Submission to Authority
"Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;" 1Peter 2:13
Submit yourselves to... Be subject, as in Rom. 13:1-7. Christians commanded to obey human laws and civil rulers as long as they do not transgress the laws of God. Submit is a military term meaning “to arrange in military fashion under the commander,” “to put oneself in an attitude of submission.” As citizens in the world and under civil law and authority, God’s people are to live in a humble, submissive way in the midst of any hostile, godless, slandering society (21-21; Jer. 29:4-14; Mat. 22:21; Rom. 13:1; 1Tim. 2:1; Heb. 10:32-34).
Ordinance of man... Greek: ktisis, always translated "creature" or "creation" except here and Heb. 9:11. See, Rom. 8:19. It means not only to be subject to every human ordinance, but also to every human creature who has any authority in government. The Jews thought it was unlawful to obey any ruler who wasn’t Jewish. The ordinance of man here, is speaking of laws passed by the local, regional, or national government. "Submit yourselves", in this instance, means to keep the laws of the land. We have discussed before, the only time it is correct not to keep the law of the land, is when it is in opposition to the higher laws of God.
the Lord’s sake... Though the Christian’s true citizenship is in heaven, (Phil. 3:20) he still must live as an obedient citizen in this world so that God will be honored and glorified. Rebellious conduct by a Christian brings dishonor on Christ.
We keep the laws of the land because God told us to. It is, also, so God will not be ridiculed for the actions of His people. God is the one who makes someone ruler or king. When we go against those in authority, we are actually questioning the judgment of God.
"Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well." 1Peter 2:14
Or unto governors... There is no law against doing good. God orders all things in heaven and in earth. In that sense, God put the governor in office. These ruling authorities have within their power to punish those who do evil. The only thing that could come from doing well is praise.
sent by him... Christians are to live in obedience to every institution of civil and social order on earth. This includes obedience to the national government (verse 13, “king”), the state government, the police, and judges. Only when the government tries to force a Christian to do what is against the law of God explicitly stated in Scripture, should he refuse to submit (Acts 4:18-20; 5:28-29; Tit. 1:6; 3:1-2).
for the punishment... This is the purpose of human government and civil rulers, and it is only right that all good people cooperate to put lawlessness down.
"For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:" 1Peter 2:15
so is the... When Christians obey the Eight Commands for Pilgrims, they not only do the will of God, "but put to silence" the enemies of Christianity.
with well doing... Christians are instructed of God to not take vengeance on their enemies. In fact, they are to do good to those who persecute them. We see in the following Scripture, in Jesus' own words, just what we are to do.
Mat. 5:44 "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"
The argument will stop, if the Christian refuses to speak evil or take vengeance.
Rom. 12:20 "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head."
silence Greek: phimoo. Translated "put to silence" (1Pet. 2:15; Mat. 22:34); "be speechless" (Mat. 22:12); "hold one’s peace" (Mark 1:25; Luke 4:35); "be still" (Mark 4:39); and "to muzzle" (1Cor. 9:9; 1Tim. 5:18). Here is the purpose for our submission to authority in order that we should avoid condemnation and win commendation that shuts the mouth of those obstinately set against the faith that are looking for reasons to criticize believers.
the ignorance of... Greek: agnosia. Translated "ignorance" (1Pet. 2:15) and "not knowledge" (1Cor. 15:34). This rightly pictures foolish men who do not seem to have intelligence enough to accept Christianity (cp. Psm. 14:1).
foolish men... Greek: aphron (see, 2Cor. 11:16). Foolish men have no way to continue, when you refuse to answer back.
"As free, and not using [your] liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God." 1Peter 2:16
As free, and... Jews considered themselves servants to no one but God. They used this doctrine for a cloak of maliciousness to justify their many rebellions against Rome and other nations. Peter warned them to be subject to civil rulers in all lands proving they were true servants of God.
Believers should enjoy their freedom in Christ, but ought not to put on a veil or mask of freedom to cover what really is wickedness. Christian freedom is never to be an excuse for self-indulgence or license. (1Cor. 7:22; 8:9-13; 2 Thes. 3:7-9).
cloke of maliciousness... Means badness, depravity, malignity, or trouble. The "liberty", spoken of above, is the fact that the sin of the Christian died on the cross. We should not use that to mistreat others. If we are servants of God, we will do the will of God and not our own will.
