Peter Writes to Pilgrims — 1 Peter 2:18–20 – Facing Unjust Treatment « My translation of 1 Peter is to convey the flavour of the Greek rather than to achieve English fluency and literacy. » « Leader information shown in this fashion »
A. Review
1. Outline, thus far:
a. 1:1–2 — Peter’s greeting
b. 1:3-5 – Praise and thanksgiving to God for salvation
c. 1:6-9 – The Testing of Faith
d. 1:10-12 – the Prophecy of Salvation
e. 1:13–16 – A Transformed Mind
f. 1:17-21 – The ransom price paid for us
g. 1:22-25 – Three subjects on truth
h. 2:1–3 – Feeding on the Word
i. 2:4–8 – Founded upon the Rock
j. 2:9-12 – Living as Heavenly Citizens,
2. Last week, 2:13–17 – Living as Earthly Citizens
a. Subjection to Human Authority, 2:13–14 – 13 Be obedient to every institution pertaining to humankind for the Lord’s sake; whether to the king as supreme, 14 or unto governors as being sent for his {ie., the king’s} sake in order for the maintenance of justice {or, judgement} of doers of evil and commendation of the doers of good.
i. What limits apply to these verses? « – obedience is first due to God; the king supreme only in a human sense »
ii. How is this ‘for the Lord’s sake’? « – it gives honour to Jesus Christ and testifies to Him »
b. God’s Will in This matter, 2:15 – 15 because this is God’s will: by your doing good to muzzle the ignorance of unthinking persons,
i. What is God’s will in your life from this and other passages? « – doing good, in this verse; full-hearted, honest work, Ephesians 6:6; our sanctification, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, being thankful, 1 Thessalonians 5:18. »
c. Christian Liberty and Servanthood, 2:16–17 – 16 as free-born, yet not having this ‘free-bornness’ as a cloak of evil, but as bond-slaves of God: 17 be respectful of all persons; love the brotherhood; fearfully reverence God; honour the king.
i. What is the greatest liberty we have? « – Luther, ‘made free from the wrath of God forever’; Augustine, ‘to serve God is the highest liberty.’ »
B. Unjust Treatment, the Command 1 Peter 2:18
1. Domestic servants, be submissive to your masters {’despots’} in all respectful fear; not just to the good and considerate, but also to the perverse {’twisted’};
2. Those addressed were usually slaves in those times; does this verse still have application today (cf Philippians 2:15, ‘that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,’ (NAS))? « – yes, we still face similar rebuffs in the perverse world in which we live »
3. ‘Be submissive’ or ‘subject yourselves’
a. Did these people, or we, usually have much control over who should be human masters? « – No: slaves were bought, employment may be scarce, a new boss may come »
b. What was under their or our control? « – how we respond »
4. Ephesians 6:5-8: ‘Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.’ (NAS) and Colossians 3:22-25 are similar.
a. What attitudes are called for by servants? « – obedience respect, fear, sincerity, full-heartedness »
b. What promise is given? « – reward and recompense from the Lord; this is an encouragement, rather than a motive »
c. What is the overriding consideration? « – it is being done to please God, for the sake of Jesus Christ »
5. What kind of ‘respectful fear’ may be involved here?
a. 1 Peter 2:16 « – to God as His bond-slave »
b. of the master because
i. he can … « punish »
ii. It may cause him … « to think well or respond positively to our testimony. Was this the reason for Nehemiah’s fear before Artaxerxes in Nehemiah 2:2–3? »
C. Unjust Treatment, the Benefit 1 Peter 2:19
1. for this is to someone’s credit {lit., ‘grace’}, if for the sake of consciousness {AV ‘conscience’} of God, he bears up under wrongs, suffering unjustly;
2. Where does the real credit belong? « – to God, the Holy Spirit, for the fruit He produces in the believer’s life (Galatians 5:22-23). But there is, nevertheless, an acknowledgement or an acceptance by God of this kind of behaviour on the part of the believer. »
3. What is the general result of consciousness of God in …
a. … Isaiah 6:5 ‘Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”’ (NAS)? « – our sinful state before God »
b. … John 16:8 ‘And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment’ (NAS)? « – our sin and what God requires of us, our duty »
c. … Romans 8:16 ‘The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God’ (NAS)? « – for a believer, his filial relationship to God »
4. Discuss whether it is wrong to do things primarily from a sense of duty rather than love (consider Jeremiah 20:9 ‘But if I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it.’ (NAS)). « – God would prefer our doing it from love but sometimes uses other means »
5. ‘Suffering unjustly’ – the slave-servant was considered a piece of property, so what did not exist in this situation? « – an ability to complain to authority, etc., about one’s treatment »
6. What is the converse to this verse as found in Ephesians 6:9 ‘And, masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.’ (NAS)? …
a. … how we treat … « our employees, subordinates »
b. … what if we don’t have these? « – how we deal with those obligated by their responsibilities to serve us (waitress, &c) »
D. Unjust Treatment, the Definition 1 Peter 2:20
1. for what kind of fame is it, if sinning and being punched {’fisted, struck with the fist’} for it, you should endure it? But, if doing good and suffering for it you should endure it, this is creditable {lit., grace} before {ie., in the presence of} God.
2. What is the contrast between in this verse? « – between merited suffering and martyr suffering. »
3. What is the principle behind this statement that is also found in Luke 32-34 ‘And if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, in order to receive back the same amount.’ (NAS)? « – the good deeds of the Christian should be of markedly different character and motivation from those of the world if they are to bear the adequate testimony to our Saviour that He deserves. »
4. Is suffering a blessing in itself?
a. What makes it so, Acts 4:20 ‘for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard.’ (NAS)? « – that it’s for the Jesus’ sake »
b. What qualifications does Jesus make, Matthew 5:10–12 ‘Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’ (NAS)? « – it be for the sake of righteousness, it be false accusations, it be for Jesus’ sake »
5. Some discussion questions
a. Does this instruction apply beyond the employee/employer relationship? … how?
b. Does this mean the Christian should be a ‘door-mat’?
c. Should the Christian take legal recourse against criminal abuse? … why or why not?