Fathers

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What the Fathers say

1 Peter 3:7

Eastern Fathers

Theophylact of Ohrid

With such lofty speech persuading thrifty and fainthearted women to distribute household goods more generously, the apostle also restrains husbands from severity toward them, and says: "Husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge," that is, take into consideration the weakness and inclination of the female sex toward faintheartedness, and be magnanimous toward your wives, not demanding with irritability an accounting of what has been entrusted to them in household management. …

Commentary on 1 Peter ↗

Oecumenius

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. "Husbands, living together in an understanding way, that is, learning through experience the triviality and folly of women in all things and their carnality in fear, be patient with them, not strictly reevaluating the accounts of what has been entrusted to them for safekeeping." However, as we said, the more freely they persist …

Commentary on 1 Peter ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

Is it true that such spouses do not think about the things of the Lord, how they might please him? They are very rare. Who denies this?

On the Good of Marriage 12.14 ↗

Bede

That your prayers may not be hindered. And Paul says: Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer (1 Corinthians 7). Therefore, he reminds us that prayers are hindered by the marital duty, for whenever I render the due to my wife, I cannot pray. But if, according to another saying of the apostle, it is necessary to pray without ceasing, then I should never be devoted to marriage, lest I be hindered at any hour from the prayer I am always commanded to continue.

Commentary on the Catholic Epistles ↗

Bonaventure

That conjugal chastity is to be approved according to the evangelical law is shown by authority, as follows. 1 Peter 3: Husbands, dwelling together according to knowledge, bestowing honor on the woman as on a weaker vessel; but this is according to the conjugal act: therefore the conjugal act is consonant with the law of God.

Disputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 3 ↗