The Witness Involved In Suffering
(1 Peter 3:13-22)
Introduction:Thus far, we have discovered “A Message Concerning The Believer’s Salvation” in 1 Peter chapter 1. In chapter 2 and the first half of chapter 3, there is “A Message Concerning The Believer’s Submission.”
Now as we come to the second half of chapter 3 and on into chapter 4, there is “A Message Concerning The Believer’s Suffering.” And here in chapter 3, there is a special emphasis upon “The Witness Involved In Suffering.”
I. Let’s Look At The Witness Of The Christian’s Path Of Suffering
A. There Is A Paradox To Be Considered As We Face Difficulties
(1 Peter 3:13-14) And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? {14} But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1. Peter Refers To The Harm Of Suffering
The Barnes’ Notes Commentary states…
[And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?] This question is meant to imply, that as a general thing they need apprehend no evil if they lead an upright and benevolent life. The idea is, that God would in general protect them, though the next verse shows that the apostle did not mean to teach that there would be absolute security, for it is implied there that they might be called to suffer for righteousness” sake. … A man of a holy and pure life may, under the protection of God, rely on that character to carry him safely through the world and to bring him at last to an honored grave.
harm – Greek 2559. kakoo, kak-o'-o; from G2556; to injure; fig. to exasperate:--make evil affected, entreat evil, harm, hurt, vex.
A. T. Robertson said that the phrase “But and if ye should suffer” could be translated “But if ye should also (or even) suffer.” So basically, Peter is saying that there is a measure of safety in doing good, but even if you suffer for righteousness’ sake, then you are still supremely blessed or happy.
suffer – Greek 3958. pascho, pas'-kho; includ. the forms (patho, path'-o) and (pentho, pen'-tho), used only in certain tenses for it; appar. a prim. verb; to experience a sensation or impression (usually painful):--feel, passion, suffer, vex.
2. Peter Refers To The Happiness Of The Saints
Even in the midst of suffering, Peter said that we can be blessed, and bold, and calm.
happy – Greek 3107. makarios, mak-ar'-ee-os; a prol. form of the poetical makar (mean. the same); supremely blest; by extens. fortunate, well off:--blessed, happy (X -ier).
afraid – Greek 5399. phobeo, fob-eh'-o; from G5401; to frighten, i.e. (pass.) to be alarmed; by anal. to be in awe of, i.e. revere:--be (+ sore) afraid, fear (exceedingly), reverence.
terror – Greek 5401. phobos, fob'-os; from a prim. phebomai (to be put in fear); alarm or fright:--be afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror. Peter tells us not to be afraid of the spiritual terrorists.
Other versions translate this phrase “be not afraid of their terror,” “don’t worry or be afraid of their threats” (NLT), “do not fear their intimidation” (NASB), or “do not fear what they fear” (NIV).
troubled – Greek 5015. tarasso, tar-as'-so; of uncert. affin.; to stir or agitate (roil water):--trouble.
Other New Testament writers such as Paul and James touched on this paradox as well…
(2 Corinthians 4:16-18) For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. {17} For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; {18} While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
(James 1:2-4) My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; {3} Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. {4} But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
B. There Is A Preparation To Be Considered As We Face Difficulties
(1 Peter 3:15) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
ready – Greek 2092. hetoimos, het-oy'-mos; from an old noun heteos (fitness); adjusted, i.e. ready:--prepared, (made) ready (-iness, to our hand).
1. We Prepare Ourselves In How We Sanctify The Lord
A Bishop Moberly said…
“Sanctifying the Lord God” means, not making Him holy, for He is already most holy, but regarding Him as holy, treating Him, the idea of Him, and all that is His, sacredly, and in a manner different from that in which we regard all other things and ideas. Then, further, it means treating Him as thus holy, not only in our outward deeds or words, but in our secret hearts, where men do not see us nor know what passes in us. (From The Biblical Illustrator)
sanctify – Greek 37. hagiazo, hag-ee-ad'-zo; from G40; to make holy, i.e. (cer.) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate:--hallow, be holy, sanctify.
hearts – Greek 2588. kardia, kar-dee’-ah; prol. from a prim. kar (Lat. cor, “heart”); the heart, i.e. (fig.) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by anal.) the middle:--(+ broken-) heart (-ed).
