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Sarah's Submission: Peter's Analogy in 1 Peter 3:5–6

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Sarah's Submission: Peter's Analogy in 1 Peter 3:5–6 Sarah’s Submission: Peter’s Analogy in 1 Peter 3:5–6 Michal Beth Dinkler Introduction These highest ranking males legally could “‘throw out’ babies, re- sort to prostitutes and make life miserable for their wives.”7 Still, In chapter 3 of his first letter, Peter1 draws an analogy between because of their superior social status, husbands “had more to Christian wives of the first century and the Old Testament matri- lose socially from conversion to an unpopular minority religion,” arch Sarah. This directive (1 Peter 3:5–6) subsequently has been and, accordingly, “Christianity spread faster among wives than used to support the view that, universally, every woman “should husbands.”8 submit to her husband as she submits to the Lord.”2 On the other Even more germane to our text is the fact that a wife was hand, some scholars hold that this passage simply “reinforc[es expected to worship her husband’s god(s), or face the charge of a] dominant patriarchal system and phallocentric mindset” and atheism.9 Thus reads Plutarch’s assertion: “It is becoming for a should be rejected altogether as oppressive to women.3 How are wife to worship and know only the gods that her husband be- we to understand Peter’s charge? Is this a universal, divinely in- lieves in.”10 Furthermore, for wives to reject “the family religion spired mandate for hierarchical marriage relationships? Or is Pe- determined by their husband would be more public, as well as ter hopelessly patriarchal and irrelevant? In fact, Peter’s rhetoric more intimate,” and would be particularly threatening to fathers, points to an entirely different conclusion: Peter advocates quali- because “wives were responsible for raising children for the first fied submission to non-Christians in order to be a witness for period of the children’s lives.”11 Christ’s self-sacrifice. Mosaic law testifies to the low social status of Jewish women as The passage states literally: well.12 Gilbert Bilezikian observes that “the Old Testament word v. 1: In the same way, wives, submitting to your own husbands, for husband (baal) was also used for ‘master,’ ‘owner,’ and ‘lord,’” in order that also, if they are unbelievers of the word, by the and that “the legal status of a married woman was that of a child conduct of the wives, without a word, they will be won over, in relation to the ruler of a house.”13 A woman’s low social status also made her economically dependent on her husband. In prac- v. 2: having seen your reverent and pure conduct. tical terms, this was a necessary, but not ideal, hierarchy. Thus, v. 3: (Let) it not be the outer adornment, the braiding of hair “Peter’s advice is practical, not harsh as it might sound in our and wearing of gold or putting on of garments, culture. Although philosophers’ household codes often stressed that the wife should ‘fear’ her husband as well as submit to him, v. 4: but the hidden person of the heart, in the immortality4 of Peter disagrees (v. 6; cf. 3:13–14). Christian wives were limited the gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great value in the sight in their options, but Peter wants them to pursue peace without of the Lord. being intimidated.”14 Peter’s instruction was not only practical; it v. 5: For in this way formerly also the holy women, the ones was also radical. As Campbell asserts, “Undoubtedly, the Chris- hoping in God, were adorning themselves (by) submitting to tian wives to whom Peter writes have virtually no chance for an their own husbands, egalitarian marital arrangement. Yet for them to remain faithful Christians, maintaining their own religious identity . is quite v. 6: as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, of whom you revolutionary.”15 will be made children if you continue doing good and not be- Here, we turn to Peter’s overall purpose: to exhort believers to ing made afraid by any fear.5 glorify God in suffering, so others will be encouraged to glorify God. David Balch reminds us that the household codes in 1 Peter Women in the Greco-Roman world perform an “apologetic function,” since “the lack of submission of In 3:1, we read that, in this section, Peter directly addresses the wives to their husbands would be a source of slander or blasphe- gunaikes, or “wives.” However, he is not addressing all wives; he my against Christianity.”16 However, Balch also reaches the un- qualifies his address by speaking particularly to wives of “unbe- tenable conclusion that Peter is advocating total “acculturation to lievers/those who disobey the word” (apeithousin tō logō).6 This Roman society.”17 Campbell disagrees with Balch, and yet he also point is crucial to understanding Peter’s directive to wives in 3:1–7, because his primary purpose is evangelistic: he instructs