1 Peter Lesson 77

LESSON  # 77   (2-8-07)

1 Peter 2:18

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.

1.  Servants,  OIKETOS (oikhtos) n. voc. pm, house servant, domestic slave.  Remember oikos means “house”. Peter was addressing the slaves in the congregations, and again he stressed the importance of submission.

2.  Some newly converted slaves thought that their spiritual freedom guaranteed personal and political freedom also, and they created problems for themselves and the churches. Paul dealt with this problem in 1 Corinthians 7:20–24, and he touched on it in his letter to his friend Philemon as well.

3.  This same idea of submission applies to employees, too. We are to be submissive to those who are over us, whether they are kind or unkind to us. Christian employees must never take advantage of Christian employers. Each worker should do a good day’s work and honestly earn his pay.

Colossians 3:22-24   -  Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.  23) Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men;  24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

Ephesians 6:5-8   -  Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;  6) not by way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.  7) With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,  8) knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

Titus 2:9-10   -  Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,  10) not pilfering, but showing all good faith that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.

4.   Paul advocated the same principle Peter did with regards to submission and slavery:

1 Timothy 6:1   -   All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against.

5.   masters,  DESPOTES  (despoths)  n. dpm, ruler, master, sovereign, lord, owner.  While this word has a negative connotation today, such was not the case when used in this verse.  a) : a ruler with absolute power and authority b) : a person exercising power tyrannically  (Merriam-Webster, I., 1996, c1993. Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. Includes index. 10th ed.).  This word is sometimes used to refer to the Lord, Acts 4:24, 2 Peter 2:1, Jude 4, & Rev. 6:10.

6.   all respect,   PAS (pas)  adj. dsm  all, every  PHOBOS  (fobos)  n. dsm, fear, reverence, respect  This is one of those words that has both a positive and negative connotation. The one in authority may not deserve respect, but we are to show them respect anyway because we respect our real Boss.

7.  unreasonable,  SKOLIOSIS  (skoliosis)  adj. dpm, crooked, bent, unscrupulous, corrupt.  The medical term “scoliosis,” used  for the curvature of the spine comes from this word.  A boss may be incompetent, rude, thoughtless, obnoxious, hateful, foul, vulgar, or odious, but we are still to respect his position of authority.

 1 Peter 2:19-20

For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.  20) For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

1.  We all want to find favor with God. This verse tells us how to do it.  If is a first class conditional clause, if and it’s true.

2.  conscience,  SUNEIDESIS  (sundhsis)  n. asf, conscience, the psychological faculty that distinguishes between right and wrong  Here again, we have the importance of knowledge in a believer’s life.  

3.  This verse makes it very clear that undeserved suffering finds favor with God.  We all have had our share of deserved suffering, and hopefully we learned from it.  The goal is to “Learn and live” rather than “Live and learn”.  We have the opportunity to learn in Bible class, or we will be enrolled in the school of hard knocks and have to learn the hard way.

4.  For this finds favor;  The Greek literally says, “For this is grace.”  CHARIS.  We treat others in grace when we willingly bear up under others’ harsh treatment who do not deserve our obedience or kindness. Wasn’t this our Lord’s standard operating procedure?

5.   bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly,   HUPOPHERO  (upofero) v. pai, to endure, bear up under  +   HUPO = under  +  PHERO = to bring.  This same word is used in I Cor. 10:13.

     An interesting use of it in  Prov. 18:14  -  The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, But a broken spirit, who can bear?

6.  Vs. 20  -  when you sin and are harshly treated,  KOLAPHIZO (kolafizw) part., pp, npm, to beat, to strike with a fist. This is what one should expect when ongoing sin occurs.

7.  So why should we be motivated to bear up under undeserved suffering other than that it pleases the Lord?   W .I .I .F .U.?

     What’s In It For Us?