1
Peter Chapter Three.
3:1. "Obey not
the word." i.e. the Gospel. They also may without the word, i.e. without
talking, preaching. There is a time to
preach and testify, but we must use wisdom.
In some instances preaching would only arouse antagonism. Antagonising is not winning a person.
These verses show how tremendously difficult it must have
been for Christian women who were married to pagan husbands. It was no easy thing to live the Christian
life as the wife of a pagan. Her
becoming a Christian could be regarded by him as a fundamental act of
disobedience to him. He might feel that
her Christian position challenged his authority. But the Christian wife by her chaste life and
her loyal submission to him might bring him to regard her Christian life not as
an act of disloyalty, but a loyalty more sincere because she was a Christian.
`Aneu logou'. A
silent testimony may be effective where preaching fails. A woman will not win her husband by nagging
him.
3:3. Woman must
dress, avoiding extravagance. The costly
and gaudy does not become Christians.
The hidden man of the heart is of great price before God. - Grand Prix (French Bible).
A psychiatrist has said that the American women are the most
unhappiest in the world. The reason for
it being so: they take their values from Hollywood. There is an undue emphasis on beauty. This ends in frustration, for most women are
not beautiful. Where there is a true set
of values, life gains in meaning.
3:5. "Holy
women." A striking phrase! "Adorned themselves." - The
cosmetic of a godly life. They were to
be in subjection to their own husbands - a cosmetic that could not fail to be
an adornment in the eyes of their husbands.
3:6. Ancient women called
their husbands "lord." Note
instances in the Iliad. Wives must be in
submission and to show no fear or panic.
3:7. While the wife
owes submission and reverence to her husband, the husband must treat his wife
with respect and tenderness. They are
heirs together and it is expected they will have reasons of prayer. If the wife is not given honour - the honour
of respect and tenderness - their fellowship and prayer life may be hindered. Family Worship is an important thing. Not his more violent nature, but her more
gentle nature must be the level of their living together.
"Heirs together of the grace of life." All that life offers and all that life in
Christ offers, its gifts of freedom, happiness, love, honour - she is as much
entitled to as is her husband.
"Weaker vessel." - This notion is sometimes
challenged today. It is evident that
there are elements of toughness in women that exceed that of men. But that women is the weaker vessel is
true. Man has more violence in his
nature. His glandular make-up gives to him a more violent and fierce
nature. He has also greater physical
strength - in any normal family nature decrees that the brothers have heavier
bones and bigger and tougher muscles than their sisters.
`Sunoikountes kata gnosin os asthenestero skeuei' - these
words seem to suggest that the husband is to show courtesy, consideration,
tenderness and respect to his wife. He
is to keep in mind that the wife is more gentle in physical build, and less
course in nature and disposition. But
this condescending gentleness and regard for the wife's as a more gentle
vessel, is not to regard her as in some way inferior, but as equally inheriting
the grace of life.
Peter devotes a rather longer section to addressing the
wives than he gives to the husbands. It
is not that he thought wives to be more likely at fault than the husbands, or
that he wished to increase the burden of the wife. His aim is to encourage. He knows how difficult the situation was for
many of these women, he writes to encourage them. He gives the only possible course in a
difficult situation.
Generally, where only one partner was a Christian, it must
have been more difficult for a Christian wife.
Wives have usually followed their husbands when they have changed their
religion. But when it is the wife who
has changed her religion, then the husband has usually been hostile. A husband would consider such a change an act
of disloyalty to himself. If he chose he
could divorce her and cast her out, or he might become violent and beat
her. It is impossible for us to grasp
just how difficult it must have been for these women.
To become a Christian was fraught with tragic
possibilities. Peter writes to encourage
them. The exhortation to submission in
such circumstances might seem "cold comfort." But after all, there could hardly be any
other alternative but submission. The
very temper of that society and age would demand it. But Peter writes to assure them that this was
the only course likely to be successful.
Their becoming Christians might seem an act of disloyalty to their
husbands, but they were so to live that their husbands would discover that the
Christian lives of their wives was a true loyalty to them.
Two things the husband is to do:-
1. Dwell with his wife
- i.e. make a home for her, provide, protect, and show tenderness towards her.
2. Honour his wife -
show her respect. Hold her in high
regard.
There is reason given for each of the two things the husband
is to do.
1.Peter
3:17-22. Notes of an address delivered
at Te.Papapa. 1957.
3:17. Peter desires
that his readers should be doers of what is good. He has been stirring them to a readiness to
give an account of their hope. They must
be ready to give an answer to anyone that asketh them concerning the hope
within them. The `answer' of the A.V.
translatesthe Greek word `apology' - but not in the weak sense, "I'm
sorry," but in the sense of `defence'.
A defence of our faith and Christian hope. We need never be sorry for our hope, but we
are to defend it, with meekness and fear.
