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wives, submit yourselves

1 Peter 3:1-6 (JDV)

1 Peter 3:1 In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word, they may be won without a word by the way their wives live
1 Peter 3:2 when they observe your pure, reverent lives.
1 Peter 3:3 Don’t let your beauty consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and wearing gold jewelry,
1 Peter 3:4 but rather what is inside the heart — the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet breath, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
1 Peter 3:5 Because in the past, the devoted women who put their hope in God also adorned themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands,
1 Peter 3:6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and do not fear anything intimidating.

wives, submit yourselves

Peter had just told house slaves to submit to their masters so they could win them to Christ. He now tells wives to do the same thing. He is not endorsing a new theology of authority here. His goal is the same. He is talking about the gospel, not governance. He is asking Christian wives to submit to their husbands to win them to Christ. Godly women in every age learn that adorning themselves with pure reverent lives is the best way to overcome a tyrranical husband. These are Sarah’s children.

There are abusive husbands who will take advantage of their wives’ commitment to Christ, and Peter is not speaking to that situation. Neither is Peter setting aside all females and telling them to submit to the rule of all males. He is not defining the role of a woman here. He is encouraging wives to remain godly — to set the standard for their families. This submission is voluntary. It is evangelistic. It is not about a defined role as a second-class citizen. It is defining a mission as an equal partner in life.