“THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,
MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.
11 “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD;
HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.
12 “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS,
AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER,
BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.”
In these verses, piggy backing on verse 9, Peter quotes from Psalm 34:12-16. I suppose, being aware of so much evil around him, Peter knows that the way of righteousness and peace is so much better.
8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
After Peter’s exhortation to be submissive, he gives this appeal to all believers: to be of one mind, understanding of each other, to love one another, to be kind to each other, and to be humble. Then (in verse 9), for those more apt to be proud, he tells them not to return evil for evil, but instead, to give them a blessing (Rom. 12:21). God desires that we all will be blessed. He wants to bless us through each other.
7 You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
Husbands are to be submissive in the same way as the wives; but not to her as a leader over him (he is to be the leader). His submissiveness is to God in his duty of understanding that she is a woman who is not as strong (physically) as a man. Also, he must honor her as a fellow heir of God’s gift of life. And if he does this (if he understands her and honors her) his prayers will not be hindered. I take this to imply that if a man is not submissive in his duty to his wife he will be in disobedience to God, and thus God will reject all of his prayers. We can’t expect our prayers to be heard if we go against God’s will, especially in regard to our wives.
5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; 6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.
The holy women like Sarah did adorn themselves with a gentle and quiet spirit; and thus, being holy she was submissive to her husband Abraham and also to God. All wives who do the same as Sarah will become her children (spiritually). And though some may be fearful of a non-believing husband, they need not be; for they are doing what is right in the eyes of God and He will guard their souls. Evil men may kill the body but not the soul.
3 Your adornment must not be merely external — braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
The wife’s external adornment must reflect her humble submissiveness (v. 5). And I think she can be both beautiful and submissive. But Peter emphasizes here that inner beauty is more important than outer beauty. Inner beauty will not fade away as a flower. In fact, if one is growing in the Lord it will increase in beauty, in contrast to the outward beauty of the body that will decrease with age. What is this inner beauty? Peter describes it as a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious to God.
1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.
In this first verse, Peter returns to the subject of submission, which he began in 1 Peter 2:12, where he instructed his readers to keep their behavior excellent (in submission to God) among the Gentiles. Then in verse 13 they were to submit to every human institution; then in verse 18, servants were to be submissive to their masters.
Here Peter returns to this subject in regard to the family. Wives are to be submissive to their husbands. And the reason is so that any husband who is a non-believer may be won over by the good behavior (submissive behavior) of his wife. Apparently, God has put it in the heart of a man (even a non-believer) to think well of a chaste and respectful wife. Unfortunately, there are a few non-believers who are so evil that they will never be won over. If that is the case, there will be constant suffering for the believing wife, and she must continually cling to God for strength, and always requesting the prayers of church members.
25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
Peter may have been thinking of Isaiah 53:6, referring to our unregenerate condition, as sheep without a shepherd, unguided and unprotected from evil. But when we gave our heart to Him we repented of our sinful ways and started following Him as our Shepherd and Guardian. As our Shepherd He watches over us, guides us, and leads us in the paths of righteousness (Ps. 23). As our Guardian He is our good protector from evil, keeping our soul protected forever.
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
This is the mystery of the new life. Believing in Him we enter the miracle of the process of the new life. Since He died to pay for our sins, we in turn also died with Him and are freed from our sins. And because He was raised from the dead, having paid for our sins, we also, in Him, are raised with our sins paid for. Being cleansed of sin we live in righteousness.
Now putting it another way, we could say that through the wounds that He suffered on the cross, we are healed. We are spiritually healed from any ailment do to sin now, and we will be physically healed at our glorification (Rev. 21:4).
23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
Jesus was abused with hateful language (especially at His trial and during His crucifixion). But He did not say anything back. Mathew records (in Matt. 27:12-14): “And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. 13 Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?’ 14 And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.”
The reason why he remained silent is because He knew it was His time to suffer, and He also knew that only His Father could deliver Him. So, He entrusted Himself (handed Himself over) to God whom He knew would judge Him righteously. His Father would let Him be crucified to pay for our sins, but in the end He would be resurrected and returned to heaven.
21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
We are called to salvation, and in that calling we are also called to suffer as Christ did. Hence, we have His example to follow. And He did suffer unjustly, since He committed no sin or was ever deceitful. He was a perfect man. And if we try to be as He was, we will suffer as He did, inflicted from the hands of sinful men, from Satan and his demons, from the sinful world, and from our own sinful flesh.
Stephen Nielsen 