In second Corinthians the same word is translated "what clearing of
yourselves."
This defence of our Christian hope must be backed up by
well-doing. The good works of Christian
people is the best defence for the faith.
We should suffer for doing good, then that is much better than that we
suffer for evil doing. To suffer for
evil doing is to receive what one deserves.
The thief said, "we receive the due reward of our deeds." To do good and suffer for well-doing and to
continue to do good is a testimony to the vigour of our Christian hope. If we do good and suffer for it, it is
because God wills it. The will of God
does not give men immunity nor exemption from suffering. Well-doing does not give us freedom from
suffering, if it be the will of God that we suffer. But if we do evil, then it is our own fault
if we suffer. We must not imagine our
trials are a judgement upon sins formerly committed. Christ has `once for all' suffered for
sins. He bore our sins in His own body
on the tree. Their trials were not then,
judgement on sins. They were not atoning
for sins committed, but God willed that their faith be tested.
My friend, Robert Auld, used to speak about the death of
Christ under four V's.: Voluntary, Violent, Vicarious, and Victorious. I think these four V's would fit this
passage.
"Christ suffered" - voluntarily. He submitted to those sufferings predestined
for Him. His death was vicarious, i.e.
He suffered substitutionarily. This is
vicarious suffering. He bore our sins
and suffered for our unrighteousness. He
suffered to put away our sins and to bring us to God. We have been brought to God. We have an introduction. We have access, a way in, and place within
God's courts.
`Prosago' (Unik) may be a technical term for the bringing of
a proselyte within the Divine community.
His death was violent.
He was put to death in the flesh.
He suffered a violent death at the hands of murderers. Death, of course, could only apply to the
flesh, to His human nature. His death
was victorious. He suffered once for
all.
"He was made alive in the Spirit" - this must
refer to the resurrection of Jesus. It
is not said that He was raised in the flesh.
Yet resurrection pertains to the body.
The meaning must be that spiritual forces took hold of the body, Jesus
was raised and now lives in the Spirit.
He is no longer bound by flesh and blood, but lives on a new spiritual
plane.
3:19. This is a difficult
Scripture and I don't intend to be dogmatic.
The Mormons build a lot of theology on this verse. It is foolish to build theology on an obscure
verse.
I will mention to you four views, and if you read Moffatt's
translation, you will find another one.
1. The preaching took
place in the days preceding the flood.
That generation of men rejected the preached word and were disobedient
to it. They are now spirits in
prison. It was through the same Spirit
which quickened Christ in resurrection: that long ago He had preached to these
men. So because they were disobedient to
Noah's preaching they are now in prison.
There is much to be said for this view, e.g. the historical
reference in Gen.6. - That God's Spirit strove with men. It was also generally accepted that Noah was
a preacher of righteousness. Also the
statement in Peter about God's longsuffering to them may imply that the message
of repentance had been preached to them.
This view does appear to account for Peter's statement about God's
longsuffering.
This is the interpretation of Augustine, of Leighton in his
commentary, of Darby and Kelly, and many others. Nevertheless, it has difficulties, and they
are difficulties that the reader of the Greek Testament will appreciate more
than the reader of the A.V.
2. Grotius maintained
this view and it was ultimately accepted by Leighton. Griffith-Thomas held this interpretation, the
preaching means the preaching of the Gospel in this present Christian age. Men are in prison of sin. Christ has come preaching peace and deliverance,
Eph.2. It is by His Spirit that He comes
preaching glad tidings. The statement
about the disobedience of men before the Deluge is to show the continuity of
mankind and to show the superiority and greater efficacy of our Lord's
preaching to that of Noah. Noah was a
great preacher, but there was little fruit, the preaching of our Lord in this
age is far more effective and more universal in its range.
This interpretation is unlikely, for as Johnstone points
out, the main clause and the subordinate clause are made to refer to different
sets of persons.
3. In this
interpretation and in the next, the preaching is that done by Christ in His
Spirit to spirits in prison. The
preaching took place immediately after the Cross. Either before the resurrection or immediately
after. But in this third interpretation
the spirits are those of the men who were disobedient in Noah's day. Many Anglican commentators have held this
view. Many of the best commentators have
been Anglicans. These men believed this
verse meant Christ by His Spirit, went and preached salvation, a `second
chance' to the spirits in prison, of those men who were disobedient in Noah's
day.
This interpretation was hailed in support of `the larger
hope' teaching. One difficulty we feel
is, why only to the spirits of such men?
It is noteworthy that Selwyn, though he is of the Anglican tradition,
turned his back on this view. This is
significant.
4. The interpretation
held by Selwyn is that Christ preached to fallen angels, imprisoned, because of
the part they had in the apostasy before the Deluge. Sir Robert Anderson held similar views. There is much to be said in favour of this
interpretation. See 2.Pet.2:4; Jude v.6.
