Where Jesus Is -There Is Hope!

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. (1 Peter 2:18-20)

Many Christians were household slaves. It would be easy for them to submit to masters who were gentle and kind. But Peter encouraged loyalty and perseverance even in the face of unjust treatment. In the same way, we should submit to our employers, whether they are considerate or harsh. By so doing, we may win them to Christ by our good example. Paul gave similar advice in his letters (Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-25), as did Jesus (Matthew 5:46; Luke 6:32-36).


Servants: Somewhere from one-third to half of the population of the Roman Empire were slaves. The percentage of Christians who were slaves may have been even higher.

be submissive with all fear: Workers are to take their responsibilities seriously.

but also to the harsh: Christians are to serve even the worst of bosses with respect.

Those who suffer faithfully but unjustly as a result of their service to God please Him. Such suffering has a great reward (Matthew 5:10–12; Romans 8:17, 18; Philippians 1:19; 2 Timothy 2:12). Peter himself had asked Jesus about this and received an exciting encouragement about the divine compensation package (Matthew 19:27–30).

endures: Believers are not merely to survive the difficulties that come their way, rather they are to bear patiently their heavy loads.

grief: Is not the result of loss but of being afflicted.

wrongfully: This verse is about injustice, about people being treated worse than they deserve.

credit: Suggests benefit or personal gain. There is no advantage to believers for successfully enduring a deserved punishment for wrongdoing, yet there is great value when we honor God with our actions when we are unfairly condemned by others (1 Peter 3:17).

take it patiently: Endurance and perseverance in the face of suffering please God.

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:21-25)

We may suffer for many reasons. Some suffering is the direct result of our own sins; some happens because of our foolishness; and some is the result of living in a fallen world. Peter is writing about suffering that comes as a result of doing good. Christ never sinned, and yet He suffered so that we could be set free. When we follow Christ's example and live for others, we too may suffer. Our goal should be to face suffering as He did - with patience, calmness, and confidence that God is in control of the future.

Peter had learned about suffering from Jesus. He knew that Jesus' suffering was part of God's plan (Matthew 16:21-23; Luke 24:25-27; 44-47) and was intended to save us (Matthew 20:28; 26:28). He also knew that all who follow Jesus must be prepared to suffer (Mark 8:34, 35). Peter learned these truths from Jesus and passed them on to us.

For to this you were called: Part of being a Christian is the privilege of serving God faithfully when we encounter undeserved judgment (Philippians 1:29).

leaving us an example: Observing how Christ handled unjust punishment gives us insight as to how we also may endure such trials.

Word Focus: example - (Gk. hupogrammos) (2:21) G5261: In common Greek usage, this word designated a tablet that contained the entire Greek alphabet. Students would use this to trace the alphabet, learning each letter from alpha to omega. The life of Jesus, a life of suffering, is just such a tracing tablet. We, the learners of Jesus, are to trace this life, beginning from alpha and going on to omega.

Who committed no sin: Christ was perfect in everything He did, even when He was wrongly condemned to death by the world.

nor was deceit found: In His thoughts and attitudes, Jesus was perfect.

who Himself bore our sins: The Greek wording emphasizes Jesus’ personal involvement in the act of paying the price for our sins. It also emphasizes that it is our sins that Jesus bore on the Cross. The tree is the Cross.

that we might live for righteousness: The purpose of Christ’s bearing our sins is that we might live to please Him.

by whose stripes: The Greek word for stripes is singular rather than plural. Thus our spiritual healing comes neither from Jesus’ day-to-day sufferings nor from His sufferings that led to the Cross, but from the one ultimate wound—His death.

Shepherd: This title portrays Christ as One who tenderly and wisely provides for all our needs.

Overseer: Christ is also our Guardian, our Protector, and the One who watches over us. This is the only place where the titles Shepherd (Pastor) and Overseer (Bishop or Elder) are used in the singular. No one else is qualified to be the one Shepherd and Overseer of our souls—only Christ is. For this reason the New Testament regularly describes the church and its congregations as having more than one leader (Titus 1:5).

It humbles me just to think that Christ died for my sins so I would not have to suffer the punishment I so justly deserve before God. This is called substitutionary atonement. I want to thank you Lord for making this ultimate sacrifice for a sinner like me.  Because I now have Jesus as my Savior and Lord, I have the promise of God's Blessed Hope which is eternal life with Him.

Father God, it is my prayer this morning that those who have not accepted Your free gift of salvation will do so today by reaching out in faith and accepting Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Lord I pray that this will be the day of their salvation. Amen.

References: NKJV Holy Bible, Life Application Bible (NIV), the Nelson Study Bible.