Submission of Wives to their Husbands Verses 1-6:

Transcription

1 Submission of Wives to their Husbands Verses 3:1-6 Verses 1-6: 1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives Peter's continues with instructions on the responsibilities of the people of God. He has talked about submission to government and the relationship of slaves to their masters. Now he talks about submission in the marriage relationship. The meaning of Christian marriage and the appropriate relationship of husbands and wives has often been a source of controversy in our time. But the rise of the feminist movement has forced Christians to confront the Biblical passages instructing us on marriage relationships in ways that we have not had to do with the passages on slaves and masters and our relationship with government. God designed the marriage relationship not to be democratic but to reflect the relationship between Christ and his Church. For it is written, "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.", (Ephesians 5:22-25; Colossians 3:18-24; Titus 2:5). God created man out of the dust of the ground, (Genesis 2:7-14) and then gave him dominion over all of creation, (Genesis 2:15-17). Using one of Adam s ribs, God created woman to be a suitable helper for him; a companion to complete him and enable him to multiply and fill the earth, (Genesis 2:18-23). Eve was also created in the image of God, she was equal with Adam in dominion over the earth, and she was equally intelligent. In creating Eve from Adam s rib, God established a union between them which we call marriage, (Genesis 2:24-25; Matthew 19:5-6; Ephesians 5:31). While these two people equally shared God s image and together exercised dominion over creation, they were by divine design physically different in order to fulfil God s command and design for marriage, namely to multiply and fill the earth. God also determined the husband to be the head of the marriage relationship. A husband is to love his own wife as himself and a wife is to respect and obey her own husband. A woman's subordinate role is not a result of the Fall, (Genesis 3:16). Rather, God established her submissive role as part of His original creation, (Genesis 2:18; 1 Corinthians 11:8-9; 1 Timothy 2:12-13). The Fall actually corroborates God's divine plan of creation, (Genesis 3:6, 16-17). By nature, Eve was not suited to assume the position of ultimate responsibility. By leaving Adam's protection and usurping his headship, she was vulnerable and fell, thus confirming how important it was for her to stay under the protection and leadership of her husband, (2 Timothy 3:6-7). Adam violated his leadership role when he followed Eve in her sin. He plunged the human race into sinfulness (notice how although Eve ate of the forbidden fruit first, it is Adam that God held accountable for their sin, (Genesis 3:17-19; Acts 17:26; Romans 5:15-19; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22). Both sins violated God's planned roles for man and woman. Ultimately, the responsibility for the Fall rests with Adam, since he was not deceived but willfully chose to disobey God, (Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22). Page 44

2 This does not mean that men are more important, more intelligent, more capable or superior. Neither man nor woman can survive (be fruitful and multiply) alone. God is a God of order and not a God of confusion. He created the universe, including mankind, to exist and function within boundaries and according to His divinely ordered plan. God loves everyone the same, There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus, (Galatians 3:28). This does not mean that both sexes have the same function or that all people have the same work to do. Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands" Likewise (homoios o`moi.wj) means in the same way, that is submit out of obedience to God. We have already seen submission of everyone to their own governments, submission of servants to their masters because of their relationship, and now we see that wives are also to willingly submit to their husbands because of their relationship to their husband. The Greek word translated as be subject (hupotasso u`pota,ssw) is actually a present passive participle and would literally be translated as continuing to be voluntarily subject. Just as Adam and Eve chose to be disobedient to God, we are to willingly choose to be obedient. In the case of wives, that is to willing be submissive in the function of headship to their own husbands out of fear and reverence of the Lord, (Ephesians 5:22; Colossians 3:18). even if some do not obey the word Although it may be supposed that both the husband and the wife would often be converted together, there would inevitably be occasions when only the wife would become a Christian while her husband continued in paganism. Peter had to explain how a Christian wife should behave in that situation. As a matter of fact, there is no evidence that conversion to Christianity was ever considered to be grounds for a cancellation of any legal contract, not even the status of slavery. But God s design for a wife to be submissive to her own husband is still applicable even if the wife is now a Christian and her husband is a pagan. But, as with all submission, a wife should submit to her own husband as long as he does not cause her to sin. This is the only time that she must not submit to his headship. She should always pray for her husband. She herself should live a holy life and trust God, (1 Corinthians 7:1-16). they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives Our actions often speak louder than our words. Peter is saying that a wife s behavior can be used by God to witness to an unbelieving husband even to the point of conversion. What behavior is he speaking about? A wife is to exercise her freedom in Christ by being willing to submit to the restraints imposed by her marriage to her husband even if he is an unbeliever. Peter is saying that a wife's submission to her own husband is a measure of her obedience to God. Notice also that it is by behavior, not by words, that a wife can influence her husband. An unbelieving husband will see his Christian wife s good and pleasing behavior and hopefully, he will want to know God too, but it may take a long time. Peter continues in the next verses to list other virtues by which a wife can witness to her husband, namely: respectful and pure conduct, internal rather than external beauty and adornment, and the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, (1 Corinthians 9:19-22). Page 45

