Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20110710.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
1 Peter: Effective Christian Living In A Spiritually Hostile World
Part IX: Living In Holiness As Believers In Slave-Like Relationships
(1 Peter 2:18-25)
  1. Introduction
    1. Our nation does not allow for the institution of slavery, but sometimes a believer can still be enslaved in a relationship in a difficult marriage or job from which there is no Biblical way to remove himself.
    2. 1 Peter 2:18-25 offers applicable direction on such challenging enslaving relationships as follows:
  2. Living In Holiness As Believers In Slave-Like Relationships, 1 Peter 2:18-25.
    1. When 1 Peter was written, slavery was a legally recognized institution in the Roman Empire, and many of Peter's readers were slaves, Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, p. 847.
    2. In Peter's era, there were good and bad masters to whom his readers were required to give heed, much as there are good and bad "masters" in enslaving relationships that the believer today can face. Accordingly, 1 Peter 2:18-25 addresses the issue of relating to masters as slaves in general in good and in bad cases:
      1. Peter called Christian slaves to submit themselves to their masters with all respect, 1 Pet. 2:18a NIV.
      2. The word "slave" is not the usual strong word douloi, but oiketai, a "household servant," part of the family as in a Biblically binding marriage or job, Ibid.; R. C. Trench, Syn. of the N. T., 1973, p. 33.
      3. This submission was to be directed not only toward the "good and considerate" (agathoi and epieikeis, the "good" and "gentle", Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T., 1967, p. 763, 3, 292), but also toward the skolios (Ibid., Bible Know Com., N. T.) master who opposite the "good" and "gentle" was "crooked, unscrupulous, dishonest, harsh, unjust," Ibid., Arndt & Gingrich, p. 763; 1 Peter 2:18b.
      4. Peter's remaining remarks to slaves in 1 Peter 2:19-25 deal with functioning well toward such crooked, unscrupulous, dishonest, harsh and unjust masters, providing invaluable application for us believers today who may function in Biblically binding marital or employment, etc. relationships (as follows):
        1. It is commendable for a believer to bear up under painful, unjust treatment from his master due to his awareness of his accountability unto the Lord for functioning this way, 1 Peter 2:19 NIV.
        2. However, Peter noted that if a believer in a subordinate position is beaten by a master for doing wrong, there is no credit or reward from God, for he deserves what he gets, 1 Peter 2:20a NIV.
        3. Rather, God commends the believer for suffering unjust retaliation from a master when the believer has only performed what is good, 1 Peter 2:20b NIV.
        4. Indeed, suffering unjust treatment from a superior when the believer has done nothing wrong is actually the believer's calling, an assignment based on the example of Christ in His suffering that left a pattern of facing injustice from superiors, 1 Peter 2:21 NIV: (1) Citing Isaiah 53:9b, Peter recalled how Christ had not committed any sin, and no deceit was in His mouth in the context of His sufferings on the cross, cf. Isaiah 53:3-9b, 1 Peter 2:22. (2) Indeed, Peter recalled that when Jesus' enemies greatly insulted Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, he made no threats though He was God incarnate and could have called twelve legions of angels, at least 36,000 of them, to deliver Him and destroy His foes, 1 Peter 2:23a with Matt. 26:51-53; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Matt. 26:53. (3) Rather, Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father Who judges justly, 1 Peter 2:23b. (4) In doing so, He bore our sins in His body on the tree that we might die to sins and live rightly as Him, having been healed by His wounds, a reference to Isaiah 53:4-5; 1 Peter 2:24. (5) This work on the cross was invaluable for us, for we were like sheep gone astray as Isaiah 53:6 claims (1 Peter 2:25a), but now we have returned to Him, the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls, 1 Peter 2:25b.
        5. Thus, the great example of Jesus in rightly suffering great injustice by crooked, unscrupulous, dishonest, harsh and unjust masters according to the flesh directs us believers to bear with similar mistreatment by likewise bad "masters" in the flesh in what "enslaving" situations we face today!
Lesson: If we believers must Biblically function in relationships of enslavement to masters in marital, business, etc. realms, God wants us to do what is right, submitting to our masters regardless of the mistreatment involved, following Jesus' example when He went to the cross in our behalf.

Application: May we "slaves" in unique, hard circumstances heed Christ's example in His suffering.