EXPLORE THE TEXT

Husbands (1 Peter 3:7)

Application Point:

Husbands are to honor their wives as fellow believers.

7 Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way,
as with a weaker partner, showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life,
so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Key Word

Husbands

The Greek word used here (aner) occurs in some form more than two hundred times in the New Testament and can refer to any man.
For example, Jesus used the same term to describe the wise man who built a house on the rock and the foolish man who built on the sand in Matthew 7:24-27.
The emphasis is not on marital status but on the distinction of males from females, though the term also can distinguish adult men from boys.
This is true in both biblical usage and in classical Greek usage among secular authors of the time.
The context provides the translation for husbands.
Since Peter had addressed women with husbands at the start of chapter 3, his reference here should be understood as men with wives.

List:

list characteristics of a husband
focus on the meaning of the following key phrases:

• an understanding way (knowledge of God’s ways and God’s Word)
• weaker partner (women were in a weaker position in society)
• coheirs (in God’s eyes, neither husband nor wife had an unfair advantage)

Ask:

• Why are husbands called to honor their wives?
• How can a husband do that in practical ways? (PSG, p. 51)

Discuss:

consider the connection between a man’s relationship with his wife and his relationship with God.