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1 Peter 2:12-3:7
January 22, 2023

In this section of 1 Peter we will be taught how to live as families. The Bible speaks to us as Christians and churches, but at times speaks to us as husbands, wives and children. Young people and single people will be wise to take heed to these instructions from God as well, so as to have a thriving marriage that glorifies God when your time arrives.

Title of the Sermon: Instructions For The Households of God

Instructions for Slaves

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

• 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect,
  • Notice in 2:18, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.
  • 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.
  • 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure?
  • But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

ILLUSTRATION

• 21 For to this you have been called,
  • because Christ also suffered for you,
  • leaving you an example,
  • so that you might follow in his steps.
• 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
  • 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return;
  • when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
• 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,
  • that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
  • By his wounds you have been healed.
  • 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

APPLICATION

• Suffering is not shunned in the NT.
• Imagine being a slave and hearing these instructions in from the Apostle Peter.
• Greater to the lessor.
• Work related.

TRANSITION

Now that we have briefly looked at Peter’s instructions to the slaves in Asia Minor, let’s turn our attention to the instructions he gave to the wives of Asia Minor.

Instruction for Wives

3:1 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.

• 3:1 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.
  • Caveats here:
    • Never marry an unbeliever! COMMENT
    • Wives should not fear the word “Likewise” in 3:1 = some similarities to slaves.
    • Being the slave of humankind is the greatest idea in Christianity.
    • Wives receive a longer treatment than do the husbands in 1 Peter.
  • In antiquity the wife would typically follow the husbands religion. Although we also see powerful influences of wives’ religious choices as well. (eg Solomon; cf Marshall, p 98)
  • Peter may assume more Christian woman in Asia Minor than men. So the first section explains to Christian women how to be most effective in witnessing to their husbands. (Marshall, p 98)
  • “A Christian wife married to a pagan husband was in a more vulnerable position than a Christian husband married to a pagan wife in that culture.” (Constable)

Here Peter places the supreme emphasis on the unbelieving husband’s coming to Christ.

• Therefore witnessing is the most important duty a believing wife has in the family.
• Peter assumes that many men will not respond to the wives’ witnessing words.
• He calls on their subjection in the wives’ actions.
  • The old Baptist phrase “soul winning” comes from this verse.
  • Won without “A” word.
  • The adage: Actions speak louder than words.
  • Respectful conduct is the clearest voice in the marriage for the wife.
  • Respect is subjection = respect is the man’s greatest need in the marriage.
  • Pure conduct = conduct is governed by the Spirit.
  • Notice that their conduct is to be on point no matter the husbands’ responses. = MAY be won.

Peter continues with instructions for the saved wives in the negative in the following verses:

• 3 Do not let your adorning be external —the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—
  • NASB and NKJV add a word that changes the meaning of the Greek: “merely”
  • but this idea is in the minority. Here I agree with the majority.
  • One translation is dead wrong. Omit the added word.
  • Notice: these instructions are to the wife not to the husband. How the woman dresses is her responsibility.
  • A man should not treat his wife like she is his teenage daughter!
  • McGee said that men are not to think of their wives as a first child. (McGee, 5:696)
  • Should a man interject if there is a glowing problem? Yes, but a woman is to manage her dress.
  • “adornment” = kosmos = versatile term >> Universe or human ornaments.
  • There are three ways wives adorn themselves:¹
    • Hair
      • The Romans had extremely fancy braided hairstyles and expensive wigs too.
      • Clement of Alexandria wrote, “…women do not even touch their own heads for fear of disturbing their hair, and sleep comes to them with terror lest they should unawares spoil their [hairstyles].” (Wuest, p75; Wuest had “coiffures”)
    • Jewelry
      • Some Christian traditions forbid women to wear any jewelry.
      • Some would disallow any gold, or gold color jewelry.
      • It’s a disputable matter and the women in these traditions must live their lives of faith.
      • What’s forbidden for sure is women wearing extravagant jewelry that draws attention to herself.
    • Clothing
      • Wives were to forsake showy dress.
      • Forsake dressing the way the world does is in view.²
      • Dressing to draw attention to one’s self forbidden.
      • Revealing dress in American society.
      • Yoga pants, tight workout wear.
      • No cleavage
• Wuest said it well, “…the adornment of the Christian woman should be in keeping with what she is as a Christian. She should not be a Christian at heart and her adornment be that of a person of the world.” (p 74)
• This does not mean women should look like they just jumped out of bed in grey sweat pants and sweat shirts. She should not look like a cave woman. COMMENT

In verse 4, Peter returns to the positive.

