1 Peter 3:1
Verse
Context
Sermons
Warren Wiersbe
Keith Daniel
Zac Poonen
Jim LoganSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Ye wives, be in subjection - Consider that your husband is, by God's appointment, the head and ruler of the house; do not, therefore, attempt to usurp his government; for even though he obey not the word - is not a believer in the Christian doctrine, his rule is not thereby impaired; for Christianity never alters civil relations: and your affectionate, obedient conduct will be the most likely means of convincing him of the truth of the doctrine which you have received. Without the word - That your holy conduct may be the means of begetting in them a reverence for Christianity, the preaching of which they will not hear. See the notes on Co1 14:34, and the other places referred to in the margin.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands,.... As well as subjects to princes, and servants to masters; though not with the same sort of subjection, but what is suitable to the relation they stand in to their husbands; See Gill on Eph 5:22. See Gill on Col 3:18. that if any obey not the word; any husband who is an unbeliever, has no love for the Gospel, and gives no credit to it, but despises, disbelieves, and rejects it, the word of truth, of faith, of righteousness, reconciliation, and salvation. The apostle, though he includes all wives, and exhorts them in general to subjection to their own husbands, yet has a particular regard to such as had unbelieving husbands, and who, on that account, were scrupulous of living with them, and of being in subjection to them; and therefore, as the Apostle Paul also did, he advises them to abide with them, and behave well to them, using much the same argument as he does in Co1 7:10. they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; for though the ordinary way and means of conversion is the word, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word; yet it may be sometimes done without it; or however by the agreeable conversation of professors, and so of religious wives, the hearts of such as were averse to Christianity, and the Gospel, as unbelieving husbands, may be so softened, and wrought upon, as to entertain a better opinion of it, and in process of time be inclined to hear and attend it; the consequence of which may prove their conversion, which is a gaming, or winning of souls; and which, as it is for their good, is for the glory of Christ; for as every soul that is delivered from the power of darkness, and is translated into the kingdom of Christ, is a loss to Satan, it is a gain to Christ, and to his church. The Syriac version, instead of "without the word", reads, "without labour"; as if the winning of unbelieving husbands was easily obtained by the conversation of their wives.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
The apostle having treated of the duties of subjects to their sovereigns, and of servants to their masters, proceeds to explain the duty of husbands and wives. I. Lest the Christian matrons should imagine that their conversion to Christ, and their interest in all Christian privileges, exempted them from subjection to their pagan or Jewish husbands, the apostle here tells them, 1. In what the duty of wives consists. (1.) In subjection, or an affectionate submission to the will, and obedience to the just authority, of their own husbands, which obliging conduct would be the most likely way to win those disobedient and unbelieving husbands who had rejected the word, or who attended to no other evidence of the truth of it than what they saw in the prudent, peaceable, and exemplary conversation of their wives. Learn, [1.] Every distinct relation has its particular duties, which ministers ought to preach, and the people ought to understand. [2.] A cheerful subjection, and a loving, reverential respect, are duties which Christian women owe their husbands, whether they be good or bad; these were due from Eve to Adam before the fall, and are still required, though much more difficult now than they were before, Gen 3:16; Ti1 2:11. [3.] Though the design of the word of the gospel is to win and gain souls to Christ Jesus, yet there are many so obstinate that they will not be won by the word. [4.] There is nothing more powerful, next to the word of God, to win people, than a good conversation, and the careful discharge of relative duties. [5.] Irreligion and infidelity do not dissolve the bonds, nor dispense with the duties, of civil relations; the wife must discharge her duty to her own husband, though he obey not the word. (2.) In fear, or reverence to their husbands, Eph 5:33. (3.) In a chaste conversation, which their unbelieving husbands would accurately observe and attend to. [1.] Evil men are strict observers of the conversation of the professors of religion; their curiosity, envy, and jealousy, make them watch narrowly the ways and lives of good people. [2.] A chaste conversation, attended with due and proper respect to every one, is an excellent means to win them to the faith of the gospel and obedience to the word. (4.) In preferring the ornaments of the mind to those of the body. [1.] He lays down a rule in regard to the dress of religious women, Pe1 3:3. Here are three sorts of ornaments forbidden: plaiting of hair, which was commonly used in those times by lewd women; wearing of gold, or ornaments made of gold, was practised by Rebecca, and Esther, and other religious women, but afterwards became the attire chiefly of harlots and