Tom Lowe
4/16/2021
Text: 1 Peter. Chapter 3 (KJV)
Wives and Husbands
1Likewise, 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; 2While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of ap-parel; 4But 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. 5For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 6Even as Sara obeyed Abra-ham, calling him Lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. 7Likewise, 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.
Turn from Evil
8Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as breth-ren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contra-riwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
12For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
13And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
Suffering for Righteousness
14But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good con-versation in Christ. 17For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well do-ing, than for evil doing. 18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Commentary
1Likewise, 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;
2While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3Whose adorn-ing let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4But 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.
5For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
6Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
7Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
The first thing Peter addresses is what we call the “Battle of the Sexes.” In Chap-ter 3, Peter shows how the Gospel transforms the relationship between men and wom-en, undoing the curse of Genesis 3.
Some women try to control men with physical beauty (Proverbs 5-7). Some women try to control men with words: nagging, criticizing, and complaining? (Proverbs 19:13, 27:15). Either way, the curse proves true—women seek to control men in gen-eral and their husbands in particular.
But Peter says that for believers, marriage is to stop being a periodic or continu-ous battlefield and instead become a place for Christian Mission or growth. Instead of seeking control, Christian women married to unbelieving husbands should seek to at-tract them with the imperishable beauty of submission (1 Peter 3:1). We have seen al-ready how Peter uses the words obedience/disobedience to refer to saving faith. Hus-bands who do not obey the word are those who do not believe the gospel. Of course, we are not the final judges of salvation or the human heart, but Jesus reminds us that ungodly behavior flows out of a God-rejecting heart. So, if your husband speaks or acts like an unbeliever, don’t deny the potential reality. If you do, you will likely never share the gospel with him. It may be comfortable for you to convince yourself that your spouse is a believer when they are not, but it is not loving to them because it will mean you withhold what they most need—The Gospel.
As for governing officials and crooked masters, Peter says, “Likewise, be subject to your own husband. Our main problem with authority is that we don’t like anyone tell-ing us what to do! But since we believe God is good and wise, we need to see his command to submit to those in authority over us as good and wise. To be sure, abusive authority exists. That is part of the Curse of Genesis 3:16. If you are a woman in an abusive relationship, get help immediately. Go to the appropriate authorities. If your husband is a part of a local church, seek help from the pastor.
That situation is not what Peter is speaking about here. He is talking about a non-abusive marriage —and the profoundly unfashionable command for wives to “be subject.”
Authority and submission are good, first of all, because they are rooted in the Trinity. There is only one God, and he exists in three persons. Each person is equally God, yet the Son submits to the Father (1Corinthians 11:3), and the Spirit submits to the Father and the Son (John 15:26). Authority and submission are good because they are rooted in Creation (Genesis 2:18-25). The man and the woman are equally made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27). But they have different roles in governing the creation and filling it with God’s image (Genesis 12:8). God created the man to lead, protect, and provide for those under his leadership, and he made the woman to come alongside and help the man. In her role, she is to affirm and encourage his leadership. Like God, the man and the woman share equally but have different authority and submission roles. Authority and submission are good because they reflect God’s character; rebel-lion against authority is evil because it reflects Satan’s character.
The specific context of the wife’s submission is her husband (1 Peter 3:1) Peter does not call all women to submit to all men. He calls all women to submit to their hus-bands. Submission is not rooted in who your husband is or how responsible he is. It is not rooted in whether or not your husband is a believer. Submission is rooted in God’s good and wise authority.
In verses 1-2, Peter explained the goal of the Christian wife’s submission. When she’s married to a non-Christian —so that her husband “may be won without a word, by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.” Note how Peter comes back to the word “conduct” repeatedly (1:15, 17; 2:12; 3:1-2). Peter is concerned with our public Christian testimony and how he applies that concern to mar-riage. Christian wives are to submit to their unbelieving husbands to “win” them to Christ. “without a word.”
We need to guard against two mistakes when it comes to this situation. The first is where an unbelieving husband finds that his wife tries to turn every conversation into a gospel presentation. While well-intention, this tends to push people away from the gospel, not draw them toward it. This is why Peter speaks of wives influencing their husbands. “without a word.”
But second, this is not a call to “silent witness,” where no conversation turns to Christ because the believing wife is sticking to “without a word”! Peter’s thinking in this section will reach verse 15: Be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope in you.” Peter is saying to wives, if you come to faith in Christ, your husband will eventually know of your faith, and as he sees your conduct changing, he will ask you about It, or it will come up naturally in your conversations. Allow your husband to see the gospel at work in your life as it increases and magnifies your inner beauty.
“Respectful” (v.2) is literally “with fear”; always directed at God only, the wife’s conduct is fueled by her view of God. Fear of God frees the Christian wife from over-valuing her unbelieving husband’s approval or disapproval, and it frees her to conduct herself as a Christian around him. Notice that a wife (or a husband) coming to faith should strengthen a marriage rather than undermine it. The love and service of our spouse is not to be replaced by the love and service of the church. If an unbelieving husband sees his wife giving herself to a God he does not know and a church he does not attend to the exclusion of himself, he will only ever see Christian faith as the prob-lem in his marriage and never as the hope for eternal life.
