Lesson 55

Study of First Peter Chapter 3

 

3:17  The Assurance Amid Suffering for Righteousness  (UNDSF)

The verse brings us back to the theme begun in verse 14 and offers more encouragement to those suffering for righteousness.

 

He is going to stress the importance and value of UNDSF dealt with correctly by the believer.

 

For it is better,  explanatory ga,r gives us another reason for facing UNDSF

 

- better  (krei,ttwn)  is a comparative adjective that says that it is better in the sense of more useful more advantageous for you to under go UNDSF than suffering for discipline

 

This is followed by a parenthesis that stands before he finishes the statement, better than doing what?

 

His point; better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

 

Peter will in 3:18-22 once again go to Christ as an example of suffering because of righteousness to reinforce his point.

 

Now to the parenthesis:

 

Lit: "if perchance the will of God should will it" 

 

- with the 4th class conditional statement there is no certainty of fulfillment, it’s the furthest removed from reality, indicates possibility only.

 

- It will always be the will of God that we acquire good conscience so that we have the N&S to evaluate any circumstance and do the good, the right thing.

 

- But this 4th ccc is focused on the suffering, says it is would be unusual if God directly causes it. 

 

3:17 For it is more advantageous, (if perchance the desire of God should will it) that you should suffer when doing what is good (DGP) rather than for doing what is evil.

 

Summary 3:17

1. These believers were under fantastic pressure from sins of the tongue, verbal abuse even as they were applying BD.  [good behavior]

 

2. It is better, more advantageous for them to suffer this abuse as a result of application of truth.

 

3. Reason: UNDSF oriented to  produces DG which provides comfort in time and reward at the JSC.

 

4. We must be on guard not to let the pressure of suffering sidetrack us getting our eyes off of Christ and motivating us to retaliate in kind.

 

5. If this occurs the result is the UNDSF is turned into divine discipline, punitive discipline since we failed to apply truth and reacted to the circumstances faced.

 

6. The key bottom line are the choices we make related to the circumstances of life.

See chart on back page!   Options in Testing and Persecution

 

With vs:18f once again Peter goes to the example of Christ as an illustration of how to deal with UNDSF so that we can do so with confidence.

 

The treatment of Christian suffering for righteousness in verses 13-17 prompted Peter to refer to Christ's undeserved suffering in the first part of vs:18

 

1. The Character of His Suffering (vs:18a)

The opening "For" (o[ti) indicates that Peter was offering encouragement to his afflicted readers;  it makes the connection to the previous section on UNDSF

 

There is a question of a reading here:  is it apathanen (died) or epathen (suffered)  

 

- The thought flow is not materially affected by either reading since the reference is clearly to Christ's cross work on our behalf.

 

suffered (aor act ind  e;paqen(  pa,scw ) brings into view specifically His work on the cross on our behalf

once  - this adverb  a[pax coupled with the aorist of the verb suffered indicates the uniqueness of Christ's work as something that cannot be repeated in history or in symbol 

 

for sins  lit. concerning sins reminds us that He paid the penalty for all sin, that is the doctrine of unlimited atonement,  1 John 2:2  makes it clear that He bore all sin for everyone for all time.

 

the just  = the just, upright or righteous;  stands in apposition to Christ which is describing Christ as absolute righteousness, perfection

 

This phrase "The righteous for the unrighteous" (dikaios huper adikon) directs attention to the character of the sufferer as well as those who benefit from His sacrificial death.

 

- the unjust - gen pl of  a;dikoj  the unrighteous; which speaks of all humanity as unbelievers

 

2. The aim of His suffering (vs:18b)

so that He might bring us to God,

 

- This phrase brings into view man's fundamental need, that we are separated from a holy and righteous God by a barrier that must be removed before we can have a relationship with God. 

 

- What is in view here is reconciliation, the bringing of man to God, that is the removal of the barrier that stands between us all by faith in Jesus Christ.

 

3:18 For Christ also died (spiritual death) concerning sins, once, a just one on behalf of unjust ones in order that He might bring us to God, on the one hand having been put to death with reference to the flesh (real humanity) but on the other hand made alive by the Spirit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options in Testing and Persecution