Submission Under Suffering
1 Peter 3:8-14
Introduction
Peter has broadly dealt with the themes of submission to human institutions (2:13-25); social
circumstances and family living (vv.1-7). We are subjects in a human world and servants in
social circumstances but we are also saints in God’s kingdom. We have social obligations and
we have family obligations (3:1-7) but we also have fellowship obligations (vv.8-14).
Many people hate the word “obligation”. It sounds so obligatory. Obligation conjures mental
images of necessity, duty, responsibility, charge, care. Effective submission contain elements of
free will. In order for submission to work; and in order for suffering to be handled in a God
honoring fashion; Peter gives us instructions on how we are to live in peace. I recently received
a call on my radio program from a frustrated woman who claimed she was being persecuted by
her ex-husband. She mentioned her children’s father went to great lengths to malign and
persecute her in front of the children. She wanted the persecution to stop. We do not welcome
or want persecution but we also understand Jesus told us to anticipate and expect persecution.
John 15:18-19; “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you
were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I
chose you out of the world, there the world hates you.”
“All who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).
Do you want the persecution to go away? Live and act and speak just like an unbeliever.
Believers are to get along with one another. We do not “go along to get along”. We do not
abandon Christ or our deeply held convictions concerning Christ. We are to find ways to live in
peace. Let me ask you a difficult question. Do you enjoy the idea of strangers watching you
fight with your husband or wife or children or family? The unbeliever in the world looks at the
fighting, separations, schisms, arguments, bickering and biting among the Christians as one more
reason to pay Christianity no mind.
Our Submission In The Church (v.8)
1 Peter 3:8 (NKJV) Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love
as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;
Peter exhorts us “all of you be of one mind”. The expression occurs only here in the Greek New
Testament and translates the word homophrones.
Clearly it does not mean we have to agree in all the minute details of taste or preference. It does
mean that we broadly agree on essential Christianity. The problem of course is people find it
difficult even to define what constitutes essential Christianity. Christians debate the inspiration
and authority of the Bible; creation and the fall of man; faith and regeneration, justification and
adoption, worship and prayer; the origin and purpose of the church; the nature and function of
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1 Peter 3:8-14
church government; resurrection and judgment; the reward of the righteous, the punishment of
the wicked. Have Christians in every generation found plenty to fight about?
The unbeliever in the world does not stay up late at night wondering about the mode of Baptism
or Calvinism verses Arminianism. But they do stay up late at night wondering their life matters.
They wonder if there really is a heaven or a hell. They wonder if God is really there and what
kind of a God is God. They wonder if peace is possible. They know they don’t have peace in
their own heart and their own soul--and they wonder if anyone has peace.
And they hear the Christians claim of peace with God through Jesus Christ. And then they see
the Christians argue, fight, bicker, bite, brawl, grumble, stumble, entice, complain, divide. They
see the Christian addicted to alcohol, drugs, pornography, they read in the paper of the Christian
husband beating his Christian wife, abusing his Christian children; and think to themselves--I
thought so--I had hoped it might be true--I had hoped that peace in my heart my come through
Jesus Christ--but if Jesus has been such a gigantic disappointment to them why bother?
In Peter’s theme of submission whether in human institutions, government, work, home, has had
the underlying theme of witness and evangelism to the watching world. The world is watching
you Christian and wondering if the claims of Christ and Christianity are worth considering.
In non-essential things we are to follow the path of conciliation.
Paul agreed to submit to James in what might seem a rather narrow, and arbitrary issue involving
vows and blood sacrifice. In Acts 21:17-26 Paul returns to Jerusalem and reports concerning the
work of God towards the Gentiles. When the elders heard this “they glorified the Lord” (v.20).
Immediately an accusation came up; “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who
have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but they have been informed about you that
you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to
circumcise their children nor walk according to the customs. What then? The assembly must
meet, for they will hear that you have come. Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men
who have taken a vow. Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they
may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed
concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. But
concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written (Acts 15) and decided that they should
observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols,
from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. Then Paul took the men and the
next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the
days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.”
Did it help? In seven days there was a riot from a group of Jews who laid out the accusation
“This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and
furthermore he also brought Greeks into the Temple and has defiled this holy place” (Acts
21:28).
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1 Peter 3:8-14
Unbelieving Jews (not Christians) saw Trophimus the Ephesian with Paul in the city and
“supposed that Paul had brought into the temple” (v.29). They seized him dragged him out of the
Temple and the doors were shut. And yes they tried to kill him. Roman soldiers broke up the
mob seized Paul and started beating him (v.32). The commanding officer had him bound with
chains and asked him who he was and what he did. People started screaming accusations and the
commander could not make heads or tails what was going on. Paul asked if he could speak to
the commander (in Greek) and received permission to speak to the crowd (chapter 22). He gave
his testimony. Submission lead to persecution which lead to an opportunity to testify.
Paul’s submission to James began not as an opportunity to testify; but rather to calm and
conciliate the congregation in Jerusalem. Paul was a Jew and wished to further peace; he was
willing to suffer for those who had a weak conscience. But Paul would not budge when it came
to Peter’s hypocrisy; when it came to the issue of essential doctrine or faith. Peter would
remember the incident with a red face knowing that Paul pulled no punches (Gal.2:11-18).