"Honour all [men]. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king." 1Peter 2:17
Honour all men... Withhold nothing from civil government or its lawful officers that is required of you to pay. Pay taxes, customs, fear, and honor to all people over you in public life. See Rom. 13:7. Highly esteem is the idea and it refers not just too obedient duty but inner respect.
Christians must not be elevated up because of the knowledge that the Holy Spirit of God has given them. Honor all men, just means that because someone is not a Christian, you should not be disrespectful to him.
Love the brotherhood... This means all true Christians in the one family of God (Eph. 3:6, 3:14-15). Notice the difference in the brotherhood. Brothers in Christ are all part of the family of God, the church. They are to love each other as members of a family. The message changes even more speaking of God. We are not only to love God as the Father, but to have reverent fear of Him, as well.
Fear God... Fear God who gave these commands lest He punish you for disobedience.
Honour the king... Honor the emperor or the highest civil ruler, for human government is of God (1Pet. 2:13-17; Rom. 13:1-7). Honor is to be shown for the office of the king. All who are in office are not to our liking, but we are commanded of God to honor the office.
"Servants, [be] subject to [your] masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward." 1Peter 2:18
be subject to... One’s Christianity does not give the right to rebel against one’s superior in the social structure, no matter how unfair or harsh he may be.
Three commands to servants:
1. Be subject to masters with fear, not to the good ones only (1Pet. 2:18).
2. Suffer wrongs patiently (1Pet. 2:19-20).
3. Follow Christ’s example in suffering for righteousness (1Pet. 2:21).
Servants in the verse above, actually means household servants and is not speaking of slaves that the master owns. The master, in this case, would be the employer. It seems from this, even if the boss is not a good boss, you still must do what he asks, without grumbling, if you continue to work for him.
Your option would be to get another job, if you could not live with the requirements. There would never be a time when it would be right to be disloyal to the boss. Every job we do, even a lowly one, must be done the best we can as unto the Lord, if we are Christians.
to the froward... Greek: skolios. Translated froward (the contrary, 1Pet. 2:18); untoward (i.e., stubborn, Acts 2:40); and crooked (Luke 3:5; Phlp. 2:15). Your time belongs to your master. If he wastes your time, let him answer for it.
Verses 19-20 “Acceptable with God”: Favor with God is found when an employee, treated unjustly, accepts his poor treatment with faith in God’s sovereign care, rather that responding in anger, hostility, discontent, pride, or rebellion (Mat. 5:11).
"For this [is] thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully."1Peter 2:19
if a man... To endure hardship of any kind, in the name of the Lord, is to be praised.
Rom. 8:17 "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together."
Peter set forth a principle here that may be applied to any situation where unjust suffering occurs. The commendable (lit., “for this is grace”) motivation for patiently bearing up under… unjust suffering is a believer’s conscious awareness of God’s presence.
"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." 1Peter 2:20
For what glory... Question 1. Next, 1Pet. 3:13.
ye be buffeted... Here, means to rap with the fist. Whatever the punishment was, if it is for something the servant has done wrong, he should not be glorified for facing the punishment. He deserved whatever it was for his own bad behavior. On the other hand, it is glory to the person receiving the punishment and to God, if the punishment is not for a misdeed, but for the name of the Lord.
when ye do... Jesus suffered the pain and the humiliation of the cross. He was not guilty of any sin, but took the punishment for our sin. He said it brought glory to the Father and to Himself. We know that many of the early apostles suffered greatly for the name of the Lord. Both men and women were martyred in the name of the Lord. Their reward in heaven will be great.
"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:" 1 Peter 2:21
For even hereunto... Christians are called to suffer and endure hardships, thus following Christ (2Tim. 3:12; John 15:18-21).
us an example...
