1 Peter – Page 11 – Three Minute Bible

August 11, 2020August 11, 2020

1 Peter 2:24 (a) — Innocence Found

Picture: An old teddy bear sits alongside an abandon railroad track.

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross…

Experimenting is an age-old way of testing something to see if it is true. For example, when somebody says, “Try this, you’ll like it!” you might believe them or you might not. When I was twelve, my uncle handed me an oyster and gave me that line. It tasted terrible! “Try it again,” he said. I did. It didn’t taste any better the second time. So he took the oyster, tried it, and spit it out. “No wonder,” he said, “it’s rotten!” So I still don’t know if I like oysters or not, but I do know that I don’t like rotten ones.

There is another kind of experiment that can be helpful. It is called a thought experiment. In this kind of experiment, we imagine a situation and then ask ourselves questions about what we see. I think it might be helpful to do an experiment like this to help understand today’s passage.

August 10, 2020August 10, 2020

1 Peter 2:23 (b) — Things in Common

Picture: A soldier carries a wounded dog on his shoulder.

Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

Who is the “him” who judges justly? And what does it mean to “judge justly?”

I gotta be honest about the “him” part of this. The Bible does not talk about God “judging” a lot. It is mentioned a few times, but the references are oblique for the most part. So if you don’t mind, I am going to fudge a bit on this one.

August 9, 2020August 9, 2020

1 Peter 2:23 (a) — This is a Test

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.

This is a test: Someone you know well is angry and they express that anger by insulting you.

Question: How do you respond?

Our response to this test says a lot about who we are. The same is true for a similar test: How do we respond to suffering at the hands of someone else?

August 8, 2020August 9, 2020

1 Peter 2:22 (b) — An Awkward Dinner

Picture: A smiling face made with peas on a plate.

…and no deceit was found in his mouth.

Peter’s description of Jesus is grounded in personal knowledge as well as scripture. Peter knows Jesus well. Today’s passage shows us an aspect of Jesus that is easy to contrast with our world today.

What do you think of when you hear the word, “deceit?” Do you, like me, immediately think, “lies?” If yes, we would both be partially right. But a “lie” does not cover the entire concept of the word.

August 7, 2020August 8, 2020

1 Peter 2:22 (a) — No Sin

He committed no sin…

Peter has written that we should be willing to suffer unjustly because Christ suffered for us. Jesus, in fact, set the example. We are to do likewise. Having said that Jesus is our example, Peter then goes on and describes more about this example we are to follow. He begins with four simple words that changed the world: “He committed no sin.”

What does that mean exactly?

August 6, 2020August 8, 2020

1 Peter 2:21 — Jesus’ Footprints

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

Peter tells us that Jesus was an example for us. We should follow in his steps. This is good advice if we apply it correctly. The problem is that it is easy to misapply.

When you look at Jesus, what do you see?

August 5, 2020August 6, 2020

1 Peter 2:20 — What the Child Saw

But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

English is a wonderful language. It is rich in history, flexible, adaptable, and functional. There is a reason why people around the world choose to learn English if they want to communicate internationally. Even so, when compared to the Hebrew and Greek languages, English sometimes feels … inadequate.

August 4, 2020August 5, 2020

1 Peter 2:19 — Pain Gauge

Picture: Detail of old woodcut depicting hell.

For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.

Peter is going to talk about “unjust suffering” for a while. As he explores this theme, he segues into the topic of wives submitting to their husbands. I’m not saying that there is a connection here, but I suspect that the wives who are reading this might have some special insights on this passage. Anyway, for now, he is content to focus on the general topic of unjust suffering.

August 3, 2020August 3, 2020

1 Peter 2:18 — Modern Slaves

Picture: Graphic of large grey finger pointing down at fearful employee.

Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.

The word “slave” has become a kind of dirty word these days. It is a word like any other. The condition it describes is not pleasant nor is it desirable, but slavery has existed for thousands of years. Even God’s own people, when they lived in Egypt for 400 years were slaves to the Egyptians for most of that time.

Do not misunderstand me. I am not condoning slavery. Yet, look around. How much of the world is free? If people are not free, aren’t they the same as a slave? Slavery still exists and always will until Jesus Himself comes to rule the earth.

August 2, 2020August 2, 2020

1 Peter 2:17 (d) — Honor

Picture: A veteran and our flag at attention during a Memorial Day ceremony.

… honor the emperor.

At first, when I looked at today’s text I thought, “Great! I get a day off!” After all, in our country, we have no emperor. Nothing to see here, right?

Wrong. There is a lot to see.