1 Peter

Responding to Suffering in a Godly Way. Believers are to endure hardship, knowing that they will receive a final reward (3:13–17). Christ suffered at his death but was raised from the dead, and thus has triumphed over all demonic powers (3:18–22). Christians are urged to give themselves wholly to God, being willing to suffer and do what is right (4:1–6). Expectation of the end times should motivate believers to live in a way that pleases God and to exercise their spiritual gifts (4:7–11).

Did Peter commend unrighteousness in directing wives to submit to their husbands? It may sound that way to modern ears, but submission to another does not signal inequality. The Scriptures clearly teach that women and men are both made in the image of God (Gn 1:26-27); they have equal access to salvation (Gl 3:28); and they share an equal destiny in heaven (1Pt 3:7). Having a different role from men does not mean that women are inferior to men. Christ, after all, submitted to the Father (1Co 15:28), but he is equal to the Father in dignity, worth, and essence. Similarly, the submission of wives to husbands does not suggest they are second-rate.

Husbands are to be the leaders in their homes (cf. Eph. 5:22–33; Col. 3:18–19), and wives are to be subject to (cf. 1 Pet. 3:5–6) and follow their leadership. If a wife has an unbelieving husband who is disobedient to the word (i.e., the gospel), she should not try to pressure him into converting. Instead, her godly conduct will testify without a word to the truth of the gospel. your own husbands. Scripture never says that women in general are to be subject to men in general, but it does affirm male headship in the home (see also Titus 2:5) and in the church (see notes on 1 Tim. 2:11–15; 3:2–3). Scripture also affirms the equality of man and woman as being made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27; cf. 1 Pet. 3:7).

For a Christian wife to have a different religion than her husband was quite astonishing for that culture. For example, the Greek historian Plutarch (c. A.D. 46–127) said, “A wife should not acquire her own friends, but should make her husband’s friends her own. The gods are the first and most significant friends. For this reason, it is proper for a wife to recognize only those gods whom her husband worships” (Advice to Bride and Groom 19, Moralia 140D). Even though Peter calls on wives to submit to their husbands, it was a different submission than was common in that culture, for the wives’ devotion was first and foremost to Christ.

Do not let your adorning be external. Peter’s instructions here were common in his day (see Seneca, Epistles, To Helvia 16.3–4; Dio Chrysostom, Orations 7.117; Juvenal, Satire 6.457–463; 490–511; Plutarch, Advice to Bride and Groom, Moralia 141E; Epictetus, Handbook 40). Such “external … adorning” can be witnessed in portraits and sculptures from the first century, where the elaborate braiding of women’s hair and the wearing of ostentatious jewelry was common in upper-class Roman society. In contrast to this, the Christian woman should focus on inner (hidden) beauty of the heart. What matters to God is the godly character of the wife, characterized by a gentle and quiet spirit. It is clear that Peter is not literally prohibiting all braiding of hair or all wearing of gold jewelry, because if this were the case the same prohibition would apply also to wearing clothing! Instead, Peter warns against both an inordinate preoccupation with personal appearance and material excess in such matters.

Hope in God is expressed in a wife honoring her husband by submitting to him, as the venerable women in the OT did.

Sarah obeyed Abraham. Peter describes Sarah’s submission in terms of obedience. Such obedience does not mean the relationship between husbands and wives is like that of parents and children, but it does show that a wife is to follow her husband’s direction and leadership. In the culture of her day, Sarah expressed her submission by respectfully referring to Abraham as lord (see Gen. 18:12). do not fear. Peter calls on wives to model themselves after such godly women, not fearing that harm will come to them, but trusting God as Sarah did.

Peter’s advice to husbands is compressed, perhaps because he addresses at more length those under authority who are more likely to be mistreated (slaves and wives). The word likewise is merely a transition (cf. v. 1; 5:5); it does not mean husbands should submit to their wives, since Scripture never teaches this (see Eph. 5:21–33). To live … in an understanding way probably focuses on living in accord with God’s will, which includes understanding the needs of a wife. Interpreters differ over whether weaker vessel means weaker in terms of delegated authority, emotions, or physical strength. Peter is probably thinking of the general truth that men are physically stronger than women and may be tempted to threaten their wives through physical or verbal abuse. Women and men share an equal destiny as heirs … of the grace of life. Peter does not think women are inferior to men, for both are equally made in God’s image (cf. Gal. 3:28). If husbands do not treat their wives in a godly way, the Lord will pay no heed to their prayers.

Finally, all of you provides a transition from the preceding specific instructions to a list of godly virtues that all believers are called to exemplify at all times. Those who bless others will receive a blessing from God, which Peter explains in the following verses.

Peter draws on Ps. 34:12–16 (see note on 1 Pet. 2:3). To love life and see good days is the result of the “blessing” (3:9) of God in one’s life. Peter says this will come to the person who will keep his tongue from evil and who will turn away from evil and do good. Obedience to God in daily life is the path to experiencing God’s blessing (cf. Ps. 34:4–10), and by implication disobedience will lead to God’s discipline (cf. Ps. 34:16, 21; Heb. 12:4–11). Peter continues his quotation of Psalm 34: For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous (to observe and care for them) and his ears are open to their prayer (for various needs and cares). This does not mean that God keeps obedient believers from suffering (cf. 1 Pet. 2:19–23; 3:14, 17; 4:12–19) but that God will provide his grace “to strengthen and establish” believers in the midst of suffering (5:10) and in times of great need (cf. 2 Cor. 12:9; Heb. 4:16).

even if. Peter is writing to Christians already suffering for their faith, therefore he is not saying that such suffering is improbable. His point is that no one will ultimately or finally harm Christians, “even if” they suffer now, for God will reward them (cf. Rom. 8:31). Indeed, they will be blessed by God in their sufferings (cf. Matt. 5:10).