wicked people; putting on of apparel, which is not absolutely forbidden, but only too much nicety and costliness in it. Learn, First, Religious people should take care that all their external behaviour be answerable to their profession of Christianity: They must be holy in all manner of conversation. Secondly, The outward adorning of the body is very often sensual and excessive; for instance, when it is immoderate, and above your degree and station in the world, when you are proud of it and puffed up with it, when you dress with design to allure and tempt others, when your apparel is too rich, curious, or superfluous, when your fashions are fantastical, imitating the levity and vanity of the worst people, and when they are immodest and wanton. The attire of a harlot can never become a chaste Christian matron. [2.] Instead of the outward adorning of the body, he directs Christian wives to put on much more excellent and beautiful ornaments, v. 4. Here note, First, The part to be adorned: The hidden man of the heart; that is, the soul; the hidden, the inner man. Take care to adorn and beautify your souls rather than your bodies. Secondly, The ornament prescribed. It must, in general, be something not corruptible, that beautifies the soul, that is, the graces and virtues of God's Holy Spirit. The ornaments of the body are destroyed by the moth, and perish in the using; but the grace of God, the longer we wear it, the brighter and better it is. More especially, the finest ornament of Christian women is a meek and quiet spirit, a tractable easy temper of mind, void of passion, pride, and immoderate anger, discovering itself in a quiet obliging behaviour towards their husbands and families. If the husband be harsh, and averse to religion (which was the case of these good wives to whom the apostle gives this direction), there is no way so likely to win him as a prudent meek behaviour. At least, a quiet spirit will make a good woman easy to herself, which, being visible to others, becomes an amiable ornament to a person in the eyes of the world. Thirdly, The excellency of it. Meekness and calmness of spirit are, in the sight of God, of great price - amiable in the sight of men, and precious in the sight of God. Learn, 1. A true Christian's chief care lies in the right ordering and commanding of his own spirit. Where the hypocrite's work ends, there the true Christian's work begins. 2. The endowments of the inner man are the chief ornaments of a Christian; but especially a composed, calm, and quiet spirit, renders either man or woman beautiful and lovely. 2. The duties of Christian wives being in their nature difficult, the apostle enforces them by the example, (1.) Of the holy women of old, who trusted in God, v. 5. "You can pretend nothing of excuse from the weakness of your sex, but what they might. They lived in old time, and had less knowledge to inform them and fewer examples to encourage them; yet in all ages they practised this duty; they were holy women, and therefore their example is obligatory; they trusted in God, and yet did not neglect their duty to man: the duties imposed upon you, of a quiet spirit and of subjection to your own husbands, are not new, but what have ever been practised by the greatest and best women in the world." (2.) Of Sara, who obeyed her husband, and followed him when he went from Ur of the Chaldeans, not knowing whither he went, and called him lord, thereby showing him reverence and acknowledging his superiority over her; and all this though she was declared a princess by God from heaven, by the change of her name, "Whose daughters you are if you imitate her in faith and good works, and do not, through fear of your husbands, either quit the truth you profess or neglect your duty to them, but readily perform it, without either fear or force, out of conscience towards God and sense of duty to them." Learn, [1.] God takes exact notice, and keeps an exact record, of the actions of all men and women in the world. [2.] The subjection of wives to their husbands is a duty which has been practised universally by holy women in all ages. [3.] The greatest honour of any man or woman lies in a humble and faithful deportment of themselves in the relation or condition in which Providence has placed them. [4.] God takes notice of the good that is in his servants, to their honour and benefit, but covers a multitude of failings; Sara's infidelity and derision are overlooked, when her virtues are celebrated. [5.] Christians ought to do their duty to one another, not out of fear, nor from force, but from a willing mind, and in obedience to the command of God. Wives should be in subjection to their churlish husbands, not from dread and amazement, but from a desire to do well and to please God. II. The husband's duty to the wife comes next to be considered. 