Understanding Submission in 1 Peter 2 and 3
Anthony Parrott
CONTEXT
First of all, 1 Peter 3:1 has to be understood within the whole segment of 2:11–3:7. It begins with 2:11, which is Peter’s urging that the recipients of his letter recognize their “alien” status within the empire and world they find themselves in. Presumably, the audience is in a time of persecution. This could be outright torture, jail, and execution. Mostly, this would be probably imply societal marginalization: being excluded from the social functions, extended family gatherings, and—most devastatingly—the marketplace. No selling or buying.