Abuse, Power and Fearful Obedience: Reconsidering 1 Peter's Commands to Wives (Library of New Testament Studies, 442)

Jennifer Bird examines the subjectivity of wives in 1 Peter with particular reference to the Haustafel (household code) section of the letter. Bird analyzes the construction of wives' subjectivity in 1 Peter , working primarily with that is referrre to as the Haustafel (household code) section and engaging feminist critical questions, postcolonial theory, and materialist theory in her analysis. Bird examines the two crucial labels for understanding Petrine Christian identity - 'aliens and refugees' and 'royal priesthood and holy nation' - and finds them to stand in stark contract with the commands and identity given to the wives in the Haustafel section. Similarly, the command to 'honour the Emperor', which immediately precedes the Haustafel, engenders a rich discussion of the text's socio-political implications. The critical engagement of several 'symptomatic irruptions' within the comands to the wives unvcovers the abusive dynamic underlying this section of the letter. Finally, Bird considers the present day implications of her study. Formerly The Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement , a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches. The Early Christianity in Context series, a part of JSNTS, examines the birth and development of early Christianity up to the end of the third century CE. The series places Christianity in its social, cultural, political and economic context. European Seminar on Christian Origins and Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus Supplement are also part of JSNTS. Acknowledgements x INTRODUCTION 1 1. LAYING THE FOUNDATION: A HISTORY OF THE SCHOLARSHIP 5 State of 1 Peter Studies 5 Early Scholarship 5 Post-1981 Scholarship 8 Precipitating Circumstances and Initial Recipients 9 1 Peter’s Christological Content 10 Literary and Rhetorical Studies of 1 Peter 11 Social and Theological Implications 13 General Haustafel Studies 14 Origin of the Form 15 Delineation of the New Testament Haustafeln 17 Sources for this Construct 20 Uniqueness of 1 Peter’s Haustafel 26 Address Directed Toward Slaves and Wives 26 Reference to Sarah 30 Cultural Signifi cance — imperial Pawns? 33 Conclusion 36 2. A NEW METHODOLOGY 37 Introduction 37 Feminist Studies 38 Representation: Speaking for and Standing in 38 Essentialism and “Othering” 40 Language/Discourse 41 Power 43 Sex and Power 44 Feminist Summary 45 Postcolonial Studies 45 Can we do “Postcolonial” Studies on Ancient Texts? 46 Representation 46 Mimicry 47 Language and Power 48 Bodies and Sex 49 Economic Issues 51 Postcolonial Summary 52 Materialist Concerns 52 Creation of Knowledge 53 Construction of Subjects 55 Materialist Summary 58 Weaving the Threads 59 3. READING THE RHETORIC 61 Introduction 61 “Aliens and Strangers” or “Immigrants and Refugees”? 63 Royal Priesthood and Holy Nation 66 Of Priesthoods and Nations 67 Ambivalent Mimicry 68 Israel’s Tradition Superseded 68 “Holy Nation” in relation to Empire 71 Materiality of Metaphors 73 “He doth protesteth too much” 74 Populating a Priesthood 76 Living into the Labels 77 “Honor the Emperor” 78 Kyriarchal Presuppositions 78 Emperor and Empire are Essential 78 “Honoring” is a Public Endeavor 81 Encouraging Collusion 83 2.13-17 as a preface to the Haustafel 83 Conclusion: The Religio-Political Preface to the Household Code 84 4. COMPONENTS OF COLLUSION 86 Introduction 86 Review of Haustafeln Background 86 Symptomatic Irruptions 89 Slaves and Wives 89 The Call to Silent Suffering 90 Outward Adornment 94 Parallel to Sarah — Symptomatic Irruption or Logical Conclusion? 96 Husbands 97 Muted Directives: “showing consideration” versus “suffer in silence” 98 Role of Overseer in the Home and Ekklesia 99 Households in Empire 101 1 Peter’s Haustafel as Ambivalent Mimicry 104 Symbolic Dominating Power of Author over Recipients 105 Adapted Household Code — Subversive or Collusionary? 107 Canonizing Collusion 108 5. DAUGHTERS OF SARAH: FEAR-FULL SUBJECTS INDEED 110 Introduction 110 What Can She Know? 110 Creating Knowledge in 1 Peter 111 Knowledge from Submission 112 Knowledge from a Quieted Spirit, Demure Dress 113 Daughter of Sarah 116 Calling him “Lord” 117 “Because of Sarah” 119 Silencing the Victim 121 Controlling Information 124 Colonized Daughters 126 What Can She Do? 128 Conclusion: Subject as 1 Peter Constructs 132 6. CONCLUSION 135 Précis of Findings 135 Texts and their Subjects 140 The Next Step 142 Bibliography 145 Index of Ancient Sources 163 Index of Modern Authors 165 "Jennifer G. Bird analyzes the construction of wives' subjectivity in 1 Peter, working primarily with what is referred to as the Haustafel (household code) section and engaging feminist critical questions, postcolonial theory and materialist theory in her analysis. Bird examines the two crucial labels for understanding Petrine Christian identity--'aliens and refugees' and 'royal priesthood and holy nation'-- and finds them to stand in start contrast with the commands and identity given to wives in the Haustafel section. Similarly, the command to 'honour the Emperor', which immediately precedes the Haustafel, engenders a rich discussion of the text's socio-political implications. The critical engagement of several 'symptomatic irruptions' within the commands to the wives uncovers the abusive dynamic underlying this section of the letter. Finally Bird considers the present-day implications of her study.--Publisher. Jennifer Bird examines the subjectivity of wives in 1 Peter with particular reference to the Haustafel (household code) section of the letter, engaging feminist critical questions, postcolonial theory, and materialist theory in her analysis. The methodology outlined has been called paradigmatic by Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, arguably the mother of modern feminist critical biblical studies. This book is strikingly relevant for discussions of domestic violence, in particular in light of many women's internal tapes telling them to "stick it out" for various reasons, many of which are religious/faith-based.