• The verse is not about marriage, rather marriage used as an example to substantiate a larger concept of submission FOR the gospel
• Application of scripture (submission) is not always as black and white as we like it to be, but is often relative to the political, societal, and cultural environment
• Our target text is a substantiation of a larger theme, and within the substantiation point Peter uses two examples to reinforce the larger substantiation

Myths about Submission

• Submission shows you are weak i.e. if you are an Alpha it means to be a Beta
  • We often think that “wives subject yourselves” BECAUSE they are the “weaker” vessel
• Submission means obedience
  • Submission is NOT simply being obedient, rather accepting the powers and controls outside one’s own power and control
• Submission means Agreement
  • To submit to does NOT mean to agree with
    • Examples:
      • Book of Philemon; 1 Timothy 1:10 – Slaves
      • Gospel of Luke; Romans 16; Acts; 1 Corinthians 11:13-16 – Women
      • Romans 2, 1 Corinthians 7, Acts 16 – Circumcision
      • Romans 14, – Faith
• Submission means cowardice

Literary Structure

• Main Point
  • Submissive Proclamation
    • “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s Sake” – 2:13
  • Human Authority Identified
    • “to every human authority”- 2:13
  • Mechanism to silence ignorant talk
    • “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people” – 2:15
• Substantiating Example: Slaves
  • Submissive Proclamation
    • “Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves” – 2:18
  • Human Authority Identified
    • “to your masters”
  • Mechanism to silence ignorant talk
    • “For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering” – 2:19-20
  • Connecting Function to Main Point
    • “To this you were called; leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps” – 2:21
• Substantiating Example: Christ
  • Submissive Proclamation
    • “because Christ suffered for you; he did not retaliate, he made no threats” – 2:21; 23
  • Human Authority Identified
    • “when they hurled their insults at Him; when He suffered” – 2:23
  • Mechanism to silence ignorant talk
    • “so that we may die for sins and live for righteousness; For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” – 2:24-25
  • Connecting Function to Main Point
    • “To this you were called; leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps” – 2:21
• Substantiating Example: Wives
  • Submissive Proclamation
    • “wives, be subject” – 3:1
  • Human Authority Identified
    • “to your husbands” – 3:1
  • Mechanism to silence ignorant talk
    • “so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives” – 3:1
  • Connecting Function to Main Point
    • “Likewise” – 3:1
    • Greek = homoiOs
      • Likewise; in the same way; exactly as
• Substantiating Example: Husbands
  • Submissive Proclamation
    • “live with your wives in an understanding/considerate way” – 3:7
  • Human Authority Identified
    • “your wives” – 3:7
  • Mechanism to silence ignorant talk
    • “so that your prayers will not be hindered” – 3:7
      • Early church prayers were for the spreading of the gospel and second-coming of Christ
        • Christ will not return until they hit the “number” (Revelation )
        • The number does not grow if your witness is hindered
  • Connecting Function to Main Point
    • “Likewise” – 3:7
    • Greek = homoiOs
      • Likewise; in the same way; exactly as

1 Peter 2:13-25

Main Point (Vs. 13-17)

¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. ¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

Example #1: Slaves submit to Masters (Vs. 18-20)

¹⁸ Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. ¹⁹ For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. ²⁰ But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 

Example #2: Christ’s submission (Vs. 21-25)

²¹ To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

²² “He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”^[e]

²³ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴ “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” ²⁵ For “you were like sheep going astray,”^[f] but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 3:1-7

Example #3: Wives Submit to Husbands (Vs. 1-6)

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, ² when they see your respectful and pure conduct. ³ Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— ⁴ but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. ⁵ For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, ⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

Example #4: Husbands Submit to Wives (Vs. 7)

⁷ Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you^[a] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Submission is for the Lord’s and our

“For from Him, through Him, and for Him are ALL things…” –Romans 11:36

This includes politics, your situation, and your marriage!

Why should we submit?