We should have a high view of God and of the things of God. The perspective that we have of God in how we think and how we feel should be that He is holy and exalted.
2. We Prepare Ourselves In How We Speak To The Lost
(1 Peter 3:15) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
answer – Greek 627. apologia, ap-ol-og-ee’-ah; a plea (“apology”):--answer (for self), clearing of self, defence.
Albert Barnes said…
[To give an answer] Greek, “An apology,” apologian This word formerly did not mean, as the word apology does now, an excuse for anything that is done as if it were wrong, but a defense of anything. We apply the word now to denote something written or said in extenuation of what appears to others to be wrong, or what might be construed as wrong – as when we make an apology to others for not fulfilling an engagement, or for some conduct which might be construed as designed neglect. The word originally, however, referred rather to that which was thought not to be true, than that which might be construed as wrong; and the defense or “apology” which Christians were to make of their religion, was not on the supposition that others would regard it as wrong, but in order to show them that it was true.
Apologetics is defined as “the branch of theology that is concerned with defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines, or formal argumentation in defense of something, such as a position or system.” (American Heritage Dictionary)
So Peter indicated that the believer is to be a Christian apologist, or one who explains and defends their hope in Christ.
A. T. Robertson said that we should be “ready with a spoken defense of the inward hope. This attitude calls for an intelligent grasp of the hope and skill in presenting it.”
And Peter said that this answer should be given with meekness and fear.
meekness – Greek 4240. prautes, prah-oo'-tace; from G4239; mildness, i.e. (by impl.) humility:--meekness.
fear – Greek 5401. phobos, fob'-os; from a prim. phebomai (to be put in fear); alarm or fright:--be afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror.
Not in the fear of man, but in the reverent spirit of the fear of God.
C. There Is A Purity To Be Considered As We Face Difficulties
(1 Peter 3:16-17) Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. {17} For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
1. Purity Is Blameless
conscience– Greek 4893. suneidesis, soon-i'-day-sis; from a prol. form of G4894; co-perception, i.e. moral consciousness.
Alex Reid said…
What is a good conscience? -- Conscience is that faculty of the human mind by which rational creatures endeavor to form an estimate of their own principles and practices, so as to determine whether they are good or evil. It is universally admitted to be one of the most valuable of those powers which our all-wise and ever-gracious Creator has been pleased to impart to us. But it, like every other faculty of the mind, has been exposed to all the baneful effects of the Fall. It is by nature—in common with the human heart—ignorant, and perverse, and polluted. It must, before it can fully accomplish the purposes for which it is intended, be instructed, and purified by the Holy Spirit. (From The Biblical Illustrator)
ashamed – Greek 2617. kataischuno, kat-ahee-skhoo'-no; from G2596 and G153; to shame down, i.e. disgrace or (by impl.) put to the blush:--confound, dishonour, (be a-, make a-) shame (-d).
Marvin Vincent said that the phrase “falsely accuse” means “to threaten abusively; to act despitefully.”
It has the idea of insulting or slandering.
conversation – Greek 391. anastrophe, an-as-trof-ay'; from G390; behavior:--conversation.
Cf. (1 Peter 2:12) Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
2. Purity Is Better
(1 Peter 3:17) For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
better – Greek 2909. kreitton, krite'-tohn; compar. of a der. of G2904; stronger, i.e. (fig.) better, i.e. nobler:--best, better.
well doing – Greek 15. agathopoieo; to be a well-doer (as a favor or a duty):--(when) do good (well).
evil doing – Greek 2554. kakopoieo; to be a bad-doer, i.e. (obj.) to injure, or (gen.) to sin:--do (-ing) evil.
John Calvin said…
Peter added this clause, If the will of God be so. For in these words he reminds us, that if we suffer unjustly, it is not by chance, but according to the divine will; and he assumes, that God wills nothing or appoints nothing but for the best reason. Hence the faithful have always this comfort in their miseries, that they know that they have God as their witness, and that they also know that they are led by Him to the contest.
