Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadHeinrich Meyer Commentary - 1 Peter 3:7 - 3:7
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
1Pe_3:7. οἱ ἄνδρες ὁμοίως ] ὁμοίως , with the participle following, refers back, as in 1Pe_3:1, to ὑποτάγητε πάσῃ ἄνθρ . κτίσει , with which the exhortation begins (Hofmann); though there is no ὑποτασσόμενοι (cf. 1Pe_2:18, 1Pe_3:1), there lies something corresponding to it in the fact that the wife on her part possesses a τιμή to be acknowledged by the husband. Pott erroneously renders ὁμοίως by “vicissim, on the other hand;” nor is it, as de Wette thinks probable, to be expanded: “in like manner, ye men also, hear my exhortation.”
συνοικοῦντες ] συνοικεῖν ( ἅπ . λεγ .) is not a euphemismus de tori conjugalis consuetudine (Hieronym. contra Jovian, lib. l. c. 4; Augustin. in Psalms 146., etc.); the reference is rather to life together at home.
κατὰ γνῶσιν ] As γνῶσις is here anarthrous, it is wrong to understand γνῶσις as referring directly to “Christian recognition of the relation of wife to husband” (Brückner, Schott); κατὰ γνῶσιν is rather an adverbial expression, in which γνῶσις is to be understood generally, as Wiesinger correctly remarks: “according to recognition, i.e. so that home life must be regulated by knowledge and understanding” (so also Hofmann). Similar adverbial expressions, formed by a conjunction of κατά with an anarthrous subst., occur frequently both in classical and N. T. Greek. It is evident from the context that κατὰ γνῶσιν has here special reference to the marriage relation; but from this it does not follow that the interpretation: “in a judicious, discerning manner,” or Luther’s: “with reason,” is incorrect (in opposition to Brückner and Schott). De Wette is completely mistaken in rendering γνῶσις by: “that knowledge of men and self, in fact, that inward discernment, which is the condition of all moderation,” as is Bengel also directly by: moderatio.[176]
ὡς ἀσθενεστέρῳ σκεύει τῷ γυναικείῳ ] is erroneously connected by Luther and others with ἀπονέμοντες ; it belongs, however, to συνοικοῦντες , which requires a nearer definition.
The word σκεῦος is used to designate the wife in 1Th_4:4 (see Lünemann in loc.) with reference to the husband; the same meaning, though with various applications, is here attributed to it by many interpreters. Beza: est femina vas i. e. comes et adjutrix viro ad fideliter coram Deo transigendam vitam adjuncta; Bengel: denotat hoc sexum et totum ingenium temperamentumque foemineum. But this view is incorrect, for τῷ γυναικείῳ , sc. σκεύει , is subjoined by way of explanation, and the comparative ἀσθ . shows that the husband also is thought of as σκεῦος . σκεῦος must be taken here in its specific meaning of a utensil (or instrument) serving a particular purpose, and is accordingly to be understood as specially applicable to man, in so far as the latter is used by God for the accomplishment of His will (cf. Act_9:15). It is inaccurate, nor can it be justified by Rom_9:21 ff., to take the word in the general sense of “creation” (so Wiesinger, and formerly in this commentary). Hofmann understands σκεῦος here as referring both to the husband and the wife, inasmuch as “in a life united in marriage, one part is destined to be and to accomplish something for the other;” but the reference to this mutual relation is purely arbitrary.[177]
ἈΣΘΕΝΕΣΤΈΡῼ ] Bengel: Comparativus, etiam vir habet infirmitatem; in like manner Steiger: “the less weak is called upon to assist the more weak” (thus also Fronmüller). This view is, however, incorrect; it is the husband rather as the stronger ΣΚΕῦΟς —there is no reference made here to his weakness—who is here contrasted with the wife as the weaker (de Wette, Wiesinger, Schott, Hofmann). And, because he is such a ΣΚΕῦΟς , it is demanded of him that he live with his wife ΚΑΤᾺ ΓΝῶΣΙΝ ; Ὡς here also states the reason: because the wife is a ΣΚ . ἈΣΘΕΝΕΝΈΣΤΕΡΟΝ , it is accordingly incumbent on the man to behave towards her ΚΑΤᾺ ΓΝῶΣΙΝ . Schott erroneously sees in ΚΑΤᾺ ΓΝῶΣΙΝ the determining reason why the man should treat her as a ΣΚ . ἈΣΘ .; but this can the less be maintained, that Κ . ΓΝ . cannot signify: “because he recognises her as such,” but states the manner of the ΣΥΝΟΙΚΕῖΝ .
