Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
(From: 1 PETER #4 - 3:13-4:6)
C. 1 PETER 3:13-4:6 - OUR CONDUCT AND ITS RELATION TO PERSECUTION
1. 3:13-22 OUR CONDUCT UNDER PERSECUTION
a. 3:13 And who ishe that will harm you, if you be zealots of what is good?
Kai tis ho kaKOson [2559] huMAS, eAN tou a-gaTHOU ze-loTAI [477]GEnes-the [1096]?
b. 3:14-16 OUR CONDUCT AND WITNESS WHEN PERSECUTED
alLA ei kai PASchoi-te [3958]diA di-kai-oSUnen [1343], maKAri-oi [3107]:
But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed you:
ton de PHObon [5401]auTON mepho-beTHEte [5399], meDE ta-rachTHEte [5015];
and fear not their :fear, neither be troubled;
KUri-on de ton ChrisTON ha-giAsa-te [37]en tais kar-diAIS [2588]huMON:
15 but sanctify in your :hearts the Christ as Lord:
HEtoi-moi [2092] aEI pros a-po-loGIan [627] panTI
ready alway with an answer to every one
toaiTOUNti [154]huMAS LOgon peRI tes en huMIN elPIdos, alLA meTA praUte-tos [4240]kai PHObou:
that asks you a reason concerning the hope in you, yet with meekness and fear:
suNEIde-sin [4893]Echon-tes a-gaTHEN; HIna, en hoka-ta-laLEISthe [2635],
16 having a good conscience; that, wherein you are spoken against,
ka-tais-chunTHOsin [2617]hoi e-pe-reAzon-tes [1908]huMON ten a-gaTHEN en ChrisTOa-na-stroPHEN.
they may be shamed who revile your good behavior in Christ.
c. 3:17 OUR ATTITUDE: ONLY BE PERSECUTED FOR WELL-DOING
KREITton gar, a-ga-tho-poiOUNtas [15], ei THEloi [2309]to THEle-ma tou TheOU,
For it is better, if the will of God should sowill,
PASchein [3958]eka-ko-poiOUNtas [2554].
to suffer as well-doers than as evil-doers.
d. 3:18-22 CHRIST'S EXAMPLE UNDER PERSECUTION
HOti kai ChrisTOS HApax peRI ha-mar-tiON aPEtha-nen [3958],
Because Christ also died for sins once,
DIkai-os [1342]huPER aDIkon [94], HIna huMAS pro-saGAge[4317]toTheO;
therighteous for the unrighteous, that he bring us to :God;
tha-na-toTHEIS [2289]men sarKI, zo-o-poi-eTHEIS [2227]de PNEUma-ti [4151];
put to death in the flesh, but made alive in spirit;
en hokai tois en phu-laKE[5438]PNEUma-sin po-reuTHEIS e-keRUxen [2784],
19 in which also he went andpreached to the spirits in prison,
a-peiTHEsaSIN [544]po-te,
20 that aforetime were disobedient,
HOte a-pe-xeDEche-to [1544]hetou TheOU ma-kro-thuMIa [3115]en heMErais NOe,
when the longsuffering of :God waited in Noah's days,
ka-ta-skeu-a-zoMEnes [2680]ki-boTOU [2787], eis hen oLIgoi, tout' EStin,
while theark was a preparing, into which few, that is,
okTOpsuCHAI, di-eSOthe-san [1295]di' HUda-tos: ho kai huMAS anTItu-pon [499]nun SOzei,
eight souls, were brought safely through water: 21 which also in theantitype does now save you,
BAPtis-ma [908], ou sarKOS [4561] aPOthe-sis [595] 'RUpou [4509],
evenbaptism, not the putting away of the filth of flesh,
alLA su-neiDEse-os [4803]a-gaTHES e-peROte-ma [1906]eis TheON,
but theinterrogation of a good conscience toward God,
di' a-naSTAse-os [386]IeSOU ChrisTOU; hos es-tin en de-xiA [1188]TheOU, po-reuTHEIS eis ou-raNON;
through Jesus Christ's resurrection; 22 who is at God's right, going into heaven;
hu-po-taGENton [5293]auTOagGElon kai e-xou-siON [1849]kai duNAme-on [1411].
angels and authorities and powers being subjected to him.
