CHAPTER 3

(A.D. 60)

WIVES AND HUSBANDS

¹Likewise, you wives, be in subjection to your own husbands (Peter is now dealing with Christian wives who have unsaved husbands, telling them how to win them to the Lord; the wife is to be in subjection, up to the point of violating Scripture; the Word of God is to be obeyed first of all, and without fail); that, if any obey not the Word (unsaved husbands who will not hear the Word of God), they also may without the Word be won by the conversation (lifestyle) of the wives (proper Christian behavior);

²While they behold your chaste conversation (a Godly behavior)coupled with fear (the word fear here means reverence, for the Lord and her husband; at the same time, it could be reversed for an unsaved wife).

³Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel (is not meant to condemn these things, but rather that the ladys Faith be in Christ and the Cross);

⁴But let it be the hidden man of the heart (is in contrast to the outward man of the body), in that which is not corruptible (is said to be such in contradistinction to gold and apparel), even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit (presents a heart free from passion, pride, envy, and irritability), which is in the sight of God of great price. (This presents the fact that having such an inward character is valuable in the sight of God.)

⁵For after this manner in the old time (Old Testament Times) the Holy women also, who trusted in God (does not refer to a special class of women, but rather ordinary women who trusted the Lord), adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands (presents the Apostle using the Old Testament as a foundation for what he now proclaims):

⁶Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord (presents Sarah as being a beautiful example of the Holy women mentioned by Peter in the previous Verse): whose daughters you are (in a sense, all Believers, whether Jews or Gentiles, are sons and daughters of Abraham), as long as you do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. (This could be better translated, Whose daughters you are, as long as you obey the Lord, which will remove all fear of failure.)

⁷Likewise, you husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge (Peter is now speaking of Christian husbands, and not the unsaved husbands to whom he had been alluding in previous Verses; the Holy Spirit has given correct knowledge on the subject), giving honour unto the wife (refers to that which is unique in Christianity, which is likewise a type of subjection), as unto the weaker vessel (pertains to the physical and never to the moral or intellectual), and as being heirs together of the Grace of Life (the husband is to pay due honor to the wife because she is a joint-heir with him of Eternal Life, the Gift of God); that your prayers be not hindered. (In effect, says prayers will be hindered if these admonitions to both husbands and wives are ignored. In fact, to ignore anything the Holy Spirit says is not wise, to say the least.)

RELATIONSHIP

⁸Finally, be ye all of one mind (involves an agreement not only in Doctrine, but also in practical aims), having compassion one of another (evincing regard for each others welfare), love as Brethren (carries the idea of family), be pitiful (tender-hearted), be courteous (friendly-minded, kind):

⁹Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing (presents the very opposite of the system of the world): but contrariwise blessing (we should reward evil and railing with Blessing); knowing that you are thereunto called, that you should inherit a Blessing (proclaims the key to being Blessed by God).

¹⁰For he who will love life, and see good days (the formula for Blessing continues [Ps. 34:12-16]), let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile (this Command is Universal in its reference and, therefore, includes enemies as well as others):

¹¹Let him eschew evil (turn aside from such), and do good (as stated, do not render evil for evil, but rather good for evil); let him seek peace, and ensue it. (This refers to doing things that favor peace, even as the Holy Spirit has given instructions here through Peter.)

¹²For the eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous (means the Lord is looking intently at all Believers who are trusting Him), and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the Face of the Lord is against them who do evil. (This is an expression denoting disapproval, and a determination to punish them.)

¹³And who is he who will harm you (considering that God is protecting you, what harm can they do?!), if you be followers of that which is good? (This proclaims the condition placed on this great Promise of God.)

PERSECUTION

¹⁴But and if you suffer for Righteousness sake, happy are you(such suffering is the result of Righteousness, and not the cause of Righteousness; we must not confuse the two): and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled (Righteousness guarantees the protection of the Lord [Isa. 8:12-13]);

¹⁵But Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts (should be translated, set apart Christ as Lord in the heart): and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asks you a reason of the hope that is in you (every Believer must know the Word of God) with meekness and fear (never from a Holier-than-thou stance):

¹⁶Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed who falsely accuse your good conversation (Godly lifestyle) in Christ. (Irrespective of what people may say, the Righteousness of Christ will ultimately prevail. In other words, those who falsely accuse will ultimately be proven wrong.)

WILL OF GOD

¹⁷For it is better, if the Will of God be so, that you suffer for well doing (at times, God does ask us to suffer for Righteousness sake), than for evil doing (refers to suffering chastisement, which the Holy Spirit knows we need and every true Christian experiences more or less; as should be obvious, this is different than suffering for well doing).

¹⁸For Christ also has once suffered for sins (the suffering of Christ on the Cross was but for one purpose, and that was for sins; while we as Believers might suffer for sins as well, such is never in the realm of Atonement; the price has been fully paid, which means there is nothing left owing), the just for the unjust (Christ was the Perfect Sacrifice, the One Who was born without original sin, and Who lived a Perfect Life, never failing even in one point; He Alone was the Just), that He might bring us to God (refers to the way being opened for sinful man to come into the very Presence of God), being put to death in the flesh (refers to the fact that Jesus died physically in order to serve as a Sacrifice, which means He didnt die spiritually, as some claim!), but quickened by the Spirit (raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit [Rom. 8:11]):

SPIRITS

¹⁹By which also He went (between the time of His Death and Resurrection) and preached (announced something) unto the spirits in prison (does not refer to humans, but rather to fallen Angels; humans in the Bible are never referred to in this particular manner; these were probably the fallen Angels who tried to corrupt the human race by cohabiting with women [II Pet. 2:4; Jude, Vss. 6-7]; these fallen Angels are still locked up in this underworld prison);

²⁰Which sometime (in times past) were disobedient (this was shortly before the Flood), when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah (refers to this eruption of fallen Angels with women taking place at the time of Noah; this was probably a hundred or so years before the Flood), while the Ark was a preparing (these fallen Angels were committing this particular sin while the Ark was being made ready, however long it took; the Scripture doesnt say!), wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (This doesnt refer to being saved from sin. They were saved from drowning in the Flood by being in the Ark.)

WATER BAPTISM

²¹The like figure (refers to Water Baptism as a symbol) whereunto even baptism does also now save us (speaks of the Baptism into Christ, which takes place at conversion; it is done by Faith, and has nothing to do with Water Baptism, although that serves as a symbol [Rom. 6:3-5]) (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh (proclaims the fact that Water Baptism cannot cleanse the soul), but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) (refers to the fact that one engages in Water Baptism because one has already been made clean by Faith in the Lord Jesus, which in turn gives one a good conscience toward God) by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (which refers to the Cross, and the Believing sinner being raised with Christ in newness of life [Rom. 6:4-5]):

CHRIST EXALTED

²²Who (Jesus Christ) is gone into Heaven (His Mission is complete), and is on the Right Hand of God (proclaims the fact that His Sacrifice was accepted); Angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him. (This refers to all, whether Holy or unholy. The Cross is the means by which all of this was done [Col. 2:14-15].)