independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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Wives and husbands: the hidden person of the heart 3:1–7
vv. 1–2 — the wife's submission, and the winning without a word
1
Ὁμοίως αἱ γυναῖκες ὑποτασσόμεναι τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν,independent — imperatival participle — the household code continues (2:13, 18); τοῖς ἰδίοις: their own husbands, not men generally
ἵνα καὶ εἴ τινες ἀπειθοῦσιν τῷ λόγῳ,conditional — the ἵνα opens the purpose, then the real protasis intrudes — leans on the promise below
διὰ τῆς τῶν γυναικῶν ἀναστροφῆς ἄνευ λόγου κερδηθήσονται,purpose — the ἵνα's own verb — the missionary hope: ἄνευ λόγου answers τῷ λόγῳ, conduct where the word was refused
2
ἐποπτεύσαντες τὴν ἐν φόβῳ ἁγνὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν.participial — the occasion of the winning — ἐν φόβῳ read of reverence toward God (1:17; 2:17), not fear of the husband
vv. 3–4 — the adornment antithesis: not the outside but the hidden person
3
ὧν ἔστω οὐχ ὁ ἔξωθεν ἐμπλοκῆς τριχῶν καὶ περιθέσεως χρυσίων ἢ ἐνδύσεως ἱματίων κόσμος,relative — continuative relative on γυναῖκες — the κόσμος held to the line's end, after the braiding-gold-clothing list
4
ἀλλ’ ὁ κρυπτὸς τῆς καρδίας ἄνθρωποςphrase modifier — the ἔστω carried over — the counter-adornment: what no eye but God's inspects
ἐν τῷ ἀφθάρτῳ τοῦ πραέως καὶ ἡσυχίου πνεύματος,phrase modifier — τὸ ἄφθαρτον — the imperishable against gold that perishes (1:18)
ὅ ἐστιν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ πολυτελές.relative — neuter ὅ — the whole imperishable adornment; πολυτελές, God's own price-word set against the χρυσία
vv. 5–6 — the precedent: the holy women, and Sarah
5
οὕτως γάρ ποτε καὶ αἱ ἅγιαι γυναῖκες αἱ ἐλπίζουσαι εἰς θεὸν ἐκόσμουν ἑαυτάς,independent — γάρ — the ground from sacred history; their hope in God defines them
ὑποτασσόμεναι τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν,participial — their adornment was the submission of v. 1 — the same words repeated
6
ὡς Σάρρα ὑπήκουσεν τῷ Ἀβραάμ,comparative — the named example — the matriarch herself
κύριον αὐτὸν καλοῦσα·participial — Gen 18:12 — Sarah's κύριος, spoken there only to herself, taken as her habit of honor
ἧς ἐγενήθητε τέκναrelative — on Σάρρα — Gentile wives made daughters of Sarah, as believers are sons of Abraham
ἀγαθοποιοῦσαι καὶ μὴ φοβούμεναι μηδεμίαν πτόησιν.participial — conditional-force participles — doing good, unafraid of any πτόησις (Prov 3:25 LXX)
v. 7 — husbands: knowledge, honor, unhindered prayer
7
Οἱ ἄνδρες ὁμοίως συνοικοῦντες κατὰ γνῶσιν,independent — imperatival participle again — the code's one word to the stronger party: live together κατὰ γνῶσιν
ὡς ἀσθενεστέρῳ σκεύει τῷ γυναικείῳ ἀπονέμοντες τιμήν,participial — both are σκεύη — hers the frailer; the comparative concedes his advantage only to command honor
ὡς καὶ συγκληρονόμοι χάριτος ζωῆς,comparative — nominative — husbands joint-heirs with their wives (some witnesses read the dative: honoring them as co-heirs); in grace, no weaker vessel
εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐγκόπτεσθαι τὰς προσευχὰς ὑμῶν.purpose — εἰς τό + infinitive — dishonor at home cuts the line of prayer
One mind, blessing for reviling — Psalm 34 3:8–12
vv. 8–9 — the five virtues, and blessing instead of retaliation
8
Τὸ δὲ τέλος πάντες ὁμόφρονες, συμπαθεῖς, φιλάδελφοι, εὔσπλαγχνοι, ταπεινόφρονες,independent — verbless — five adjectives framed by ὁμόφρονες and ταπεινόφρονες, the code widened to all
9
μὴ ἀποδιδόντες κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ ἢ λοιδορίαν ἀντὶ λοιδορίας,participial — the implied imperative carried on — the non-retaliation of 2:23 made the community's rule
τοὐναντίον δὲ εὐλογοῦντες,participial — the exchange reversed — a blessing paid out for the insult received
ὅτι εἰς τοῦτο ἐκλήθητεcause — the ground — the call of 2:21 again: εἰς τοῦτο, to this very exchange
ἵνα εὐλογίαν κληρονομήσητε.purpose — epexegetic to εἰς τοῦτο — bless, and inherit blessing: the two εὐλογ- words answer each other
vv. 10–12 — Ps 34:12–16 (LXX 33:13–17), quoted without a formula
10
