How does 1 Peter 3:6 connect with Ephesians 5:22-24 on submission? Setting the Stage • Both passages speak directly to the marriage relationship. • Each roots submission in something larger than the marriage itself—trust in God (1 Peter) and the picture of Christ and the church (Ephesians). • Neither passage calls for inferiority but for voluntary, God-honoring order. Sarah’s Example—1 Peter 3:6 “just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and refuse to succumb to fear.” • Sarah’s “lord” was a respectful title; it expressed honor, not slavery. • Obedience flowed from trust—primarily trust in God’s promises (Genesis 12; 18). • Peter highlights courage: true submission does “not fear any intimidation,” implying strength under God’s protection. • Daughters of Sarah imitate her two qualities: doing right and refusing fear. Paul’s Charge—Ephesians 5:22-24 “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” • Submission is “as to the Lord”—an act of worship. • Headship mirrors Christ and the church; marriage becomes a living parable of redemption. • “In everything” assumes the husband’s leadership is consistent with Christ’s righteousness. How the Two Passages Connect 1. Same Command – 1 Peter 3:6: Sarah “obeyed.” – Ephesians 5:22: “Wives, submit.” 2. Same Motive – 1 Peter: Hope in God removes fear. – Ephesians: Devotion to Christ motivates willing submission. 3. Same Scope – Sarah followed Abraham into unknown lands (Genesis 12). – “In everything” (Ephesians 5:24) envisions comprehensive partnership, limited only by obedience to God (Acts 5:29). 4. Same Heart Posture – Quiet courage (1 Peter 3:4). – Voluntary yielding (Ephesians 5:22)—never forced, always faith-driven. 5. Same Result – 1 Peter: Unbelieving husbands “won over” (v. 1). – Ephesians: Marriage reflects Christ’s saving love, drawing attention to the gospel. Complementary Scriptures • Colossians 3:18: “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.” • Titus 2:4-5: Younger women are taught to be “subject to their husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.” • Proverbs 31:10-12: The excellent wife “does him good and not harm all the days of her life,” showing that biblical submission and strength coexist. Practical Takeaways • Submission is active faith—trusting God’s order even when circumstances are uncertain. • Husbands are called to Christ-like, sacrificial leadership (Ephesians 5:25-30), providing the context in which submission flourishes. • Courage replaces fear: wives follow Sarah’s path by doing right before God regardless of cultural pressure. • The union of 1 Peter 3:6 and Ephesians 5:22-24 portrays marriage as a testimony of the gospel—radiating Christ’s lordship, love, and redeeming power. |
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