The husband is recognized as the leader in the home, and the wife’s chaste con-versation, prudent and self-controlled conduct in the house, will win some to Christ. She is not to seek attention by the artificialities of hairstyle, jewelry, or ostentatious dress but distinguished by that meek and quiet spirit so rare in the world and so prized by God. The wives of the patriarchs are seen as examples of this deportment (v. 5). Gaudy and showy adornment is seen as contrary to the spirit of self-effacement and modesty toward husbands. The same implication appears in 1 Timothy 2:9-12. The modesty of women’s dress is associated with becoming modesty of deportment. Chris-tian faith implies a different standard of dress and adornment from the world”s. Sara is seen as deferring to Abraham’s leadership and calling him lord (Genesis 18:12). Verse 6 reminds these Christian women that they are adopted daughters of Sara: “Whose children you became, doing good and not being subject to inordinate fear.”
“Likewise, ye husbands.” According to knowledge, passing now to the implica-tions of holiness in the husband, Peter directs that the marriage relationship be seen in terms of consideration. Here is the opposite of selfishness—giving honor unto the wife. The word for giving indicates a deliberate assignment. A purposeful channeling of honor to the wife who is, in God’s grace, an equal heir. That your prayers be not hin-dered, feelings of resentment, growing from selfish conduct in the home, make effec-tive prayer impossible. Effective prayer must be ”without wrath” (1 Tim. 2:8).
8Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as breth-ren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
12For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
13And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
Be ye all of one mind. This may recall the “one accord” of Pentecost, or Paul’s injunctions to the Philippians to be in “one spirit” (Phil. 1:27) and “like-minded, having the same love, being of one mind, of one spirit” (Phil. 2:2), followed closely by his grip-ping outline of the mind of Christ. Peter’s catalog of accompanying graces reads like the gracious, aspects of the self-effacing elements of the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23) or of the “wisdom that is from above” (1 Tim. 2:8).
“For he that will love life.” The apostle cites Ps. 34:12-16 in substantiation of his teaching that his spirit-directed and empowered way of self-emptying is really the life of blessing, the outcomes of which are guarded by the Lord whose eyes are . . . over the righteous, and his ears . . . open unto their prayers . . . Who will harm you . . .? This reminds us of Paul’s postscript to the description of the fruit of the Spirit—“against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:23). As a general principle, allowing exceptions occasioned by the adversary’s wrath, people are not punished for doing good. This very principle assures that undeserved suffering will not continue long.
14But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
15But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an an-swer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meek-ness and fear:
16Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildo-ers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
(14, 15a) But . . . and if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy (blessed)
This beatitude, of course, recalls our Lord’s beatitude in Matthew 5:11, 12. Peter then cites God’s words to Isaiah (8:12, 13), the complete passage reading “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28). There was real danger in de-fection in the face of death. Pliny describes how curtly the alternative was given to the Christians to curse Christ or die and how many turned back. Peter’s attitude here is not so quick and confident as it was when he told his Lord, “Though all men shall be of-fended, because of thee, yet, will I never be offended” (Matt. 26:33).
(15b, 16) “Be ready always to give an answer.” The attitude depicted is one of meekness and fear, yet of readiness. This, too, is a Spirit-given quality. Recall Christ’s warning: “But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost” (Mk. 13:11). Recall the unanswerable apologetics of Stephen (Acts 6:10) and Paul (Acts 24:25; 26:24-28).
17For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might
bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authori-ties and powers being made subject unto him.
(17, 18)(For it is better ,. . . For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, God-permitted suffering for well-doing is in view. Christ is again brought forward as the example (2:24), the outcome of whose suffering was the recon-ciliation of lost men to God, along with his vindication through his resurrection by the Holy Spirits’ power.
(19, 20) By which (i.e., the Spirit) also he went and preached. Here follows a digression, the interpretation of which is obscure. Some scholars, of whom Lange is an example, contend that the only straightforward and natural inference here is that Christ, after His crucifixion descended into Hades and “proclaimed to the spirits in the prisons of Hades the beginning of a new epoch (era) of grace.” He maintains that no doubt many were saved because of this second chance. This verse raises the difficult ques-tion of why these antediluvians were granted this reprieve of all unbelievers. They raised the possibility (which is contrary to the clear teaching of the NT) that other sin-ners unrepentant at death would have a last chance to believe in Christ. Some believe that Christ’s preaching in Hades was condemnatory (disparaging), but this is not the usual implication of the Greek word, which means to herald, announce, and is often used with the Gospel. Several prominent commentators had placed the time of the ac-tion during the ministry of Noah when Christ by the Spirit preached through Noah to the wicked who at Peter’s later writing were spirits in Hades. And all this while the longsuf-fering of God waited, delaying the flood. The reference to the time spent in building the ark seems to corroborate the interpretation. Reference to the small number of those saved would encourage the “little flock” in Asia.
