1 Peter 3:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

After speaking indefinitely of holy women, he calls them daughters of Sarah, either by faith or by descent. For daughters must necessarily imitate their mothers. Along with the adornment fitting for Christian women, he persuades them also to be merciful, without fearing punishment from their husbands for this. This is what he wishes to express by the words, "not frightened by any fear." For naturally husbands will sometimes demand an accounting from them for expenses. By this lofty speech he persuades frugal and timid women to distribute household goods more generously...

In particular, the Apostle points to the example of Sarah in her relation to her husband Abraham. This example was especially powerful for Christian women from among the Jews. As the distinctive feature of these relations, the Apostle designates her obedience to Abraham.

He has in mind not one or several particular cases of such obedience. He presents this feature as generally distinctive of her relation to Abraham, as wife to husband. As testimony to precisely such relations, the Apostle points out that she called him her lord. This is clear from the narrative of Genesis (Gen 18:12; cf. 1 Kingdoms 1:8 according to the Septuagint), although they both had one father according to the flesh (Gen 20:12).

The duties of wives and husbands (1 Pet 3:1-8). To the former the Apostle commands submission to their husbands, so that by meekness and a pure life they may have a good influence on them. They are to adorn themselves not with outward braiding of hair or ornaments of gold, but with inward qualities of the heart, like the holy women, for example Sarah, who obeyed Abraham. To husbands he commands prudent and meek conduct toward their wives, as toward the weaker vessel and as toward fellow heirs of the life of grace.

Having defined the civic relations of Christians, the Apostle Peter now gives counsel concerning family life, which is first ordered by wives. He counsels them to obey their husbands and generally to live in the fear of God, since by this they can dispose their husbands toward Christianity.

Knowing women’s usual passion for finery, the Apostle counsels them to adorn themselves not with perishable beauty, but with spiritual beauty, that is, purity of heart. They should adorn themselves with what is especially precious before God: meekness and obedience, imitating the righteous wife of Abraham and other holy women.

Among the many holy women of the Old Testament worthy of imitation by Christian married women, the Apostle names one: Sarah, the wife of Abraham. She was constantly the obedient servant of her husband. As a sign of obedience, she called him her lord (Gen 18:12), although, according to the meaning of her name, she herself was “lady of a multitude.” They were also both children of one father by different mothers (Gen 20:12).

Peter exhorts women to imitate the holy women, and above all Sarah. He persuades them to be subject to their husbands as she was to Abraham, and says that they become her children by doing good works. Just as the one who does Abraham's works and has his faith becomes his child, so also those who do good works according to faith have Sarah as their mother.