3 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. The first sign of a wife s submission to her husband is a respectful and pure conduct. An unbelieving husband will not be likely to grant his wife the freedom in Christ that a believing husband would. If the wife should attempt to demand that freedom from her unbelieving husband, it is not likely that he will be attracted to the Christian faith. Thus the motivation of the wife is obedience to God. The unbelieving husband will clearly notice his wife being subject to him whether or not he is nice as long as the matter does not violate her commitment to God. He will also notice her willingness to risk his wrath to do the things that are necessary to maintain her Christian faith. Consistent living will more likely lead a husband to faith than servile subjection to his every demand especially when it contradicts her religious convictions. 3 Do not let your adorning be external the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing In ancient times and especially in Roman culture, both men and women showed their status, including their marital situation, by their appearance. A head covering (a shawl draped over the head) conveyed that a woman was married and intended to remain so. Liberated women, including married ones, of the time would went about with uncovered heads to show that they were available. Some even cut their hair short as a sign of their willingness for extra-marital activity. In both the Old and New Testaments, outward or cosmetic adornment became an obsession and therefore a matter for rebuke and instruction. Peter mentions three specific types of outward adornment that were characteristically a problem for even Christian men and women: braided hair, gold jewelry, and fine clothes. Peter is not saying that it is wrong for a woman to make herself beautiful on the outside. It is the inordinate stress of outward adorning of the person which he condemned. Rather than obsessing over clothing and outward appearance, women who want to beautify themselves should do so by developing a godly attitude and a corresponding behavior which results in service to Christ, (1 Samuel 16:7; Isaiah 3:16-25; Matthew 23:27; 1 Timothy 2:8-10). 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God s sight is very precious. While outward appearances affect every believer, male or female they are passing and will fade with the years, (Matthew 6:1-7, 23:5-6). Peter says that true beauty is the hidden person of the heart, which today we would call is a pleasant personality. There is nothing wrong with dressing in a way that pleases one s spouse. It is no sin to be well-dressed, (Proverbs 31:10-22). But it is wrong to be preoccupied with outward appearances at the expense of a beautiful personality. a gentle and quiet spirit Not only is it wrong for a woman (or a man) to place too high a value on external appearances, it is likewise wrong to seek human approval rather than strive to be obedient to God. What pleases God is a gentle and quiet spirit (inner strength and spiritual strength). This is hardly the contemporary picture of the ideal woman. Our culture teaches women to practice assertiveness, aggressiveness and outer beauty, rather than to acquire a gentle and quiet spirit. A gentle and quiet spirit means that she does not insist that she is always right. She does not make other people do what she wants to do. She does not argue or fight. Such a Christian wife is a treasure for any husband, (Proverbs 21:19; 27:15; Matthew 5:5; Romans 2:28-29; 1 Timothy 2:2). Page 46

4 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands, Peter turns our attention to the holy women of Old Testament time, not to remind us of how they dressed but to point to their gentle, quiet and submissive spirit, their source of true beauty. Notice these women were submissive to their own husbands, not because their trust was in their husbands but because their hope was in God. They trusted God to work through their husbands and in some cases to work in spite of them. Their hope, like every Old Testament saint, was not in this life but in the kingdom of God to come. That virtue for both women and men turns attention from the outward symbols of success to the heart issues of obedience to the Lord. 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. Abraham and Sarah lived 2000 years before Peter wrote this letter, (Genesis 11-25). Sarah was a holy woman because her hope was in God. Sarah's submission to Abraham was not in any sense servitude. On one occasion, she ordered Abraham to cast out her Egyptian handmaiden Hagar and her son by Abraham. While this greatly grieved and distressed Abraham, he consented to her request, God commanding Abraham to do it, (Genesis 21:10-12). Nevertheless, there was the utmost respect and honor accorded to her husband by Sarah. calling him lord Out of respect, Sarah called her husband lord, acknowledging him to be her head and having a right to govern his household, (Genesis 18:12). The word lord (kurio,j curios) means ruler, master, and lord and indicates a person in a higher position, a person who has the power to make decisions. Sarah acknowledged that Abraham had a right to direct the affairs of his household, and that it was her duty to be subordinate or yielded to him as the head of the family. And you are her children if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. All believers in Jesus are true spiritual descendants of Abraham and Sarah, (John 8:39; Romans 9:8; Galatians 3:29). Current translations of this verse make being spiritual children of Sarah conditional on doing good and fearing nothing. A more literal translation of this would read, whose children you became doing good and fearing no terror. Doing good and fearing no terror are present participles indicating how spiritual children of Sarah live. They are not admonitions to begin doing good and fearing no terror in order that they will continue to be her spiritual children. A Christian wife should not let the pagan world, including an unbelieving husband, frighten her from continuing to live in obedience to God. Nothing about submission was intended to authorize a husband to do anything that would create fear in his wife s relationship with him. Peter is not saying that women are to imitate Sarah by continually submitting to every request of their husband, whether sinful or not. As with our submission to others in authority, we must always limit our obedience to those things which do not clearly violate God s commands. Sarah was wrong to participate in the deception that she was Abraham s sister rather than his wife, (Genesis 12:13-19). She should have said, as Peter later would do, We must obey God rather than men. Christians cannot let the earthly kingdom reign over the spiritual kingdom. When the two intersect, we must always choose obedience to God. Page 47

