Exegetical Studies in 1 Peter Part 12 -- By: John Henry Bennetch

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 100:399 (Jul 1943)
Article: Exegetical Studies in 1 Peter Part 12
Author: John Henry Bennetch


Exegetical Studies in 1 Peter
Part 12

John Henry Bennetch

(Continued from the April-June Number, 1943)

3:7 closes the long exhortation begun in 2:11. Peter has been urging his readers to exercise spirituality in all the varied relations of society. His final word on the subject is addressed to married men. One verse sums up briefly their responsibility as wedded Christians.

“Ye husbands” (R.V.) verse 7 will begin in accordance with the directness of the Greek original, “Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with your wives, etc.” Ὁμοίως is repeated from above at verse 1. In what manner does the writer mean? Just as the first verse bade the wives to honor their mates agreeable to the general command of 2:17, “Honor all,” so the married men are addressed here. 3:7 will go on to explain, of course, in what ways the man is to revere his spouse. Συνοικοῦντες, the verb, occurs but this once, although the two parts of the compound-dwell with-are familiar enough terms. Robertson has commented on how old a Greek word it is for domestic association.1

Believing husbands are asked to dwell with their partners “according to knowledge.” The knowledge involved we learn in the words following. There it is disclosed in what two ways man should look up to woman with genuine respect. First, she must be honored as a vessel weaker than the man (“giving honor unto the female vessel, as weaker,” R.V. margin). Second, she ought to be revered as a joint-heir of the

grace of life along with the spouse.2 Use of the comparative word here, weaker, will imply that both man and woman are frail creatures. Certainly Scripture bears this out. Peter, for example, has borne testimony in chapter 1 : “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.” It was to be expected that the husband should have greater powers of vitality, since fallen man has the responsibility of winning a livelihood for his family, but fallen woman the more sheltered life at home bearing and rearing the children (Gen 3:16–19). Description of man and wife as a vessel...

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