HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS
1 Peter 2:13-3:7
Key verse 2:24
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”
1. Read verses 2:13-17. What should we do for the Lord’s sake? (13-14; Ro 13:1) What is God’s will for believers? (15) How should we live? (16a) How should we use our freedom? (16b) How can we show proper respect to everyone? (17)
Read verses 2:13-17.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
What should we do for the Lord’s sake? (13-14; Ro 13:1)
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
Ro 13:1 “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
The author urges the believers to submit to every authority instituted among men such as the king, or to governors. We believe the living God who controls the universe including the human affairs. God has established all human institutions including government, king, governors and judges and without His intervention, nothing can be instituted in the world. Sometimes, the worldly powers seem evil, unfair and persecute the believers and we may think that we don’t have to obey them, but it may result in rebelling against God indirectly who institutes them unless these authorities fundamentally force us to do against our faith or God, i.e., idol worship.
What is God’s will for believers?
15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.
It is God’s will for the believers that we continue to do good by faith so that we win over the unbelievers by doing good and silence their ignorant talk by an example. The Roman empire had eventually crumbled by the believers’ persistent love and their pure lives of faith. It may have taken more than 300 years (AD313), which seemed long, but it is very short time compared to the eternity, which is God’s time.
How do we should live? (16a)
16 “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.”
We should live as free men; free man has a dignity and honor. No matter what our human status are, we are created equal with dignity and honor as free men by God. We should not fear any men except God.
How should we use our freedom? (16b)
Free man takes responsibility for his action and do not use our freedom as a cover-up for evil. Free men live freely (voluntarily) as servants of God serving Him wholeheartedly.
How can we show proper respect to everyone: to believers, to God and to the king? (17)
17” Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king”.
We should show proper respect to everyone accordingly; love the brotherhood or the sisterhood of believers, show the awesome respect to God (fear God) and show proper honor to the king.
2. Read verses 2:18-20. How should slaves submit to their masters? (18) Why should slaves submit to even harsh masters with all respect? (19) How can slaves be commendable before God? (20) How can we be commendable before God?
2-1) Read verses 2:18-20.
18 Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
2-2) Why should slaves submit to even harsh masters with all respect? (19)
19 “ For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.”
Humanly he is a slave, but he is a freeman before God. It is commendable if he is willingly bearing up the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.
2-3) How can slaves be commendable before God? (20)
20 “But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.”
If a slave did wrong he deserves beating, which is no credit to him. However, if he suffers for doing good and endure it, this is commendable before God because he follows the Christ’s example.
2-4) How can we be commendable before God?
As a believer, it is commendable if we suffer for doing good and endure it without complaint or bitterness for the Lord’s sake.
3. Read verses 21-25. To what were we called? (20b, 21) How did the Christ leave an example? (21-23) What did Jesus do in order to help us to live for righteousness? (24a) How have we been healed? (24b) What happened to those who have been healed? (25)
3-1) Read verses 21-25.
21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[ HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20peter%202:13-3:7&version=NIV1984" \l "fen-NIV1984-30406a" \o "See footnote a" a] 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
3-2) To what were we called? (20b, 21)
21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
We are called to follow the Christ’s example and to imitate His life.
3-3) How did the Christ leave an example? (21-23)
22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[ HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20peter%202:13-3:7&version=NIV1984" \l "fen-NIV1984-30406a" \o "See footnote a" a] 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges just.”
3-4) What did Jesus do in order to help us to live for righteousness? (24a)
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.
He took all our sins in his body for us on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. As a lamb of God, He took away all our sins as a ransom sacrifice on the cross, so we are free from condemnation and become righteous with God.
3-5) How have we been healed? (24b)
“by his wounds you have been healed.” (24b) His wounds have atoning power, which heals our iniquity.
3-6) What happened to those who have been healed? (25)
25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
In the past, we were like sheep going astray, but now we have returned to our true Shepherd and Overseer of our souls and take rest in his bosom.
4. Read verses 3:1-7. Why should wives be submissive to their husbands in the same way? (3:1-2;2:24) Where should a woman’s beauty come from? (3,4) How did the holy women of the past like Sarah make themselves beautiful? (5, 6a) How can women of faith become daughters of Sarah? (6b) What should the husbands treat their wives in the same way? (7; 2:24) Why?
4-1) Read verses 3:1-7.
Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
4-2) Why should wives be submissive to their husbands in the same way? (3:1-2;2:24)
Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.
As believers are to submit to the government authorities (2:13-17), and as slaves are to submit to masters, wives should be submissive to their husbands. It does not mean wives are inferior to husbands. The submission is one of role or function necessary for the order of the home. In the Bible, the husband is the head of the family and the wife is a suitable helper. (Ge2:18)
Even non-believing husbands can be won over by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of her beautiful lives.
4-3) Where should a woman’s beauty come from? (3, 4)
3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
Women’s true beauty come from her inner self, which represents the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, and that is of great worth in God’s sight instead of outward appearance with make-up, or cosmetic surgery, and expensive jewelry and fine clothes.
4-4) How did the holy women of the past like Sarah make themselves beautiful? (5, 6a)
5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master.
First, they put their hope in God instead of their husbands, who would eventually disappoint them.
Second, they were submissive to their own husbands in the same way by believing the living God.
4-5) How can women of faith become daughters of Sarah? (6b)
“You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear (6b).”
If they follow the footsteps of Sarah, who is the mother of faith and do what is right and do not give way to fear, which is opposite of faith, they would be spiritual daughters of Sarah.
4-6) What should the husbands treat their wives in the same way? (7; 2:24)
7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
First, husbands should be considerate, not abusing their figure head power at home in the same way before the living God.
Second, husbands should respect their wives and bear wives’ weakness
Third, husbands should treat their wives as co-heirs of their gracious gift of life.
4-7) Why?
If husbands do not treat their wives accordingly as stated above, their prayers will be hindered and their spiritual as well as physical lives will be miserable without joy.
Conclusion:
In this passage, the Apostle Peter urges us to submit ourselves to the authorities, masters and husbands because we believe the living God who exists and controls the Universe including all human matters. Sometimes, this world/people test our faith and patience, but we have to do good with perseverance, endure even unfair hardships and eventually win over their hearts, which is the only way for the lasting victory. O Lord, help me my unbelief!
The End.
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