Notes of an Address on I Peter 2:21 - 3:17.
Brother Chidester.
_______
Today's message is a continuation of our study
of the epistle 1 Peter starting at the end of chapter 2 and hopefully
concluding chapter 3. Many of the
thoughts in this message are from MacDonald’s Believers Bible Commentary, the
Bible Knowledge Commentary and The Bible Exposition Commentary.
In chapter 2 and continuing
into Chapter 3 of 1 Peter the apostle is challenging Christians to live differently
from the world. As a people belonging to
God how can we declare His praises and what He has done in our lives
effectively before others on a daily basis?
Peter answers this question by suggesting specific ways Christians can
behave differently before the world as witnesses, citizens, employees, wives,
husbands and as members of an assembly.
In these roles and others our conduct should be markedly different from
the world in which we live.
Last time in verses 2: 11 – 20
Peter tells us that as witnesses for the Lord we should keep our behavior
excellent before the world. As citizens
and servants (or employees in today’s language) we should submit to the
authorities over us: either governments or employers. Both when we are treated well and even when
these authorities treat us harshly or unjustly.
In the world that Peter lived in and increasingly in 21st
century
Now let us continue this
section by reading 1 Peter 2: 21 – 25.
Notice here again Peter is
speaking of Christians enduring suffering.
As we have learned before this is a recurring theme in 1 Peter. In chapter 1 Peter wrote to the original
readers of this letter who were experiencing persecution and trials because of
their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He
advised them to look toward the Lord as an example of One who suffered unjustly
but relied completely on God the Father.
The result was He broke the power of sin and death for all who would
believe. The prominence of suffering as
a topic for Christians in 1 Peter should make us recognize the value or importance
the Lord places on suffering for righteousness sake. This may be where the rubber meets the road
in spiritual warfare in our lives.
Now in Chapter 2:21 – 25 notice
the position of these verses on suffering are directly after the exhortation to
submit to governments and masters (employers) patiently. Clearly, the Holy Spirit intended this
section to apply to citizens and servants (or employees). Again, the Holy Spirit is reminding us that
Christ is the example Christians are to follow in situations of unjust or harsh
treatment by governments or employers.
Notice verse 21, “For you have been called for this purpose,” referring
to suffering for doing good. Christians are
called to follow Christ, to emulate Him, because He suffered for them.
In verse 24 the reason Christ
suffered is listed early in the passage for emphasis – He bore our sins, which
were being justly punished by God and the term “He himself” stresses Christ’s
personal involvement in receiving OUR punishment. His death on the cross makes it possible for
believers to be free from both the penalty and the power of sin. Christ suffered so it would be possible for
Christians to follow His example of both suffering and in righteous living. Both of which, to be honest, are hard but we
have his example to follow – remember WWJD?
BTW, this section of scripture,
verses 21 – 25, include six references to Isaiah 53, the famous passage on the
Christ as the Suffering Servant. Can you
find them?
Here is one, in verse 25 we in
our old life are likened to straying sheep and in Isaiah 53:6 it says, “For you
were like sheep going astray.”
When we were saved we returned
to the Shepherd – the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep; the
Great Shepherd who “tends with sweet, unwearied care the flock for which He
bled”, and the Chief Shepherd who will soon appear to lead His sheep into the
green pastures above – from which they will never stray.
Conversion is returning to the
Guardian of our souls. We were His by
creation, but became lost due to sin.
Now we return to His keeping care and are safe and secure forever.
The next section we will study
in 1 Peter is Chapter 3 and verses 1 – 12 which are focused on the home.
Read 1 Peter Chapter 3: 1 – 12.
Notice the chapter break between 2 and 3 seems
somewhat unnecessary here because Peter is still applying the principles began
in Chapter 2 but this time the subject is the home rather than citizens or
servants. Again Peter is
challenging Christians to live differently from the world and again
recommends submission to authority as the way to do this. The connection to the Chapter 2 principals is
found in Chapter 3 verse 1, “In the same way….” which clearly continues the
principles from Chapter 2 into Chapter 3.
