Free Bible Commentary
“First Peter 3:1-6”
Categories: First Peter"In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.”
---End of Scripture verses---
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). All people of all nationalities, classes and genders are equally important to God. That does not mean, however, that men and women are exactly the same, no matter how ardently our culture insists on thrusting “gender neutrality” upon us. Women have strengths and weaknesses and gifts from God that differ from those of men, and the Lord’s women should act in accordance with their created nature and His will for them.
In focusing on the importance of Christian compliance to God-given authority, Peter reminds us that we all must respect legitimate governmental authorities (1 Peter 2:13-17), that servants should obey their masters (1 Peter 2:18-20), and in today’s verses that wives are to acquiesce to the leadership of their husbands (verse 1). Governments, societies and families need stratified structure in order to function properly, and in the home God has given the husband the position of “headship” by His word. Notice that Peter does not tell the husband to seize control of his wife but for the wife to willing submit to the leadership of her husband. If there is going to be peace, order and harmony in the home, the wife must give encouragement and support to her spouse as he endeavors to lead his family in the ways of the Lord.
When the husband is not a Christian and the wife is, God expects her to submit to his leadership just the same. She should try her best to show him the grace and virtue that characterizes a true woman of God by her “chaste and respectful behavior” (verse 2). A child of God teaches by conduct as well as words, and sometimes the best hope of grabbing a non-believer’s attention and leading him to the word is by donning an attractive lifestyle. There is nothing for a Christian woman to be “frightened” of (verse 6) when her virtuous behavior shows her unbelieving husband that she respects him and fears the Lord.
Christian women should give much more attention to who they are on the inside than what they look like on the outside (verses 3-4), and godly men should be attracted by the beauty of “the hidden person of the heart.” When we give consideration to what we are going to wear and how we will adorn ourselves, we should first make it a priority to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Romans 13:14). For a woman, “a gentle and quiet spirit” are “imperishable qualities” that are “precious in the sight of God.” Beauty is fading and fads are fleeting but meekness and humility are always in fashion with the Lord and eternally rewarded by Him.
Please read 1 Peter 3:7-12 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
-Louie Taylor