Cf. (1 Peter 2:19-20) For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. {20} For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
II. Let’s Look At The Witness Of Christ’s Path Of Suffering
A. Notice The Actions That Are Mentioned
(1 Peter 3:18-19) For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: {19} By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1. We See The Passion Of Christ
a. There Is A Vividness In His Suffering
suffering – Greek 3958. pascho, pas'-kho; includ. the forms (patho, path'-o) and (pentho, pen'-tho), used only in certain tenses for it; appar. a prim. verb; to experience a sensation or impression (usually painful):--feel, passion, suffer, vex.
b. There Is A Vicariousness In His Suffering
The Bible Knowledge Commentary says…
The phrase “for sins” (peri hamartion) is used in the Septuagint in regard to the sin offering for atonement. However, once for all (cf. Romans 6:10; Hebrews 9:26,28; 10:10) is clearly a contrast with the Old Testament yearly sacrifice on the Day of Atonement and declares the complete sufficiency of Christ’s death.
Regarding this phrase “the just for the unjust,” John Gill said…
Christ, the holy and just one, who is holy in his nature, and righteous in his life and actions, which were entirely conformable to the righteous law of God, and upright and faithful in the discharge of his office, and therefore called God’s righteous servant; he suffered, and that not only by unjust men, by the Jews, by Pilate, and the Roman soldiers, but for and in the room and stead of unjust men, sinners, and ungodly, who were destitute of righteousness, and full of all unrighteousness.
just – Greek 1342. dikaios, dik'-ah-yos; from G1349; equitable (in character or act); by impl. innocent, holy (absol. or rel.):--just, meet, right (-eous).
unjust – Greek 94. adikos, ad'-ee-kos; from G1 (as a neg. particle) and G1349; unjust; by extens. wicked; by impl. treacherous; spec. heathen:--unjust, unrighteous.
Cf. (2 Corinthians 5:21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
c. There Is A Victory In His Sufferingthat he might bring us to God
Warren Wiersbe said…
The phrase “bring us to God” is a technical term that means “gain audience at court.” Because of the work of Christ on the cross, we now have an open access to God (Ephesians 2:18; 3:12).
John Gill said the phrase “bring us to God” meant “nigh to God, who, with respect to communion, were afar off from Him; and in peace and reconciliation with Him, who were enemies to Him by wicked works.”
(Romans 5:10) For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
(Ephesians 2:13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
2. We See The Preaching Of Christ
Virtually every commentator has his own opinion of the interpretation of the fact that Christ “went and preached unto the spirits in prison.”
John MacArthur says…
Christ directed His proclamation to the spirits, not of human beings, otherwise he would have used psuchai (“souls”) instead of pneumasin, a word the New Testament never uses to refer to people except when qualified by a genitive (e.g., Hebrews 12:23; “the spirits of the righteous”). Or as the KJV puts it, “the spirits of just men made perfect.”
Warren Wiersbe said that…
Our Lord yielded His spirit to the Father, died, and at some time between death and resurrection, visited the realm of the dead where He delivered a message to spirit beings (probably fallen angels; see Jude 6) who were somehow related to the period before the Flood. … Peter did not tell us what Jesus proclaimed to these imprisoned spirits, but it could not be a message of redemption since angels cannot be saved (Hebrews 2:16). It was probably a declaration of victory over Satan and his hosts (see Colossians 2:15; 1 Peter 3:22). How these spirits were related to the pre-Flood era, Peter did not explain. Some students believe that “the sons of God” named in Genesis 6:14 were Men angels who cohabited with women and produced a race of giants, but I cannot accept this interpretation.
John Gill said…
The plain and easy sense of the words is, that Christ, by his Spirit, by which he was quickened, went in the ministry of Noah, the preacher of righteousness, and preached both by words and deeds, by the personal ministry of Noah.
With all due respect to John Gill, there is nothing plain or easy about this interpretation.
As far as I can tell, when Jesus died, while His body laid in the tomb, His spirit or His soul or the living essence of who He was descended (as Paul said in Ephesians 4:9) into “the lower parts of the earth.”
(Ephesians 4:8-10) Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. {9} (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? {10} He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
When He died, He told the repentant thief that he would be with Him in paradise.
(Luke 23:43) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
“Paradise” at this point in time must be a place in the heart of the earth that is also called “Abraham’s Bosom” in Luke 16.
(Matthew 12:40) For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
(Luke 16:22-23) And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; {23} And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
(Luke 16:26) And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
After this, “paradise” seems to be located in what we refer to as “Heaven.” Paul referred to one who had been caught up to the third heaven, to paradise…
(2 Corinthians 12:4) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
John referred to the tree of life “in the midst of the paradise of God.”
(Revelation 2:7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.