2. 4:1-6 THE GOSPEL AND SUFFERING: AN AID TO GOOD CONDUCT
A. 4:1-2 THE ADVANTAGE OF SUFFERING: TO OVERCOME SIN
ChrisTOU oun paTHONtos [3958] sarKI, kai huMEIS ten auTEN ENnoi-an [1771] hoPLIsas-the [3695];
Christ therefore having suffered in the flesh, arm you yourselves also with the same mind;
HOti ho paTHON sarKI PEpau-tai [3973]ha-marTIais; eis to meKEti anTHROpon e-pi-thuMIais [1939],
for who has suffered in the flesh has ceased unto sins; 2 to live the rest of thetime in theflesh
alLA theLEma-ti [2307]TheOU, ton ePIloi-pon [1954]en sarKI biOsai [980]CHROnon [5550].
no longer to men's lusts, but to God's will.
b. 4:3-5 THE GENERAL SINFUL CONDUCT OF GENTILES AND UNCONVERTED
ar-keTOS [713]gar ho pa-re-le-luTHOS [3928]CHROnos to BOUle-ma ton ethNON ka-teirGASthai [2716],
For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the nations,
pe-po-reuMEnous [4198]en a-selGEIais [766], e-pi-thuMIais [1939], oi-no-phluGIais [3632],
and to have walked in lasciviousnesses, lusts, winebibbings,
KOmois [2970], POtois [4224], kai a-theMItois [111]ei-do-lo-laTRIais [1495]:
revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries:
en hoxeNIzon-tai [3579]mesun-treCHONton [4936]huMON
4 wherein they think it strange that you run not with them
eis ten auTEN tes a-soTIas [810] aNAchu-sin [401], blas-pheMOUNtes [987]:
into the same exesss of :riot, speaking evil of you:
hoi a-poDOsou-sin [591] LOgou toheTOImos KRInon-ti ZONtas [2198] kai neKROUS [3498].
5 who shall give account to the oneready to judge theliving and dead.
c. 4:6 WHY PREACH TO SINFUL DEAD: FOR JUDGMENT AND LIFE
eis TOUto gar kai neKROIS eu-eg-geLISthe[2097],
For to this end was the gospel preached also to thedead,
HIna kriTHOsi [2919]men kaTA anTHROpous sarKI, ZOsi [2198]de kaTA ThON PNEUma-ti [4151].
that they might be judged indeed according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in spirit.
NOTE: Throughout the years we have met many believers who have suffered persecution. But a number of times, those so persecuted have deserved it! Their persecution has not been for righteousnsess' sake, or for Christ's sake, but for foolishness' sake. Let us be sure that the persecution we endure, is for the same reason that Christ was persecuted. He spoke the truth in love, and there were many that hated Him for this.
Think of it: the persecution that led to Christ's death, was for your sake and mine! The early believers in the Roman arena of persecution, died in the same spirit as Christ. Many who watched their deaths, were so convicted of the innocency of their cause, that they toobecame believers! John Hus 100 years before Luther, had this same spirit.
Peter has a very interesting insight into the passage in 3:18-22. I have entitled this, “Christ's example under persecution,” but it is much morethan this. See how the doctrine of baptism enters into this picture!
Then look back at 3:14-16 - “Our Conduct and Witness when Persecuted.” Persecution endured in the right spirit gives us wonderful opportunities for our witness. But be sure we are ready to give a clear witness when the opportunity presents itself. On one occasion within a month following my conversion in the Spring of 1944, I asked the Lord to set up an opportunity for me to bear witness. I did not realize however, that I had not prepared myself to give a clear and simple witness. On the way home from Naval duties, I was walking behind the Parliament buildings of Victoria in the James Bay area. As I passed a certain house, about 8 or more kids around 8-10 years old streamed out of it, and confronted me on the sidewalk. I looked down expectantly on them, and one little boy said, “Say mister, we are playing “Truth and Consequences,” and I got consequences. And my consequence is to stop the first person passing before our house and ask him the way to heaven.”
I was dumbfounded. I stumbled around and gave the best answer I could. But I can assure you that I mastered the points and scriptures to share from then on effectively. And in the next months I had the joy of leading many to Christ, especially sailors.
See too the great difference between the believers and the worldly in 4:1-6. They will ask us, “But how can you have any fun if you don't do anymore the things that we do now?” And we can tell them of the joy of the Lord, the great comfort and strengthening of the Holy Spirit, and the sure hope of heaven at last! They don't like to hear this message, but there are always some who will hear and allow us to lead them into the Kingdom of Christ!
- J.A.W.