1 Peter 3:1 In the same way, you wives, be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, ² as they observe your pure and respectful behavior. ³ Your adornment must not be merely the external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on apparel; ⁴ but it should 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. ⁵ For in this way the holy women of former times, who hoped in God, also used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; and you have proved to be her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.“

“In the same way”: the same way as what? As 2:¹⁸ Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are harsh.” Another example of how Christians should respect and obey authority, whether it be masters over slaves, or the government. The emphasis is on obeying authority even if the authority is harsh or evil or mean or. oppressive. Paul taught that wives were to be submissive to their husbands. Ephesians 5:²² Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” But what if the husband is mean and verbally abuses her?Wives should be subject to their husbands even if they are disobedient to the word, i.e. non Christian. Imagine a first century woman becomes a Christian but her husband is a pagan who worships idols and mistreats her. Can she just up and leave? Should she brow-beat him constantly with the word of God telling him how evil he is? Nope. Be subject to, respectful to your husband. Have a gentle and quiet spirit. Be modest in your dress and jewelry. Imagine a vain wife who wears expensive clothes and jewelry, who spends hours beautifying herself, and then she nags at her husband about him not being a Christian. That’s the picture here. Sarah is the example of a submissive, respectful wife. She followed Abraham from Ur, leaving whatever family she had there. When God called Abraham to leave Haran, she followed apparently without questioning his actions. She was a submissive wife for 62 years, moving around Canaan without ever owning any of the land God promised Abraham, apparently never complaining. What’s even worse, she was humiliated when Abraham lied to Pharoah, telling him that Sarah was his sister in order to save his own life. God intervened and stopped Pharoah from keeping her, but how in the world did she continue to respect and be submissive to her cowardly husband. To make it worse, Abraham repeated the same lie later with Abimelech the Philistine. But Sarah stayed submissive to Abraham. I suppose she never even tried to tell Pharoah or Abimelech that she was Abraham’s wife and not his sister. Again, the theme of obeying authority even if the authority does not deserve respect, just like servants with harsh masters. Sarah, like Abraham had her bad moments, like when she got Abraham to have a child by Hagar, like when she drove Hagar and Ishmael out to the consternation of Abraham, like when she laughed at the 3 angels announcing the birth of Isaac. Sarah becomes the example for all wives of times. On a side note, does vs 3 mean that Christian wives cannot braid their hair or wear gold jewelry? Throw in 1 Timothy 2:⁹ likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire.” They can’t wear pearls or expensive clothes. Actually this looks like a pretty clear command! Women in the Pentecostal Church are not allowed to wear jewelry. They take the command to be obeyed literally. Most Christians take it to mean just don’t be excessive or vain in dress or jewelry. It’s kinda funny how my church always picked and chose which commands are to be taken literally and which can be obeyed in some other way. Like foot washing. Jesus said, John 13:¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” That sounds like a clear command, and yet most churches do not teach it as a command for us today (although they would allow it). They say the command was “cultural” and can be fulfilled in other ways than washing feet, such as humbly serving others. Or the command, 2 Corinthians 13:¹² Greet one another with a holy kiss.” They say that was cultural and we don’t have to obey that literally. You can obey it by shaking hands or a hug. Or the women wearing a veil when praying or prophesying aloud in an audience with men present. Some women in my church do take that literally and they wear a little doily in the assembly, but most say our women don’t have to obey that command literally. I’ll leave the women’s clothes and jewelry up to you ladies! It does make you question how my church could act so judgmental about which commands should be obeyed literally and which don’t have to be. My church would say that churches who don’t take the Lord’s Supper every week are apostate, disobedient churches, and yet the scriptures they use to support their arguments for weekly Lord’s Supper observance are less clear than the commands to foot wash or not wear jewelry. Again, they just “pick and chose” which commands to obey literally.

1 Peter 3:⁷ You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.” Paul taught husbands: Ephesians 5:²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because we are members of his body. ³¹ “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. ³³ However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Peter adds another element: “live with your wife in an understanding way since she is weaker since she is a woman”. “Since she is a woman” tells you that the “weaker” is referring to, in general, that the woman is not as strong physically as the man. Most women can’t protect themselves like a man can (there are always exceptions). Women are designed by God to have the emotional makeup to have and nurse babies, which might leave them a little more vulnerable to be taken advantage of than men (Eve was deceived by Satan but Adam was not). Is that part of the “weaker” also? Husband should understand the limitations of their wives as women and take care of them. As Paul said, “nourish and cherish them” in their needs as the weaker sex. If you don’t, your prayers will be hindered!

1 Peter 3:⁸ To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble; ⁹ not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you would inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. ¹¹ He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. ¹² For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”

Wow! What a summary of the traits every Christian should have! As I read vs 8, I am thinking, “how loving, compassionate, etc. am I?” Do I really feel compassion when I see someone hurting or in need? Jesus is our example of compassion: Matthew 9:36-38J esus was moved with compassion for the crowds because they were scattered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 14:14 Jesus had compassion on the large crowd he saw when he landed and healed their sick.” Would people say that I am a “loving” Christian? Christians cannot retaliate or seek vengeance when wronged. Instead, bless those who. persecute you. Matthew 5:¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Jesus even felt compassion for those who crucified him: “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing”. Seek peace and pursue it. Romans 12:¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹ Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” ²⁰ To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” The eyes of the Lord are always watching his children like a father or mother constantly watches their children to keep them safe. God is compassionate toward his children. Psalm 103:¹³ As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
¹⁴ For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”