5 The Corresponding Duty of Husbands Verse 3:7 Verse 7: 7 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. The way a husband treats his wife is equally as important as how his wife submits to his headship. Marriage is either a win - win situation or it is not marriage as God intended it to be. Both the husband and the wife have responsibilities in marriage. When God created Adam and Eve, He made man and woman different. He did not make one superior and one inferior, He made them physically different for the purpose of procreation. In giving Adam a wife, God established marriage as the first human institution and He determined the obligations and rules for marriage, i.e. one man and one woman, (Genesis 2:18; 1 Corinthians 11:8-9), a husband and wife become a new entity who should live apart from their parents, (Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:15; Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:6-8; Ephesians 5:31), a husband should love his wife as he loves his own body, (Ephesians 5:28), the marriage is not to be defiled, (Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:19-20, 20:10; Deuteronomy 5:18; 2 Samuel 11:1-12:15; Malachi 2:14; Mark 10:9; 1 Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 13:4), there is to be no incest, (Leviticus 18:8-18; Mark 6:18), a husband should enjoy living with his wife, (Ecclesiastes 9:9), and children of a mixed marriage (believer and unbeliever) are still holy in God s eyes, (1 Corinthians 7:14) Therefore a husband should honour and respect his wife, because God has established the two of them as one in marriage. A husband behaves badly towards his wife, is disobedient to God. Likewise, husbands Peter uses the same word to address husbands as he did wives. Likewise (homoios o`moi.wj) means that in the same way that God expects a wife to be submissive to her husband as part of His design and will for marriage, so likewise God expects the husband to be obedient to God and live with understanding of his marital obligations. In Christianity, obligations are never a one-way street, but reciprocal. Servants and slaves have obligations, so do their masters; children have duties toward their parents, so do parents have duties toward their children; wives have duties toward their husbands, and husbands have duties towards their wife, (1 Corinthians 11:1-16; Ephesians 5:2-6:9; Colossians 3:18-4:6; 1 Timothy 2:8-15; Titus 2:1-10). The principle of submission is extended infinitely to include all obligations where human relationships are involved, (Luke 2:51; Romans 8:20, 13:1-7; Hebrews 2:5-8, 12:9; James 4:7). live with your wives Husbands are to reciprocate their wife s submission with corresponding love, care and understanding. To illustrate this, Peter points out three ways in which a Christian husband lives with his wife in marriage, not as though these were new, but simply in order to call them to mind. First, if one member of the marriage becomes a Christian and the other is not, that is not grounds for divorce, (Leviticus 20:10; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16). The Greek word translated as live with your wives (sunoikeo sunoi,kew) means to continue to dwell together, to continue in a familial association, and to continue to physically love each other. Peter is saying that God created marriage and it is not made invalid by a spouse becoming a Christian. Page 48

6 in an understanding way Next he says that the married couple should continue to live together in an understanding way. The Greek word translated as understanding way (gnosis gnw,sij) is the standard word for knowledge. It means intelligence, understanding, being familiar with the general knowledge of Christian religion, knowing the deeper, more perfect and enlarged knowledge of Christian theology including which things are lawful and unlawful for Christians, and having moral wisdom that leads to right living. Peter is telling husbands to use understanding (follow knowledge), which means Scriptural knowledge, instead of pagan ignorance regarding the relationship between a husband and a wife. God established marriage and He has spelled out the rules for a Christian marriage. showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel The third way in which a husband should live with his wife is with an understanding way of her being a weaker vessel. The words weaker vessel are often resented by modern women, but God is telling husbands to honor their wives and to be respectful and caring to them. Why? Because the woman s body is a physically weaker vessel. Both husband and wife are vessels (skeuos skeu,oj) in God s hand, and of God s making, to fulfill His gracious purposes, (Isaiah 29:16, 45:9, 64:8; Jeremiah 18:4-6; Romans 9:21; 2 Corinthians 4:7). The word vessel was a common Greek metaphor for body since Greeks thought of souls as living temporarily in bodies. The Greek word translated as weaker (asthenes avsqene,j) means having less physical strength or being physically weaker. Women are typically smaller in size and weaker in strength than men which could make them vulnerable to abuse. In saying that the woman is the weaker vessel, Peter is not referring to moral stamina, strength of character or mental capacity, but to sheer physical strength. Rather he is admonishing husbands not to exploit their physical size and strength in unkind ways. Husbands and wives complement each other in God s design and plan. Both are saved by God s grace and are equal in His eyes, (1 Corinthians 12:25; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:5-8). Peter wrote this epistle when the majority of the world was pagan. Paganism tends to abuse women because they are physically weaker than men. Most manmade religions continue with this subjugation and abuse of women. Thus a woman s rights are often greatly reduced. Her status is shamefully lowered. Heavy loads are put upon her. She is made man's plaything or man's slave. The fact that she is physically weaker is always exploited. That is why Peter inserts the phrase regarding understanding or knowledge. Christian knowledge will give the wife all the consideration and thoughtfulness which God intends for her as a weaker vessel in marriage. Peter himself had a wife, (1 Corinthians 9:5). Whether she was still alive at this time and was with Peter at this writing we do not know. since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. Christian wives, along with Christian husbands, are recipients of God s grace (charis ca,rij) and the hope of heaven. In this respect, there is no difference between the husband and the wife. Peter reminds Christian husbands that they cannot expect God to hear and answer their prayers if they revert to their old pagan understanding in the treatment of their wives. Returning to paganism will certainly hinder their prayers, (Matthew 5:23-24). Page 49