1. The particulars are, (1.) Cohabitation, which forbids unnecessary separation, and implies a mutual communication of goods and persons one to another, with delight and concord. (2.) Dwelling with the wife according to knowledge; not according to lust, as brutes; nor according to passion, as devils; but according to knowledge, as wise and sober men, who know the word of God and their own duty. (3.) Giving honour to the wife - giving due respect to her, and maintaining her authority, protecting her person, supporting her credit, delighting in her conversation, affording her a handsome maintenance, and placing a due trust and confidence in her. 2. The reasons are, Because she is the weaker vessel by nature and constitution, and so ought to be defended: but then the wife is, in other and higher respects, equal to her husband; they are heirs together of the grace of life, of all the blessings of this life and another, and therefore should live peaceably and quietly one with another, and, if they do not, their prayers one with another and one for another will be hindered, so that often "you will not pray at all, or, if you do, you will pray with a discomposed ruffled mind, and so without success." Learn, (1.) The weakness of the female sex is no just reason either for separation or contempt, but on the contrary it is a reason for honour and respect: Giving honour to the wife as unto the weaker vessel. (2.) There is an honour due to all who are heirs of the grace of life. (3.) All married people should take care to behave themselves so lovingly and peaceably one to another that they may not by their broils hinder the success of their prayers.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:1-7 The last of Peter’s three exhortations about accepting authority (2:13–3:7) concerns wives and husbands (cp. Eph 5:21-33; Col 3:18-19). 3:1 accept the authority of (literally submit to): Wives are instructed to acknowledge that God has appointed the husband as head of the relationship (see 2:13; Eph 5:22-25). Submission in the ancient world took the form of obedience (see 1 Pet 3:6). God also intends the husband to be a loving and respectful head (3:7; see Eph 5:25-30). However, Peter focuses especially on wives with pagan husbands who would potentially be hostile toward their wives’ faith. • without any words: Peter urges Christian wives to evangelize their husbands through their submissive and appropriate behavior.
1 Peter 3:1
Wives and Husbands
1Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives2when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
(1 Peter - Part 25): On Wives and Their Place in Family Life
By A.W. Tozer21K29:58Family Life1PE 3:1In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of dressing appropriately as a Christian woman. He shares an example of a woman he saw who was dressed inappropriately and expresses his concern about how her appearance reflects on her faith. The preacher argues that Christian women should dress according to their income and the circumstances they are in. He references the Bible, specifically 1 Peter 3:1-7, which instructs wives to be in subjection to their husbands and to adorn themselves with chaste conduct rather than outward adornment. The preacher warns that dressing inappropriately can negatively impact the message of the gospel that a woman is trying to convey.
The Things That Matter Most
By Warren Wiersbe6.5K45:091PE 3:1In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the topic of submission and consideration in the home. He begins by addressing the question of why Peter spends more time talking to wives than husbands. He emphasizes the importance of knowledge in relationships, urging husbands to dwell with their wives according to knowledge. The preacher also highlights the significance of consideration, which involves understanding, honor, and prayer in the marriage relationship. Overall, the sermon serves as a spiritual inventory for the home, encouraging couples to evaluate their relationships and strive for growth and unity.
Practical Principles for a Godly Marriage
By Keith Daniel5.6K1:28:34MarriagePSA 119:11MAT 6:332TI 3:161PE 3:1In this sermon, the preacher starts by describing a tense situation where a woman humiliates someone, but instead of reacting with anger, the preacher diffuses the situation by expressing love and admiration for the woman. The preacher emphasizes the importance of diffusing conflicts and maintaining a strong testimony as a Christian. The sermon then shifts to discussing the importance of honoring and loving one's spouse, particularly the wife, and setting a good example for children. The preacher concludes by questioning the state of marriage in the church and the need for fulfillment and joy to be evident in Christian marriages.
A Reverential Fear of God
By Zac Poonen2.3K1:08:101CO 2:32CO 7:1EPH 5:21PHP 2:12HEB 4:11PE 1:171PE 2:11PE 2:171PE 2:211PE 3:11PE 3:7
This sermon emphasizes the importance of reverent fear of God in our lives, highlighting the need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, to live in obedience and holiness, and to be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. It addresses the danger of moving from legalism to a state of no covenant, where secret sins and worldliness can creep in, leading to a decline in godliness. The speaker urges a return to a healthy balance, seeking God earnestly, fasting, praying, and evaluating our lives regularly to ensure we are walking in the true grace of God.
(The Missing Messages in Today's Christianity) Godly Husbands and Wives
By Zac Poonen2.3K58:25ChristianityGEN 2:24PSA 45:101CO 11:3EPH 5:231PE 3:1In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of wisdom in relationships, particularly in the context of marriage. He shares a story about the sun and the wind competing to see who could get a man to take off his coat, illustrating that wisdom is more powerful than strength. The speaker also addresses the issue of women being suppressed in churches and urges brothers to repent for their role in this. He concludes by highlighting the significance of building a godly home and encourages spouses to warm each other with love rather than resorting to shouting and yelling.
