Chapter 3

1 Peter 3:1-8

If you were to stumble upon a community of people who had just heard the gospel for the first time and were anxious to know how best to conduct themselves as Christians, walking, living, serving in such a way as to benefit not only their own lives, but the lives of their brothers and sisters in Christ, you might well study with them the epistle of First Peter.  Peter didn’t travel as extensively as Paul as we’ll see later, but he sought to impart his wisdom about Godly living in this letter to these strangers. 

1Pe 3:1 Likewise, 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; There is a hierarchy in marriage. 1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. When Peter tells wives to be in subjection, it is not in order to bring an unequally yoked person from death to life, but rather to bring a lackadaisical or backsliding husband (that doesn’t obey the word) back into a better situation because he sees his wife’s obedience to God.  As the next verse confirms: 

1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. ‘Conversation’ is an old English word meaning behavior.  Peter uses the word ‘fear’ five times in this first undertaking.  While it does mean “being afraid,” as we use the word today, it also is used earlier to mean ‘reverence towards God,’ which is certainly the kind of fear we ought to show toward the Creator in respect unto His working in our daily lives.   But the third listed use in Strong’s Concordance tells us the word ‘fear’ is a reverence for one’s husband, which is in keeping with Peter’s theme.  So we could read the sentence thusly and do it no harm:  While they behold your decent behavior coupled with reverence for your husband. Strong’s uses the same word fear to mean ‘terror’ below in 3:14.  Context is always important to rightly dividing the word. 

1Pe 3:3  Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; Slowly transitioning to another issue, the excessive concern to the outward appearance, Peter uses the subject of marriage and subjection and ties the two together. 

1Pe 3:4  But 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.  What is inside a person shows more beauty than the outward appearance, and a meek and quiet spirit is a beautiful attribute, not only to God, but to the husband as well. 

1Pe 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: The inward adorning is borne out by obedience and subjection. 

1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord:  whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.  Lord was a title of respect and honor.  Sara was the free woman, and all those who are under grace and have the knowledge of the salvation brought by the Lord Jesus Christ might well claim to be like unto Sara, their type and foreshadow in the Old Testament. 

1Pe 3:7 Likewise, 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.  Peter gives here veiled instructions for marriage as his theme continues.  Husbands and wives are to dwell together, and by knowledge, Peter says they are to ‘know’ one another in a marital sense.  Respecting that the male and female are different, and a woman is called the weaker vessel, a man must be aware of such and wise about such matters.   Paul speaks of the importance of the marriage bed here: 

1Co 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 

and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.  Few things in this life equal the joy of a husband and wife sharing their lives in a godly marriage, both aware of their eternal condition and grateful to the Lord who made them thus. They are truly become one flesh.  They pray together but as one mind. If one member of the marriage is praying and the other is not, would they not be at cross purposes?  The importance of the husband and wife praying for the same end cannot be understated. 

1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:,  A church that is not of one mind is also at cross purposes.  If one strong minded personality in the church is overly forceful in a matter the rest of the congregation does not desire, much trouble can result.  And like in marriage, the church must be mindful of the issues impacting one another.  If one member prays for the health and healing of a fellow member, while another prays for speed in death and release for that same member, the prayers are contrary.  While both may have the best intentions at heart, it’s important that they be of one mind. 

having compassion one of another, While we are commanded to love our neighbors even as ourselves, we need to be especially mindful of our brothers and sisters in Christ, putting their concerns and issues even above our own if possible. 

love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Love the brethren as family, though no one knows how to push the emotional buttons like those closest to you.  And when those close members hurt you, it’s more painful than the same pain inflicted by a stranger.  But as family in the church, we are to love, forgive; overlook one another’s faults, being compassionate and friendly one towards another.  The church gathered together should be a joyful place, not only for the members present, and as examples for the children, but more so for the visitors who observe our interaction.  This is where they will first see and experience the love we have for each other and perhaps desire to be a part.