ἈΣΘΕΝΕΣΤΈΡῼ ΣΚΕΎΕΙ stands in apposition to Τῷ ΓΥΝΑΙΚΕΊῼ , sc. σκεύει , and is put first by way of emphasis.
ΓΥΝΑΙΚΕῖΟς , ἍΠ . ΛΕΓ ., Lev_18:22; Deu_22:5, LXX.; Est_2:11; Est_2:17.
ἈΠΟΝΈΜΟΝΤΕς ΤΙΜΉΝ ] “in that ye show honour (respect) to them;” ἀπονέμειν in the N. T. ἍΠ . ΛΕΓ .
The participle is not co-ordinate with the foregoing ( ΣΥΝΟΙΚΟῦΝΤΕς ), but subordinate to it, since it brings prominently forward one of the chief ways in which the preceding exhortation may be carried into effect. The thought here must not be arbitrarily limited to any special relation (e.g. to that of maintenance or of continence, etc.). The husband should, in every relation, show the respect due to his wife.
ὡς καὶ συγκληρονόμοις [- οι ] χάριτος ζωῆς ] serves as ground of the exhortation; if the reading be: ΣΥΓΚΛΗΡΟΝΌΜΟΙς , the reference is to the wives; if ΣΥΓΚΛΗΡΟΝΌΜΟΙ , to the husbands (in opposition to Pott, who somewhat singularly interprets as equal to ΕἸΣΙ ΓᾺΡ ΣΥΓΚΛΗΡΟΝΌΜΟΙ , sc. αἱγυναῖκες ). The dative is more in harmony with the structure of the sentence and the thought, and therefore is to be preferred to the nom. supported by the authorities; although the nom. may be defended on the ground that husbands, as ΣΥΓΚΛ . of their wives, should in turn regard the latter as their ΣΥΓΚΛ . But since this last is really the point of importance, it can hardly be assumed that the apostle would only have hinted at it—without openly giving expression to it.[178]
ΚΑῚ ΣΥΓΚΛΗΡΟΝΌΜΟΙς ] de Wette-Brückner explain: “as (those who) also (like yourselves) (are) fellow-heirs (one with another).” The reference here attributed to συν —simply on account of ΚΑΊ —is inappropriate, since it is a thought entirely foreign to the context, that the wives are heirs with each other. If the reading συγκληρονόμοις be adopted, ΣΥΝ applies to the husbands, equivalent to “with you;” καί may stand with reference to the foregoing ἈΣΘΕΝΕΣΤΈΡῼ , adding a second particular to it (Schott); or it may also serve simply to intensify ΣΥΝ , since, strictly speaking, it is redundant.[179] If, however, συγκληρονόμοι be read, καί is to be taken in the latter way, and is not to be explained thus: “by ἀπονέμοντες something further is enjoined, which goes beyond the … κατὰ γνῶσιν ” (Hofmann); for συνοικοῦντες κατὰ γνῶσιν stands imperatively, whilst συγκληρονόμοι does not say what the husbands should be, but what they are. With the idea κληρονόμοι , cf. chap. 1Pe_1:4; the expression συγκληρ ., Rom_8:17; Eph_3:6; Heb_11:9.
χάριτος ζωῆς ] ζωῆς states in what the χάρις , of which they are and will be κληρονόμοι , consists. It is erroneous to resolve the expression into χάρις ζῶσα (Erasmus) or χάρις ζωοποιοῦσα (Grotius). Hofmann, assuming συγκληρονόμοι ποικίλης χάριτος ζωῆς to be the true reading, gives an interpretation different from the above: “as such who, with their wives, share a life of manifold grace, i.e. of those divine favours which are experienced in common in every marriage by believers and unbelievers.” In this way, however, justice is done to neither of the ideas, nor is it pointed out what the favours in married life referred to are.[180]
εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐγκόπτεσθαι , (Rec. ἐκκόπτεσθαι ) τὰς προσευχὰς ὑμῶν ] ἐγκόπτειν , strictly, incidere, then intercidere, from which arises the further meaning impedire (Hes. ἐμποδίζειν , διακωλύειν ); ἐκκόπτειν , pr. excidere, whence stirpitus delere; cf. Job_19:10, LXX.: ἐξέκοψε δὲ ὥσπερ δένδρον τὴν ἐλπίδα μου ; the idea of the latter word is stronger than that of the former, but the thought in both readings remains substantially the same, since both expressions denote the ceasing of prayer. Wiesinger incorrectly understands the meaning of the term ἐγκόπτ . to be: “prayer in the meantime there still is, but the way is closed to it.” In like manner de Wette, following Bretschneider: ne viam praecludatis precibus vestris, remarks: “Prayer is by sin hindered from mounting up to the throne of God;” and such is in substance Hofmann’s view.[181] This idea would, however, have been more definitely expressed. The apostle does not say that the power and the hearing of prayer are hindered, but that the prayer itself is (this also in opposition to Reiche). In harmony with the connection of this last clause, by τὰς προσευχὰς ὑμῶν is to be understood either the joint prayer of married persons (Weiss, p. 352),[182] or the prayers which those here addressed offer up, as the husbands of their wives (or, further, as heads of households). Depreciation of the wife, in spite of union with respect to the ΚΛΗΡΟΝΟΜΊΑ , necessarily excludes prayer from married life.[183] Schott: “Where the husband does not recognise that the union of natural life in marriage is also union in the state of grace, there can naturally be no expression of the spiritual and Christian fellowship of marriage, no prayer in common.”