A Christlike Home (1) Christlike Husbands and Wives
By Zac Poonen1.6K1:04:20GEN 2:24PSA 45:10ECC 10:8ISA 45:15JHN 14:161CO 11:31PE 3:1
This sermon emphasizes the importance of building a Christ-like home, focusing on the roles of a Christ-like husband, wife, father, and mother to raise Christ-like children. It highlights the need for humility, acknowledging when the home is not fulfilling God's purpose, and seeking Jesus for restoration. The sermon also addresses the significance of leaving and cleaving in marriage, avoiding debt, and living within one's means to maintain a godly home.
Wives Under Attack
By Jim Logan1.3K1:00:10Satanic Attack1PE 3:1The video being recommended is "How to Live a Broken Life" by Nancy DeMoss. Nancy DeMoss is a speaker who travels with Life Action and has a powerful testimony of living a life of brokenness before the Lord. She emphasizes the importance of humility and surrendering to God's will in every area of our lives. Despite coming from a wealthy background, Nancy exemplifies modesty and a genuine heart for God. The video encourages viewers to embrace brokenness as a pathway to experiencing the joy and transformation that comes from a deep relationship with God.
Hindrances to Prayer
By Bill McLeod1.2K44:18Prayer LifeMAT 6:331PE 3:1In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a forgiving spirit, drawing from Ephesians 4 and 5. The speaker shares a story of a couple where the wife wanted her husband to understand the severity of his actions before forgiving him. The sermon also highlights the power of prayer and the speaker's personal experiences of answered prayers. The speaker also discusses the significance of obeying God's laws and the impact it has on our ability to witness and share the message of Jesus Christ.
The Christian Home - Part 3 of 5
By John R. Rice1.1K10:04GEN 3:161SA 2:22PRO 13:24EPH 6:4HEB 12:61PE 3:1
This sermon emphasizes the importance of authority and responsibility in various aspects of life, drawing parallels between roles like a teacher in a classroom, a judge in a court, and a husband in a family. It discusses the biblical perspective on the roles of husbands and wives, highlighting the husband's leadership and the wife's submission. The sermon also delves into the significance of disciplining children according to biblical principles, stressing the importance of nurturing, admonishing, and chastening them in love.
Sexual Complementarity - Lesson 2b
By John Piper1.0K47:18GEN 3:15EPH 5:211PE 3:1In this sermon, Pastor John Piper discusses the topic of manhood and womanhood based on biblical principles. He shares an anecdote about a men's seminar and their vision of gender roles, which was not well received by his team due to their flawed interpretation of Genesis 3:16. Pastor Piper then delves into the curse of desire and rule in Genesis 3:16, explaining how it reveals the futility of role corruption. He emphasizes the need for biblical truth to shape our understanding of gender roles, leading to transformed hearts, lives, marriages, and relationships.
Studies in 1 Peter-11 1 Peter 3:1-7
By Dwight Pentecost92041:051PE 3:1In this sermon, Peter teaches that an unsaved wife can win her husband to the Lord by being a model wife in every aspect of her life. She should keep her mouth shut and demonstrate such a change in her behavior that her husband will be impressed and desire what has changed her life. Peter emphasizes the importance of submission to authority, using the example of Christ's submission to God. He explains that salvation comes through faith in the word of God and that preaching is God's chosen method to reach people. Peter encourages women to focus on their conduct and respect for their husbands, as this transformation will open their husbands' hearts to the gospel.
A Holy God and a Holy People: The Church
By Jeremy Strang7091:20:15HolinessMAT 6:331PE 3:11PE 4:1In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the concept of common grace, which is the grace of God that restrains people from being more wicked. He highlights that this grace is available to everyone, but it is only through accepting Jesus Christ that one can experience the deeper grace. The preacher then discusses the importance of living according to the Spirit and not the flesh, as living by the flesh leads to death. He also emphasizes the suffering and emotions of Jesus Christ, highlighting his endurance of sin and his ability to empathize with human experiences. The sermon concludes with a call to seek God's true grace and to passionately fulfill one's duty in serving Him.