• 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.
• The believing wives were to be attractive to their unsaved husbands through inner beauty.
• Outward adornments would not lead an unsaved man to the Lord.
• Adorning should be from the hidden person. COMMENT
• Imperishable beauty = holiness
• Of a gentle spirit.
• A quiet spirit = tranquil spirit COMMENT

ILLUSTRATION

• 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.

• Peter challenges the Christian wives to take after Sarah regarding submitting to their husbands.

• NOTE: Submission is not slavery.

• Men and women both are never to lord anything over people as lost people do. This includes your wife men.

• Christian leadership is sevanthood and slavery.

• But in any relationship there must be headship. God has given headship in the marriage to the husband. (McGee, 5:696) COMMENT

• And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

• Christian wives are challenged to do good in all their circumstances.

• A lack of fear is one of the hallmarks of the faith.

• But this phrase, “do not fear anything that is frightening” is difficult.

• Alford suggests that, “As long as believing wives are doing good, they need not be afraid with any sudden terror of the account which their unbelieving husbands may exact from them.” (As quoted in Wuest, p 82)

• Therefore, God will provide the strength they need. (cf, Marshall, p 103)

APPLICATION

• The sin nature of a woman presses her to not live in Christ-likeness in the relationship of marriage. COMMENT
• Woman submission is not bad…
• Here Peter defines what submission looks like for women. In fact this is a proof text for what it looks like.
• Respect for the husband. His greatest need.
• Gentleness > a fruit of the Spirit
• holiness > the duty of all Christians
• Tranquil > a product of peace > also a fruit of the Spirit.
• That’s not bondage. That’s love.

TRANSITION

Now that we have seen what Peter wrote to Asia Minor to the wives, let’s turn our attention to the husbands. Verse 7.

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.

• Likewise, the men’s role has things in common with the slaves and the wives.
• In the Roman moral code all the obligation was on the wife and all the privilege with the husband. (Barclay)
• But here we see men having Christ-like responsibilities to the wife.
• In this passage we see Christian ethics. It never places the duties on one side. Peter has just laid out what the wives are to do; now he mandates duty of husbands. A marriage must be based on complementary actions. (Barclay)
• 7 … husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way,
  • Men’s behaviors need to work and bend towards their wives to degrees.
  • Men need to understand what is going on in the marriage.
  • This short sentence carries many large implications. It requires husbands to active listening to the wives as well as have a deep understanding of their “temperament, emotions, personality, and thought patterns. It is a tall order to know one’s wife [and] to understand her …” [203]
  • Each relationship is different, so men must put in efforts to understand their spouse.
  • Then the hard step of change!
  • It’s not enough to understand your wife. Men, we must change our behavior to what the wife needs. COMMENT
  • Peter explains the details >>
• showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel,
  • Honor your wife men. >> See men, we are to give the highest respect to women as well.
  • Honor > SIDEBAR: Love here as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her. Love is her greatest need.
  • “In the ancient world chivalry to women was … unknown. … It was Christianity which introduced chivalry into the relationship between men and women.” (Barclay)
  • Men, we must be respectful, gallant and honorable towards our wives. He must remember that women have special needs and treat them with the greatest of courtesies. (cf, Barclay)
  • The saved men of the churches were admonished to show honor to the woman.
  • Why? They are— look at verse 7 —“the weaker vessels”
    • #1 Many women are emotionally venerable.
    • #2 Most are physically weaker.
    • #3 Women have greater needs in life.
    • #4 God made women more complex.
  • Here I agree with Constable: “By comparing a wife to a weaker person, Peter was not implying that wives or women in general are inferior to husbands or males, or that they are weaker in every way or even in most ways.”
    Listen to what the word says about women:
  • Turn to Galatians 3:25-29, But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
  • Women are equal to men spiritually. (cf Barclay)

Why are we to show honor? Look at verse 7 again:

• #1 since they are heirs with you of the grace of life,
  • Men: your reward is their reward. Their reward is our reward.
  • Remember we are one flesh spouses.
  • Implied truth: Men are we screwing up our marriages? Your reward is being diminished.
• #2 so that your prayers may not be hindered.
  • “be hindered” in the Greek = “to have an obstacle thrown in the way … The thought includes all manner of hindering. A husband who treats his wife in the wrong way will himself be unfit to pray …”[204]
  • Bigg put it this way: “The sighs of the injured wife come between the husband’s prayers and God’s hearing.” (As quoted in Barclay)
  • Men, marriage is the closest human relationship we will have here. 1 Peter makes things clear that, one’s spouse must be carefully treasured if one wishes a close relationship with God.[205]
  • How many men in the Christian faith think that they are A okay with God and their wives are miserable?
  • The Bible teaches that everything is not okay spiritually when the wife is not honored.

