Monday 05 May 2014
- Bible Book:
- 1 Peter
“Wives, in the same way, accept the authority of your husbands, so that, even if some of them do not obey the word, they may be won over without a word by their wives’ conduct, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.” (vv. 1-2)
Background
In the First Epistle of Peter, the author develops the idea ofliving faithfully in the midst of difficulty. Today's passagechallenges us to ask how Christians remain faithful in situationswhere they are vulnerable and ridiculed? It addresses this questionin light of the rules that governed family relationships, known ashousehold codes. Such codes were a fact of life for the earlyreaders of 1 Peter, namely Christian converts in the Romanprovinces within Asia Minor (now in modern-day Turkey).
Codes dictating authority and submission within the householdmay seem antiquated in 21st-century Britain, though they are stillin effect in many cultures. The instruction that wives should besubject to their husband's authority in the opening verses ofchapter 3 (or that slaves should defer to unjust masters in
1 Peter's focus is not on condoning injustice, but oninstructing Christians about discipleship amidst difficulty. Theletter writer deals with practical challenges faced by Gentile (nonJewish) converts to Christianity, even in their most intimaterelationships.
Christian wives married to unbelievers were vulnerablephysically, socially, and spiritually. Wives in Roman society wereunder their husband's authority in marriages arranged for them bytheir male guardians. It was the reality they faced, not one that 1Peter constructed. Social conventions dictated that a wife observeher husband's religion. Christian wives married to pagan husbandsdefied this expectation, which made them vulnerable to social andmarital ridicule.
The author of 1 Peter expresses concern for vulnerable Christianwomen, whom he views with high regard as daughters of the Hebrewmatriarch Sarah. He communicates at least two significant messagesto them. The first is a word of assurance that God, in the finaljudgement, will vindicate Christian women and punish unjust paganhusbands (verse 9). God's authority trumps that of the husband. Thesecond point suggests that a husband might be won over to theChristian faith by his wife's goodness and devotion to God (verses1-2). Neither point justifies violence against women. In fact, 1Peter rejects any use of violence by husbands against their wives.He specifically prohibits Christian men from abusing their wives.Instead, he encourages men to treat their wives gently with honour.In the author's view these women are worthy of honour and exemplarsof faithfulness.
To Ponder
- What was your initial response to the first verses of thispassage?
- How do you relate biblical passages from a very different timeand social order to our contemporary situation?
- How might Christians support and encourage people who are inharmful domestic relationships?