(21) Baptism doth also now save us. The complexities are not yet over. The phrase, “Baptism . . . now saves you” is confusing! Peter has said a lot about salvation until this point, and nowhere has he linked baptism with salvation. In fact, in the imme-diate context, Peter explains that our salvation is accomplished through the sacrificial death of Jesus, who was also raised and vindicated over all the evil powers. So, when Peter says, “Baptism . . .now saves you,” unless he contradicts himself (and we should give him more credit than that), he cannot mean that baptism brings about salvation.
Instead, Peter argues that baptism is a picture of God’s rescue of repentant sin-ners from the floodwaters of his judgment and into a new life in Christ. Peter says that baptism “corresponds to” Noah’s ark” in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water” (v. 20). In Noah’s time, the flood destroyed the wicked. The water brought judgment on sin—death. But Noah and his family “were brought safely through water”—through the water of judgment, and out into new life. Baptism is a picture that this has happened to us too—not that we have been brought through the judgment and the destruction of Noah’s day, but that we will be brought through the judgment of the future day when God will destroy the ungodly (see 2 Peter 3:5-7). While Noah and his family were saved through water, baptism “now saves . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So, just as God saved Noah and his family from his judgment through the floodwaters, baptism pictures our salvation from the floodwaters of God’s judgment through the resurrection of Jesus.”
The word baptism means to submerge or immerse. Rather than translate the word, the English translators chose to take the word “baptizo” from the Greek and an-glicize it. When we understand that baptism means “submersion in water,” then we see that Peter gives us a helpful, even if rarely used, understanding of baptism. Because we are united with Christ by faith, baptism pictures our salvation from God’s judgment through Jesus’ resurrection.
How does this encourage those who are facing unjust suffering? Our baptism reminds us that because we are united with Christ by faith, just as he suffered and died and was vindicated and glorified, we too, though we have suffered and died, will also be vindicated and glorified. I can look back at my baptism and look forward to what it pic-tures—through my passing through judgment and enjoying glory with Christ because he has died my death and given me his resurrection life.
Baptism doth also now save us. The variation “by water” is preferred at the beginning of this sentence (Baptism, by water, doth also now save us). We read, then, “by which (water) baptism, as an antitype (opposite type), now saves us—not the put-ting off of the dirtiness of the physical flesh but the asking for a good conscious toward God” (compare Heb. 10:22). The meaning seems to be that water baptism symbolizes spiritual cleansing. The connection between water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Spirit with cleansing is apparent everywhere, in the Scriptures, relating to the sharing of Christ’s death and His resurrection power. Those who believe in baptismal regeneration will perhaps be inclined to make something of the verb “save” here. Others will assert that the cleansing of the heart, not the outward ceremony, saves.
(22) In this verse, there is the enthronement of man. When Christ ascended on high, He brought our humanity with Him and placed it on the throne. From this time, it is human nature that is triumphant and rules the universe at its best and purest. When we remember this, how cheerful and confident it should make us about the future. We need not fear to face life’s ceaseless battle.
“Who is gone into heaven” —Having given the fullest proof of His resurrection from the dead and of his having accomplished the end for which he came into the world.
“and is On the right hand of God” —In the place of the highest dignity, honor, and influence.
The Vulgate has the following remarkable addition after the above words: “Hav-ing abolished (swallowed down) death, that we might be made heirs of eternal life.”
“Angels and authorities and powers”—That is, all creatures and beings, both in the heavens and earth, are “put under subjection to Jesus Christ. He has all pow-er in the heavens (sky) and the world. He alone can save, and he alone can destroy. None need fear which put their trust in him, as he can do whatsoever, he desires on behalf of his followers and has good and evil spirits under his absolute command. Well, may his enemies tremble while his friends rejoice and sing. He can raise the dead and save to the uttermost all that come unto the Father through him.
If he has all power, if angels and authorities and powers are subject to him, he can do what he will and employ whom he will. Raising the dead can not be difficult for him because he has power over all things. He created the world; he can destroy it, and he can make it again. We can conceive nothing too difficult for omnipotence. This same omnipotent Being is the friend of man. Why then do we not come to him with confi-dence and expect the utmost salvation of which our souls and bodies are capable?
“Being made subject unto him.” The actual future of humanity lies in its reali-zation of its glorious Head there upon the throne, and we who know Him by faith must bring this home to others.
In the wall of Constantinople still stands the gate through which the Muslim con-querors marched into the ancient Christian city, which they were about to sack. The gate is walled up, and through that gate, they say the Christian conqueror will enter for the Christian reoccupation of the city. So, as with Jerusalem, where the same fact is repeated, the “Golden Gate” in each case testifies to an ever-present fear that some-day Jesus Christ will conquer. To the oracle in lonely Patmos, separated from his fel-low-worshippers on the Lord’s Day, doubtful, perhaps, about the future of the Church in a time of fierce persecution, comes the vision which in all ages has steeled the saint for witnessing and suffering, whether it is Isaiah or Ezekiel or Paul or Stephen, there ap-pears the vision of the invincible Sovereignty and present Glory of the Lord. Then, “what thou seest, write.” “With its glimpses of Christian history to the end of time, the whole Book turns upon that opening vision as its pivot. It is the last written revelation which the world has had of that Glory.
