1 Peter 3:1-2

In 1 Peter 3:1-2 he dives into the topic of marriage. This is certainly an area that has changed over the years, and some will say that Peter’s teaching here is outdated and obsolete. The word submission carries a lot of bad connotations today. Many dismiss it completely. But God had a design for the world, marriages and families that is still valid today. And contrary to what the world says, when we line up with God’s plan for this planet, things work a lot better. When we take things into our own hands, and follow our own or the worlds design, things just don’t go as well. God’s Word is always true, even when we don’t like it.

So Peter begins his teaching telling us that the godly wife will be submissive to her husband. This submission isn’t a reward for the husband’s good behavior; it is the proper order of the home, God commands it. “Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.” Proper submission in the home follows the same principles of submission as towards government or our employers. It is submission not only of the actions, but also of the heart.

Submission to authority can be totally consistent with equality in importance, dignity, and honor. Jesus was subject to both His parents and to God the Father but was not lower than either of them. Grudem writes “Thus the command to wives to be subject to their husbands should never be taken to imply inferior personhood or spirituality, or lesser importance.” Of course, submission in marriage follows the same principles as submission in other spheres. We submit to God appointed authority as our obligation before God, unless that authority directs us to sin. In that case it is right to obey God rather than men.

Peter carefully observed that wives are called to submit to their own husbands and not to all men in a general sense. Male headship is God’s commanded principle for the home and the church, not for society in general.

The principle of submission is seen in many ways in the New Testament:

• Jesus submitted to His parents (Luke 2:51).
• Demons submitted to the disciples (Luke 10:17).
• Citizens should submit to government authority (Romans 13:1 and 5, Titus 3:1, 1 Peter 2:13).
• The universe will submit to Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:27 and Ephesians 1:22).
• Unseen spiritual beings submit to Jesus (1 Peter 3:22).
• Christians should submit to their church leaders (1 Corinthians 16:15-16 and 1 Peter 5:5).
• Wives should submit to husbands (Colossians 3:18, Titus 2:5, 1 Peter 3:5, and Ephesians 5:22-24).
• The church should submit to Jesus (Ephesians 5:24).
• Servants should submit to masters (Titus 2:9, 1 Peter 2:18).
• Christians should submit to God (Hebrews 12:9, James 4:7).

There must be a servant-like love and attitude on the part of those in positions of authority which does not eliminate the concept of God’s order of authority and the corresponding submission we are called to in many areas of our lives.

“Portions of this blog post have been taken from the Enduring Word commentary, (c) 2023 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – ewm@enduringword.com“

“Scripture (bold and italicized) has been taken from the English Standard Version, © ESV.org – www.esv.org”