Are you peace-maker or a trouble maker? Do you try find ways to bring people together or push
people apart?
In verse 8 Peter moves from conciliation to compassion.
another”.
“Having compassion for one
The world is a familiar word even in the English language; sympatheo. In the first century the
word carried the idea of identifying with another’s suffering. In the verb form in the New
Testament it used of Christ who as our High Priest in heaven is “touched with the feeling of our
infirmities” our shortcomings (Heb. 4:15).
We divide the sorrow in order to share the joy. Even in the ministry of Jesus John records the
first miracle of turning water into wine (joy) and the last miracle took place at the funeral of a
friend (life’s saddest moment). Peter was present at both miracles. Peter knew Jesus entered into
life’s greatest joy and life’s greatest sorrow.
Our hearts should be filled with compassion towards one another; we weep with those who weep
and we rejoice with those who rejoice.
In one verse Peter moves from the thought of conciliation, compassion to caring. “Love as
brothers”. Peter clearly has family affection in mind. Some of you may not be able to relate to
this phrase--if you grew up in a household where alienation was replaced by affection. I believe
in the New Birth and I believe in the Holy Spirit and I believe that the Holy Spirit through the
New Birth gives a supernatural affection. When the risen Jesus restored Peter to ministry he
instructed him to feed the lambs and feed the sheep; he first asked Peter “Do you love Me more
than these?” (John 21:15). “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” (21:16).
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In one potent verse Peter moves from conciliation, compassion, caring, to comforting. “Be
tender-hearted” translates the Greek word eusplanchnos--good--guts--the only other time it is
used in the Greek NT is in Ephesians 4:32 where it is translated be tender-hearted towards one
another. The word means to be full of pity”.
We live in a culture and society that often despises pity. “I don’t want your pity!” You will hear
people repeat again and again.
In the ancient world pity was conspicuous by its absence. In the ancient pagan past there were
no hospitals or orphanages or nursing homes for the sick. There was no public education for the
masses. No one provided help for the abused, the neglected, no rescue missions for the
homeless, no battered wives shelters, no social services for children who were molested or
abused. There was no civil rights programs for slaves, no missions, and charity consisted of
putting a few copper coins and pressing them into the palms of the poor. All social service
programs in Western Civilization is a by-product of Christians and Christianity.
There is a common expression “have a heart”! Jesus is described in the New Testament as a
person who went around doing good.
Conciliation, compassion, caring, comforting, courteous.
“be courteous” read it again-- “be courteous”. The word translates philophron. It literally
includes two elements; friendliness and thought.
We might think about it in terms of being sensitive and thoughtful and friendly. Luke uses a
similar word philophronos to describe the treatment extended to Paul and the cast-aways when
they were shipwrecked on the Island of Malta (Acts 28:7). It means kind treatment, thoughtful
consideration. We as Christians are not given permission to be rude. We want to soften rudeness
and describe ourselves as “direct” or “blunt” or straightforward.
Our Submission In Suffering In The World (vv. 9-14)
1 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary
blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
Where does the Christian draw the line? Where did Jesus draw the line? “I’m not Jesus”. Ah-there’s the rub. In what way are you to be like Jesus? Peter draws a line in the sand and says
“Do not retaliate.” Do not return evil for evil. We call that “payback”. Reviling is sometimes
translated railing. Christians oddly enough will apply the verse to unbelievers but sometimes
will allow themselves the luxury of thinking it does not apply to believers. Peter reminds the
Christian that the source of the evil or the source of the reviling does not determine our response.
We do not return evil for evil to anyone. We do not return reviling for reviling to anyone.
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1 Peter 3:8-14
People reading this verse might think; “What world is Peter living in?” Peter is living in a world
where a few decades earlier he had cut off the ear of Malchus the servant of the High Priest. One
of the last recorded miracles in Jesus’ earthly ministry was to correct a mistake made by Peter.
There was a world and a time when Peter was the first to pick up the sword. Jesus taught Peter
that he lived in a world where people are mistreated, abused, slandered; but the genuine believer
lives in a world characterized by personal righteousness, holiness, honesty, truthfulness; and that
behavior is not always welcome in a fallen world.
How are we to react when a person does evil against us and mistreats us?
We are back to the issue of witness. Our reaction may forever close the door to minister the
gospel and the love of God and the truth about the gospel. We could lose their friendship. We
could also gain the comment; “A Christian did this to me”. The believer has made Christ an
unappealing Savior. If the believer returns good for evil; the believer opens the door for one
more chance to present Christ.
Peter says “bless them”. The word bless (eulogountes) means speak well; we might even say
speak carefully. We do not react and respond in kind; we do not exchange curse for curse, or
harsh word for harsh word; or strike back. We do not try to hurt them verbally or physically, on
the contrary we are looking for a way to commend them. Paul wrote; “Let all bitterness, and
wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be
kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has
forgiven you” (Eph. 4:31-32). We look for reasons to speak well; to find some reason to build
them up rather than tear them down. We pray for our persecutors. Jesus said, “But I say to 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” (Matt. 5:44).
