The Roman Law allowed a man to have authority over his wife and children as he did over slaves and animals. Thus, women had no rights at all, which caused some to flee. However, when Christianity came calling for love, some thought that Christianity urges women to rebel against their husbands. Therefore, the church directed these clear commandments to women, which instructs them to submit to their husbands.
St. Peter asks the women to submit to their husbands even if they do not obey the word. The husbands hear the practical word through the pure conduct of their wives, which is full of righteousness and fear of God. It is not appropriate for her to teach her husband, because he is her head, yet she can win him to the Lord by her submission and good behavior. St. John Chrysostom said: “Through the obedience of the wife to her husband, he becomes meek toward her... Through love, all attack is abolished; if he is atheist, he will accept the faith, and if he is Christian, he will become a better Christian (1).” Submission is not due to fear but rather it is submission in the Lord [Col 3:18], for she submits because the church submits to her Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus [Eph 5:24]. St. Clement of Alexandria said (2):
“It is written in the Holy Bible that the Lord gave man the woman to help him. She can help her husband and relieve all his burdens through her service and her good conduct and ability.
If he is not influenced by her good behavior, then she does all what she can to live a pure life, trusting that God is her helper and her Savior in this life and the life to come.
Let her take God to be her Guide in all her undertakings, doing righteousness and looking at God’s blessings as her goal.”
St. Paul addresses Titus in his epistle saying: “The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” [Titus 2:3-5]
St. Peter asks the women to submit to their husbands even if they do not obey the word. The husbands hear the practical word through the pure conduct of their wives, which is full of righteousness and fear of God. It is not appropriate for her to teach her husband, because he is her head, yet she can win him to the Lord by her submission and good behavior. St. John Chrysostom said: “Through the obedience of the wife to her husband, he becomes meek toward her... Through love, all attack is abolished; if he is atheist, he will accept the faith, and if he is Christian, he will become a better Christian (1).” Submission is not due to fear but rather it is submission in the Lord [Col 3:18], for she submits because the church submits to her Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus [Eph 5:24]. St. Clement of Alexandria said (2):
“It is written in the Holy Bible that the Lord gave man the woman to help him. She can help her husband and relieve all his burdens through her service and her good conduct and ability.
If he is not influenced by her good behavior, then she does all what she can to live a pure life, trusting that God is her helper and her Savior in this life and the life to come.
Let her take God to be her Guide in all her undertakings, doing righteousness and looking at God’s blessings as her goal.”
St. Paul addresses Titus in his epistle saying: “The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” [Titus 2:3-5]
Footnote
(1) “Brotherly Love”: Attributes of loving husbands, p. 258, 260.
(2) Stromata, 4:20.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-2
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; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation [coupled] with fear.
Author: Tadros Yacoub Malaty Rank: Monk Posted on: 2023-01-11 Source: Title: THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PETER Year (original): 1999 Author: Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty Number of pages: 106 Translation: FERIAL MOAWAD |
Except in so far as it will not be presumptuously if we treat the subject in accordance with the apostle. Touching modesty of dress and ornamentation, indeed, the prescription of Peter.
To persevere in their married state, and are sanctified, and have hope of "making a gain"
Author: Tertullian of Carthage Rank: Author AD: 220 |
Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 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."
Author: Clement Of Alexandria Rank: Author AD: 215 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.