Sevenfold Example of Christ
1. Sufferings (1Pet. 2:21)
2. Sinlessness (1Pet. 2:22)
3. Guilelessness (1Pet. 2:22)
4. Love when being mocked (1Pet. 2:23)
5. Patience in threatening's (1Pet. 2:23)
6. Resignation to God (1Pet. 2:23)
7. Righteousness (1Pet. 2:24)
follow his steps... Greek: ichnos, track; footstep. Only used of:
1. Abraham (Rom. 4:12)
2. Paul and Titus (2Cor. 12:18)
3. Jesus Christ (1Pet. 2:21)
were ye called... The “call,” as always in the New Testament epistles, is the efficacious call to salvation (verse 9; 5:10; Rom. 8:30). Peter’s point is that a person called to salvation will, sometimes at least, have to endure unfair treatment.
leaving us an... The word “example” literally means “writing under.” It was writing put under a piece of paper on which to trace letters, thus a pattern. Christ is the pattern for Christians to follow in suffering with perfect patience. His death was efficacious, primarily, as an atonement for sin (2Cor. 5:21); but it was also exemplary, as a model of endurance in unjust suffering.
that ye should... Commendable behavior on the part of the believer in the midst of such trails results in the strengthening and perfecting of the Christian on earth (5:10; Jas. 1:2-4), and his increased eternal capacity to glorify God (Mat. 20:21-23; 2Cor. 4:17-18; 2Tim. 2:12).
The following is what Jesus said about this very thing.
Luke 9:23-24 "And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."
Not many of us can follow in the steps of Jesus. The road is too difficult.
2Tim. 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
"Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:" 1Peter 2:22
Who did no...
The Sinless One
Christ was the only sinless human being that ever lived. Mary was a sinner, for she rejoiced in God, her Savior (Luke 1:47). There is no hint in Scripture that she had an immaculate conception. If she did have, then her parents had to be sinless, and their parents, etc. back to Adam. On the contrary, all men are born in sin aside from Christ, for He is the only one without a human father (Psm. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-21).
neither was guile... The 5th and last Old Testament prophecy in 1 Peter (1Pet. 2:22; Isa. 53:9). This was a quote from Isaiah 53:9. He was the perfect example of patience endurance in unjust suffering because He was sinless, as the prophet said He would be (1:19).
The perfect Lamb of God {Jesus Christ} was totally free from sin. Not only did he not sin by commission, but He did not sin by speaking, as well. He took our sin upon His body on the cross, and clothed us in His righteousness. His Words were Truth. He spoke no evil Words. He is the Word of God.
"Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously:" 1Peter 2:23
he was reviled,... Greek: loidoreo, revile. Here; John 9:28; Acts 23:4; 1Cor. 4:12. He did not rail on His tormentors or threaten them, but committed His cause to the righteous Judge who will always do right (Gen. 18:25). To “revile” is to pile up abusive and vile language against someone. Though verbally abused, Christ never retaliated with vicious words and threats (3:9; Mat. 26:57-65; 27:12-14; Luke 3:7-11).
Four Things Christ Did Not Do:
1. He did not sin (1Pet. 2:22).
2. He did not use guile to cover up (1Pet. 2:22).
3. He did not rail on His enemies (1Pet. 2:23).
4. He did not threaten His enemies (1Pet. 2:23).
Four Things Christ Did:
1. He suffered as our example (1Pet. 2:21).
2. He committed His cause to God (1Pet. 2:23).
3. He bore our sins in His own body (1Pet. 2:24).
4. He submitted to stripes to heal men (1Pet. 2:24; Isa. 53:4-6; Mat. 8:16-17).
but committed himself... This means to hand oneself over to someone to keep. Christ was “delivered” to Pilate (John 9:11); Pilate “handed Him over” to the Jews (John 19:16); Christ “handed over” Himself to God, suffering in surprising silence, because of His perfect confidence in the sovereignty and righteousness of His Father (Isa. 53:7).
Jesus did not look forward to the pain and humiliation of the cross, but submitted to the will of the Father. Look with me at the following Scriptures, where He submits to the will of the Father.
Mat. 26:41-42 "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak." "He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done."
Jesus did not speak in His own defense. He could have destroyed all of them, with one Word from Him, but He didn't. He submitted to the cruelty of the cross to save His people.
"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." 1Peter 2:24
his own self... Jesus Himself, not another in His place, died for our sins (1Pet. 2:24; 1Cor. 15:3; Gal. 1:4; Mat. 26:28; Acts 20:28).
bare our sins... He bore the punishment due our sins. In no other sense could He bear them. Christ suffered not simply as the Christian’s pattern (verses 21-23), but far more importantly as the Christians substitute. To bear sins was to be punished for them (Num. 14:33; Eze. 18:20). Christ bore the punishment and the penalty for believers, thus satisfying a holy God.
