1 Peter 3:8-15 Bible Teaching

WELCOME
PRAYER
WORD TO MUSIC
SILENCE

When we come back we will continue at verse 8.

Alright, last week we discussed Peter’s advice to wives and husbands, after having advised us the week before on being subject to governments and bosses.

So let’s read beginning at verse 8:

1st Peter 3.11
September 20th 2015
MEAT

1st Peter 3:8 Finally, (he says) be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

1st Peter 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

Finally, or as some last directions or general counsel from me an apostle to you, Saints, living in these last times.

He has already specified how to engage with others outside of the faith and now gives some final thoughts on how they, believers in the church, ought to approach getting along with each other. I count seven to nine of them depending on how you read them.

What’s interesting about these bits of advice is Peter appeals to a number of words rarely used in the other parts of the New Testament Greek.

I think this is due to the fact that Peter wa NOT a Greek scholar and since much of the NT was written by people far more affluent in the language (people who would therefore appeal to possibly more advanced terms) that this is the reason why we don’t see some of Peter’s terms used anywhere else.

Okay the first thing he says is:

1 “Be ye all of one mind,”

With the word “mind” being “homophrone.”

In Romans 12:16 Paul writes:

“Be of the same mind (phroneo) one toward another. Mind (phroneo) not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.”

But ho-moph-rone is not saying be of the same phroneo (mind) but to take all the minds present and make them the same (homo proneo).

We could see them as saying the same thing. We could see them as Paul saying be of the same spirit and Peter saying take your differences and agree. I don’t know what the answer is but I do know that they are really close in meaning when we are dealing with human beings.

That being said Paul seems to be saying to think or receive things in the same way and Peter seems to be saying be like-minded so harmony can exist amidst you.

If they were speaking of different things, I would suggest we take them both together into one hand and then say:

We ought to all work to come to a unity of the faith (Paul’s view) and until that time comes we ought to make sure that we at least agree to get along.

In my estimation this supports the Objective mind of God ultimately living in all believers perfectly when we all DO come to a unity of the faith but until that time the seek and strive for harmony or homophrone among our differences (subjective Christianity).

Taking it one step further and applying it to ourselves actually sitting in this room, we may all have a thousand different views on a thousand different topics and have not come to a perfection in God through Christ on understanding but until that time we all agree that we will let LOVE abide until we do.

2 having compassion one of another

Again, Peter uses another word not found anywhere in the New Testament –
SOOM-PATH-ACE – from where we get sympathy.

It seems to be the entering into of another feelings and sympathizing with them. The entering into their feelings allows us to consider their state of mind amidst the trials under which they writhe.

Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 12:26

“And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

The word for all the members suffer is “SOOM-PASKO” to experience the same kind of pain for them.

Now, this does NOT mean we HAVE literally experienced the same kind of pain as them – if that were so we would not have to enter-into the realm where they are suffering.

Empathy, a created word by a psychologist a number of decades back means there is no effort to feel for another – we automatically know what they are feeling because we too, were once bit on the nose by a Doberman pincher on Halloween while wearing a clown costume.

SOOMPASKO is taking the time to enter into the feelings and pain another is experiencing and truly feeling sorry – the same sorrow – for their misery and suffering.

When Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus He was expressing compassion – soompathace. He was entering into the feelings of those who stood by weeping, like Mary and Martha, but had not himself experienced the death of a brother.

In the face of this we have to ask ourselves – does Jesus experience sympathy or empathy for us?

I would suggest both – empathy for the things He actually experienced and sympathy or compassion for the things He has to enter into with us before feeling compassion.

In my estimation the greater of the two is sympathy because it is willful suffering and compassion where empathy is automatic and almost cannot be helped.

Then he adds: “Love as brethren,”

Again – again – Peter uses a word for love here that is not found anywhere in the scripture – “Love as brethren” (which is better translated as “loving the brethren with love being translated from
the Greek, PHILADELPHOS which in this case must mean loving Christian brethren rather than just loving other brothers of Man.

This reinforces the duty for believers to love each other.

It was Kierkegaard who talked about the fact that in Christianity it is a command or it is the Christian duty to love.

Most of us know how to love our children and those to whom we are attracted. We know pretty well what it means to love friends and family and romantic interests . . . we GET the ethereal feelings of love, rapturous love, and the bonding love of friendship.

But ONLY in Christianity is there a commandment to love, which strips all the emotional and sensational feelings from the act and makes it duty or maybe better put, “just what Christians do.”

Kierkegaard posits that only when love is actually commanded and made part of a duty does it transcend into the heavenly realm. Why? Because it is only when love is commanded that it is secure.

