I know that I’ve been slow dragging through 1 Peter. I started another blog and it’s taken more time than I expected. But I am back on track today. Feel free to check out my other project dearwokechristian.com.
1 Peter 3:13 Pretty interesting question by Peter. He clearly knows that many will attempt to physically hurt us and if granted will be successful. I believe he’s pointing out that any attack leveled against us is only temporary. As long as we’re in Christ we don’t have to fear how He’ll take care of us. It’s also interesting that this is Peter who earlier denied that he knew Christ. Talk about a turn around.
1 Peter 3:14 This is a very unique angle. “Suffering for righteousness”. We could really dig into the weeds on what is suffering as well as what is the righteousness. However in few verses I think Peter clears up this for us. Stay with me.
1 Peter 3:14 These are the people who may seek to harm us or do us ill. Ultimately we have nothing to fear. In the present we may be tempted to fear, but our long term approach is not to be fearful or troubled.
1 Peter 3:15 Here’s where I beleive Peter clarifies his earlier statement. By honoring Christ in our hearts we ultimately are obeying Him and reverencing Him. If we’re doing that and exhaulting Christ any trouble we face will pail in comparison to obeying Him. This verse is well known and I find it very encouraging. Remember Peter is the disciple that disowned Jesus three times when confronted by various people. He even went as far as to call down curses to show that he wasn’t assocaited with the soon to be crucified Jesus. It’s clear that God had finally changed Peter’s character from being the one quick to blurt out an answer or comment to one that’s reflective and mindful of his witness. Seeing the risen Savior really changed his disposition.
1 Peter 3:16 This is Peter who countelss times in the Gospel accounts mispoke, chided Christ, jumped before looking and other things. Now, he’s aware that our good behavior in Christ will speak volumes against anyone who oposses the Gospel.
1 Peter 3:17 Here I believe that Peter’s well aware of how he’s seal his testimony and he knows that it will honor Christ. This brash sailor, now a thoughtful apostle was coming into full bloom. As we read Peter’s story we see him trying to do a lot. He fails at most of it and what he does do is pretty shoty. However, when he finally “got it” and understood exactly who Jesus was and His role in redemptive history, Peter became the spokesman for the early church.
1 Peter 3:18 Christ’s sufferings weren’t for naught. He did it for one reason, to redeem His chosen people.
1 Peter 3:18 Peter is building off the argument that we’ll suffer by pointing out that the only truly innocent One had already done that.
1 Peter 3:19 Christ preached to those in prision? Where? He didn’t even get His cousin out of jail, but left him there to be beheaded. Every single one of us is in prision. We’re in prision to sin. And by His incarnation, Jesus preached to us and provided us a way to escape.
1 Peter 3:20 Obedience, I’m realizing is a very serious theme throughout scripture. The big upshot is “Whom” should we obey and that obviously is God. Just imagine, if the people in Noah’s day had obeied.
1 Peter 3:21Baptism is tied back to the OT several times. We see it here with Noah. Later it’s associated with Moses. The result is always the same a death, burial and resurrection into newness of life.
1 Peter 3:21-22 The only reason we have hope of any kind is because of Christ. And not just any Christ, but a raised, assended, triumphant Christ Who’s seated at the right have to God on high. That’s our hope.
Blogging Through The Bible 