#bible #Biblestudy #public #1peter #1peter3 # 1 Peter 03 📖 > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts]] [[#🔗 Related Passages]] [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] --- ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) ### Wives and Husbands [^1]In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then, even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way you live, 2 when they see your pure and reverent conduct. 3 Let yourbeauty not be external—the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes— 4 but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. 5 For in the same way the holy women who hoped in God long ago adorned themselves by being subject to their husbands, 6 like Sarah who obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You become her children when you do what is good and have no fear in doing so. 7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers. ### Suffering for Doing Good [^2]8 Finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble. 9 Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead blessothers because you were called to inherit a blessing. 10 For **_the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep_** **_his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit_**. 11 **_And he must turn away from evil and do good;_** **_he must seek peace and pursue it_**. 12 **_For the eyes of the Lord are_** **_upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer_**. **_But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil_**. [^3]13 For who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good?  14 But in fact, if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. **_But_** **_do not be terrified of them_** **_or_** **_be shaken_**.  15 But set ***Christ apart as Lord*** in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess.  16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you.  17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil. 18 Because Christ also suffered once for sins, _the just for the unjust_, to bring you to God, by being put to death in the flesh but by being made alive in the spirit. 19 In it he went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 after they were disobedient long ago when God patiently waited in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water.  21 And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you—not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience to God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,  22 who went into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels and authorities and powers subject to him. --- ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary #### Verse 1-6. Peter spends some time addressing the ladies in the churches. It is lost on us today how irregular it was for the people of the time. You did not usually address women directly. The fact Peter is doing this shows that the early church would have been considered progressive for the time because they considered women to be of equal spiritual standing as men. Peter also appears to be primarily talking to women with unbelieving husbands. It was considered common for the wife to follow the religion of her husband. Peter is talking to women who were following Jesus instead. This could create massive disruption in the home. How do they honor their husband and not dishonor God? Peter gives three basic instructions. **Verse 1-2**: - Let your actions speak louder than your words. For every person who has been won over by words, a thousand have been won by actions. (In both directions.) - Peter is saying that is the pure and reverent conduct that shows the genuineness of our faith. **Verse 3-4**: - At the time, the things Peter mentions were status symbols. They were ways to align with cultural expectations and show their wealth or position in the social hierarchy. The braided hair was also a sensual symbol. Peter is saying their character, not culture, show determine value. **Verse 5-6**: - Sara calls her husband “master.” This is not saying she considered her husband greater. It was saying she was willing to accept his leadership. - Peter is saying that their trust in God allows them to accept the imperfect leadership of their husbands. They trust God as their ultimate authority. #### **Verse 7**. - Some of asked why Peter spends the first six verses talking to women and only one verse talking to men. Since the primary responsibility of women was inside the home, it could be said that the last several verses have mainly been focused on men. - Peter is being unorthodox here. Men were considered the ‘lords’ of their homes. Peter is telling them to not be so forward in their leadership that they forget to turn around and honor those who follow. They are to: - Live differently. - See their wives as their greatest ministry. - See their “leadership” as an act of worship to God. - “Prayers not be hindered.” This verse has been taken to mean different things. It is clear that this means the way we live affects the way God relates to us. #### Verse 13-22. This is section of Scripture is some of the most debated passages in the entire New Testament. It is a great text in reminding us to be humble before the Lord. By this, I mean that we don't always know everything about every text. There are a few texts in the Bible that leave room for various interpretations. Therefore, we have be careful saying we are absolutely certain about something. **Verse 13**. - Peter is not saying that if we do good, there is no one to harm us. It is more of a statement on the type of people who want to harm Christians, despite the Christians doing all they can to do good. **Verse 14**. - Peter is quoting the same idea as [[Isaiah 8]]. - The idea was that the people of God were being pressure by corrupt leaders and rival nations to align so they could defeat common enemies. God is telling them not to be afraid or swept up into their fear. Instead, they are to honor the Lord as Lord of their life above all others. **Verse 15**. (The Apologetics Verse.) - "Set Christ apart as Lord" - Peter is reminding them that they are not to give into the temptation to be polytheistic. This was the norm in the Roman world. They served many different gods. Peter reminds them how different they are. - This verse is where the name of an entire sub-discipline within Christianity has come from. The greek word for the above phrase "give an answer," is apologia. It means to give a defense. Peter is directing the Christians to be prepared to present why they have hope in God. **Verse 16-17**. - Peter says that our lives tell the story of the Gospel just as much as our words. This does not mean that we refrain from telling the Gospel to others. It means that we should live in such a way that our actions discount our words. ##### **Verse 18-22**. (All the controversy.) These are the verse that give people so much trouble. There is no direct explanation in the Old Testament, except for the fact Peter is talking about the time of Noah. **Verse 18**- Peter shares the overall principle of this section that is often lost. He is telling the Christians that Christ also suffered, but this suffering was used for Him to ultimately overcome. If Christ suffered but ultimately overcame all adversity, He will lead us through any difficulty as well. **Verse 19-20**- There are primarily four possible interpretations for these verses: 1. Peter is saying Jesus preached "through" Noah (the Spirit of Christ) and was patient because no one turned to the Lord during the time the ark was being built. (Over hundred years) 1. Primarily believed by reformers. 