1 Peter 2:18-25 On the Job July 15, 2018pm www.newhopefwbc.com 1285 Ne w Hope R oad Joelton, TN 37080 6 1 5. 7 4 6. 6 4 0 3 READ 1 Peter 2:13-21 KIDS A Christian is never more like Christ than when he is suffering unjustly? I have had five bosses in my life (no Rachel is not included in that list), and I can honestly say that I enjoyed working for every one of them during the time they employed me. (Whether or not they enjoyed employing me is another story all together). Each of them have been Christians. Each of them treated me fairly. I left on good terms with each of them, and with each of them, I believe, I could carry on a friendly conversation even today. I know that my story is not the norm. I am sure that some of you have worked for individuals that were not fair. They were not kind, and there was (or is even now) a lot of tension in your workplace environment because of a bullying boss. There are so many things about the first century that we just cannot even imagine or try to apply in our own modern life. At face value, this passage of Scripture may be one of those for you, but I think it is very relative to our situation once we do a little work and study about it. Corey M. Minter Page 1 of 7
Slavery was a very real issue in the first century and because of that it was an issue within the early church as well, but the slavery that we automatically think of is very different from Roman slavery. 1. Roman slavery was not based upon ethnicity per se. Essentially, everyone who was not of Roman parentage was born into slavery. Some scholars have suggested that Rome boasted 60-75 million slaves at differing points of reign. 2. Upon a slave s 30th birthday, he was able to purchase his freedom. 3. Slaves took up every form of occupation and not just hard labor. Many of them were skilled. In fact, I read this week that they were teachers, musicians, actors, artists, doctors and secretaries. If you had surgery in the first century, it would have been performed by a servant. 1 I do not mention all of this to say that slavery was no big deal. It was. I only point out those three differences so that we do no equate it with our historical idea of slavery. There was a very gruesome side to it. About 400 years earlier than 1 Peter, Aristotle about Roman slavery in Ethics. He wrote A slave is a living tool, and a tool is an inanimate slave. 2 Add to this the religious issue, and you can see how this was a very volatile subject in the church. There were some churches in the first century whose congregants were both slave and freedmen. Church history even goes so far to mention that in some local churches slaves actually 1 2 http://www.wisdomonline.org/cgi-bin/media_player.cgi?id=4592 Ethics, 1161b via 1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary. MacArthur, John. P. 158 Corey M. Minter Page 2 of 7
held an eldership. It is very likely that there were slaves who were pastors and spiritual advisors of their very own masters. On Sunday, they preached to them, and every other day of the week, they literally served them. That had to be a very difficult dynamic. That is why 1 Peter 2:18-21 is so important. The whole epistle was a letter circulated among local churches. So much of their church service would center on the reading of the letters of the apostles, and this is no exception. The Christian reading this may very well have been addressing a room full of slave-owners and slaves alike. 18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. It is important to note that Peter does not use the usual term here in describing a slave (δούλος). The term he uses speaks to house-servants. There really is not much distinction between the two, a house servant could very well have been a slave, or it could have been a position of gainful employment. However, considering the context (master), it is safe to say that this is a slave situation. Up to this point, Peter s letter has led to some pretty ground shaking and difficult things to swallow. The Christian s responsibility to an oppressive and abusive government is to submit and honor its leaders (v. 13-17). But the passage that we are looking to tonight goes a lot deeper than that. You see, it could be easy for a 1st century Christian to say that he was submitting to and honoring Roman officials because the chances were that he would never actually stand face-to-face with one. A slave- Corey M. Minter Page 3 of 7
master though? He would see him every day of his life, and how was he to treat him? Submission with all fear. 18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. That has to be tough, and Peter even makes sure that he does not leave any wiggle room for reasons not to submit. He does not leave it vague. He does not allow for a caveat. He does not say, Submit with all fear UNLESS. No. He says the exact opposite! Submit with all fear not just to the good master but also the harsh (unreasonable). I think you see the principle without my devoting time to it, but just in case, if Peter is telling a coerced people to honor, submit and love their oppressive slave-masters, how much more should we honor, submit, love and obey our bosses who have to meet so many labor standards today. The slave was told to submit even under threat of violence while not getting paid a fair wage, yet we find it very difficult to honor our boss when he pays a wage, is held to a standard of business practices, and at times, even offers a benefit package. That does not mean that we have to endure abuse, in our situation. Peter is not saying to the employee that you have to stay at that job for the rest of your life and just take your licks, but it is good to point out that his audience did not even have the freedom to quit and find other employment. Why? Why wouldn t Peter advocate for slaves to run for their freedom? Why wouldn t he push for a social justice campaign to end the tyranny of Rome and its abuses of God s people? To those questions: I do Corey M. Minter Page 4 of 7
not know the answer completely other than to say that the Bible is not a book on civics, nor is is a book on how to make your life better. For his reason for submitting in all fear, Peter simply writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. It is commendable. Suffering evil when you have done nothing to deserve it is a gift or a grace. That does not make sense does it? Neither does Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. But that s what Jesus said. And James does not make sense either when he says James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. I do not understand it all, and I do not think that any of us ever will this side of Heaven, but I think the message is clear 1. Undeserved suffering carries personal benefit. Corey M. Minter Page 5 of 7
Notice: Peter is careful to point out the difference between persecution and consequences. One is deserved. The other comes upon you regardless of your actions. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. A lot of people cry persecution when they are really just suffering the consequences of the unwise decisions. I worked with a guy who got written up one time because he took an extended break to read his Bible. When he got the notice, he was ticked, and he claimed that our employer was persecuting him for his religious beliefs. No, he was suffering the consequences of his unwise decisions. Of suffering persecution for righteousness F.B. Meyer wrote Peter is telling us that there is a thrill of delight in the very heart of God and from the throne, God stoops to say to you, Thank you. That s what is meant when Peter says it is commendable. It means that God Himself sees the act, the perseverance through persecution, and He says, Thank you. Thank you for turning good for evil. Thank you for enduring that undeserved verbal lashing. Thank you for the grace you displayed to that sinning employer. Thank you for suffering. Thank you for showing the world just a little bit of what My Son went through on earth for mankind. That s really what it is all about anyway Corey M. Minter Page 6 of 7
2. Undeserved suffering produces Christ-likeness. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps A Christian is never more like Christ than when he is suffering unjustly. This is what we signed up for Christians: unfair, unjust treatment, and yet we cry out in despair when we actually feel it. Everything about the cross was unfair. GRACE IS UNFAIR. The perfect Son of God was slain for all of our sins, and yet we whine that our job situation is not ideal. 22 Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth ; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Corey M. Minter Page 7 of 7