1 Peter

Question

What is the meaning of suffering in 1 Peter?

Key Verses

1 Peter 1:6-7 “in which you rejoice greatly, although now for a short time, if necessary, you are distressed by various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more valuable than gold that is passing away, but is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

1 Peter 1:13-17 “Therefore, when you have prepared your minds for action by being self-controlled, put your hope completely in the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former desires you used to conform to in your ignorance, but as the one who called you is holy, you yourselves be holy in all your conduct, for it is written, “You will be holy, because I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves with fear during the time of your temporary residence,”

1 Peter 2:11-17 “Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires which wage war against your soul, maintaining your good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in the things in which they slander you as evildoers, by seeing your good deeds they may glorify God on the day of visitation. Subject yourselves to every human authority for the sake of the Lord, whether to a king as having supreme authority, or to governors as those sent out by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good. For the will of God is as follows: by doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as free persons, and not using your freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God. Honor all people, love the community of believers, fear God, honor the king.”

1 Peter 2:18-21 “Domestic slaves, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unjust. For this finds favor, if because of consciousness of God someone endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if you endure when you do good and suffer for it, this finds favor with God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his footsteps,”

1 Peter 3:13-17 “And who is the one who will harm you if you are a zealous adherent for what is good? But even if you might suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their intimidation or be disturbed, but set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts, always ready to make a defense to anyone who asks you for an accounting concerning the hope that is in you. But do so with courtesy and respect, having a good conscience, so that in the things in which you are slandered, the ones who malign your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil.”

1 Peter 4:1-4 “Therefore, because Christ suffered in the flesh, you also equip yourselves with the same way of thinking, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for the will of God. For the time that has passed was sufficient to do what the Gentiles desire to do, having lived in licentiousness, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries, with respect to which they are surprised when you do not run with them into the same flood of dissipation, and so they revile you.”

1 Peter 4:12-16 “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, when it takes place to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice and be glad. If you are reviled on account of the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. By all means do not let anyone of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. But if someone suffers as a Christian, he must not be ashamed, but must glorify God with this name.”

Discuss

What type of writting is 1 Peter?

The literary genre of 1 Peter is called an epistle/letter. According to Bruce Bickel (1998), epistles were written to stay in communication with Christian communities and address specific issues within a specific Christian community or communities.

Who is the author?

The letter indicates that Silas wrote the letter (1 Peter 5:12, but was dictated by Peter, one of the apostle of Jesus Christ.

Who is the letter written to?

According to 1 Peter 1:1, the letter is written to several Non-Jewish Christian communities in the area of Asia Minor (Turkey) around AD 64 who have rapidly moved to the area due to persecution.

What is the Historical Background?

Rome was in rubbles due to a fire that engulfed the city. Many lost their homes. The Emperor Nero accused Christians for the fire. According to Tacitus, Nero went so far as to accuse Christians of “hatred of the human race”. As a result, Christians were persecuted violently and would travel distances to escape persecution only to be met by more persecution in places like Asia Minor (a group of provinces of the Roman Empire).

What does 1 Peter say about suffering?

Suffering is a test to determine whether a professing believer’s faith in Christ is genuine.

A Christian is to live as the image of Christ. Christ suffered therefore the Christian suffers becuase the Christian identifies with Christ.

Attempting to live righteous in an unrighteous society is a form of suffering. The Christian is ridiculed for not living as society does.

Christians suffer to live (righteous) in opposition to the desires of their flesh (unrighteous). This is evidence of a true believer, their desires are not please themselves but God.

Suffering is temporary and light compared to the glory that is ahead.

Suffer for doing good not for doing evil.

Application

As Christians living in a broken world that endorses hypersexuality, redefinig gender, open marriages, racism, cancel culture and opposition to Christ, we experience rejection, tenison, and hostility when we try to live out our Christian worldviews. What we are experiencing according to Peter is suffering. Suffering for the Christians will occur in all matters of life, personally (1 Peter 2:11-17), with one another (1 Peter 3:1-2), in our vocation (1 Peter 2:18-21), and in society (1 Peter 4:14). Suffering for the Christian is commonplace because Christ was rejected and suffered for righteousness, likewise the image of Christ (Christians) also suffer for righteousness, for we are not greater than our Master. Much like the exiles/foreigners to whom 1 Peter is written to, the Christian is a foreigner to the world’s system because our allegiance lies with God. Although suffering for doing good appears not to be profitable, what 1 Peter encourages is that Christians should endure suffering because it has divine purposes and remain fixated on the promise of the future glory that is now and still to come.

David Helm and Ted Griffin (2008) put it this way, “Throughout the Scriptures, the way up comes by going down; restoration comes after trials (5:10). It is this inversion in attaining glory that marks Peter’s theme throughout this letter. Christians’ future inheritance and exaltation — our eternal share in the glory of Christ — will be awarded to us on the day of his appearing (1:13; 2:12; 4:13; 5:1, 4, 10). But that promised day only comes after this brief season of present-day sufferings. For suffering always precedes subsequent glories. As it was for God’s Son, so it will be for all of us who are in him” (p. 18).

References