Other forms of love that we all gravitate toward – the types that are based in feelings and emotions and fleshly gratifications – are constantly changing – ebbing and flowing and while great to experience when they flow, are painful and in jeopardy when they ebb.

I used to search for a state where love naturally flowed from me rather than existed because it was demanded.

Those where years of misdirection and error. And it proved itself a very inferior form of love because it was not only tenuous and predicated on circumstance it was also unavailable to those who I felt didn’t deserve it – like my enemies.

When someone realizes that they have been loved unconditionally by God, not because they have merited it but because that is what He chooses to do even in the face of our failures and rebellion, the duty to love begins to make sense, and therefore is far more reliable than any other form.

Romans 12:10 (in the RSV says) “love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor.”

It does not say, try and love nor does it say, experience or feel love toward one another. It just says do it. Paul writes in 1st Thessalonians 4:9

“But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”

Again, to be taught to love resonates to love being a duty rather than it being the kind that comes naturally.

It is interesting that at times some Christians, when they love in opposition to how they feel they are labeled phony or hypocritical.

I think the order of the two great commandments help us understand they way we as Christians learn to love.

In the first place, the duty comes in relation to the first great commandment – to love the Lord God with all our heart.

This is the first and great commandment.

The fact that the command is to love the LORD (beat) GOD (beat) says a lot.

So we are challenged by a situation – an intrusive, or rude or inconsiderate person. The FIRST great commandment is to love the Lord God and He has given us a New Command – to love each other.

So whether we FEEL or are LEAD or are emotionally driven to love the rude or intrusive human or NOT we are commanded to love the Lord God with all our hearts FIRST – this is the FIRST and GREAT commandment – and so we exercise patience and longsuffering and the like with such an individual.

Let’s say that that person can see that we are irritated, or we are not really feeling the love for them. Maybe they even call us out and say something to the effect of:

“I can tell you are irritated with me.” Or, “you’re supposed to be a Christian how come you don’t act more loving?”

In your heart you are first doing your duty toward God to love even though you may not feel like it – and in obeying the first and great commandment you are justified in not necessarily wanting to obey the second.

Get what I am saying.

In time, I would suggest, as we submit to loving Him first and foremost and dutifully complying with the command to love others, the second commandment “like unto it,” becomes easier.

In my experience, and in trial and error, He then teaches us to love neighbor as ourselves, fulfilling from the heart the two great demands.

4 be pitiful,

Guess what? Again the word Peter uses here for pitiful (YOU-SPLANGE-NOS) does not occur anywhere else in the New Testament (except this time in one place – Ephesians 4:32) where it is translated in the King James as tender-hearted.

The term is almost a redundancy as it echoes closely sympathy, kindness, compassion. And . . .

5 be courteous

And yet again we have another word
FILO-FRON which pretty much means be friendly. Courteous. Kind.

Interestingly enough Bibles that have been translated from the Westcott and Hort (mostly the new editions after the authorized) use the word:

“tapeinofrone” which means “of a lowly or humble mind.”

In the King James the Greek and English translation commend believers to be friendly. In the later versions the Greek and the English is to be humble of mind.

I checked a few commentators on this and one wrote:

“Christianity requires both of these virtues and either word enforces an important injunction.”

The situation does present a conundrum to Bible literalists because depending on the mss used the verse directs us to two different approaches – not that either of them are wrong or bad, but it’s interesting that they are certainly different.

Verse 6

6 Not rendering evil for evil, (or railing for railing)

Paul says in 1st Thessalonians 5:15:

“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.”

Matthew 5:38 says

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
39 But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also;
40 and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well;
41 and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
42 Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

Here in Peter, He says, “not rendering evil for evil,” then adds, “or railing for railing.”

The terms railing means slander or insult or a reproach. In other words, if someone insults you or slanders you don’t do it back.

Very tough to do in this fallen world and the flesh is always ready to join in the fray. But the non-retaliation tends to go beyond just being called names

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus mentions someone who “sues us for a coat to GIVE him our cloak also.”

Pretty radial. Speaking of lawsuits and brethren suing each other, Paul says to those who were suing each other by the law

1st Corinthians 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

Suffer yourselves to be defrauded. The EXTREMES are much easier to deal with than the daily middle ground offenses. Let me explain.

If I was sued or if I felt justified in suing an individual I could do get myself to do the Christian thing and refrain from it. Additionally, small social failures I am able to be Jesus all over the place.

But present me with a blantant discourtesy, or an outright act of entitlement, and my flesh is front and center ruling the day.

(TELL STORY OF TRAILER PARKING).

