8. Living For Christ In A Hostile Work Environment

1 Peter 2:18–25 ESV

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

The Reward for Godly Servanthood, 19-20

Peter previously dealt with submission to those over us in civil government. In today’s passage he now deals with the relationship between slave and master.

This is far removed from our experience, and it might be helpful to look at this peculiar institution.

Slavery in Peter’s day

Slavery in the Roman empire was not race-based in that day. People became slaves in several ways: by being captured in wars, kidnapped, or born of a a slave. It is estimated that Julius Caesar in his conquests sent back to Italy close to a million slaves from what is now France and parts of Germany.

People facing economic hardships might choose to sell themselves or their children into slavery in order to survive. Many slaves lived miserably, particularly those who served in the mines. Other slaves, however, served as doctors, teachers, managers, musicians, artisans, and could even own other slaves. It would not be unusual for a slave to be better educated than the master.

It is estimated that in Peter’s time, close to 15% of the overall population of the Empire were slaves. Out in the provinces where Peter’s audience lived it may have been closer to 1 in four people were slaves.

Slaves worked everywhere – in private households, in mines and factories, and on farms. They also worked for city governments on engineering projects such as roads, aqueducts and buildings. As a result, they merged easily into the population.

In fact, slaves looked so similar to the general populace in Rome that the Senate once considered a plan to make them wear special clothing so that they could be identified at a glance. The idea was rejected because the Senate feared that, if slaves saw how many of them were working in Rome itself, they might be tempted to join forces and rebel.

Still, slaves in the Roman world were under the control of their masters and had no independent existence.

One writer of the day said servus non habet personam ('a slave has no persona'). He has no personhood. He does not own his body; he has no ancestors, no name, no family, no goods of his own. He or she was as if they were a living thing or a talking tool. Just property, as if they were a piece of furniture or cattle.

Slaves had no legal rights, and masters could beat them, brand them, and abuse them physically and sexually without penalty. So, we could definitely say that slaves of that era were in hostile work environments!

Some did advocate for decent treatment for their slaves, but that was the exception rather than the rule.

Slaves could purchase their freedom in the Greco-Roman world with the help of their masters, a procedure called manumission. In the Roman world they could even become citizens and vote. The Apostle Paul urged those Christian slaves who could purchase their freedom to do so. This, though, was available mainly for urban slaves, and most slaves had no hope of being able to purchase their freedom.

Slaves and the Church

Galatians 3:28 ESV

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

What did this mean in practice? It did not mean that Christians automatically freed all their slaves. It meant that the concept of a slave as a “living thing” (res mortales) or “talking tool” (instrumentum vocalis) was replaced by one where the slave was a human being, a servant created in the image of God. They to be treated with dignity. If they were believers, they were as a member of the extended family, a brother or sister in Christ.

The fact that Peter issued instructions to household servants/slaves would have been startling to the ancient world. But the Gospel turns things upside down. Peter, like Paul, gives the servants status, and puts them in the position of being those who could make a choice. They could live responsibly. By so living they could thus increase their own self-respect. They could recognise that they did have control over their own lives, even if they were slaves or menial servants. They are free in Christ to do as they ought.

Slaves Living for Christ in Difficult Circumstances

But how are slaves to behave as Christians in relation to their masters?How do they live for Christ in their circumstances?

His advice : They are to be obedient to their masters and treat them with due respect because they themselves (the servants) walk in the fear of God.

And this is not only towards those masters who were good and gentle but towards all, even those who are harsh, unfair or difficult to please.

By this means they would be taking charge of their own lives and demonstrating that, although they were ‘God’s freedmen’, they still fulfilled their own duties and responsibilities as servants because they were obedient to Jesus Christ. This would then also bring Christianity into favour. And who knew whether by so doing they might win their masters for Christ? (Compare 1 Peter 3:1).

As we saw last week, we all live in the spheres of the Family, the Church, Our Neighbours, and the State, and have relationships to everyone else as either a superior, inferior, or equal. The point of teaching we saw is that...

Everyone of us is to fill-up the place and station in life that the Lord has assigned us, and we must glorify Him in it, regardless.

So, slaves, in relation to their masters, are to glorify God by filling -up the place and station in life that the Lord has assigned to them. They must glorify God in it, regardless of the circumstances.

The manner of their suffering

So, what of the negative circumstances a slave faces? Peter is careful to distinguish between just and unjust suffering.