Probably the LXX had "angels" for "sons of God," in
Gen.6. The idea was much in the air at
the time that angels were associated with the wickedness of men before the
Flood. See the Book of Enoch and other
apocalyptic literature.
Whatever view we accept of this verse, we see how Peter is
presenting Christ's sufferings as victory.
The fourth interpretation best suits the idea of victory. His death was victorious. The notion of victory is clear in these
verses.
What an encouraging message to a people tried and enduring
hardship. Christ suffered and thereby
won the victory. He conquered by
suffering. Because He is victorious, we
too are victorious. Let us not be
discouraged by the smallness of our number, for in Noah's day only eight souls
were saved. God did care for the few. The Christians may be few among the vast
pagan populations, but God's eye is upon them, just as He cared for those eight
souls and saved them.
The ark rode through waters of calamity and death and both
through and by means of the water they were saved. Their salvation was not due to any efficacy
in the water, but because God saved them, and He was their Saviour.
We who are baptized are the antitype of all this. In some way the saving of those eight souls
prefigures our salvation affected in baptism.
Baptism is no mere washing of the flesh; there is something more inward
and deeper than that in baptism, for it is the request for a good conscience
before God. Baptism can only be
efficacious as it is the pledge of a good conscience before God.
There is some difficulty about the meaning of the word
`eperotema'. Whether this word means
"pledge, petition, prayer, request," - whatever it may mean, it is at
least some form of expression of the inward sincerity of the believer. Without this sincere, inward faith, baptism
could not be effective. On the side of
the baptized one, there is a pledge, a plea, a decision, a prayer for a good
conscience before God.
The effective saving power that operates in baptism is the
resurrection of Christ. Who can say that
baptism is not instrumental in salvation, when this verse shows clearly that
the resurrection power of Christ operates through baptism. Christ's resurrection was the granting to Him
of supreme power. So our baptism
reflects the fact of His victory. It is
in baptism, we pledge ourselves to Christ, to suffer with Him, to share in the
victory of His Cross and the triumph of His completed Passion.
3:13. Peter is sure
that whatever dangers may attend the good life, it is less likely to suffer
harm than the evil life. On the whole,
doing good was the safest life. An evil
doer is more apt to come to harm than a doer of good. To do good is the best means of winning the
good favour of men. But if in spite of
doing good, they should suffer tribulation, it will be well and not
injurious. Men cannot really harm those
who do good. They will suffer no real
harm or damage.
3:14. "But if
indeed you should suffer." The
likelihood of suffering for doing good was much less than that of doing
evil. Nevertheless, it is even
possible, that doing good they may suffer on account of it. To do good is the safer path, but it does not
remove all risk of suffering, but even that may be for our good. "All that live godly in Christ Jesus
shall suffer persecution." It is an
inward fear that moves men to persecute the good. These things are an omen of God's judgement
upon the wicked. Those who persecute the
godly have the witness in themselves that they are doomed.
There is a blessedness attached to the suffering on account
of righteousness. The word
"blessed" means "religious felicity" or "religious
fortunate." The beatitudes are
largely concerned with suffering. The
mourners, the meek, the hungry and thirsty, the merciful, the pure in the
heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted, - all these designations imply
suffering and sacrifice.
3:15.
"Sanctify." -
"Hallow." Selwyn translates
"acknowledge as holy." The
hallowing of Christ in the heart is a vital preparation for public
testimony. We must esteem Him in our
hearts and thoughts. This is a
devotional preparation for public testimony.
Christ must be reverenced as Lord.
This esteem of Christ is stimulated by reading His Word, by prayer, and
by the fellowship of the Church, and by meditation and consecration of
ourselves to God.
What greatness does He occupy in our hearts? We must have a true understanding of the
greatness and majesty of our Lord. Peter
has in mind Isa.29:23, and that passage concerns the Glory of Jehovah. Israel must sanctify the Holy One
of Jacob and stand in awe of the God of Israel.
Peter also has in mind Isa.8:13.
"The Lord of hosts him shall ye sanctify and let him be your fear
and let him be your dread." Israel
must not trust in allies, but in God.
Kelly:
1
Peter Chapter 3.
3:19. `En'. In virtue of, by. It was not in person, but by virtue of the
Spirit. Gen.6:3. Compare for usage Eph.2:17. It doesn't say, "in" which
Spirit. "He proceeded into
prison," but preached.
The unbelieving Jews who objected to the fewness of the
Christians, were thus powerfully met, as well as their contempt for preaching,
as having no serious effect, whether believed or rejected.
3:21. The water was
the instrument of God's judgement in destruction. Scripture never attributes quickening to
baptism. A good conscience towards God
is the thing demanded, when we are alive in Him to God: our clearance by His
work of redemption.