ILLUSTRATION

• Warren Wiersbe wrote, “In my premarital counseling as a pastor, I often gave the couple pads of paper and asked them to write down the three things each one thinks the other enjoys doing the most. Usually, the prospective bride made her list immediately; the man would sit and ponder. And usually the girl was right but the man wrong!”[207]
• Monte not meeting Debra’s needs. Vacation time!

APPLICATION

• Our sin nature men causes us to not honor our wives as we should.
• Men, we are called to change and live differently because we are married.
• Our behavior has to bend to the wife.
• Men, we need reminders.
• Barclay wrote, “The cruelty which is hardest to bear is often not deliberate but the product of sheer thoughtlessness.”
• Honor our wives.
• Monte said, Debra how can I honor you better? LOL
• I don’t honor Debra enough, I don’t think about it enough, I don’t act on it enough.
• How have you honored your wife?
• These are the instructions given to the households of God.

Notes

¹ “In the world of the Greeks and the Romans it is interesting to collect the references to personal adornments. There were as many ways of dressing the hair as there were bees in Hybca. Hair was waved and dyed, sometimes black, more often auburn. Wigs were worn, especially blonde wigs, which are found even in the Christian catacombs; and hair to manufacture them was imported from Germany, and even from as far away as India. Hairbands, pins and combs were made of ivory, and boxwood, and tortoiseshell; and sometimes of gold, studded with gems. ¶ Purple was the favourite colour for clothes. One pound weight of the best Tyrian purple wool, strained twice through, cost 1,000 denarii, 43.50 British pounds. A tyrian cloak of the best purple cost well over 100 British pounds. In one year silks, pearls, scents and jewellery were imported from India to the value of 1,000,000 British pounds. Similar imports of luxury came from Arabia. ¶ Diamonds, emeralds, topazes, opals and the sardonyx were favourite stones. Struma Nonius had a ring valued at 21,250 British pounds. Pearls were loved most of all. Julius Caesar bought for Servilia a pearl which cost him 65,250 British pounds. Earrings were made of pearls and Seneca spoke of women with two or three fortunes in their ears. Slippers were encrusted with them; Nero even had a room whose walls were covered with them. Pliny saw Lollia Paulina, wife of Caligula, wearing a dress so covered with pearls and emeralds that it had cost 450,000 British pounds. ¶ Christianity came into a world of luxury and decadence combined. ¶ In face of all this Peter pleads for the graces which adorn the heart, which are precious in the sight of God. These were the jewels which adorned the holy women of old. Isaiah had called Sara the mother of God’s faithful people ( Isaiah 51:2 ); and if Christian wives are adorned with the same graces of modesty, humility and chastity, they too will be her daughters and will be within the family of the faithful people of God.” (Barclay)

² Even “The ancient moralists condemned undue luxury as much as the Christian teachers did. Quintilian, the Roman master of oratory, wrote: ‘A tasteful and magnificent dress, as the Greek poet tells us, lends added dignity to the wearer: but effeminate and luxurious apparel fails to adorn the body, and only reveals the sordidness of the mind.’” (Barclay)

Works Cited

Scripture quotations [unless otherwise noted] are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Most Works Cited. Please click here to access the web-page for all of the works cited, save those above–if any. Most of the works cited on the linked web-page correspond to the verses they are outlined with. In the case of background information and other general reference citations, one will find cited material with the Bible books the citations are associated with. ¶ Furthermore, all citations with URL linked, numbered notes are from Thomas Constable’s, “Dr. Constable’s Expository (Bible Study) Notes.” These links are preserved “as is” at the time of this work’s formation.

Other Works Cited

Chambers, Oswald. My Utmost For His Highest. January 21, 2023, utmost.org.

Marshall, I. Howard. 1 Peter. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, Ed. Grant Osborne, et al, InterVarsity Press, 1991.

Michaels, J. Ramsey. Word Biblical Commentary: 1 Peter. Ed. David Hubbard, et al, Word Publishers, 1988.

Wuest, Kenneth. First Peter in the Greek New Testament. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, eighth ed., 1960.

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