WIVES AND HUSBANDS – PART 2
Let’s look a little more deeply now at the text itself.
1 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Let me make some general comments. Note that in verse one women are to submit to their own husbands. This is not a statement of how women should relate to men in general, but deals with a specific relationship–and one that Peter would have considered as distinctive. There is no textual evidence to broaden this statement beyond that.
We often “use” some texts to focus on the actions of submission; but this text is speaking of the attitude of submission. Part of the reason for saying this is the statement in verse 1 in the same way. This is a connector to chapter two which focused on Christ’s character and our call to be Christlike.
With these observations, let me ask this question:
1. What is the heart of submission exhibited in a wife’s behavior intended to accomplish?
If you are having trouble with the question, note this comment from Robert Rayburn in the Simplified Bible Commentary Series.
“In the first century, often the women were the first to hear the gospel message, because the men were busy working. Yet, in that culture it was the custom for the women to adopt the faith of their husbands. Peter says in verses 1-2 that the evangelism of a women’s husband doesn’t take place by convincing her husband, but by showing her husband the love and service of Christ.”
2. We tend to think of submission as having to do with decision-making and obedience to authority, but Peter is putting submission into the context of honoring Christ through our witness. What are the implications of that for our discussion here about wives and husbands?
3. How might that apply to marriage in the 21st century American culture?
Back to husbands now:
7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
4. Note the phrase in the same way. This instruction is intended to build upon the principle outlined in the preceding verses. What two specific things is a husband to do?
5. What are the two reasons for the way husbands should treat their wives?
6. The coupling of weaker partners and heirs with you is to remind us that women are not inferior to men. What is weak about the wife that requires a man’s strength or protection?
When a man & women are united together by God they become “one”. Their life is to honor God. When making decisions, each should always consider first the “united one” and what is right for the “united one” not for just one of the individuals. This of course is the mighty struggle as satan continues to tempt and lie to us encouraging us to do the wrong thing.
Tim Clutter - December 1, 2011 at 9:00 am |
This is to Tim Clutter. I like your comments. Who are you.? Where are you? Correspond with me, perhaps.
Mark Ertel
Mark Ertel - December 1, 2011 at 10:33 am |
Hi Mark! I am just getting back to your request about who I am. I live in Celina, Ohio and was Chairman of the Elders at Celina Church of God when we hired Pastor Dunn to be our Pastor. I then left the church two years later due to being disgruntled with the leadership – not Pastoral but church politics. I dis-like church politics very, very much! I personally believe that “organized religion” has turned more people away from Christ than any other organization. So when I get on a roll about “churches” you know where I stand. I look for “Followers of Christ” not church goers when I need something done in a Christian manner. In my experience there are HUGE differences between “church goers”; and “Followers of Christ”. I wanted to make a difference when I left the church so I started helping a sister COG by the name of Neptune COG. After a year or so the Pastor I went there to help left and I was then selected to be Lay Pastor of the church. I was the Pastor there from May 2001 to May 2011 when I felt it was time for me to turn the reins of the church over to my Co-Pastor. I retired from the business world 5 years ago this coming January at the age of 48. I bounced around the community to see what God was leading me to do. After 2 years I became the Volunteer Executive Director of CALL Food Pantry. It is the largest county food pantry and we serve over 1,000 families each month made up of 3,100+ individuals. Look us up on facebook and become a friend. We currently have some big things happening where we will be able to share Jesus Christ more than ever before with the clients that come to receive food. So this is more than you probably wanted – Pastor Dunn can fill in the holes and expand some of the info for you.
What about you?
Tim Clutter - December 15, 2011 at 7:01 pm |