more trusting, submitting

1 Peter 2:11-25


Friday is the 40th anniversary of the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. I have been thinking a lot about him lately, after finishing an "autobiography" of him that my son Mark gave me. Whatever you think, or have been told, about The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. - that he was a communist followed closely by the FBI, that he was an adulterer or a womanizer, or whatever, the fact is that he did what he did as a follower of Jesus Christ. His leadership in bringing change through non-violent resistance was based on his reading of and obedience to Jesus Christ. Another book, too, has had me thinking a lot along these lines - "The Politics of Jesus" by John Howard Yoder. Hopefully I'll review this one day soon on my "dicristina" blog.


Do these words about submitting to unjust authority apply to us who are not servants? Peter may be speaking to more than just servants in these words about submission. While commanding servants to submit to unjust masters in the second person plural, "be subject to your masters..." (v. 18), he then switches to the third person singular, "this is a gracious thing, when mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly" (v.19). He does then revert back to the second person, "you," as he continues on. When he writes, "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps..." (v.21), is this strictly and only to servants? I don't think so.

"When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness..."

He did not return evil for evil. He entrusted himself to the One who will judge justly. His substitutionary sacrifice on our behalf is also an example and imperative that we die to sin and live to righteousness.

This is the way to which Jesus clearly called his followers - the way of servanthood, of the cross, of laying down one's life.

[In chapter 3, verse 1 and verse 7, he writes "Likewise, wives..." and "Likewise, husbands..." directing Jesus' example of submission and trusting God to both husbands and wives.]

Why does Peter conclude this section by saying that they had been straying like lost sheep, but now had returned to the shepherd and guardian (overseer, bishop) of their souls? The thought seems to be a reference to Jesus and his persecutors (who were lost), but God vindicated him and used his suffering and death to heal us. We are safe in him, and who knows if God will not use our suffering to bring home other straying sheep, even those who might abuse us?