Seeds for 05/13/2024 - 1 Peter 3:7
Scripture:
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Observation:
As we have seen, the household codes of the ancient world were a reality of daily life. As such, Peter (like Paul) found them important to address. Like Paul, Peter takes various members of the household in turn, giving advice for how the Gospel informs this relationship.
Since Peter’s advice to husbands is so succinct, let’s make a couple of observations about this section of the letter as a whole. Though they are not exactly the same, there are similarities with how Paul addresses the household codes (in Ephesians and Colossians). In each instance, Peter and Paul work within the societal roles of their readers’ broader cultures, while at the same time recasting the roles in light of the Gospel. There are a couple of things to note and consider.
First, letters to churches (either a particular congregation or a circular letter, meant to be shared with several congregations in a region) were typically read aloud for the church community. This was because fewer people could read and so that the person delivering the letter could answer any questions on behalf of the author as needed.
Second, Peter (and Paul) address all parties in the household—slaves, wives, children, and husband/paterfamilias (head of the household)—indicating that all were part of the Christian community and present in worship for the reading of the letter. As such, there’s something of the leveling notion (under the Lordship of Jesus) operating in these communitities that Paul expresses in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Finally, for the husbands in the church, Peter puts an onus on them to show consideration to their wives as “the weaker partner.” What does he mean? Unfortunately, sometimes this has been interpreted according to a pagan notion of weakness emotionally or intellectually. Instead, the term might refer to average relative physical strength, but is more likely acknowledging the lesser status of women in the society compared to men.
Peter’s command for the Christian husband is that they treat their wives with consideration and respect for two reasons. The first reason is foundational doctrine—they are “heirs with you” (emphasis mine), which indicates an elevation of the status of women within the Christian community. The second reason is practical—“so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” Peter is saying that disrespect and lack of consideration are a good way to sabotage an effective prayer life. Together these are about the husband raising up his wife because of his own faith in Jesus.
Application:
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, help us to build one another up in our families, that the peace and joy of Christ may dwell in our home. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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