ὁ γὰρ θέλων ζωὴν ἀγαπᾶν καὶ ἰδεῖν ἡμέρας ἀγαθὰςcause — Ps 34:12 — the psalm enters on bare γάρ, its suspended subject grounding the whole call to bless
παυσάτω τὴν γλῶσσαν ἀπὸ κακοῦ καὶ χείλη τοῦ μὴ λαλῆσαι δόλον,independent — Ps 34:13 — the psalm's own imperative resumes the suspended subject: the tongue first (v. 9's λοιδορία)
11
ἐκκλινάτω δὲ ἀπὸ κακοῦ καὶ ποιησάτω ἀγαθόν,independent — Ps 34:14a — from speech to deed: the ἀγαθοποιεῖν of the whole letter
ζητησάτω εἰρήνην καὶ διωξάτω αὐτήν.independent — Ps 34:14b — peace not merely kept but hunted
12
ὅτι ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίουςcause — Ps 34:15 — the psalm's own ground, verbless: the watching eyes
καὶ ὦτα αὐτοῦ εἰς δέησιν αὐτῶν,cause — the listening ears — the προσευχαί of v. 7 heard
πρόσωπον δὲ κυρίου ἐπὶ ποιοῦντας κακά.cause — Ps 34:16a — the citation stops before the psalm's 'to destroy them': the face set, the doom left unquoted
Suffering for righteousness: the ready defense 3:13–17
vv. 13–14 — who will harm you? blessed even if you should suffer
13
Καὶ τίς ὁ κακώσων ὑμᾶςindependent — verbless question with future participle — echoing Isa 50:9: who is he that will do you evil?
ἐὰν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ζηλωταὶ γένησθε;conditional — backward protasis on the question — zealots for the good, the letter's ἀγαθοποιεῖν made a passion
14
ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ πάσχοιτε διὰ δικαιοσύνην,conditional — the rare OPTATIVE πάσχοιτε — suffering as remote possibility, not expectation; leans on the beatitude below
μακάριοι.independent — the one-word apodosis — the beatitude of Matt 5:10 in a single verbless word
τὸν δὲ φόβον αὐτῶν μὴ φοβηθῆτε μηδὲ ταραχθῆτε,independent — Isa 8:12 — αὐτῶν read as the fear they inspire; the prophet's word to the conspiracy-frightened
vv. 15–16 — sanctify Christ as Lord: the defense with gentleness
15
κύριον δὲ τὸν Χριστὸν ἁγιάσατε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν,independent — Isa 8:13 continued — τὸν Χριστόν set where the LXX has the LORD of hosts (later witnesses restore τὸν θεόν)
ἕτοιμοι ἀεὶ πρὸς ἀπολογίανphrase modifier — verbless readiness — the inner sanctifying issues in a standing preparedness
παντὶ τῷ αἰτοῦντι ὑμᾶς λόγον περὶ τῆς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐλπίδος,phrase modifier — the court is anyone who asks — a λόγος rendered concerning the hope, the letter's keyword (1:3, 21)
16
ἀλλὰ μετὰ πραΰτητος καὶ φόβου,phrase modifier — the manner of the defense — the πραΰς spirit of v. 4, and fear toward God, not the askers
συνείδησιν ἔχοντες ἀγαθήν,participial — the defense's silent partner — the conscience that reappears in baptism's ἐπερώτημα (v. 21)
ἵνα ἐν ᾧ καταλαλεῖσθε καταισχυνθῶσιν οἱ ἐπηρεάζοντες ὑμῶν τὴν ἀγαθὴν ἐν Χριστῷ ἀναστροφήν.purpose — ἐν ᾧ — in the point of the slander itself (cf. 2:12); the shame changes sides
v. 17 — the maxim: better for doing good
17
κρεῖττον γὰρ ἀγαθοποιοῦντας,independent — the maxim suspended — κρεῖττον with its ἐστίν elided, the participle waiting for its infinitive
εἰ θέλοι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ,conditional — the second OPTATIVE — a parenthesis: even this suffering only if the willing Will wills it
πάσχειν ἢ κακοποιοῦντας.content — the subject-infinitive lands — better to suffer as doers of good than as doers of evil
Christ's suffering and victory: the spirits, the flood, baptism, the throne 3:18–22
vv. 18–19 — the once-for-all suffering, and the proclamation to the spirits
18
ὅτι καὶ Χριστὸς ἅπαξ περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν ἔπαθεν,cause — ὅτι grounds the maxim of v. 17 — Christ the proof that suffering for good is better; ἅπαξ: once, unrepeatable
δίκαιος ὑπὲρ ἀδίκων,phrase modifier — apposition — the substitution in four words; the δίκαιος suffering διὰ δικαιοσύνην (v. 14) to the uttermost
ἵνα ὑμᾶς προσαγάγῃ τῷ θεῷ,purpose — the purpose — προσάγειν, the word of presentation at court and at the altar
θανατωθεὶς μὲν σαρκὶparticipial — μέν — the first of the pair; dative of sphere: in the realm of flesh, men killed him
ζῳοποιηθεὶς δὲ πνεύματι·participial — δέ — the answering member: in the realm of the Spirit, God made him alive — the resurrection, not a disembodied state