7 Mutual Respect for Everyone Verses 3:8-12 Verses 8-12: 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Peter has addressed the Christian s specific relation to government and three special groups (slaves, wives, husbands). He concludes his instructions to these Christians with advice on how to live in this world with each other and with their Gentile neighbors. He first states the purpose and the goals of this discussion on the responsibilities of God s chosen people (unity of mind). Peter then lists four symptoms of a Christian life that will have unity of mind and be able to have an impact for Christ on their world: be sympathetic, love your fellow Christians, be kind hearted to everyone, and be humble. The underlying message is that genuine Christian conduct not only stops the mouths of those who speak ill of Christianity but it also wins many non-christians, (Romans 12:9-21). "have unity of mind" The purpose of these instructions on how to live God-pleasing lives is to have unity of mind (homophron o`mofro,n) about our calling and our responsibilities as the people of God. We are not only to have a common faith, but we are also to show this unity by living in harmony with each other. All Christians are to be examples of peace and unity, not disruption and disharmony, (Acts 4:32; John 13:35; Romans 12:16, 15:5-6; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 1:12, 2:1-5). On items where the Bible speaks clearly, there is of course no issue. On items of adiaphora, we are called to practice humility and if need be to constrain our Christian freedom in order to live in harmony with each other. Like-mindedness in commitment enables believers to work through their differences in methods and ideas in order to reach the common goal. sympathy The first sign of a proper attitude is sympathy. The word sympathy (sumpaqh,j sumpathes) means to be compassionate, to empathize. Believers share not just grief or pain, but a whole range of emotions and experiences. The ability to share with another person in feeling and experiences can be a blessing to those who are suffering, (Romans 12:15; Hebrews 10:34; 1 Corinthians 12:26). brotherly love Peter then mentions love for fellow Christians (philadelphos fila,delfoj). The early church believed that all believers should and would love each other with the kind of affection and friendly relations enjoyed by brothers and sisters, (John 15:12; Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22). a tender heart The third symptom is kindhearted or tender hearted (eusplagchnos eu;splagcnoj). The Greek word speaks of an emotionally driven, powerful feeling that arises from deep concern and compassion for others, (Ephesians 4:2, 32). a humble mind The final word describing believers in their relationships is humility (tapeinophron tapeino,fron) or, more precisely, lowly-minded, realistically minded. Humility is the most essential, all-encompassing virtue of the Christian life, (Proverbs 29:23; Matthew 5:3, 11:29, 18:4; Luke 14:11, 18:14; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; James 4:6;1 Peter 5:5-11). Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves, (Philippians 2:3). Page 50

8 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For illustration purposes, Peter now quotes Psalm 34:12-16 which also speaks against retaliation. A godly approach to life incorporates not only the right action motivated by the right attitude, but the proper reaction when mistreated. You can generally tell a person's attitude (submission to God) by how they respond to criticism, whether or not such criticism is justified. Responding to insults with insults or evil with evil is a knee-jerk reaction of the flesh. This, of course, was an accepted ethic of paganism, but it is rejected by Christians. Though they are being maltreated, Peter urges believers not to retaliate, (Isaiah 50:6; Lamentations 3:30; Matthew 5:38-42; Luke 6:27-31, 23:34; John 18:22-23; Romans 12:17-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:15). Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless The exact opposite of seeking retribution is to bless those who hurt or revile us. Peter uses two interesting Greek words. The word translated as evil (kakos kako,j) has the basic meaning of inherently bad, evil, wicked disposition and destructive nature. It implies an evil way of thinking, feeling and acting that is calculated to cause harm to someone else. Reviling (loidoria loidori,a) means verbal abuse, reproach, railing, reviling, and speaking reproachfully. Together they cover both deeds (evil) and words (reviling). We are told to not pay back harmful deeds or words in kind. So instead of repaying evil with evil, we should pray for those who hurt us and be gracious and kind to them, (Proverbs 20:22; Matthew 5:43-48, 18:21-35; Luke 6:27; Romans 12:17; Ephesians 4:31-32; 1Thessalonians 5:15). In doing so, we will be both obedient to God and a witness to them as well as receive the blessings of God promised to those who obey Him. bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. Throughout this epistle, Peter reminds readers that we are no longer part of the pagan world. We have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light, (1 Peter 1:1-2, 12-19; 2:9, 11-12, 21, 25; 3:9; 4:1-5, 14; 5:10). The Greek word to bless (eulogeo euvloge,w) means to speak well of, to praise or to bless. It implies invoking God s blessing upon someone, which is God s action in their lives or God s intervention to accomplish His will. This does not mean to pronounce a blessing. The Greek word translated as obtain (kleronomeo klhronome,w) actually means to inherit, to be an heir, or to obtain by inheritance. As a result of becoming children of our heavenly father, believers have been called to (bless) pray for others and to inherit a blessing. This fact compels us to bless others. The blessing is the gracious mercy of God granted to us instead of justice. We deserve death but God blesses us with His grace. In response, a believer can do no less to those who have insulted or wronged us. We have been blessed to be a blessing to others. In this verse, every kind of revenge is forbidden, for in order to preserve love and unity, we must bear with many things. This was not an ethic developed by the apostles. It was handed down directly from the mouth of the Lord, who said, "Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you", (Luke 6:27-28). Likewise, all of the apostolic teachings are understood to have originated, not with the apostles, but with the Lord Jesus Christ. Page 51