[176] Oecumenius understands this exhortation in connection with ver. 6 as having a special application to the household: οἱ ἄνδρες … συνοικῦντες · τουτέστιν : αἴσθησιν λαμβάνοντες τῆς τοῦ θήλεος κουφότητος καὶ τοῦ εὐπαραφόρου ἐν πᾶσι , καὶ εἰς μικροψυχίαν εὐολίσθου , μακρόθυμοι γίνεσθε πρὸς αὐτὰς , μὴ λόγον ἀπαιτοῦντες πικρῶς τῶν κατὰ τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτῶν εἰς ταμιείαν παρακατεθέτων .
[177] Schott arbitrarily asserts that the creature is here termed σκεῦος , “as a vessel which is destined to receive into itself, as its real contents, the realization of the divine will.” Even though a vessel containing something can be termed a σκεῦος , it does not follow that σκεῦος must be understood as meaning this and nothing else.
[178] In the 2d edition of this Commentary it was said: “Why should not the apostle base his exhortation to the men to honour their wives, by reminding them (the men) that they are called to inherit the χάρις ζωῆς along with their wives?” Reiche says: scilicet quia absurdum(!) esset, sic argumentari; Brückner maintains that meaning to be “altogether inappropriate and foreign to the purpose of the address.” These assertions, however, can by no means be accepted, since the consciousness of being a fellow-heir of salvation with any one may very well lead to a recognition of the τιμή which he possesses. Nor is there anything improbable in the circumstance itself, that the apostle, whilst basing the exhortation: συνοικεῖν κατὰ γνῶσιν , on the position of the women, should ground the ἀπονέμειν τιμήν on the position of the men.—Schott passes too lightly over the whole question.
[179] On the redundance of καί in comparisons, see Winer, p. 390 [E. T. 548]; but this use of it cannot be appealed to, since ὡς here is not a comparative particle. Wiesinger thinks that συν perhaps contains the reference to a community to which man and wife equally belong; but what this was, would have been indicated by the context, as Eph_3:6; such, however, is not the case here. To the expression “strictly” Reiche adds a?, without ever thinking that, since the same idea is expressed by καί and συν , one of the two must be redundant, and that “strictly” is only meant to show that καί is in so far not purely redundant, that it serves to strengthen the idea expressed by συν .
[180] There is no warrant for the opinion that the apostle’s exhortation must apply also to such husbands as have unbelieving wives, since a case so special might well have been passed over. If the apostle had wished to make reference to this, he would in some way have alluded to it; cf. ver. 1 ff.
[181] In this interpretation the reference to the coming of prayer to God is a simple importation. Hofmann adds to the interpretation, that “the sighs of the wife bar the road to the husband’s prayers, by accusing him to God before his prayer, thus rendered worthless, reaches Him.” But this is a thought altogether foreign to the context.
[182] Although in ver. 7 it is the husbands who are addressed, still, as the verse treats of their behaviour towards their wives, ὑμῶν can well apply to both.
[183] Hieronymus, Oecumenius, etc., apply the words according to 1Co_7:3, ad honorem impertiendum uxoribus a viris, qui sit abstinentia a congressu, ut orationi vacare possint (Lorinus), which is connected with the false interpretation of συνοικοῦντες ; Nicol. de Lyra says more correctly: cum vir et uxor non sunt bene Concordes, minus possunt orationi vacare. The Scholion in Matthaei, p. 199, is inadequate: ὁ γὰρ περὶ τὴν οἰκίαν θόρυβος τῶν κατὰ Θεὸν ἔργων ἐμπόδιον .