Peter’s Heirs to the Kingdom

In 1 Peter 3, the apostle Peter gives instruction particular to men and women – husbands and wives – imploring them to devote themselves to God, and each to be an example to the other.

Peter draws upon the tradition of the day (where women were frequently rendered subordinate to men), yet, notably, he also transcends it.

Certainly, this text has been misconstrued to excuse subjugation of women. Peter says, after all, that wives should “submit yourselves to your own husbands” (1 Peter 3:1 and 5 [NIV]). But a closer analysis of the text reveals something greater: in God’s sight, Peter intends complete equality between men and women.

Peter concludes his preceding chapter with an entreaty for Christians living in pagan society. Of note, at the time of Peter’s writing, Christians were widely outnumbered and frequently repressed. Peter’s words are directed toward nonviolence, to maintain peace even in the face of great suffering (as Christ suffered, too). Violence will usurp the spirit and deny apprehension of grace (really, rejoicing and jubilance in manifestation of the theophany). This is important context, because it frames Peter’s message.

All Christians were subjected at this time, fraught with hardship because of their faith. Peter’s entreaty that, “Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters” – another troublesome line used to excuse ungodly and unchristian impulses in the past – must be couched against this widespread repression.

“For it is commendable,” Peter says, “if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God” (1 Peter 2:19 [NIV]). Right there, Peter calls slavery unjust.

His purpose is not to condone servitude (or even suffering) but to elucidate the irrelevance of the physical condition: that consciousness of God can be maintained in suffering (and self-abnegation) but must be lost when violence is inflicted. Indeed, there is a peace that surpasses all understanding – the cultivation and preservation of this peace seems to be Peter’s ultimate goal here.

Regardless, in commencing the next chapter, in which he implores “Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands,” Peter suggests exemplary action, to avoid argument and violence, not mere obeisance. Violence and passion usurp caritas: that love which the Greeks termed “agape,” the resplendent bliss inherent from the consciousness of God. The ultimate point here is there is can be no war if one party refuses to participate. Peter’s purpose is to recognize that if “any of them [husbands] do not believe the word (λόγῳ, ‘logo’), they may be won over without words (λόγου, “logou”) by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives” (1 Peter 3:1-2 [NIV]).  Note the play on words.

Then, Peter says “You are [Sarah’s] daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.” (The reader must bear in mind the physical realities that confront the issue here.) But then Peter positions spiritual equality. He enjoins “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner [the word is σκεύει, ‘vessel,’ not really ‘partner’] and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (1 Peter 3:7 [NIV]) (emphasis added).

There’s a lot in there that the English obscures. But, for our purposes here, the phrase “in the same way” is important. In Greek, the word is ὅμοιος (“homoiōs”), and means “equally,” “in the same way,” from the root ὁμός (“homos”) meaning the “same,” but also “together.” This is an important nuance lost in the English. Husbands are meant to act in the same way. They are meant to act together.

Additionally, the word translated as “as you live with your wives” is συνοικοῦντες (“synoikountes”) which means “dwelling together” and, in the Greek text, is followed by κατὰ γνῶσιν (“kata gnōsin”), meaning “according to knowledge” – living together in knowledge – an inference of carnal knowledge, perhaps, but more importantly sublimeknowledge, disciples of God – “rendering honor” (ἀπονέμοντες τιμήν (“aponemontes timēn”)) as (and here is the important part) συνκληρονόμοις (“synklēronomois”), “joint-heirs.”

The word synklēronomois is translated as simply “heirs” in the New International Version (and the King James Version). But the better translation is “joint-heirs,” like “joint tenants” at law – an equality of position, emphasized by the prefix “syn” (“together, with”) which plays on the synoikountes (“dwelling together”) recited previously.

Far from saying women are lesser to men, as this text has been abused to imply before, Peter actually equates the sexes. He says unequivocally that men and women are equal heirs to the grace (χάριτος, “charitos”) of life, that men should treat women in the same way that women are to treat men, to be “like-minded (ὁμόφρονες,“homophrones”), sympathetic (συμπαθεῖς, “sympathies”), love one another (φιλάδελφοι, “philadephoi”; better translated as “loving as brothers”), be compassionate (εὔσπλαγχνοι, “eusplanchnoi” (tender-hearted)) and humble (ταπεινόφρονες, “tapeinophrones”). Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

Lastly, Peter’s comparison of women to Sarah is also highly symbolic and relevant. His allusion is to the receipt of grace when Sara became Sarah (with the “h”) after bearing Isaac. The same “h” appends Abram’s name when he becomes father of the nations (Abraham) after breaking bread with Melchezidek in God’s City of Peace.

To properly understand this reference, we must revert to the Masoretic transmission and employ the use of Aramaic now in lieu of Greek.

In Aramaic, the letter heh is the definite article. When the letter is joined to the front of a word, it renders the word definite (such as turning “chair” into “the chair”). As such, standing by itself, the letter heh has been translated as “Lo” and “Behold.” It represents specificity, the definiteness of knowing an object particularly – not an object, the object. The letter heh is also the letter repeated in the Tetragrammaton (the four lettered name of God) and is used in volcalizing the name read aloud in text because it also stands for “hashem,” “the name.”

Abram becoming Abraham is highly significant. The transformation signifies apprehension of God. Abram became Abraham because he beheld and knew. He saw. Likewise, Sara receives the letter (to the end of her name) to become Sarah after bearing Isaac. She, too, beheld and knew. She saw. They dwell together in the knowledge of God, and their union is the inheritance of the kingdom.

For more on the Gematria of the letter heh and Abraham, please see our blog post here.