Next, Peter tells Christian wives to be submissive to their own husband
continuing the principle of submission to authority found in Chapter 2. Remember that this same command was declared
in Ephesians and Colossians by Paul. The
fact that the Holy Spirit used two different apostles to declare this marital
principle across the
There are several things to
note here:
1. Unlike
the passages in Ephesians and Colossians where Paul spoke only to those within
the church; Peter adds that a wife
should be submissive to her husband -
even if he is an unbeliever. Here Peter
is informing women who have unbelieving husbands that their submissive,
virtuous and respectful behavior toward their husbands may win these men to the
Lord by consistently living Christ before him.
2. Peter
now gives more instructions to wives in the church - both those with
unbelieving husbands and believing husbands - according to all the commentaries
I read. Some may wonder why Peter
addresses the women first and with more instruction? Before we hear some unjustified explanations
- let me give the historic reason: the
Holy Spirit knew Christian women with
unbelieving husbands needed extra encouragement and enlightenment. The
fact is - Christianity offered women new freedoms and dignity not
previously granted to them in the Greek-Roman-Hebrew cultures. Thus, to provide important guidance and godly
advice to help women adjust properly to these new freedoms in Christianity, the
Holy Spirit here provides them more instruction and directions. The goal was for these new Christian women to
successfully transition out of their corrupt and oppressive cultures into their
new role as joint heirs of Christ and equal citizens of the Kingdom.
3. Toward that goal in verses 3 – 5 Peter calls wives to behave and dress modestly. 1 Timothy 2:9, Titus Ch 2 and Proverbs 31extend this principle to all women in the church. In verse 4 Peter reminds us that the clothing that makes a believer genuinely attractive is the beauty of the hidden person not from outward adornments. The adornment of her inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit is precious in God’s sight. We must make God the Lord of our wardrobe as well as our heart so our dress always honors Him, in the home, in the workplace, in the market and coming before him in worship. We need to encourage women to honor Christ and resist the pressures of the world in all areas of “womanhood” as God has ordained it.
4. As Christians we should not dismiss these admonitions as applying only to an ancient culture. These verses come to us from the Old and the New Testament from a Divine Author who caused them to be written, preserved thru the ages and saved into the canon of Scripture that we can read today.
Recently, a judge in
a state court in
5.
Verse 3 -5 are not only for people in the ancient near
east but are equally valid today. God
does not change like human society.
In Malachi 3:6 it says: “For I, the Lord, do not change;
therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
6. In
verse 4 The Lord says a woman’s gentle and quiet spirit is a quality that is
precious in His sight.
A popular bumper sticker in the world today says, “Well behaved women seldom
make history”. Can the contrast between
what God values and what the world values be any more glaring?
In verse 7 Peter now challenges
Christian husbands to live differently from the world and Peter again uses the
phrase, “in the same way…” to connect verse 7 with the principal of
submission. Peter commands Christian
husbands to submit and give their wives two gifts of love: understanding and
respect. In the same way, Christ is the example to be followed: the
Christian husband should demonstrate the Christ – like characteristics of
strength and tenderness. A Christian
man’s attitude toward his believing wife should recognize that she is a fellow
heir of the grace of life and shares equally the gift of eternal life. When there is discord in the relationship
prayers are hindered and husbands who do not treat their wives with
consideration and respect cannot expect to have their prayers honored.
Again, as an assembly of
believers, let us encourage and pray for one another as we dedicate to live our
lives as men and husbands as God has ordained.
Read Chapter 3 in verse 8 Peter
says “Finally, or In summary”, this
is not the closing of the epistle, rather he is concluding his remarks to the
different classes of believers; citizens, servants, wives husbands. Now he changes his focus and addresses “all
of you”. He is addressing the whole
church, the Body of Christ. He urges
all the brethren to live harmoniously with like mindedness in terms of doctrine,
with sympathy and compassion, to exercise hospitality and humbleness.
The second exhortation is not to retaliate for an offense and not to
repay evil with evil but rather to seek
peace and to pursue it – to make it
happen – such as by returning a blessing when an insult is given: Psalm 34:14 is then quoted in emphasize this
behavior.
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