9 10 For whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; Here and in the next two verses, Peter elaborates on His exhortation to bless others, because we have been blessed, by quoting Psalm 34:12-16 from the Septuagint (LXX). David wrote this psalm while he was fleeing for his life from Saul. As the psalmist said, for a person who earnestly desires to lead a quiet and comfortable life here, and to enjoy eternal life hereafter, that person must: 1) refrain from evil-speaking, lying, and slandering; 2) avoid flattery and fair speeches, which cover hypocritical or wicked intentions; 3) avoid evil, keep going away from evil; 4) do good; he must walk in the way of righteousness and; 5) And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. The next few verses are Hebrew poetry (Psalms). Hebrew poetry consists of two parallel lines expressing the same basic thought. We shall see examples of poetry in the following verses. "Whoever desires to love life" This means to love living a life with intelligence and purpose, wanting a life here on earth that is worth while, that one can love with full intelligence and purpose while looking forward to the eternal life to come. That is a life blessed by God. David and Peter are not thinking of easy, pleasant, sunshiny days but rather of a worthwhile life. This does not mean that Christians will have trouble free lives. It means that God will care for them and provide for them. "and to see good days" The parallel to desires to love life is to see good days. That is, to see days that have value and are beneficial, not vain and empty. To live kind, generous, obedient, and fulfilling lives is a good understanding of the Greek phrase translated as to see good days. Though God is in control, He does not guarantee us lives without pain and suffering, (Deuteronomy 4:30; Matthew 24:21-29; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; Romans 12:12; Revelation 7:14). As in Peter s time, we live in a world where Christians are persecuted and even killed for their faith. let him keep his tongue from evil The next Hebraic couplet gives a negative command for living a holy Christian life. And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell, (James 3:6, 1:26; 3:9-10; Psalm 12:3; Proverbs 12:18; 15:2-4). In addition to refraining from verbal retaliation, believers must stop their lips from speaking evil (kakos kako,j). This Greek word implies deceit, slander, an evil way of thinking, feeling and acting that is calculated to cause harm to someone else. and his lips from speaking deceit As James 1:26 says, If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person s religion is worthless. A prerequisite for loving life and seeing good days is to be careful what you say. Sometimes Christians let their tongues get the better of them and stretch the truth, curse, swear, and even speak evil of others. This causes trouble. Instead, they must be absolutely committed to the truth, (Psalm 51:6; Proverbs 3:3; 23:23; 1 Corinthians 13:6; Philippians 4:8) and opposed to all lying, deception, and hypocrisy, (Exodus 20:16; Proverbs 6:16-19, 10:18, 12:17,19, 22; Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9). These matters of speech are controlled, not at the mouth, but on the inside, as Jesus said in Matthew 12:34, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Page 52

