1 Peter 3:1-7, Conduct of Wives and Husbands

The word skeuos is translated “vessel” in this passage from Peter and Meyer explains that it “must be taken here in its specific meaning of a utensil (or instrument) serving a particular purpose.” And as he notes, it is not just the wife who is a vessel, but the husband also. It is not an impugning of the character of the wife to call her a vessel.

^3:1 Likewise, wives, be submissive to your own husbands, in order that if any are disobedient to the word they will be won, without a word, through the behavior of their wives, ² because they see the respectful purity of your behavior. ³ Don’t make your adornment the outer braiding of your hair and putting on gold or wearing of fine clothes, ⁴ rather let it be the hidden person of the heart with the unfading quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is valuable before God. ⁵ For in the same way the holy women before who hoped in God adorned themselves, submitting to their own husbands. ⁶ Like Sarah submitted to Abraham, calling him lord, and whose daughters you have become if you do good and are not overcome with fear.

⁷ Husbands, likewise, live knowledgably with your wives as with weaker vessels, showing them honor as fellow heirs also of the grace of life, so as not to have your prayers hindered.

Peter moves from how slaves should behave as followers of Jesus in relation to their masters, to how wives and husbands should relate to each other. The submission that all believers are to have to divinely appointed authorities is made specific in these household relationships. The “likewise” in regard to wives refers to how wives should submit to their authorities, their husbands. They should have “respectful purity of behavior.”

In fact, this should be the concern of their adornment of themselves. It should not be reliant on the way they shape their hair, put on their jewelry, or wearing fine clothes, something only women of means could likely do. The most important adornment is their gentle and quiet spirit. People value the outward adornment, but God values the inward adornment, and, it seems, so will their husbands.

Peter suggests that some of his readers might be married to unbelieving husbands, those who are disobedient to God’s word in the gospel, a somewhat radical departure from the norm of wives taking their husband’s religious perspective. In that situation it is the wife’s gentle and quiet spirit that gives witness to the power of Jesus Christ and his salvation, a wordless sermon that might lead to her husband’s conversion.

In so ordering their behavior the women will be following in a long line of holy women like Sarah, who demonstrated her submission by speaking of her husband as her lord (Genesis 18:12). Fear is the great enemy of submission, fear that by so submitting it may result in painful consequences. Peter does not say it, but God is with the one who submits to their authorities and in control of the circumstances. And of course, Peter does not mean for us to submit to ungodly or sinful requirements.

As for husbands, theirs is a kind of submission too, though not to a higher authority in the marriage, but to a respect for the equality of place their wives have in God’s salvation, each inheriting the grace of eternal life. And because their wives are physically weaker, there is a requirement that they treat them with greater care and knowledge. Failure to do so will lead to ineffectual prayers.