1 Peter is all about being holy, and here we have another area of life for us to be holy in: marriage, or mawwage, if you have The Princess Bride engrained in your head. This passage is very important for us, but it must be read in both it's literary and historical-cultural context to be properly understood.
Historically and culturally speaking, marriages in the first century were quite different from what we know today. In those times, wives were viewed more like property, in a very male-dominated society. It was an obligation for them to submit to their husbands, even so far as adopting their husband's religious affiliation. So here, when Peter writes for them to be submissive to their husbands just like slaves to masters and all believers to every governmental institution, he is not saying something necessarily new.
In the literary context, both 2:18 and 3:1 implore the participial form of the verb "submit," which gives them an inclusion under the imperative from in 2:13. It's important to understand that this passage is connected to the previous passage.
But to me, there are two verses that really capture Peter's heart. He tells wives to focus on the imperishable beauty of a gentle & quiet spirit. He tells husbands to live in an understanding way with their wives, honoring them as the weaker vessel. Both husbands and wives are to put their spouse first in their relationship. Husbands, be considerate of and loving toward your wives. Wives, respect your husbands.
As a husband, I feel the challenge to work hard at communication and to determine what makes my wife feel loved and do those things. Whether she treats me well or not, that is what I am called to do. If more husbands and wives lived this way, being more concerned about how they treated their spouse than about how their spouse treated them, there would be a lot fewer marriages falling apart.
How's your marriage? If you are not married, how can you use these thoughts to help all of your relationships?
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