10 11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. The true peacemaker is not passive but active, and must take the lead, not merely in keeping the peace himself but in the earnest inducement of others to do likewise. Continuing with his quote from Psalm 34, Peter gives two more Hebraic couplets which contain four more imperatives for living a God pleasing life: 1) turning away from evil, 2) doing what is good and pleasing, 3) searching for harmony and peace, and 4) pursuing the solution to living in unity and harmony. let him turn away from evil First, believers are to turn away from evil, (Proverbs 3:7, 16:6,17; Isaiah 1:16-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:22). The verb translated as turn away (ekklino evkklinw,) means to turn aside from the path you are on or to go out of your way to avoid. It implies an intensely strong rejection of what is sinful, namely, sinful treatment of others, even toward those who persecute the saints, (Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:14). This means we must avoid all kinds of evil, hate it, abstain from the appearance of it, and have no fellowship with it. We particularly should avoid rendering evil for evil, or taking revenge on persons for doing us ill. and do good Second, Peter commanded his readers to do what is good (agathos avgaqo,j). The meaning of good is everything that is good, all good works, whatever is excellent in quality, expresses deep-down virtue, and is a benefit to someone else. Everything that would give glory to God and benefit our fellow men fits in the implications of do good. That contrasts sharply with the contemporary notion of the good life as doing one s own thing, whatever feels good (illicit sex, drugs, drunkenness, excessive and mindless entertainment) at the expense of obeying God's will. Beginning with Adam and Eve, humanity has pursued the me first philosophy. The sinful world has always promoted the idea of doing what pleases itself at any expense. let him seek peace and pursue it. The third and fourth imperatives appear together in the command for believers to seek peace and pursue it, (Romans 12:18, 14:19; Hebrews 12:14). The verbs translated seek and pursue both convey an intensity and assertiveness of action. The word translated as peace (eirene eivrh,nh) denotes a constant condition of safety, harmony, peace and tranquility that produces permanent joy and happiness, (Luke 2:14, 8:48; John 14:27, 16:33; Romans 5:1, 8:6, 15:13; Galatians 5:22; Philippians 4:7; Colossians 3:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:16). It is only when we are at peace with God, that we can start to seek peace with others. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, (Hebrews 12:14). Christians are to seek peace and hunt for it, assertively, even peace with their persecutors and others who do not know Christ, (Romans 12:18, 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:16). Not only are Christians to seek peace but they are to pursue it. This Greek verb (dioko diw,kw) means to follow after, run swiftly after with the intent of catching what is being chased. It was commonly used in the analogy of the hunter vigorously tracking down his prey. Only when we are at peace with God, will our hearts be freed to pursue peace with others. A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace, (James 3:18). If we are not at peace with God ourselves, our desire to pursue peace with our pagan neighbors and our witness to the world will both be hindered, (Isaiah 27:5; Colossians 3:15). Page 53

11 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. A common effect that those who are persecuted experience is a sense of abandonment. When Jesus was on the cross, He empathized with people in such situations in quoting the first verse of Psalm 22, "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?", (Matthew 27:46). Peter's words are a reminder that, though the world hates us, God does not. He will never forsake us nor abandon us. Peter continues to quote Psalm 34:12-17 to show our motivation to live God pleasing lives even in the midst of persecution and suffering. The psalmist's words describe a sovereign, ruling God, (Psalm 90:2; 102:25-27; Daniel 4:35; 1.3:11) who sees all, (Job 28:24; Proverbs 5:21), knows all, (Psalm 147:5; Romans 13), holds people accountable for their behavior, (Genesis 2:16-17; Romans 11:33), and threatens punishment for disobedience, (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 1). But for Peter, the primary issue here is not judgment, but God's gracious care for His people. God is watchful, aware and empathetic toward His children. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous The eyes of the Lord is a common Old Testament phrase that relates to God's special, caring watchfulness over His people, (Proverbs 5:21; Zechariah 4:10). Sometimes the phrase indicates God's judgmental watchfulness, (Amos 9:8; Proverbs 15:3), but here the emphasis is on His omniscient awareness of every detail of believers' lives, (Psalm 139:1-6). Not only is God omniscient, He also exercises providential care over the righteous. He knows our sorrows and troubles and is ready to help us, (Isaiah 66:2). his ears are open to their prayer. God is also looking toward the righteous so that He can attend to their prayer. The word translated prayer (deesis deh,sij) means prayer, supplication, request, petition and relates to believers' crying out for God to meet their needs, (Psalm 5:2; Matthew 7:7; Philippians 4:6; 1 John 5:14-15). God is always fully aware of everything in the lives of His children. It ought to be a great incentive for believers to live as Peter has outlined, knowing they can have confidence that the Lord is always watching and waiting, ready to hear and answer their prayers, (Psalm 50:15, 65:2, 138:3; Romans 8:26; Hebrews 4:16). But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil In contrast to the eyes of the Lord, which refers to watchfulness, the Old Testament concept face of the Lord refers to judgment, (Genesis 19:13; Lamentations 4:16). His eyes represent His all-seeing omniscience, whereas His face in this context represents the manifestation of His anger and displeasure, (Psalm 76:6-8). While the wicked may appear to prosper, (Job 20:5; Psalm 73:1-9; Jeremiah 12:1), God's wrath is against those who do evil and those who disobey His Word, (Psalm 1:5-6, 34:17; Matthew 13:49; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Revelation 6:16). Christians, whether today or in Peter's time, have always had to contend with a hostile world. But they can live humbly, respond to persecution in a Christ-like manner, and adhere to God's standard of authority because they have the promise that, even in the midst of trying circumstances, God is watching over them, protecting them, and ready to extend His blessings. Page 54

