AP

1 Peter Studies (6)                                                                                       1 Peter 2:18-25

Submission, Sacrifice and Example                                                                                 

Verse 18 This section is addressed to slaves – more particularly, household servants (oiketai) – but could well apply to employees. Slaves, as a class, formed a large part of the early Christian community. Note that it is the slaves who have to subject themselves to their masters, whether they are good and considerate or harsh. Some pagan masters had what the poets called ‘the milk of human kindness.’ They were good to their slaves. Others were harsh, being set against these Christian slaves. They lived lives of purity, meekness, honesty, willingness to serve, and obedience in the households of their harsh masters. This was a powerful testimony for the gospel and brought a conviction of sin to these ungodly masters. This irritated them and they acted in a most unpleasant way towards their slaves, whom they would punish without provocation. Yet they did not want to sell these Christian slaves and buy pagan ones, because the Christian slaves served them better.

With regard to Christian masters, Paul offers the same advice as Peter: “All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves” (1Timothy 6:1-2). Of course, Paul also advised: “Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so” (1 Corinthians 7:21). See also Philemon 8-18 about the runaway slave Onesimus, returned to his master as “a dear brother.” Paul condemns slave trading! (1 Timothy 1:8-11).

Verses 19-20 Peter points out that it is commendable to bear up under the pain of being unjustly punished. There is no virtue in being punished for doing wrong. A pagan slave would likely react in a rebellious, sullen, or vindictive manner. To show patience in the face of injustice, having done no wrong, is true evidence of Christian character. It is evidence of grace. When punished unjustly, Peter expects the Christian slave to behave in a meek, patient, and forgiving manner. The Christian slave is conscious of God, of his relationship with God. Patient endurance while experiencing an unjust beating on the part of Christian slaves is in the sight of God an action that is beyond the ordinary course of what might be expected and is therefore commendable.

Verse 21-25 The Christian slave has Jesus as an example of suffering unjustly. Peter quotes from Isaiah 53:9. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” Peter recalls the scene at the cross where passers-by and even the criminal on the cross “hurled insults at him” (Matthew 27:39, 44; Mark 15:29, 32; Luke 23:29). Jesus never committed any sin and did not practise deceit. Likewise, the Christian is urged to do away with deceit (cf. 2:1).

The slaves would find comfort in knowing that Jesus also suffered being innocent, not responding to insults with more insults. Jesus left them an example. The word for ‘example’ used here refers to words given for children to copy or trace when learning to write. Peter continues by using another image: following in Jesus’ footsteps. Slaves, and all of us, should walk the same road that Jesus walked – meekly, not threateningly. Jesus did not retaliate when he suffered insults; he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted (committed) himself to God. He handed over these insults to God for him to deal with, to take care of, to manage. The Lord Jesus kept on delivering over to God both the insults and the mockers as they kept on wounding his loving heart. In similar circumstances we must do the same, for the sake of our Christian testimony.

When Peter says that Jesus ‘bore’ our sins, he uses a word that means ‘carried up’ referring to the Old Testament priest who carried the sacrifice up to the altar. The altar was about 4’6” high and was approached on an incline. Jesus carried all our sins on the cross! What a burden! The goal was that, as Jesus died with our sins on his shoulders, we would die to sins and live to righteousness. God breaks the power of the sinful nature in sinners when they put their faith in the Lord Jesus. They are no longer slaves to sin. “But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18).

The stripes refer to the Lord’s lacerated back after the scourging he received. “The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him” (Luke 22:63). The Romans used a scourge of cords to which were attached pieces of lead, or brass, or small sharp-pointed bones. Criminals condemned to crucifixion were ordinarily scourged before being executed. The victim was stripped to the waist and bound in a stooping position, with the hands tied behind the back, to a post or pillar. The suffering under the lash was intense. The body was frightfully lacerated. The Christian martyrs at Smyrna about AD 155 were so torn by the scourges that their veins were laid bare, and the inner muscles and sinews and even the bowels were exposed.

We can see in our mind the picture of the Suffering Servant: his face so beaten that he no longer looked human. The cross was laid on his bleeding back. He had to carry it to Golgotha. No wonder he fell down several times! “As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus” (Luke 23:26). Compared to what Jesus suffered, our sufferings are minor. We can endure suffering if we keep our eye on our ultimate destiny of being with our Lord in glory!

The chapter concludes with the image of the straying sheep returning to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. The word for ‘Overseer’ is the same as in other places is translated as ‘bishop.’ This indicates that bishops should be watching over our souls.

Questions:

How do Peter’s instructions to Christian slaves apply to us in the 21^st century West?

What do Peter’s teachings tell us about those who would now seek to persecute Christians?

Why did Christianity in the long run work against slavery in all its forms?

Notes on Slavery:

Slaves worked in a wide range of occupations that can be roughly divided into five categories: household or domestic, imperial or public, urban crafts and services, agriculture, and mining.

Epitaphs record at least 55 different jobs a household slave might have, including barber, butler, cook, hairdresser, handmaid (ancilla), washer of their master’s clothes, wet nurse or nursery attendant, teacher, secretary, seamstress, accountant, and physician. A large elite household (a domus in town, or a villa in the countryside) might be supported by a staff of hundreds. The living conditions of slaves attached to a domus (the familia urbana), while inferior to those of the free persons they lived with, were sometimes superior to that of many free urban poor in Rome. Household slaves likely enjoyed the highest standard of living among Roman slaves, next to publicly owned slaves, who were not subject to the whims of a single master. Imperial slaves were those attached to the emperor’s household. See Philippians 4:22 “All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.”

Sources of slaves: kidnappings, piracy, war. Slaves born in a household were treated with more consideration. Fair enough – their fathers were likely—though not always—to have been the master or his son! In Rome 30% of the population were slaves. People who were in debt could submit to slavery on a temporary basis. Some people sold their children into slavery. When sold at a slave market, the slaves would be shown to potential buyers naked.

Rome forbade the harbouring of fugitive slaves, and professional slavecatchers were hired to hunt down runaways. Advertisements were posted with precise descriptions of escaped slaves and offered rewards. If caught, fugitives could be punished by being whipped, burnt with iron, or killed. Think of what could have happened to Onesimus, if Paul had not advised Philemon to receive him back as a brother!

– Alida Sewell