The suffering to which slaves, and by extension all Christians, are called is not suffering caused by the human condition, such as illness, aging, and death. Nor is it suffering that is the consequence of one’s own sin and poor judgment.

Peter’s call is to patient endurance if we suffer unjustly, to suffer patiently even though one has done nothing to provoke or deserve it, simply because one is a Christian. Peter calls it “commendable.” The challenge of the call does not stop there; Peter further exhorts the Christian to keep on doing good even when unjust suffering continues to be the result.

“with all respect” “with all fear”

A Living Hope: A Commentary on 1 and 2 Peter Called to Unjust Suffering (2:18–25)

The Greek “in all fear” probably means out of reverence to God whose control extends to every circumstance of life—even to their slavery.

In every instance in 1 Peter fear is directed toward God, not human beings (1 Pet 1:17; 3:2, 6, 14, 16). In fact, Peter spoke against fearing human beings in 3:6 and 3:14. The phrase “conscious of God” in 2:19 also constitutes evidence for this view.

Peter writes, “For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly” (2:19).

Mindful of God

Christians persevere in the face of opposition by actively remembering God and actively relying upon him. The very Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead is near us when we call and supplies us with strength and grace. And he is pleased with us when we endure injustice: “for this is a gracious thing in the sight of God” (2:20).

We have seen before that our obedience to God is absolute; we obey man only insofar as their commands do not violate God’s Word.

If a master commanded slaves to violate God’s will, then slaves are obligated to disobey, even if they suffer because of their disobedience — unjust suffering.

Believers cannot opt out of obeying masters who are wicked and disreputable. Peter was scarcely saying that Christian slaves should participate in evil or follow a corrupt master in an evil course of action. His point was that slaves cannot exempt themselves from doing what a master says, even if the master is wicked.

How this would relate today? A secretary cannot refuse to type a letter for a manager simply because the manager is an evil person. Refusal to type the letter would be defensible only if the contents of the letter are evil.

But what to do if you are in such a circumstance?

To encourage us, Peter presents the suffering of our Saviour Jesus to be our model, our example. Don’t be afraid of the unjust suffering you are experiencing. It is not evidence that God has forsaken you; to the contrary, it is evidence that God has chosen you. Suffering because we have chosen to honour God in our circumstances is an affirmation that we’re on the right track!

Are you facing such suffering? Are you “catching it” because you are being faithful to Christ? Do you have those times when you are tempted to ditch it all because the going has been tough and you feel you are going to break? Do not be tempted to wander off from Christ, for God will strengthen you to face life as a Christian. Peter will tell us to remember Jesus! God has made you secure because Jesus has suffered the ultimate injustice and yet he lives. You have been born again into that living hope. Let’s look at what Peter tells us:

Christ’s Suffering Presents Our Model for Behaviour, 21-25

The word “example” (hypogrammon) is used of children who trace over the letters of the alphabet in order to learn to write the letters correctly. Christ’s suffering functions as an example for this purpose (hina), so that believers would “follow in his steps.” As Christ’s disciples, believers are to suffer as he did, enduring every pain and insult received because of their allegiance to the Master.

So, applying Christ’s example, tracing His life and actions, how would we apply this in the face of unjust suffering?

Isaiah 53 and the Suffering Servant

Christ, who did not commit sin… ;

Their sin is never a pretext for our sinning.

If Jesus as the servant of the Lord did not sin or use guile, despite suffering intensely as the righteous one, then believers should follow his example and refrain from sinning or using deceit when they are mistreated as Christ’s disciples

Christ, who did not retaliate… ;

Jesus’ example needs to be applied into real situations. We recognise that the temptation to respond in a ‘tit for tat’ way is extremely strong but does the Christian no credit. Some of us may be particularly prone to making sure that we are the ones who have the last word in an argument. How much better to restrain our tongues and instead commit ourselves in our situation to God for His help and guidance.

Christ, who continually entrusted himself to God

Jesus kept “handing over” (paredidou) to God every dimension of his life, including the fate of his enemies. In particular, he knew that God would judge rightly on the last day, both vindicating him and punishing his enemies if they refused to repent.

