1 Peter 3:7 Commentary, May Your Prayers Not be Hindered
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
1 Peter 3:7, KJV
7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
1 Peter 3:7, NIV
7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.
1 Peter 3:7, NLT
7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
1 Peter 3:7, ESV
7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
This verse was written as a call to action for husbands to give honor to their wives. To respect them as the weaker partner, not because they are an inferior sex, but because husbands are to be protectors of their wives. “…and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”
Interpretation
Christian husbands are to treat their wives as fellow heirs to the gracious gift of life afforded to us by God. Husbands that fail to respect their wives as joint-heirs and do not follow God’s command to honor them may see their prayers be hindered.
Women here are referred to as a “weaker vessel,” this isn’t an attack on women as the weaker sex, but as a call for husbands to follow God’s order and be their protectors. This is no proclamation that women are unequal or inferior to men.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28, KJV
It is important to recognize the “fellow heir” part of this verse. As much as the third chapter of 1 Peter emphasizes individual roles within family dynamics, this phrase reminds us just how important it is to see marriage as more than just husbands and wives. When a husband and wife are married they become one flesh and share the grace, honor, and life that God has blessed us with.
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Matthew 19:4-6, NIV
Context
In the third chapter of 1 Peter, he reflects on the family dynamics of Christians. Peter encourages wives to be submissive to their husbands and to set an example through their actions so that:
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
1 Peter 3:1, KJV
Correlation
The Bible is full of lessons and commandments on how Christians should live their life, and this is no different. By the grace of God we have forgiveness of our sins and by the grace of God we know how to treat our loved ones. This verse is a perfect example of that.
Application
Husbands are co-heirs with their Christian wives and should be the head of the household the same way Christ was head of the church. Husbands are to be protectors, and must never treat or see their wives as lesser, as doing such is in defiance of the will of God.
They should find the time in their prayers to speak with God, giving honor to Him and thanking Him for the blessing of one flesh under marriage.