Think of the impact that has on a person. They may think you are weak, they may think you are
naive, they may think you are a doormat; or they may think that peace and love are your genuine
possession and they may want it; ask for it; seek it. Is it possible that God can use your response
to persecution as the means to speak to the persecutor’s heart?
1 Peter 3:10 (NKJV) For He who would love life
And see good days,
tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him refrain his
Peter preaches--and like any good preacher he cites the Scripture; this is a part of Psalm
34:12-16. You will remember that David wrote that Psalm; and he wrote during an emotional
upheaval in his life. David wasn’t always a hero or always a king. At one time in his life he was
a political refugee. He sought asylum in the camp of Israel’s enemies. David fled to the King of
Gath. Saul spent his considerable resources hunting down and attempting to exterminate David
and his followers. David jumped from a hard hot black frying pan into the proverbial fire. The
people in Gath remembered David as the kid who slew the Giant. Not just any Giant--Gath was
Goliath’s hometown. David pretended that he was Insane. He drooled like a baby; he talked
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nonsense (1 Sam. 21:1-15). The ruler did what most people did in the ancient world with a crazy
person; you tossed them out of the city; and with a sigh of relief David found refugee in the cave
of Adullam. In those dark damp limestone caves; with his band of refugees David wrote Psalm
34.
David was ashamed. David was disgusted by his lapse of faith, by his hypocrisy and senseless
and faithless attempt to find sanctuary in the country of his enemies. What made matters worse;
David had tried to take Goliath’s sword with him; in of all places Gath. David warns his men
and all men who read the Psalm to keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking
guile. Don’t do it. Peter quotes David. Peter wants to drive the point home. Peter was no
stranger to hypocrisy and cowardice; Peter had lied, and Peter had played the coward, and Peter
had opened his mouth and denied his Lord. The memory stung him, and though it was now
decades later--decades after he was forgiven by Jesus; the memory stung him. It would haunt
Peter all the days of his life. The tongue is a treacherous member. The word translated evil is
kakos and speaks of the deep seated fallen depraved human nature. In our fallen human nature
we are predisposed to sin. The word deceit or guile translates the word dolos which means to
bait a trap or set a snare. The word refrain comes from pauo “to stop”. Peter uses the word in
the active voice--which gives the nuance of restraining, of causing the tongue to cease from
uttering evil--we might say “Bite your tongue”.
We are saintly in conduct; sanctified in our conversation--our manner of living--and saintly in
character. Peter uses the quotation from the Psalm to lift us from the wrong path and place us on
the right path.
1 Peter 3:11 (NKJV)
pursue it.
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and
Do you want to know the formula for surviving suffering, for managing the pressure that comes
from submission and living a long and profitable life? Turn away from evil. Admit you are on
the wrong path and get on the right path. In the wicked and evil world of human beings you
stand a much better chance of surviving by doing good rather than evil. Some people call this
“going straight”. The physical and spiritual laws of life are designed for our happiness and well
being. Normally if a person eats right and exercises; refrains from abusing their body with drugs
or alcohol or tobacco; is sexually responsible (by that I mean sex in the context of marriage); are
more likely to live longer and better. People who engage in criminal activities are much more
likely to go to jail. People who refuse to engage in criminal activities are far less likely to go to
jail! Shock! Surprise! Not really.
Peter encourages not only a right path but a right perspective.
1 Peter 3:12 (NKJV) For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open
to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
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1 Peter 3:8-14
The answer to pain and suffering can’t be to perpetuate pain and suffering by inflicting more pain
and suffering. Peter continues to quote David. David was no stranger to back-sliding, lapses of
faith and lapses of judgment. Still David was more inclined to seek peace and pursue peace.
David knew there was a time to fight and a time to seek peace. King Saul did not. Saul did not
suffer his enemies to live. Saul massacred a whole village of God’s ordained priests. Saul
persecuted anyone that Saul suspected may simply be an admirer of David; even if that person
was his own flesh and blood.
When Saul could no longer knock on the door of heaven he had no problem with knocking on
the door of hell. God allowed the door to open and Saul fell head long into the abyss.
Peter says get on the right path and stay on it. Embrace the right perspective and continue in it.
And now Peter calls on the suffering Christian to adopt the right policy;
1 Peter 3:13 (NKJV) And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?
Who will harm you if you decide to do what is right?
The right answer; they could. Peter has suffered at the hands of the Jews. Citizens have suffered
at the hands of their governments. Wives have suffered under the hands of their husbands. Even
as Peter writes the words down; the Roman government is embarking on a policy of persecution
of some Christians and the execution and extinction of the followers of Jesus.
What if you do everything the chapter says? Could you still get hurt? Could you still suffer?
Could you still wind up on the hurt side of persecution? The answer is yes.
Peter’s view isn’t the short view--but the long view.
1 Peter 3:14 (NKJV) But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. And
do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.
People who suffer for righteousness’ sake don’t feel blessed.
People who suffer for righteousness’ sake are sometimes afraid of the threats and are troubled.
Conclusion
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