In the same way, those who are slaves, considered not even to have personhood, who are at the bottom rung of society, and who have no legal recourse to earthly courts for justice, they do have an advocate in heaven, Jesus Christ the righteous. And Just as God vindicated Him in the resurrection and ascension, so we, too, may entrust ourselves to our Heavenly Father. The Judge of all the earth will one day set all things at rights.

Christ, who is the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls

By His grace we have been rescued, redeemed. In the midst of all of our struggles, we must be encouraged that Jesus is the Shepherd and overseer of our souls. We are not lost in the shuffle; he intently watches and cares for us!

Applications

First-century slavery shouldn’t be equated with twenty-first-century Western workplaces. But arguing from the heavy stuff of being a slave to lighter things in our experiences as employees, it seems to me that we can pull some general principles from this passage about submission to authorities in the workplace.

All Our Relationships Must Reflect Our Reverence for God and Our Commitment to Doing His Will

Most of us work under some sort of authority. We have supervisors. And sometimes they create a lot of problems for us. They might mismanage us, undercut us, even openly mock us on account of our faith.

When this happens, we usually feel powerless. When we feel degraded in our workplace, we’re tempted to retaliate. Maybe we try to get even with our boss by gossiping about her with our colleagues. Or maybe we don’t do our best work for that assignment we deem to be unreasonable. Or maybe we do everything we’re supposed to do, but grudgingly.

But when we’re living out our distinct Christian identity in this world, we refuse to repay evil for evil. Instead, we commit ourselves to do good. Peter urges submission irrespective of a master’s character (2:18).

These are difficult instructions. Humanly speaking, they’re impossible. And yet these instructions about patiently enduring injustice lie at the heart of all our Christian conduct. So how do we do it? We remember who we are: servants of the living God. And we remember whom we aim to please in all things: our Master, the Lord Jesus himself. This is massively practical in our working life.

1. In all social relationships our conduct should spring out of our reverence for God and our desire to do his will. The fundamental question must always be: What does God want me to do? What Peter says here is a principle of general application.

2. Our conduct in all our relationships should fulfill the obligations imposed by the relationship. A contract to work for some other person or body must be fulfilled conscientiously. To enter into a relationship is to accept obligations. The problem arises with relationships that are imposed on us—relationships as diverse as those of children born to their parents and of people who fall under the control of an enemy power.

To what extent do these relationships impose binding obligations upon us? How do we know that it is God’s will that we are placed in them?

Living near an Army post I at times had young men in their assignment sitting in my study (after going through basic training and their vocational training in the service) ask the question: is it God’s will for me to be in the Army? And I’d tell them that yes, it is God’s will for you to be in the Army right now, and that they were to glorify God in their circumstances then and there. As to re-enlistment, we’ll talk about it. But right now, glorify God in your current relationships and circumstances.

3. Our conduct in the relationship must be determined by the relationship, that is, what is the sphere I’m operating in in this relationship and am I a superior, inferior, or equal to this person. Our conduct is not to be governed by personal considerations regarding the character of an employer.

4. Disregarding our obligations to others brings no credit to the gospel, even if we are prepared to pay the price without complaining.

5. If we do suffer unjustly, our acceptance of this without retaliation is commendable (as verse 23 makes clear). Clearly this covers all situations of persecution.

Keep the focus on Christ

Works cited or consulted

Green, Joel B. 1 Peter. The Two Horizons New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007.

Jobes, Karen H. 1 Peter. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005.

MacLeay, Angus. Teaching 1 Peter: Unlocking 1 Peter for the Bible Teacher. Edited by David Jackman and Robin Sydserff. Teach the Bible. London, England; Ross-shire, Scotland: PT Media; Christian Focus, 2008.

Marshall, I. Howard. 1 Peter. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1991.

Pett, Peter. "Commentary on 1 Peter 2". "Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible ". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/1-peter-2.html. Accessed 14 June 2019.

Rayburn, Robert S. Christian Slaves, 1 Peter 2:18-25. http://www.faithtacoma.org/peter-2/christian-slaves-1-peter-218-25. Accessed 14 June 2019.

Sanchez, Juan R. 1 Peter for You. Sydney:The Good Book Company, 2016.

Schreiner, Thomas R. 1, 2 Peter, Jude. Vol. 37. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003.

Willson, Mary. “Following Jesus Far from Home (1 Peter 2:11–3:12).” In Resurrection Life in a World of Suffering: 1 Peter, edited by D. A. Carson and Kathleen B. Nielson, 107–108. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018.