12 Suffering for Doing Good Verses 3:13-4:6 Verses 13-17: 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? Peter now addresses another purpose for his writing this letter, namely to enlighten, comfort, and strengthen the readers in suffering and trial. His readers have had a taste of suffering already. Now there is the very real prospect that these sufferings will become more severe, (1 Peter 5:10). Now who is there to harm you By asking his readers this question, Peter did not mean that Christians were not in any danger of bodily harm from their enemies. This is the very subject with which he now intends to cover. What he meant was that no matter what might happen to their bodies, nothing, really, could harm them eternally. Peter was in complete harmony with the Lord in this viewpoint. Our Lord Himself said: You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives, (Luke 21:16-19). if you are zealous for what is good Despite all the good which Christians may do, the world does not really like Christians and is, on occasion, bound to show its hatred. Peter says zealousness for the good robs opponents of any real reason for mean treatment of the readers. Obviously there are people who would harm you for doing good. Just look at what happened to Christ. But there is nothing to fear from such people. For Jesus said, "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him", (Luke 12:4-5). 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled The Roman world was changing. Nero's hostility to Christianity was growing and would soon impact the entire Roman empire. The unrighteous world could no longer tolerate righteousness. The very presence of true righteousness silently condemns the world s unrighteousness, (1 Timothy 3:12). Thus Christians may often have to suffer in various ways. But do not worry, the world also hated and crucified Jesus. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you, (Matthew 5:10-12). Have no fear of them, nor be troubled Whatever suffering and persecution may come, we must not let fear paralyze us and keep us from obedience to God, (Isaiah 8:12; Acts 5:41; Romans 8:17, 36). The terror that the world can bring to those who live by a different set of values is indeed awesome. But our hope is not in this world. As Jesus reminded Peter and the other disciples, Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me, (John 14:1). No matter what comes our way, we are secure in God s hands and can trust Him to continue to bless us and give us His grace, (Jeremiah 1:19; 2 Corinthians 1:7; 2 Timothy 2:12). Page 55

13 15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you Christ is Lord of all circumstances. He has all authority. Though Christians may be treated badly, they know who is really in control. Our hope and trust remain secure in our God. Other people will notice this. They may ask you about this hope that you have. So we must be ready to explain the reason for our eternal hope. but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy Instead of being fearful or troubled because of suffering, we are to sanctify Christ in our hearts as the prophet Isaiah told Israel to do, (Isaiah 8:13). The Greek word translated regard as holy (hagiadzo a`gia,zw) means to make holy, consecrate, sanctify, dedicate, separate, and set apart for God. To regard Christ as Lord set apart in our heart means that we have made ourselves subordinate to His commands and authority. This is referred to as putting Christ on the throne of our heart. "And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again", (2 Corinthians 5:15). We can have confidence in the midst of opposition and suffering because our minds are focused on Christ, (Hebrews 12:2). Consequently we should not become exasperated by the trivial things that weigh the world down with worries. Such confidence and perseverance is itself a witness. It communicates conviction and may open a door for the gospel. The good works we do are done in Christ, and those who oppose us do not have authority to do so. Persistence in good works, despite difficulties and opposition, demonstrates the importance of these good works and that we are acting with conviction. always being prepared to make a defense to anyone We have been begotten to a living hope in God. Our hope includes God s providential care and grace both here and for eternity. We have been greatly blessed by God on the basis of Christ. Yet a Christian s blessings and righteous living are not always understood by the unbelieving world. Should the occasion arise that we have opportunity to explain the reason for our hope, we must be ready to do so. The Greek word translated as defense (apologia avpologi,a) means a spoken defense, answer, verbal defense of yourself and a reasoned statement or argument. It does not mean to make an excuse. It is a judicial term for the defense which a defendant makes before a judge, (Acts 22:1, 25:16). But Peter is not thinking of court trials, because we should make our defense to anyone who will listen to us, (Proverbs 15:28). for the hope that is in you The primacy of hope in the motivation of Christians is this, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (Ephesians 2:8). "For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees", (Romans 8:24). Where do we get the hope and understanding of the Christian religion? "The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things", (Proverbs 15:28). It comes from the Word of God. All Christians, at all times, should have a full grasp of the rational basis for the hope that is in our hearts and the holy religion we believe. We should also possess a thorough knowledge of the major doctrines of the New Testament. There will be occasions in every life when such knowledge and understanding can be a vehicle for testifying to others about salvation in Jesus the Christ, (Acts 16:19,23:6, 26:6-7, 27:20; Romans 5:2-5, 12:12, 15:4, 13). Page 56