“Defense” in v. 15 is the Greek word apologia, from which we get our term “apologetics.” These verses are crucial for understanding how apologetics should be carried out: (1) with faith and “hope” in Christ as Lord; (2) with prior preparation, so that we are always “ready;” (3) through rational and logical “defense” of the truth; (4) with “gentleness and respect,” meaning truth should be explained winsomely as errors are refuted; and (5) with “a clear conscience” so that our conduct corroborates rather than undermines the truth.

Believers should always be ready to provide a rationale for their faith, but they should do so winsomely and righteously. And if they keep a good conscience, any accusations against them will prove groundless, and their accusers will be put to shame. It is sometimes God’s will that Christians suffer for doing good.

A key statement on the substitutionary atonement of Christ. He suffered and died as the righteous one in place of the unrighteous, in order to bring us to God. One interpretation of being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit is that “in the flesh” means in the visible, physical realm in which Jesus was crucified and “in the spirit” (as in 4:6) means in the invisible, spiritual realm where Christ now lives. Another view is that Jesus died physically but was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit.

spirits in prison. There is much debate about the identity of these spirits. The Greek term pneuma (“spirit”), in either singular or plural, can mean either human spirits or angels, depending on the context (cf. Num. 16:22; 27:16; Acts 7:59; Heb. 12:23; etc.). Among the three most common interpretations, the first two fit best with the rest of Scripture and with historic orthodox Christian doctrine. These are:

(1) The first interpretation understands “spirits” (Gk. pneumasin, plural) as referring to the unsaved (human spirits) of Noah’s day. Christ, “in the spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18), proclaimed the gospel “in the days of Noah” (v. 20) through Noah. The unbelievers who heard Christ’s preaching “did not obey … in the days of Noah” (v. 20) and are now suffering judgment (they are “spirits in prison,” v. 19). Several reasons support this view: (a) Peter calls Noah a “herald of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5), where “herald” represents Greek kēryx, “preacher,” which corresponds to the noun kēryssō, “proclaim,” in 1 Pet. 3:19. (b) Peter says the “Spirit of Christ” was speaking through the OT prophets (1:11); thus Christ could have been speaking through Noah as an OT prophet. (c) The context indicates that Christ was preaching through Noah, who was in a persecuted minority, and God saved Noah, which is similar to the situation in Peter’s time: Christ is now preaching the gospel through Peter and his readers (v. 15) to a persecuted minority, and God will save them.

(2) In the second interpretation, the spirits are the fallen angels who were cast into hell to await the final judgment. Reasons supporting this view include: (a) Some interpreters say that the “sons of God” in Gen. 6:2–4 are angels (see note on Gen. 6:1–2) who sinned by cohabiting with human women “when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah” (1 Pet. 3:20). (b) Almost without exception in the NT, “spirits” (plural) refers to supernatural beings rather than people (e.g., Matt. 8:16; 10:1; Mark 1:27; 5:13; 6:7; Luke 4:36; 6:18; 7:21; 8:2; 10:20; 11:26; Acts 5:16; 8:7; 19:12, 13; 1 Tim. 4:1; 1 John 4:1; Rev. 16:13–14; cf. Heb. 1:7). (c) The word “prison” is not used elsewhere in Scripture as a place of punishment after death for human beings, while it is used for Satan (Rev. 20:7) and other fallen angels (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). In this case the message that Christ proclaimed is almost certainly one of triumph, after having been “put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18).

(3) In a third view, some have advocated the idea that Christ offered a second chance of salvation to those in hell. This interpretation, however, is in direct contradiction with other Scripture (cf. Luke 16:26; Heb. 9:27) and with the rest of 1 Peter and therefore must be rejected on biblical and theological grounds, leaving either of the first two views as the most likely interpretation.

A comparison is drawn between salvation in the ark and baptism. In both instances, believers are saved through the waters of judgment, since baptism portrays salvation through judgment. The mere mechanical act of baptism does not save, for Peter explicitly says, “not as a removal of dirt from the body,” meaning that the passing of water over the body does not cleanse anyone. Baptism saves you because it represents inward faith, as evidenced by one’s appeal to God for the forgiveness of one’s sins (for a good conscience). Furthermore, baptism “saves” only insofar as it is grounded in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism is a visual representation of the fact that Christians are clothed with Christ (cf. Gal. 3:27), and in union with Christ they share his victory over sin. Though Christians have disagreed about the proper mode of water baptism beginning in the early history of the church, Christians have generally agreed (irrespective of denominational differences) that water baptism is an outward sign of the inward reality of regeneration, which is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 3:5, 8; Titus 3:5), and which may be received only by grace through faith (see Eph. 2:8).

The central truth of vv. 18–22 is that Christ has triumphed over his enemies. He is now ascended to the right hand of God, and all angels and demonic powers are subjected to him since he is Lord and Christ. Christians can therefore rejoice in their sufferings, knowing that Christ has triumphed.