• Slaves are not submitting to Masters, Slaves are submitting to Jesus
• “Free” people are not submitting to the Emperor, they are submitting to Jesus
• Wives are not submitting to Husbands, they are submitting to Jesus
• Husbands are not submitting to wives, they are submitting to Jesus

*Surrendering/submitting to Jesus is not a intellectual accord, its practical. To Submit to Jesus means to submit to your environment for His sake

Your Submission is NOT for the sake of your spouse, your boss, your coworker, etc.; its for the sake of Christ

*In the same manner, if as a believer you DO NOT submit to government, husbands, wives, etc., it is not the government, husband, wife your rebelling against…its Jesus!

• Why should slaves submit? – For the Lord’s sake to silence ignorant talk of the gospel
• Why should wives submit? – For the Lord’s sake to silence ignorant talk of the gospel
• Why should husbands submit? – For the Lord’s sake to silence ignorant talk of the gospel

*If Christians rebel, the world does not see light, they see a problem! Through their submission and good conduct, the world sees not a problem or more darkness, but light in their current darkness

*Just as Christ’s submission to the cross draw us to Him, so too does our submission draw people to the Gospel

*Our mission is to be witnesses to the Gospel, and we’ve turned a text to elevate women into a verse to suppress them…this has dire missiological consequences for modern age

Submission applies to ALL (regardless of gender, race, economic or social status)

• “Likewise”
  • Greek = HomoiOs
    • Likewise; In the same way; Exactly As
• Wives should submit HomoiOs Christ submitted
  • Husbands should submit HomoiOs that wives submit
    • Therefore, husbands should submit to their wives HomoiOs Christ submitted

Submit to the of your spouse

*Sumbission is NOT accepting something you agree with

• Wives submit as subjects?
  • Men’s view
  • Women’s view
  • Peter’s view
    • Idea of royalty to original audience
    • Women possess unperishable, inherent value (Vs. 3:3-4)
      • Men: If God values the internal quality of women, so should we
        • Maybe, women overly concern themselves with the external appearance because men value that more
      • Women: Pursue your internal value in Christ more than the external
        • Do you choose your church clique by spiritual maturity or by fashion?
• Husbands submit by consideration/understanding?
  • Men’s view
  • Women’s views
  • Peter’s view
    • Women possess a special value that ONLY women can accomplish
      • “weaker vessel”
        • “weaker” annotates sensitivity/perception
        • “vessel” annotates means of purpose

Use of vessel is not in the definitive sense

Difference: “as THE weaker vessel” vs. “like a delicate vessel/heirloom”

*Peter says men should treat their wives as a delicate, valuable vessel because women possess an inherent value (Heirs of the grace of life) men do not have, and that purpose is valuable to mission of God

*If believing men have Christ’s mission as their focus, then they will “take care” of a valuable asset to that mission that women possess.

Submission is relative to the “”

• What is considered “loyal” and “respectful” changes across society, culture, time, and place
• What requires considerations similarly changes

*It does not matter what you think is or is not loyal or respectful, it only matters what your husband thinks is loyal or disrespectful. You submit to what he believes is disrespectful or disloyal

*It does not matter if you think you are considerate, or considerate about the right thing, it only matters what your wife feels is considerate

*If you the world finds your behavior disrespectful, distasteful, or rude, they are not DRAWN to your faith, but by the conduct of your faith you draw

Submission must be to lead to faith

• Do not compel into faith, draw into faith
  • In this culture, wives took on the religion of their husbands
  • *Christ HATED Fake religion. He does not want Cultural Christianity, He wants PURE disciples
• By the merit of you faith you draw others, not the merit of your social, political, cultural status

Conclusion

*Submission does mean faithfulness to worldly hierarchies, rather faithfulness to your witness

*God gives practical examples to demonstrate our virtue towards Him i.e. I can measure your submission to Christ by your submission to others

• If you love me, love each other
• If you love me, feed my sheep
• If you submit to me, submit to each other and worldly authorities
• If you belong to me, “be holy for I am holy”