14 16 yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. Not only are we called to witness to the hope that we have, but we are also told to do this with gentleness (prautes prau,thj) and respect (phobos fobo,j), (2 Corinthians 10:1; Galatians 5:25). Christians across the ages have wanted to and tried to share the reason for their hope. But, not always has this witness been one of gentleness and respect. Like converts to Islam, forced acceptance may be enough to drive external observation of law, but it is not sufficient to change a person s heart. Only by reaching out with sincere love and concern for our fellow man, can we show the true nature of Christianity. Christianity is a religion of voluntary submission of our hearts and lives to God. "Blessed are the meek (gentle), for they shall inherit the earth", (Matthew 5:5). having a good conscience If you give the reason for your hope of eternal salvation through the sacrificial death of Jesus the Christ with gentleness and respect, you will have a clear conscience. Because of original sin, natural man s conscience (suneidesis sunei,dhsij) is corrupt. But having been born of God, the Word of God and the Holy Spirit help to heal our conscience so that we can discern between right and wrong. But we must listen to heed our conscience. Paul says, "So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man", (John 7:1-11; Acts 24:16; Hebrews 13:18). so that, when you are slandered Peter is saying Christians will be accused of evil deeds. They will be spoken against because of the manner of their lives. Christians are to live God-pleasing rather than man-pleasing lives. Christian lives should be so righteous that they will shame their evil critics. Even if we are slandered, we have no reason or excuse for loosing our temper or being disrespectful to our accusers, (Acts 2:13, 37; 2 Timothy 1:17). those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. Our behavior (anastrophe avnastrofh.) must always be governed by our relationship with Jesus. Our righteousness, our salvation, and our motivation for godly living all come from our position in Christ, (John 14:20, 15:5). What is meant by being in Christ? The clue is in the Hebrew concept of corporate personality: Believers are the church, the church is Christ, the church is Christ's spiritual body, (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:15). 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God s will, than for doing evil. Peter concludes these directives with a motivating consideration. God will sometimes allow Christians to suffer. But suffering and death are not reasons to doubt God s love and grace. We must continue to trust God, (Romans 1:17, 3:22; Hebrews 11:1-6). After all, faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see, (Hebrews 11:1). Peter does not need to say that if we do wrong, it might be God's will that we suffer. But many Christians are surprised to suffer when they are doing good. Yet that is precisely what God's will is in some instances. God may put us in difficult situations to chastise, strengthen, draw us back into His fold, or to benefit others. He will never give us more than we can bear, (1 Corinthians 10:13). Page 57

15 Verses 18-22: 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, This verse explains the hope that all believers have. Our hope is the good news about Jesus. God is holy, (Isaiah 6:3). All people are dead in their sinful condition, (Ephesians 2:1). Sin separates people from God, (Romans 8:7). The punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus died to forgive sins, (1 John 2:2). Jesus did not sin, (2 Corinthians 5:21). He died on the cross to take away the sins of all people, (John 1:29). Jesus rose from the dead, (1 Corinthians 15:20), and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, (Mark 16:19). Whoever believes in Jesus as their savior will have eternal life, (John 3:16). For Christ also suffered once for sins The initial for points back to the previous passage, (1 Peter 3:13-17) and reminds us that we should not be surprised or discouraged by suffering, since Christ triumphed in His suffering even though He died an excruciating death on the cross. Most believers will not die as martyrs, but even if they do, that death, as all death, is the wages of sin, (Romans 6:23). All people die because they are sinful, which makes even a death for righteousness' sake a just death, in a sense. Man deserves to die. Jesus did not! This He did only once (hapax a[pax) for all and for all time. This Greek word means once for all eternity, perpetual validity, not requiring any repetition. In Christ, the sins of every believer are forever forgiven. We can add nothing to our salvation, (Isaiah 53:10; John 12:27-28; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 John 2:2). Christ suffered because He died for our sins. Sin caused the sinless Christ's death. This is the supreme example of suffering for righteousness' sake, and He willingly endured it on behalf of sinners, (Isaiah 53:4-6,8-12; Matthew 26:26-28; John 1:29;10:11,15; Romans 5:8-11, 8:32; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:15,18-19; Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 2:13-16; Colossians 1:20-22; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 2:9, 17, 7:27, 9:12, 24-28, 10:10, 13:12; 1 John 1:7, 2:2, 4:10; Revelation 1:5; 5:9). Earlier in this letter, Peter asserted that Christ "committed no sin", (1 Peter 2:22). He never had a single thought, word, or action that did not fully please God. His behavior in every respect was perfectly holy, (Isaiah 53:11; Luke 1:35; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 1:9, 4:15; 7:26; John 5:30). Under the old covenant, God required animal sacrifices to symbolize the need to atone for sin by the death of an innocent substitute, (Exodus 29:31-36; Leviticus 1:4-16, 17:11, 23:26-27; Numbers 15:25; 1 Chronicles 6:49). The New Testament presents Christ as that perfect sacrifice who fulfilled all the Old Testament symbols in the reality of atoning for all sinners, (John 3:14-15; Romans 5:6-11;1 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 9:11-14, 24, 28, 12:24, 13:11-12). the righteous for the unrighteous, Christ s suffering and death was vicarious, substitutionary suffering. On the one hand, there is the righteous Christ. On the other hand there is the mass of sinful, unrighteous humanity. The righteous One died in the place of all the unrighteous ones, (Psalm 16:10; Luke 23:47; Matthew 27:19, 24; Acts 3:14, 7:52, 22:14; 1 John 2:1). These terms are purposely judicial: One Righteous unrighteous ones, and refer to God's verdicts, (Matthew 3:17; Luke 9:35; John 12:28). Other sacrificial victims died and remain dead, not so Christ. God's voice from heaven and the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead and placed Him at the right hand of the Father is the concluding verdict. Page 58