"It was in this way long ago that holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves by accepting the authority of their husbands."
Well this is certainly NOT the most popular reading for our very progressive, forward leaning denomination. The problem with reading the while bible is that we have to read even the parts of the bible that trouble us and acknowledge that there is Truth to be found in them (and that is Truth with a Capital T).
So what exactly do we learn from Peter? Well it is certainly easy to say 'but, but, but! Peter also says Wives should show consideration to their husbands! See 1st Century Progress!' That may be true, but I'm not sure that quite does it for us. If I were to say that to my wife, for example… it would not turn out well. Nevertheless, Peter did offer this lesson for a reason. But rather than consider what he said, let us consider instead why he said it. What could possibly make Peter want to say that wives should be subservient to their husbands… and worse to compare the relationship of husband and wife to master and slave! Perhaps…. perhaps, there is something so wrong in this community, something so broken in the marital relationships, indeed in all relationships that Peter is seeking to restore order to that community as best as he can. Witness the continuation of the lesson "Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart and a humble mind."
Is it possible that Peter found himself surrounded by a culture of division? Where there was little sympathy for any who was not like Me? Where love was little more than a buzzword and where tenderness, humility and unity are non existent?
Perhaps Peter lived in a time not unlike ours?
I would suggest, quite humbly then, that our response is neither to embrace Peter's instructions nor to reject this as outdated, but rather to consider how alike our two worlds might be. To contemplate what, if we aren't going to preach like Peter, what we are going to say to our community that is in desperate need of sympathy, humility, tenderness and above all, Love. How are we going to speak to the husbands and wives, the masters and the slaves and get them to open themselves up to God's love? And above all to get them to accept that, in the words of the Psalm "to [God] all flesh shall come, when deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions. Happy are those whom you choose and bring near to live in your courts." How can we bring more people into God's Courts?
--Grey Maggiano
Well this is certainly NOT the most popular reading for our very progressive, forward leaning denomination. The problem with reading the while bible is that we have to read even the parts of the bible that trouble us and acknowledge that there is Truth to be found in them (and that is Truth with a Capital T).
So what exactly do we learn from Peter? Well it is certainly easy to say 'but, but, but! Peter also says Wives should show consideration to their husbands! See 1st Century Progress!' That may be true, but I'm not sure that quite does it for us. If I were to say that to my wife, for example… it would not turn out well. Nevertheless, Peter did offer this lesson for a reason. But rather than consider what he said, let us consider instead why he said it. What could possibly make Peter want to say that wives should be subservient to their husbands… and worse to compare the relationship of husband and wife to master and slave! Perhaps…. perhaps, there is something so wrong in this community, something so broken in the marital relationships, indeed in all relationships that Peter is seeking to restore order to that community as best as he can. Witness the continuation of the lesson "Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart and a humble mind."
Is it possible that Peter found himself surrounded by a culture of division? Where there was little sympathy for any who was not like Me? Where love was little more than a buzzword and where tenderness, humility and unity are non existent?
Perhaps Peter lived in a time not unlike ours?
I would suggest, quite humbly then, that our response is neither to embrace Peter's instructions nor to reject this as outdated, but rather to consider how alike our two worlds might be. To contemplate what, if we aren't going to preach like Peter, what we are going to say to our community that is in desperate need of sympathy, humility, tenderness and above all, Love. How are we going to speak to the husbands and wives, the masters and the slaves and get them to open themselves up to God's love? And above all to get them to accept that, in the words of the Psalm "to [God] all flesh shall come, when deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions. Happy are those whom you choose and bring near to live in your courts." How can we bring more people into God's Courts?
--Grey Maggiano
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