Mary Lee passed on this question from a dear friend of ours. Since it might be helpful to others, here was my response:
THE QUESTION: Why in 1 Peter 3 did Peter use Sarah as an example of godly obedience? It seems like she obeyed him when she shouldn’t have (lying about not being his wife), and that the rest of what we know about her in scripture seems to be cynical and conniving. And the only time I recall her calling him “lord” is when she was laughing to herself inside the tent over God’s prophecy. All of the commentaries I read only mention her obedience in following him to an undisclosed land when God called them to leave their families and move to Canaan. Is that it, or am I missing something? Or maybe Peter had some special knowledge by the Holy Spirit that we are not made party to in the Old Testament? Or maybe my interpretation of Sarah’s behavior is off base?
THE RESPONSE:
Two questions come to the fore:
First, is the Apostle Peter justified to commend Sarah’s conduct and speech relative to her husband? And if so, for what particular acts was she commendable?
We answer the first simply by saying this is the Word of God. If the Word of God commends a particular woman for her proper submission toward her husband in act and speech, and puts her forward as an example to all women of God, that’s final. Of course, you already know this, but it must be said.
We answer the second question somewhat hesitantly since the Apostle Peter doesn’t answer it himself. But if we take the Biblical record of this submissive and godly paragon of wifely virtue (which is what the Apostle Peter says she is), then we might wonder if her going with Abram as he departed for an unknown place and land at the command of God wasn’t commendable? We might also assume it commendable that she gave ready submission to Abram when he asked her for food for their visitors. We might point to God changing her name from Sarai to Sarah, from “my princess” to “princess,” as partly a commendation by God Himself. Jerome and Augustine speak of Sarah’s motherhood of the Church and in renaming her, God elevated her from being the princess of Abram’s household to the princess of a multitude, which is the Church. Abraham’s name change had similar significance.
So God’s name changes of Abram and Sarai were His commendation of them both, which “grace alone” must not obscure or remove.
But again, what is commendable? Her laughter? No. Her lying about her laughter? No. Her submission to Abram passing her off as his sister, and going off to adultery? No. Her treatment of her maidservant, Hagar? No. The list of her sins could go on, but to what purpose? We have similar lists of sins of almost all the heroes of Scripture, including the patriarchs.
Here Henry is helpful: "God takes notice of the good that is in his servants, to their honour and benefit, but covers a multitude of failings; Sara’s infidelity and derision are overlooked, when her virtues are celebrated.”
So exactly what were her virtues?
For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right and are not frightened by any fear. (1Peter 3:5-6)
She was a holy woman who “hoped in God.” She adorned herself by submission to her own husband, obeying Abraham and calling him “lord,” and she did so not allowing herself to be frightened by any fear.
Really, if we stop to consider the words of God commending this woman, need we anything more than those words? Holy. Adorned by submission. Obedient. Was in the habit of showing respect to her husband in addressing him “lord.” Fearless in doing these things.
But again, how do we know she was and did these things when we have little record of them?
Aha, we’re now cornered and our skepticism toward the Word of God is exposed. Which is to say we know it because Scripture says it. Right here.
So I think the error we need to avoid is judging Sarah on the basis of her sins so scrupulously recorded by the same book of God which here records her righteousness. And if I might say, I think the problem we have with this command by the Apostle Peter is not Sarah’s sins, but our fears.
Anyhow, yes; the Apostle Peter had, as you put it, “special knowledge by the Holy Spirit."
