Week 9 - 1 Peter 5:12-14 - Say Hello

The valediction of this letter mentions two people and the church as as whole:

By Silvanus . . . 

This longer form of the name of Silas (silas), whom Paul (not Peter) chose over Mark during a “sharp disagreement” with Barnabas, as a traveling companion in (Acts 15:36-41).

She who is at Babylon, . . . 

The likely place of authorship of this letter is Rome.  Babylon being a code-word for it.  “She” would be the church present there.

. . . Mark, my son.

Unlike Paul, who had rejected Mark, Peter spiritually adopted Mark, who is also called John (Acts 12:12) and was the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10).

Even with the disagreement between Paul (Not Peter.  It is so easy to conflate the two) and Barnabas over the choosing of Mark or Silas, this affectionate valediction, where both Mark and Silas are included out of the entire church at Rome, befits a letter focused on brotherly kindness.

That disagreement took place following the Jerusalem council, which scholars date to AD 49.  And because he was a native of Cyprus (Acts 4:36) Barnabas returned there and served there with Mark (Acts 15:39).  Even though they took different paths, no ill-will was demonstrated or spoken.

Already in 1 Corinthians 9:6, written only a few years later (AD 53-55), Paul declared his support for the work of Barnabas which indicates no lingering animosity.

Barnabas continued to serve on Cyprus with a copy of Matthew's Gospel (by tradition) until his martyrdom around AD 61.  At which time, Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome (AD 60 – AD 61) wrote to the church at Colossae (Colossians 4:10) and gave them instructions to welcome Mark.

This epistle, Peter’s first, was written from Rome just prior to the Great Fire of Rome AD 64.  At this time Paul had already been released from house arrest and was evangelizing westward (Romans 15:24, 28) but the extent of that work is lost to history.

Both Paul and Peter were martyred at the hand of Nero in the years that followed (AD 64 – AD 68).  By tradition, Peter was crucified upside down and Paul, because he was a Roman citizen, by civilized beheading.

All three were willing to share in the sufferings of Christ.  All three honored each other.  All three gave honor to the younger generation.  All five have a place near the Cornerstone.

Let us do likewise.

Week 8 - 1 Peter 5:5-11 - Stone on Stone

When walking through the woods, if you come upon a balanced stack of stones, you immediately recognize it as not natural.  Someone has been there before and has stacked them.

I have already shared one such stack.  In the chapter Our Defense, I shared how Destin Sandlin on Episode 300 of “Smarter Every Day” explored the design of the tail of a single-celled bacterium.  It is hard to conclude anything else than it was designed at the hand of the Creator.  It is a classic stack of stones.

Well, we have just walked by another such stack.  Peter explained that:

1 Peter 5:10

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

The word “establish” (themelioō) is literally to lay a foundation with you as one of the stones.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is the cornerstone and we each take our place in the course and we form a spiritual house.

1 Peter 2:4-5

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Fast forward, if you would, to the end of Revelation, and switch authors and read as John describes how the bride of Christ is to be revealed.  It would be natural for him to envision the bride as a beautiful virgin with a flowing robe.  But no, inspired by the Holy Spirit, John describes the bride of Christ this way:

Revelation 21:9-10

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,

The internal consistency of scripture is not natural.  That stack of stones it represents is so high that it declares the authorship of the Holy Spirit.

 

Week 7 - 1 Peter 5:1-4 - Honor the Sheep

Peter, having finished with the topic of suffering as a Christian, moves back to the next relationship to be discussed.  That of the elder and those in their care.

1 Peter 5:1-2a

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you . . . 

In this letter, he has discussed how an employee should honor even an unjust employer, how a wife should honor an unbelieving husband, how husbands should honor the weaker spouse, their wife.  

Now he confronts the temptation of the elders to misuse their position, by similarly explaining that they should honor the sheep, which must be one of the most difficult livestock to raise on a farm.  They escape, get stuck, have no sense of personal hygiene, don't listen, and follow other sheep to do stupid things.  The list could go on.

The temptations for the elder are listed:

. . . exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, 

. . . not for shameful gain, but eagerly. . .

. . . not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

The defense is to understand that the elder will participate in "the glory that is going to be revealed".  At first read it sounds like Peter is puffing himself and the elder up.  That they will have a superior crown, while a layperson, will get a tarnished one.

But no, it is taught that our crown will be of the righteousness of Christ.

2 Timothy 4:7-8

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

It is a crown that we will gleefully cast at the feet of Christ (Revelation 4:9-11)!  

Our response to any misdirected worship should always be:

Revelation 22:8-9

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

So, when someone says thank-you, we should not discount it by saying something like “No sweat”, “It was nothing”, because it wasn’t nothing.  It was something.  

Worse yet, don’t say “Don’t thank me”.  Doing so leaves the thanks unconveyed, and the person remains indebted to . . . you.  They are not allowed to repay their gratitude.  They are not being al-lowed to get back to a level playing field.  Please note the word “fellow servant” (syndoulos) in the example above.

Rather say something like:

“You are very welcome.  God blessed us both today.”

Week 6 - 1 Peter 4:12-19 - Sharing in Christ's Sufferings

The first and last beatitude spoken by Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount do not speak of future blessings, they are instantaneous.

Matthew 5:3

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:10

 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

They explain how we receive our citizenship in the kingdom of heaven.  Peter echos this in our passage today.

1 Peter 4:14

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 

He calls this persecution "judgment".  

1 Peter 4:17a

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; 

Not that we are to be found wanting and punished through suffering.  Rather, we are in this way judged by suffering and declared (krima) part of the Kingdom of God.

Recall please, that Peter is speaking from experience.  Not willing to confess Christ before the servant girl, he denied Christ (Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:15-27).  Read please the account in Luke, and weep with Peter.

Later Christ, unwilling to lose any who are His (John 6:37-40; John 10:27-29) restored him (John 21:15-19).

May we have the opportunity to not only identify ourselves as a Christian, but in some way share in the sufferings of Christ, and respond in a way that brings glory to God.