Inner Man Outer Man - Part 1
By Phil Beach Jr.2822:13Inner ManNew Creation in ChristInner Man vs. Outer Man1PE 3:1Phil Beach Jr. emphasizes the distinction between the inner man and outer man, drawing from 1 Peter 3 and 2 Corinthians 5. He explains that as new creations in Christ, believers are called to live not for themselves but for God, highlighting the importance of nurturing the inner man, which reflects the character of Christ. Beach encourages Christians to focus on the hidden man of the heart, which is renewed daily, rather than being preoccupied with outward appearances. He stresses that true beauty comes from the inner transformation that occurs through a relationship with God. The sermon calls for a deeper understanding of our identity in Christ and the necessity of living in accordance with our new nature.
Luke 19:11-19. the First Part of the Parable of the Ten Pounds.
By Favell Lee Mortimer01PE 3:1Favell Lee Mortimer preaches on the importance of faithfully serving the Lord and utilizing the gifts and opportunities He has given us until His return. Using the parable of the nobleman who entrusted his servants with a pound before leaving to receive a kingdom, Mortimer emphasizes the need for believers to engage in acts of service, whether through gifts, instruction, example, or prayer, to promote the glory of God. She highlights the power of prayer, even in the most secret ways, and how it can bring about blessings and conversions beyond our knowledge. Mortimer reminds us that despite our imperfections, the Lord will reward our service and that even the angels consider it a privilege to serve God.
But the Great Question Remains: How Shall We Win Our Loved Ones to Christ?
By Arthur Vess0PRO 13:24PRO 22:6PRO 22:15MAT 6:331CO 7:16EPH 6:4COL 3:201TI 5:8HEB 12:111PE 3:1Arthur Vess emphasizes the importance of ensuring our own right relationship with Christ before guiding others. He stresses the need for a vibrant Christian life to influence loved ones positively and lead them to Christ through prayer, fasting, and a radiant trust in God. Vess highlights the significance of spiritual instruction, discipline, and restraint in nurturing children's faith. He urges parents to prioritize their children's spiritual well-being, starting early, and continuing to lead them to Christ and keep them saved. Vess also addresses the challenges faced by Christian companions living with unsaved partners, encouraging perseverance and strategic efforts to win them over.
Instructions for a Godly Woman
By Helen Leibee01CO 7:1EPH 5:221TI 2:9TIT 2:31PE 3:1Helen Leibee preaches about the importance of following the teachings of the New Testament directed to Christian women, emphasizing the need for continuous evaluation of one's life in light of these verses. The sermon covers various topics such as marital relationships, headship order, modesty, obedience to husbands, and the significance of faith, charity, holiness, and sobriety. Leibee encourages women to love their husbands, develop a meek and quiet spirit, and trust in God, highlighting the power of a woman's behavior in influencing her husband's faith.
The Influence
By Tim Grissom0JOS 1:8PSA 119:105PRO 31:30JAS 1:221PE 3:1Tim Grissom shares a heartfelt tribute to his late wife, Janiece, who lived a life of grace, courage, and peace, leaving a lasting impact on her family and friends. He reflects on her unwavering commitment to daily quiet time with God through Bible reading and prayer, which shaped her into a godly woman. Grissom acknowledges his own struggles with rebellion but finds inspiration in his wife's simple faith and devotion to Christ, leading him to embrace regular intake of God's Word as a transformative practice in his life.