This great doctrine of the substitutionary atonement is the heart of the gospel. Actual atonement, sufficient for the sins of the whole world, was made for all who would ever believe, namely, the elect. (Lev. 16:17; 23:27-30; John 3:16; 2Cor. 5:19; 1Tim. 2:6; 4:10; Tit. 2:11; Heb. 2:9; 1Jhn. 2:2; 4:9-10).
his own body... In the human body prepared by God for Him to become incarnate in (Heb. 10:5).
on the tree... On the cross (Mat. 27:32; Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Gal. 3:13).
that we, being... This is true by the miracle of being in Christ. We died to sin in the sense that we paid its penalty, death, by being in Christ when He died as our substitute.
Three reasons for Christ’s death:
1. That we might be dead to sins (see, Rom. 6:6-7).
2. That we might live unto righteousness (see, Rom. 3:26).
3. That we might be healed.
should live unto... No scripture ever sanctions living in sin as many teach today. Without holiness no man shall see God (Heb. 12:1-29 :34). Not only have we been declared just, the penalty for our sins paid by His death, but we have risen to walk in new life, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
In return, Jesus gave us His righteousness. We are clothed in the white linen garment, washed in the blood of the Lamb. We are righteous in the sight of the Father, because we have taken on the righteousness of Christ. These stripes were much more than just a whipping. The whip used, literally tore the flesh from His body. His suffering was for our healing.
by whose stripes... Physical healing is part of the redemptive work of Christ. By His stripes we are healed (Isa. 53:5; Mat. 8:17). From Isaiah 53:5 (see below) through the wounds of Christ at the cross, believers are healed spiritually from the deadly disease of sin. Physical healing comes at glorification only, when there is no more physical pain, illness, or death (Rev. 21:4).
Isa. 53:5 "But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
We have been seeing, in the verses above, that we are to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We are to patiently endure hardships and sufferings that come from following Him. This is where the similarity ends. No Christian, regardless of how good he is, can suffer for the sin of the people. Their blood is not pure, and will not do away with sin.
Jesus had no sin of His own. He was pure in every way. He was the unleavened Bread. He was free from sin, yet He took our sin upon His body on the cross, so that our sin would die. Sin, for the Christians, died on the cross. We are no longer servant to sin. Jesus defeated sin on the cross. We are no longer under the curse of the law.
"For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." 1Peter 2:25
For ye were... Quoted from Isa. 53:5-6.
as sheep going... People are compared to sheep before salvation (Isa. 53:6; Luke 15:4-6) as well as after it (Mat. 10:16).
are now returned... Means “to turn toward,” and refers to the repentant faith a person has at salvation.
unto the Shepherd... Christ is the Good Shepherd and the Overseer of our souls (see, John 10:6; see, Heb. 13:20). In the Old Testament, the title of “Shepherd” for the Lord was often messianic (Eze. 34:23-24; 37:24; John 10:1-18).
and Bishop of... Greek: episkopos (see, Acts 20:28). Bishop means “Overseer”. Christ is not only the Christian’s standard, verses 21-23, and substitute, verse 24, but He is also the Christian’s Shepherd (5:4; Isa. 53:6; John 10:11).
Beyond that, “Shepherd and Overseer” were the most appropriate descriptions of Christ for Peter to use in order to comfort Christians who were being persecuted and slandered, verse 12. These two terms are also used for human spiritual leaders. “Shepherd” is the word for pastor, and “Overseer” is the word for Bishop (Eph. 4:11, Tit. 1:7), both referring to the same persons who lead the church (Acts 20:28).
The great Shepherd {Jesus Christ} lay down his life for His sheep. He would have done it, if only one had been lost. We remember the parable about the 99 sheep who were still in the fold, and the one lost sheep. The Shepherd left the 99 and went and found the one lost.
Three times Jesus had asked Peter, "Lovest thou me?" Three times, Peter had told Him he did love Him. Three times, He told Peter, "Feed my sheep". Jesus is the chief Shepherd. All other shepherds are subordinate to Him.
He is the great Bishop {overseer} of our soul. He is our Advocate with the Father. Like any good Shepherd, His first concern is for His sheep. He is the guardian of our soul.
0 comments:
Post a Comment