2. **Rebuttal**- There is no mention of this in any direct way. You have to take a lot for granted to make this work. The main reason for this is due to the unwillingness to say the "sons of god" in Genesis 6 were angels. I think a theological predisposition requires you to have to come up with something if you automatically discount the supernatural. 2. Jesus went to hell and preached to those who died before the Cross. This would give them a second chance at salvation. 1. **Rebuttal**- very hard to believe because there is not another place in the Bible where anyone is given a second chance after death. 3. Jesus went to "Abraham's Bosom" to declare to the righteous dead that they had were heading to Heaven. This is taken from three places. 1. A parable by Jesus where He says there were two compartments in hell. One were for the righteous dead to have a place of rest and the other was a place torment. The point of the parable is that we need to be righteous while we live. There is no indication that Jesus is making a definitive statement about the geography of hell. 2. The fact that the gospels say there were righteous dead walking around the streets of Jerusalem after Jesus was resurrected. (It begs the question of where they came from.) 3. Those who hold to this interpretation say the righteous dead had to be "stored" somewhere other than heaven because the things of heaven had to be purified with the Blood of Jesus, first. They would say this is because the original sin did not occur on Earth, it occurred in Heaven when the devil had pride in His heart, according to the book of Ezekiel. 4. **Rebuttal**- You have to take a lot of logical leaps. First, Jesus was giving a parable. A parable is a story. This doesn't mean had to be a true story. Secondly, we do not know who they "righteous dead" were specifically and that verse is debated. Therefore, you have to make conclusions to that verse before you can apply it here. Finally, the idea that Heaven was not purified doesn't really work because it is where God dwells. No sin can stand in His unfiltered presence. Therefore, it is going to be difficult to explain how God could dwell Heaven, but His people could not. This also gives rise to the difficulty of assuming that the passage in Ezekiel that many take to mean Lucifier's origin story is just that, his origian story. However, despite all this, I will say this is what I believe to be the second most likely conclusion to this verse. 4. Jesus declared victory to the imprisoned angels from Genesis 6. 1. This means that Genesis 6 refers to fallen angels who had sex with human women. The result was an "unclean mixture." Upon the death of these offspring, demons were made. This means there are not an unlimited amount of demons. They are the disembodied spirits of the offspring of the nephilim. After this, God banished these fallen angels to a prison called Tarturas, which is under the Euphrates river. This is spoken of in the book of Revelation. According to the book of Enoch, Enoch was sent to these fallen angels to hear their case. They asked to be pardoned. God heard their request and said no. According to those who hold to this theory, Jesus went to these fallen angels who thought they had destroyed the human race and declared victory over them. He was telling them the human race had not been destroyed, but He had just saved them. 2. Believed by early church fathers and many modern scholars... and me. 3. **Rebuttal**- You have to believe Genesis 6 refers to angels and not the Seth line. You have to believe that there are actual angels being held in captivity. You also have to believe Peter was referring to an extra biblical source. This does not discount this theory. It does mean you have some explaining to do. 4. The book of Enoch- For Peter to refer to the book of Enoch does not mean he thought it was inspired or even accurate. He is using it to make a point. Much like if I were to refer to the Lord of the Rings book series to convey that good wins over evil in the end. I am saying the Lord of the Rings is inspired. I am saying it makes the point. Peter is using something they would have been familiar with to make a point. **Verse 21**- Baptism is a celebration for the victory of the Resurrection. **Verse 22**- Jesus has authority and no one of true power tries to contest His rule. Think about it. There is no place in the Bible where the devil is planning to try to overthrow God. He knows he cannot do it. Instead, the devil is trying to destroy God's people. --- ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights The Book of Enoch was known and read by the early church because it was likely written during the second temple period. (Time between Malachi and Matthew) - The book of Enoch was an allegory intended to grapple with what they thought about many spiritual things during this time. During this time, the Christians were thought of as atheists because they only worshipped one God. This was one of the biggest issues non-Christians had with them. They did not mind that they worshipped Jesus. They did not want them to only worship Jesus. --- ## 🧠 Chapter Summary What is the main event or teaching? - This chapter teaches about the beauty of suffering well for Jesus. - This chapter teaches how Jesus overcame all things through His suffering. How does this chapter fit the book’s overall story? - Peter is continuing to show them how to overcome the stigma they had received because of Nero. They were to reach out to those around them, not by yelling louder. They were supposed to live "higher" and to be ready to explain where their hope came from. What stands out immediately? - Verse 15-16. It is important to be able to articulate why you have hope in Jesus. It is also important to live as though you believe it. - Verse 19-21. Very controversial passage. Anything Apologetic to point out? - The whole thing is an apologetic on living unashamed in a world that needs to see and hear about Jesus. --- ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application - 📌 L - 📌 Observation 2 - 📌 Observation 3 - (Add more as needed.) #### Today, I can apply this chapter by: - ✅ Application 1 - ✅ Application 2 Make these very practical: - "Trust God's timing in an uncertain situation." - "Speak truth even when it’s unpopular." Think: - What do we learn about God here? - What do we learn about people? - Are there promises, commands, or warnings? --- ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of important verse." - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of another important verse." (You can link to deeper notes if you want later.) --- ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 - 🔗 Examples: - John 1:1 and Genesis 1 - Romans 5 and Genesis 3 --- ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection Write 3–6 sentences reflecting on: - How this chapter encourages your faith, - Convicts your heart, - Reveals God's character. Optional format: "In light of this chapter, I am challenged to..." or "I am comforted by..." --- ##### 📂 Internal Links [[SeriesOverview-Blessed Assurance (1 Peter)]] [^1]: [[Series_BAssurance_6_1Peter3.1-7]] [^2]: [[Series_BAssurance_7_1Peter3.8-12]] [^3]: [[Series_BAssurance_8_1Peter3.13-22]]