(:1-6) addresses:
A. SOUL-WINNING CONDUCT(:1-2)
B. INWARD ADORNMENT(:3-4)
C. OBVIOUS REGARD(:5-6)
Pt.#2-A-ii only! Presented 03/11/2018pm to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave.(SE Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
