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3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that,
if any obey not the word, they also may
without the word be won by the
conversation of the wives; 3:2 While they behold your chaste
conversation coupled with fear.
3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the
hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 3:4 But let
it be the
hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible,
even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of
God of great
price.
3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy
women also, who
trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own
husbands: 3:6 Even as
Sara obeyed
Abraham, calling him lord: whose
daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any
amazement.
3:7 Likewise, ye
husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge,
giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being
heirs together of the
grace of life; that your prayers be not
hindered.
3:8 Finally,
be ye all of one mind, having
compassion one of another,
love as brethren, be pitiful, be
courteous: 3:9 Not rendering evil for
evil, or railing for railing: but
contrariwise blessing; knowing that
ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain
his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 3:11 Let
him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are
open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that
do evil.
3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be
followers of that
which is good? 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake,
happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
3:15 But
sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to
give an answer to every man that asketh you a
reason of the hope that
is in you with
meekness and
fear: 3:16 Having a good conscience; that,
whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed
that falsely accuse your good
conversation in Christ.
3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for
well doing, than for
evil doing.
3:18 For Christ also hath once
suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the
flesh, but
quickened by the Spirit: 3:19 By which also he went and
preached unto the spirits in
prison; 3:20 Which sometime were
disobedient, when once the
longsuffering of God waited in the days of
Noah, while the ark was a
preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls
were saved by
water.
3:21 The like figure
whereunto even
baptism doth also now save us (not
the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience toward God,) by the
resurrection of
Jesus Christ: 3:22 Who
is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God;
angels and
authorities and powers being made
subject unto him.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
1 Peter
Book: 1 Peter
Chapter: 3
Overview:
The duties of wives and husbands.
(1-7) Christians exhorted to
agree.
(8-13) And encouraged to patience under persecutions for
Righteousness' sake, considering that
Christ suffered patiently.
(14-22)
1-7 The
Wife must discharge her duty to her own
Husband, though
he obey not the
Word. We daily see how narrowly evil men watch
the ways and lives of professors of religion. Putting
On of
Apparel is not forbidden, but vanity and costliness in ornament.
Religious people should take care that all their behaviour
answers to their profession. But how few know the right
Measure
and bounds of those two necessaries of
Life,
Food and raiment!
Unless poverty is our carver, and cuts us short, there is
scarcely any one who does not desire something
Beyond what is
good for us. Far more are beholden to the lowliness of their
state, than the lowliness of their mind; and many will not be
So
bounded, but lavish their time and
Money upon trifles. The
Apostle directs
Christian females to
Put On something not
corruptible, that beautifies the soul, even the graces of
God's
Holy
Spirit. A true
Christian's chief care lies in right
ordering his own
Spirit. This will do more to fix the
affections, and excite the esteem of a
Husband, than studied
ornaments or fashionable
Apparel, attended
By a froward and
quarrelsome temper. Christians ought to do their duty to one
another, from a willing mind, and in obedience to the command of
God. Wives should be subject to their husbands, not from dread
and amazement, but from desire to do
Well, and please
God. The
Husband's duty to the
Wife implies giving due respect unto her,
and maintaining her authority, protecting her, and placing trust
in her. They are heirs together of all the blessings of this
Life and that which is to come, and should live peaceably one
with another.
Prayer sweetens their converse. And it is not
enough that they pray with the family, but
Husband and
Wife
together
By themselves, and with their children. Those who are
acquainted with
Prayer, find such unspeakable sweetness in it,
that they will not be hindered therein. That you may pray much,
live holily; and that you may live holily, be much in
Prayer.
8-13 Though Christians cannot always be exactly of the same
mind, yet they should have compassion one of another, and
Love
as brethren. If any
Man desires to live comfortably
On Earth, or
to possess eternal
Life in
Heaven, he must
Bridle his tongue
from wicked, abusive, or deceitful words. He must forsake and
keep far from evil actions, do all the good he can, and seek
peace with all men. For
God, all-
Wise and every where present,
Watches over the righteous, and takes care of them. None could
or should harm those who copied the
Example of
Christ, who is
perfect
Goodness, and did good to others as his followers.
14-22 We sanctify
God before others, when our conduct invites
and encourages them to
Glorify and honour him. What was the
ground and reason of their
Hope? We should be able to defend our
religion with
Meekness, in the fear of
God. There is
No room for
any other fears where this great fear is; it disturbs not. The
Conscience is good, when it does its office
Well. That person is
in a sad condition
On whom
Sin and suffering meet:
Sin makes
suffering extreme, comfortless, and destructive. Surely it is
better to suffer for
Well-doing than for evil-doing, whatever
our natural impatience at times may suggest. The
Example of
Christ is an argument for patience under sufferings. In the case
of our
Lord's suffering, he that knew
No Sin, suffered instead
of those who knew
No Righteousness. The blessed
End and design
of our
Lord's sufferings were, to reconcile us to
God, and to
bring us to eternal
Glory. He was
Put to
Death in respect of his
human nature, but was quickened and raised
By the power of the
Holy
Spirit. If
Christ could not be freed from sufferings, why
should Christians think to be
So?
God takes exact notice of the
means and advantages people in all ages have had. As to the old
world,
Christ sent his
Spirit; gave warning
By Noah. But though
the patience of
God waits long, it will cease at last. And the
spirits of disobedient sinners, as soon as they are out of their
bodies, are committed to the
Prison of
Hell, where those that
despised
Noah's warning now are, and from whence there is
No
Redemption.
Noah's
Salvation in the
Ark upon the water, which
carried him above the floods, set forth the
Salvation of all
true believers. That temporal
Salvation By the
Ark was a
Type of
the eternal
Salvation of believers
By Baptism of the Holy
Spirit. To prevent mistakes, the
Apostle declares what he means
By saving
Baptism; not the outward ceremony of
Washing with
water, which, in itself, does
No more than
Put away the filth of
the
Flesh, but that
Baptism, of which the baptismal water formed
the sign. Not the outward ordinance, but when a
Man,
By the
Regeneration of the
Spirit, was enabled to repent and profess
Faith, and purpose a new
Life, uprightly, and as in the presence
of
God. Let us beware that we
Rest not upon outward forms. Let
us learn to look
On the ordinances of
God spiritually, and to
inquire after the spiritual effect and working of them
On our
consciences. We would willingly have all religion reduced to
outward things. But many who were baptized, and constantly
attended the ordinances, have remained without
Christ, died in
their sins, and are now past recovery.
Rest not then till thou
art cleansed
By the
Spirit of
Christ and the
Blood of
Christ.
His resurrection from the dead is that whereby we are assured of
purifying and peace.