1 Peter 3:1-7

Peter, the author of this letter, was a married man. We know this because he had a mother-in-law (Mark 1:30-31) and because Paul implied it (1 Corinthians 9:5).

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands (1 Peter 3:1-6).

What this does not mean:

  • A wife should submit to abuse … Let’s make it clear that Christians believe wives should not submit to abuse.

    • 1-800-799-SAFE is the hotline to call if you suffer abuse

  • That the husband is superior … There is equality between husband and wife. How is their equality when there is submission? Let’s look at the Trinity. All three Persons are equal, but the Son submits (or defers) to the Father.They serve different roles.

  • A wife should always agree with her husband … The wife does not (and likely should not) always agree with her husband

What this does mean:

  • A wife should follow the husband’s lead. … The wife is to follow her husband as long as he is leading down the right path. Marriage is a bit of a team sport and the wife needs to be on the husband’s team. … If the husband is not a Christian, the wife is told to still follow their lead with the hope that her behavior and actions will win him over.

Let your beauty come from the character of your life. … It’s not wrong to wear jewelry or fine clothes or a fancy hairstyle, but those outward decorations should be secondary to your character.

Peter uses Abraham and Sarah as an example. These two were not a perfect couple by any means, but they do show a wife submissive to her husband.

Husbands, honor your wives (1 Peter 3:7).

Be considerate of your wife as physically weaker but spiritually equal. Failure to be considerate of your wife hinders your prayers. … The husband’s role is not to tell the wife to submit. The husband’s role is to respect her and be considerate of her. … Men and women are created differently. Generally, men are bigger and stronger than women. The husband should never touch the wife in anger. … Spiritually, men and women are equal. Just because the husband is meant to lead, that doesn’t mean he is superior in spirit. … The relationship with your wife affects your relationship with God. If a husband is abusive towards his wife either physically, emotionally, or spiritually, then his relationship with God is hindered.