Submissive Sarah

In my women's Bible study this week, we studied Sarah. Sarah is held up as an example of submissive, godly behavior in the New Testament (1 Peter 3:6). This is so interesting to me, because I would not have perceived her as incredibly submissive from the stories in scripture. In some ways, yes - she followed Abraham's instructions to say she was his sister instead of saying she was his wife, even though it put her in a difficult, scary situation. Also, she followed his orders to quickly make food for the angels when they visited. (Have you ever noticed in the footnotes that he asks her to knead 36 lbs. of flour?)

But in other passages, her submission is not as apparent. Genesis 16:2 So she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." [Later, after Abraham agreed to and carried out the plan:] 16:5-6 Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me." "Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. 21:10 And [later, after Hagar had returned,] she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac."

I guess these passage prove that being submissive to authority doesn't mean you don't make suggestions or present your ideas! When I think of submission, I think of someone yielding their will to someone else's will, even if they might disagree. Since they both seem to agree on the course they should take in these passages, I don't see submission in action very much. Maybe if she had tacked on a disclaimer to her request... "But whatever you think is best, Abram, whatever you think God is telling you, too, let's do that..." I guess it's hard to see the attitude behind her request based on just a couple of quotes, and with those quotes translated across a language and cultural barrier, too.