- Adam Clarke
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Ye wives, be in subjection - Consider that your husband is, by God's appointment, the head and ruler of the house; do not, therefore, attempt to usurp his government; for even though he obey not the word - is not a believer in the Christian doctrine, his rule is not thereby impaired; for Christianity never alters civil relations: and your affectionate, obedient conduct will be the most likely means of convincing him of the truth of the doctrine which you have received. Without the word - That your holy conduct may be the means of begetting in them a reverence for Christianity, the preaching of which they will not hear. See the notes on Co1 14:34, and the other places referred to in the margin.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands,.... As well as subjects to princes, and servants to masters; though not with the same sort of subjection, but what is suitable to the relation they stand in to their husbands; See Gill on Eph 5:22. See Gill on Col 3:18. that if any obey not the word; any husband who is an unbeliever, has no love for the Gospel, and gives no credit to it, but despises, disbelieves, and rejects it, the word of truth, of faith, of righteousness, reconciliation, and salvation. The apostle, though he includes all wives, and exhorts them in general to subjection to their own husbands, yet has a particular regard to such as had unbelieving husbands, and who, on that account, were scrupulous of living with them, and of being in subjection to them; and therefore, as the Apostle Paul also did, he advises them to abide with them, and behave well to them, using much the same argument as he does in Co1 7:10. they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; for though the ordinary way and means of conversion is the word, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word; yet it may be sometimes done without it; or however by the agreeable conversation of professors, and so of religious wives, the hearts of such as were averse to Christianity, and the Gospel, as unbelieving husbands, may be so softened, and wrought upon, as to entertain a better opinion of it, and in process of time be inclined to hear and attend it; the consequence of which may prove their conversion, which is a gaming, or winning of souls; and which, as it is for their good, is for the glory of Christ; for as every soul that is delivered from the power of darkness, and is translated into the kingdom of Christ, is a loss to Satan, it is a gain to Christ, and to his church. The Syriac version, instead of "without the word", reads, "without labour"; as if the winning of unbelieving husbands was easily obtained by the conversation of their wives.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
The apostle having treated of the duties of subjects to their sovereigns, and of servants to their masters, proceeds to explain the duty of husbands and wives. I. Lest the Christian matrons should imagine that their conversion to Christ, and their interest in all Christian privileges, exempted them from subjection to their pagan or Jewish husbands, the apostle here tells them, 1. In what the duty of wives consists. (1.) In subjection, or an affectionate submission to the will, and obedience to the just authority, of their own husbands, which obliging conduct would be the most likely way to win those disobedient and unbelieving husbands who had rejected the word, or who attended to no other evidence of the truth of it than what they saw in the prudent, peaceable, and exemplary conversation of their wives. Learn, [1.] Every distinct relation has its particular duties, which ministers ought to preach, and the people ought to understand. [2.] A cheerful subjection, and a loving, reverential respect, are duties which Christian women owe their husbands, whether they be good or bad; these were due from Eve to Adam before the fall, and are still required, though much more difficult now than they were before, Gen 3:16; Ti1 2:11. [3.] Though the design of the word of the gospel is to win and gain souls to Christ Jesus, yet there are many so obstinate that they will not be won by the word. [4.] There is nothing more powerful, next to the word of God, to win people, than a good conversation, and the careful discharge of relative duties. [5.] Irreligion and infidelity do not dissolve the bonds, nor dispense with the duties, of civil relations; the wife must discharge her duty to her own husband, though he obey not the word. (2.) In fear, or reverence to their husbands, Eph 5:33. (3.) In a chaste conversation, which their unbelieving husbands would accurately observe and attend to. [1.] Evil men are strict observers of the conversation of the professors of religion; their curiosity, envy, and jealousy, make them watch narrowly the ways and lives of good people. [2.] A chaste conversation, attended with due and proper respect to every one, is an excellent means to win them to the faith of the gospel and obedience to the word. (4.) In preferring the ornaments of the mind to those of the body. [1.] He lays down a rule in regard to the dress of religious women, Pe1 3:3. Here are three sorts of ornaments forbidden: plaiting of hair, which was commonly used in those times by lewd women; wearing of gold, or ornaments made of gold, was practised by Rebecca, and Esther, and other religious women, but afterwards became the attire chiefly of harlots and wicked people; putting on of apparel, which is not absolutely forbidden, but only too much nicety and costliness in it. Learn, First, Religious people should take care that all their external behaviour be answerable to their profession of Christianity: They must be holy in all manner of conversation. Secondly, The outward adorning of the body is very often sensual and excessive; for instance, when it is immoderate, and above your degree and station in the world, when you are proud of it and puffed up with it, when you dress with design to allure and tempt others, when your apparel is too rich, curious, or superfluous, when your fashions are fantastical, imitating the levity and vanity of the worst people, and when they are immodest and wanton. The attire of a harlot can never become a chaste Christian matron. [2.] Instead of the outward adorning of the body, he directs Christian wives to put on