Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honour 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
Peter in our verse today is specifically addressing the marriage relationship between husband and wife. We learn from this epistle that we not only can hinder our prayers, but how we hinder them.
The ‘live with understanding’ Peter wants held is the knowledge concerning roles established by God’s order.
But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:3
Peter does not specifically explain why the vessel is weaker but most commentaries agree it is likely physical capacity. While we understand physical limitations, we realize today that this is not always the case. Some women are in fact stronger than some men.
To understand ‘weaker’ from our verse is to see that God has placed the role of a wife under the authority of her husband and to understand the vulnerable position submission requires. With that admonition comes the need for honour to be given.
Malachi chapter two gives us another insight into hindered prayers within marriage. ‘Dealing treacherously with the wife of your youth’ is something God views as faithlessness. God is a God of covenant and does not alter what has come from His lips; and because of the faithlessness of the vow, God says he ‘does not regard the offering’ from the hands of the unfaithful husband. Malachi 2:13-16. This would then be hindered prayer.
To live as the weaker vessel requires a foundation of love and trust in order to live in agreement. You know this, but for clarity, the husband, as head, is not a dominating, controlling force but rather one who leads, as Christ does his church. Submission can never be demanded or forced. By virtue of what submission is, a willing compliance for the greater purpose of unity, it must be freely given.
Submission is first seen in our relationship to the Lord and then practiced and learned within marriage, family and church by submitting one to another.
Always remain mindful that first and foremost as believers, each individual, male or female, is His. We are all inheritors of His grace. “I am what I am by the grace of God’. His grace has made us and set us in our roles. He decrees we are fearfully and wonderfully made with much value and honour bestowed upon every part.
Paul writes in his letter to the church at Corinth, this admonition to honour weaker vessels in the body of Christ. From 1 Corinthians 12:22–25; he requires a greater honour given to the weaker parts, noting that all those parts that seem weaker are necessary. ESV says they are ‘indispensable parts’.
Let’s look at this word hindered from HELPS Word-studies and bring this into a broader picture from marriage to include the knowledge and honour of weaker vessels within His body.
Hinder ~ 1465 egkóptō (from 1722 /en, "in" and 2875 /kóptō, "cut") – properly, cut into (like blocking off a road); hinder (A-S) by "introducing an obstacle that stands sharply in the way of a moving object" (Souter); (figuratively) sharply impede, by cutting off what is desired or needed; to block (hinder)
With Ephesians chapter five telling us marriage holds the mystery of Christ and His church, we can glean within our marriage relationships an understanding of how Jesus views and cares for His church. By washing and cleansing, nurturing and cherishing, Jesus works to keep His bride without spot, wrinkle or blemish.
Such righteous and loving leadership always promotes a willing yieldedness (submission) and a place of agreement. The seed bed for unhindered prayers.
As it is seen in the natural marriage relationship, so it should be seen within the body of His church. Honour and willing submission must be practiced for the sake of unity and agreement as we offer up, as righteous men and women, fervent and effectual (unhindered) prayers.