Wives, in the same way...

Read 1 Peter 3:1

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This instruction sounds strange to our modern ears and it has often been misused to justify unkind and dominating behaviour by husbands. But it was written to give practical help to wives in the difficult situation of being married to unbelievers.

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Both socially and legally at that time, wives had few rights, and dutiful obedience to their husbands was required. This was so in Jewish culture too, with the husband’s rule over his wife seen as a consequence of the Fall (Gen.3:16). But “the effects of the Fall are undone in the new creation” (Marshall). Through faith in Christ “there is neither slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal.3:26-28). This equality in marriage extends to sexual relations and to mutual dependency (1 Cor.7:3-4; 11:11-12).

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This freedom did not exist in law - it could not be claimed unilaterally by slaves or by wives. So wives must submit to their husbands “in the same way” as slaves to their masters (2:18) i.e. for Christ’s sake and because of his example (2:21-25). This is “so that” husbands may be brought to Christ, and into the equality and liberty which Christ gives. “In the same way” applies to them too (3:7).