19
ἐν ᾧ καὶ τοῖς ἐν φυλακῇ πνεύμασιν πορευθεὶς ἐκήρυξεν,relative — the crux — read as the risen Christ's proclamation of victory to the imprisoned spirits of Gen 6:1–4 (1 Enoch's watchers); not a descensus offer to the human dead, nor Christ preaching through Noah
vv. 20–22 — Noah's flood, baptism's antitype, the session at God's right hand
20
ἀπειθήσασίν ποτεparticipial — the spirits identified by their ancient revolt — ἀπειθεῖν, the letter's word for unbelief (2:8; 3:1)
ὅτε ἀπεξεδέχετο ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ μακροθυμία ἐν ἡμέραις Νῶεconditional — ὅτε-temporal — the longsuffering personified, waiting out the hundred and twenty years (Gen 6:3)
κατασκευαζομένης κιβωτοῦparticipial — genitive absolute — every plank of the building a measure of the patience
εἰς ἣν ὀλίγοι, τοῦτ’ ἔστιν ὀκτὼ ψυχαί, διεσώθησαν δι’ ὕδατος.relative — the little flock in the ark — ὀλίγοι, like the exiles of Asia; δι' ὕδατος both through and by means of the water
21
ὃ καὶ ὑμᾶς ἀντίτυπον νῦν σῴζει βάπτισμα,relative — ὃ with ὕδωρ as antecedent — the flood-water finds its ἀντίτυπον in baptism's water: judgment passed through, not around
οὐ σαρκὸς ἀπόθεσις ῥύπουphrase modifier — the negative definition — no mere bath; σάρξ again the outer sphere (v. 18)
ἀλλὰ συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς ἐπερώτημα εἰς θεόν,phrase modifier — ἐπερώτημα read as appeal (some: pledge) — the good conscience of v. 16 turned Godward in the water
δι’ ἀναστάσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,phrase modifier — with σῴζει — the water saves only through the risen One; ζῳοποιηθείς (v. 18) is the engine of the sacrament
22
ὅς ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ θεοῦrelative — the session — Ps 110:1, the sentence's landing place: from suffering to the throne
πορευθεὶς εἰς οὐρανόν,participial — πορευθείς again — the same journey-verb as v. 19: one triumphal progress, proclamation to enthronement
ὑποταγέντων αὐτῷ ἀγγέλων καὶ ἐξουσιῶν καὶ δυνάμεων.participial — genitive absolute — ὑποτάσσω, the code's own verb (3:1, 5), spoken last of the cosmos: every power under the sufferer
Analysis. The household code keeps its shape from chapter 2: flush-left imperatival participles carry the commands — Ὁμοίως αἱ γυναῖκες ὑποτασσόμεναι (v. 1), Οἱ ἄνδρες ὁμοίως συνοικοῦντες (v. 7) — with an olive protasis nested inside the very ἵνα of v. 1 (even if some refuse the word), so that the wordless winning κερδηθήσονται stands as the purpose's own verb. The adornment antithesis of vv. 3–4 hangs as a dashed pair: the outward κόσμος (held to the end of its line, after braiding, gold, clothing) denied, the hidden person of the heart supplied under the same ἔστω, descending to God's price-word πολυτελές. The Psalm 34 citation (vv. 10–12) enters with bare γάρ, no citation formula, so the psalm's third-person imperatives hang as a column under the suspended subject ὁ γὰρ θέλων ζωὴν ἀγαπᾶν, ending in the three verbless eyes-ears-face lines. Twice an optative is flagged — πάσχοιτε (v. 14) and θέλοι (v. 17), the mood of remote possibility, rare in the NT: suffering is entertained, not expected — and Isa 8:12–13 is quoted with τὸν Χριστόν set where the LXX has the LORD of hosts, the letter's highest christology. Verses 18–22 are one descending sentence, ten levels deep, from Christ's once-for-all suffering down through the spirits, the flood, baptism, to the throne. The crux of v. 19 is resolved thus: ἐν ᾧ picks up πνεύματι — in the sphere of his risen, Spirit-wrought life — and πορευθείς (repeated of the ascension in v. 22) is the risen Christ's journey to proclaim victory, not an offer of salvation, to the imprisoned spirits of Gen 6:1–4 (the watchers of 1 Enoch); the alternatives — a descensus preaching to the human dead, or the pre-incarnate Christ preaching through Noah — are named but not taken. The ὃ of v. 21 has ὕδατος as antecedent (the flood-water finds its antitype in baptism's water), ἐπερώτημα is read as the appeal of a good conscience toward God, and δι' ἀναστάσεως is taken with σῴζει: the water saves only through the resurrection.