much more excellent and beautiful ornaments, v. 4. Here note, First, The part to be adorned: The hidden man of the heart; that is, the soul; the hidden, the inner man. Take care to adorn and beautify your souls rather than your bodies. Secondly, The ornament prescribed. It must, in general, be something not corruptible, that beautifies the soul, that is, the graces and virtues of God's Holy Spirit. The ornaments of the body are destroyed by the moth, and perish in the using; but the grace of God, the longer we wear it, the brighter and better it is. More especially, the finest ornament of Christian women is a meek and quiet spirit, a tractable easy temper of mind, void of passion, pride, and immoderate anger, discovering itself in a quiet obliging behaviour towards their husbands and families. If the husband be harsh, and averse to religion (which was the case of these good wives to whom the apostle gives this direction), there is no way so likely to win him as a prudent meek behaviour. At least, a quiet spirit will make a good woman easy to herself, which, being visible to others, becomes an amiable ornament to a person in the eyes of the world. Thirdly, The excellency of it. Meekness and calmness of spirit are, in the sight of God, of great price - amiable in the sight of men, and precious in the sight of God. Learn, 1. A true Christian's chief care lies in the right ordering and commanding of his own spirit. Where the hypocrite's work ends, there the true Christian's work begins. 2. The endowments of the inner man are the chief ornaments of a Christian; but especially a composed, calm, and quiet spirit, renders either man or woman beautiful and lovely. 2. The duties of Christian wives being in their nature difficult, the apostle enforces them by the example, (1.) Of the holy women of old, who trusted in God, v. 5. "You can pretend nothing of excuse from the weakness of your sex, but what they might. They lived in old time, and had less knowledge to inform them and fewer examples to encourage them; yet in all ages they practised this duty; they were holy women, and therefore their example is obligatory; they trusted in God, and yet did not neglect their duty to man: the duties imposed upon you, of a quiet spirit and of subjection to your own husbands, are not new, but what have ever been practised by the greatest and best women in the world." (2.) Of Sara, who obeyed her husband, and followed him when he went from Ur of the Chaldeans, not knowing whither he went, and called him lord, thereby showing him reverence and acknowledging his superiority over her; and all this though she was declared a princess by God from heaven, by the change of her name, "Whose daughters you are if you imitate her in faith and good works, and do not, through fear of your husbands, either quit the truth you profess or neglect your duty to them, but readily perform it, without either fear or force, out of conscience towards God and sense of duty to them." Learn, [1.] God takes exact notice, and keeps an exact record, of the actions of all men and women in the world. [2.] The subjection of wives to their husbands is a duty which has been practised universally by holy women in all ages. [3.] The greatest honour of any man or woman lies in a humble and faithful deportment of themselves in the relation or condition in which Providence has placed them. [4.] God takes notice of the good that is in his servants, to their honour and benefit, but covers a multitude of failings; Sara's infidelity and derision are overlooked, when her virtues are celebrated. [5.] Christians ought to do their duty to one another, not out of fear, nor from force, but from a willing mind, and in obedience to the command of God. Wives should be in subjection to their churlish husbands, not from dread and amazement, but from a desire to do well and to please God. II. The husband's duty to the wife comes next to be considered. 1. The particulars are, (1.) Cohabitation, which forbids unnecessary separation, and implies a mutual communication of goods and persons one to another, with delight and concord. (2.) Dwelling with the wife according to knowledge; not according to lust, as brutes; nor according to passion, as devils; but according to knowledge, as wise and sober men, who know the word of God and their own duty. (3.) Giving honour to the wife - giving due respect to her, and maintaining her authority, protecting her person, supporting her credit, delighting in her conversation, affording her a handsome maintenance, and placing a due trust and confidence in her. 2. The reasons are, Because she is the weaker vessel by nature and constitution, and so ought to be defended: but then the wife is, in other and higher respects, equal to her husband; they are heirs together of the grace of life, of all the blessings of this life and another, and therefore should live peaceably and quietly one with another, and, if they do not, their prayers one with another and one for another will be hindered, so that often "you will not pray at all, or, if you do, you will pray with a discomposed ruffled mind, and so without success." Learn, (1.) The weakness of the female sex is no just reason either for separation or contempt, but on the contrary it is a reason for honour and respect: Giving honour to the wife as unto the weaker vessel. (2.) There is an honour due to all who are heirs of the grace of life. (3.) All married people should take care to behave themselves so lovingly and peaceably one to another that they may not by their broils hinder the success of their prayers.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:1-7 The last of Peter’s three exhortations about accepting authority (2:13–3:7) concerns wives and husbands (cp. Eph 5:21-33; Col 3:18-19). 3:1 accept the authority of (literally submit to): Wives are instructed to acknowledge that God has appointed the husband as head of the relationship (see 2:13; Eph 5:22-25). Submission in the ancient world took the form of obedience (see 1 Pet 3:6). God also intends the husband to be a loving and respectful head (3:7; see Eph 5:25-30). However, Peter focuses especially on wives with pagan husbands who would potentially be hostile toward their wives’ faith. • without any words: Peter urges Christian wives to evangelize their husbands through their submissive and appropriate behavior.