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1 Peter 3:1–2
“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, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.”
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ leads to reconciliation with God and to a specific way of life. With respect to various authorities, Peter has stated that Christians are to be subject to every human institution, including the government, and that servants are to obey even unjust masters (1 Peter 2:13–25). Continuing his discussion of the believer’s relationship to authority, Peter in today’s passage turns to address wives and husbands.
The Apostle writes that wives are to “be subject to [their] own husbands” (3:1). This admonition raises questions for us, including whether Peter means that wives are inferior to their husbands. Peter, of course, teaches no such thing. Just a few verses later, he states that wives are co-heirs with their husbands of “the grace of life” that comes from God through Jesus (v. 7). A greater affirmation of the equal worth of wives and husbands—and by extension women and men—could hardly be imagined. Peter is referring not to worth but to what Dr. R.C. Sproul calls “a division of labor.” We remember that God created mankind to exercise dominion over the earth, with man created first and then woman created from the rib of man to be a helper to man (Gen. 1–2). God established male headship, especially in the home, so that human beings could fulfill the dominion mandate. Dr. Sproul comments, “The position of headship or leadership is a division of labor, and in a division of labor, being subordinate does not imply inferiority.”
Human beings owe absolute submission only to God, so a husband’s authority does not mean that he may command his wife to do whatever he wants or that a wife must follow any direction he gives. One example of this is if her husband commands her to do something that God forbids or forbids her from doing something that God commands. Peter teaches this implicitly in his reference to unbelieving husbands (1 Peter 3:1). In the ancient Roman world, wives were expected to obey their husband’s religion. The Apostle’s instructions assume that Christian wives will remain believers and not follow their husband’s faith if it is not Christianity.
Speaking of non-Christian husbands, one motive that Christian wives should have in submitting to unbelieving husbands is so that they may be won to Christ. In God’s providence, a non-Christian husband may take note of a wife’s respectful and pure conduct and begin considering the claims of Christ (v. 2).
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
John Calvin comments: “Peter’s words are not to be so understood as though a holy life alone could lead the unbelieving to Christ, but that it softens and pacifies their minds, so that they might have less dislike to religion; for as bad examples create offenses, so good ones afford no small help.” Unbelieving husbands must hear the gospel to be converted. Still, they are unlikely to consider Christianity if their wives are disrespectful and impure.
For further study
- Genesis 31
- Proverbs 19:14
- Ephesians 5:22–24
- Colossians 3:18
The bible in a year
- 2 Kings 5–6
- John 4:43–54