MICHAL BETH DINKLER is a doctoral student in New Testament/Early Christianity at Harvard Di- his readers to endure so that unbelievers might “be gained/won vinity School. She holds the Master of Divinity over” (kerdēthēsontai). from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and In order to appreciate Peter’s instructions to Christian wives, the Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees one must understand that the place of women in first-century in English Literature from Stanford University. She Greco-Roman society often made conversion to Christianity a also is a candidate for ordination in the Presbyteri- dangerous undertaking. Both Jewish and Greco-Roman women an Church (USA). Prior to pursuing doctoral work, she served as the were expected to obey the paterfamilias, the “father of the family.” Associate Editor for Priscilla Papers. Priscilla Papers ◆ Vol. 21, No. 3 ◆ Summer 2007 • 9 draws a problematic conclusion; he argues that, in this instance, In Genesis 12 and 20, Sarah actually does obey Abraham. Peter “agrees with the morality of the larger Greco-Roman cul- However, in these instances, Abraham is no God-fearing, selfless ture.”18 On the contrary, Peter does not admonish wives to reject husband. He “disowns the beautiful Sarai as wife, calls her his their Christian faith, nor to merge their husbands’ religion(s) sister, and allows Pharaoh [and Abimelech] to use her, thereby with Christianity, both of which could entail either acculturation ensuring his own survival, even his prosperity.”32 In fact, at the or endorsement of those cultural values. Instead, Peter tells the time of these stories, Abraham is “an example of a husband dis- women to remain committed completely to their faith and com- obedient to the word.”33 Though Abraham initially obeys God mitted completely to their husbands. and leaves his home in faith,34 he does not trust that God will The complications involved in a wife’s conversion, as well as protect him in accordance with God’s promise; instead, he takes admonitions to avoid being “unequally yoked,”19 may have led matters into his own hands at the expense of his wife. For this Christian women to contemplate leaving their unbelieving hus- reason, he is held culpable and Sarah is exculpated.35 bands. Yet, Peter does not advise Christian women to reject their Peter does not refer to Abraham and Sarah because Abraham pagan husbands because he is concerned about the survival of is a model husband; quite to the contrary. Abraham is an exam- the women and the salvation of the men. The husbands are to ple of the husband in 1 Peter 3:1 “who does not believe/obey the be “won over” (kerdēthēsontai) by their wives’ good “conduct” word.” Nor does Peter cite these Genesis stories because Abraham (anastrophēs).20 holds a perpetual superior position over Sarah. Rather, “Sarah’s case was cited in full knowledge of the fact that Abraham point- Wider literary context: Sarah and Abraham edly obeyed his wife as often as she obeyed him, once even under Umberto Eco rightly observes that “no text is read independently God’s specific command (Gen. 16:2, 6; 21:11–12).”36 of the reader’s experience of other texts.”21 Intertextual frames in- Sarah and Abraham are a fitting example for Peter’s audience form the way we understand a specific text; a text’s immediate lit- in 1 Peter 3 because, in many ways, Sarah’s situation paralleled erary context, as well as its general literary context, provide clues that of first-century women. As David Wheaton writes, because to which we refer when we are filling textual gaps and resolving “the domestic economy depended on the husband earning a liv- textual ambiguities. ing for the family, it was natural that the wife should look to him In our text, Peter is drawing an analogy between first-century to make decisions concerning where they should live etc. Sarah’s Christian women and the Old Testament figure of Sarah. Even readiness to go with Abraham in obedience to God’s call is an in the first century, Sarah, first named Sarai,22 carries authority, example of this kind of relationship.”37 The dangers inherent in a since, “together with Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel, [Sarah] was first-century woman’s conversion to Christianity also are analo- deemed in Judaism to be one of the four mothers of the chosen gous to the perils faced by Sarah, misrepresenting herself in a people.”23 The author of Hebrews commends Sarah because she foreign ruler’s palace; nevertheless, Sarah courageously “chose to received the power to conceive “in faith” (pistei).24 save her husband’s life.”38 Because Peter makes a specific reference to the Old Testament, Most importantly, Peter presents Sarah as a “Christ-like ex- determining the text to which he refers is essential to under- ample” because she is “willing to suffer vicariously” for her hus- standing his intention.
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