A few weeks ago I wrote about a well known, and maybe not so popular, verse in 1 Peter 3. The writer is giving instructions to husbands on how they are to live with their wives. Wives are referred to as the “weaker partner” or as someone who is weaker. This morning I was looking into this a little deeper and found something fascinating.
The NIV Study Bible notes this:
Weaker partner: Not a reference to moral stamina, strength of character or mental capacity, but most likely to physical strength and social status.
In fact the Greek word the writer uses for weaker is asthenes (as-then-ace) which means without strength, but can also be understood or translated as without necessary resources. Remember, this letter was written 2000 years ago when women had very little social value.
The word for partner is skeuos in the original Greek text. It means vessel or any instrument by which anything is done. This is actually brilliant of Peter and echoes back to the creation story.
Genesis 2.18-24 (CEB):
18 Then the LORD God said, It’s not good that the human is alone. I will make him a helper that is perfect for him.19 So the LORD God formed from the fertile land all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky and brought them to the human to see what he would name them. The human gave each living being its name.20 The human named all the livestock, all the birds in the sky, and all the wild animals. But a helper perfect for him was nowhere to be found.21 So the LORD God put the human into a deep and heavy sleep, and took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh over it.22 With the rib taken from the human, the LORD God fashioned a woman and brought her to the human being.23 The human said,24 This is the reason that a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife, and they become one flesh.
Back to 1 Peter 3.7. The word the writer uses for partner, skeuos, refers to the wife as contributing to the usefulness of the husband.
If my memory serves me correctly, I believe Peter was a married man. So by “partner” he man really be meaning, “the one that makes me useful.”
It’s certainly true for me.
