First of all, it is essential to mention that this isn’t a way to look down on Bible teachers and other eminent scholars. Likewise, it isn’t a way to school anyone on… the use of English. As a matter of fact, this writer isn’t a native speaker of the English language nor has he training on any literary related discipline. He isn’t a Bible scholar; hasn’t the slimmest Biblical training, and worse still, not an avid reader of the Holy Bible.
In the meantime, it is easy for anyone to observe, without clutters, that quite a lot of Biblical passages are vividly comprehensible. However, the interpretation given to certain passages in the Holy Bible could be flawed when compared with what is not just a natural phenomenon but also obvious. Intrinsically, such explanations could be the source of apparent contradiction between the referenced passage and another.
With due regard to all eminent Bible scholars, a woman isn’t a weak vessel.
“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” (The entire verse.)
“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them… as unto the weaker vessel… ; that your prayers be not hindered.” (Shortened)
1st Peter 3:7 (KJV)
The Holy Bible did not refer to the woman as a weak vessel as most people tend to interpret this verse. Throwing further confusion into the interpretation are the expressions of other Bible versions.
English Standard Version 2011 (ESV) says…
“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor 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.” 1st Pet 3:7 (ESV)
From the NET Bible 1996 – 2007, it is as follows:
“Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers.” 1st Pet 3:7 (NET)
According to these two Bible versions, the woman is a weak vessel.
A humble meaning for the seventh verse of first Peter chapter three is that the woman should be treated as if (as unto) she is weaker than the man. In this verse, the Bible is simply teaching the man to pamper his spouse. This is a Biblical lesson that is being taught as a masculine marital input. So, it… (Pampering the woman) is an input that shouldn’t only precede sexual activities; rather, it should be a regular habit from the man.
It is noteworthy that a feeble individual wouldn’t ever be able to cope with the rigor embedded in the Book of Proverbs 31:10 – 30. The first verse depicts a title and a description of this title for the passage. Fourteen out of the verses describes a woman of desirable physical and mental strength. Verse thirty affirms why a woman should maintain a precious link to God. Finally, five verses (11, 12, 23, 28 and 29) are loaded; to corroborate the fact that the woman is an appropriate help to the man (“… help meet… ” Gen 2:18).
Indeed, in real life situations… with an all-embracing overview, every man craves success in his marriage and therefore, a prosperous family. The woman likewise, though in a stepwise approach, is praying for the same thing. Worthy of note here is that this feminine approach is instructive; it has the capability to split issues into pin-point fineness before applying skills for a perfect resolution. For the fact that he’s working towards the same goal as his wife, then, the man should co-opt his able companion. Cheerfully, he should relate with her, definitely not as a weak being, (and please take note of this) but… “As unto a weaker vessel… “