Could I withhold my tongue? With a cross looming over the front porch? Cross emblazoned on my hand? Nope.

Without thinking I had to say something – unintelligible as it probably was. But it was something that was NOT turning the other cheek, not accepting an evil with good, not “suffering myself to be defrauded.”

And I HATE when these failures reign.

Then Peter adds at verses 7, 8 and 9 of chapter 3:

“But contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”

In other words respond with a “blessing” to those who cut in front of you and take your space KNOWING that I was called to act that way because I am inheriting a blessing.

Eis is the word and it is resultant, not causal. I behave toward the spot taker as a RESULT of having BEEN CALLED, not in order to be called to receive a blessing.

From this point, Peter borrows from Psalm 34:12-16 with some variation. It says:

12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

Here in verses 10-12 Peter says:

10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

In both Psalm and Peter referring to it there is an implication that human beings have a right to love life and to desire many days of it and both writers pass along a way to help make these days peaceful and “from evil,”

“Refrain the tongue from speaking evil.”

When we think about it, the peace a person would experience who always refrains from saying anything evil compared to the warfare people face when they talk trash would be incalculable! So “hold your tongue and refrain from speaking evil,” Peter says before adding:

11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

Why? A couple reasons. First, if we always hold our tongues and that will increase the peace of our lives imagine also if we eschew evil too.

The Greek word Ekleeno is translated to eschew here and it means to shun. Avoid. In the description of Job we read in the first verse of the first chapter of the book that bears his name:

“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”

Of course we all have our views of what is evil and what is permissible but I love the way Proverbs 8:13 describes evil. It says:

“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: (colon – which implies that the following is a definition of evil): “pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”

We note that here Peter (quoting the Psalmist) speaks of refraining from speaking EVIL and then from doing EVIL – and they tie the two together in these places.

Here in Proverbs we see another tie between the two:

“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”

Proverbs 4:24 adds:

“Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.”

Of course Proverbs 6:16-19 give us a list of things God (who is righteous) hates. Take note of those that relate to actually acting out evil and those that relate to speaking:

16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

A proud look, (An act)
a lying tongue, (Mouth)
hands that shed innocent blood (Act)

An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, (the Heart – the center of the verse by the way)

feet that be swift in running to mischief, (Act)
A false witness that speaketh lies (Mouth), and
he that soweth discord among brethren.
(primarily mouth)

Of the things that God hates three are from the hands, three are from the mouth, and one – the one that is listed in the middle of the verse (symbolically in my opinion) exists in the heart.

Amazing verse. Instead of operating with an evil mouth or doing evil Peter says in verse 11:

“And do good.”

We live in a state where there is a faith that is all about “doing good.”

The action can really be annoying when people make it the emblem of their righteousness before God – and so in an act of rebellion people could be swayed to go the opposite way.

And while mature Christians realize that doing good has absolutely NO involvement in becoming a Christian or in maintaining our Christianity (other than the fact that having faith is GOOD) the mature Christian also understands clearly that doing good is the modus operandi of every believer who seeks to immolate the life of Jesus.

Paul says in Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

1st Thessalonians 5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

Earlier in 1st Thessalonians 3:12-13 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Titus 3:14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Now, I believe whole heartedly that it is up to the individual and God on how they interpret what is a good work for God and Man.

I think we are in a position from scripture to show that whatever is loving or is motivated by agape love is a good work.

But in the specifics such things could be everything from sharing Jesus, teaching Jesus, helping the poor, serving others, doing well in your chosen profession, volunteering time, supporting financially, being a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear and the list goes on and on and on.

I don’t think anyone has the right to impose what they believe is good upon the hearts of others. That, I believe, is religion and by-passes what God does in and on the individual heart of those He has created.

I say this having been the victim of MANipulation from other believers who in the past have gotten me to street preach (or attempt to street preach) serve food in a homeless shelter or pass out literature on a college campus.

All of the activities were imposed upon me as almost required good works of every believer. Just not so. God will move the spirit filled to do what they do and I think it’s important that we allow Him to guide the movements of the body and not take that upon ourselves.

Peter closes the verse out saying:

“Let him seek peace, and ensue it.”

It’s an interesting phrase isn’t it? It seems like a redundancy at first glance – to seek peace AND ensue (or pursue) it.

But in my estimation Peter is saying something here. In this fallen world, a world of warfare and self and disease it is incumbent upon followers of the King of Peace to seek and pursue after it.

The product or state of peace seem, in this world, to be so elusive that we are to seek for it (like we would a lost coin) AND pursue it (like we would a lost child or deer in flight).

Seeking implies the idea that peace is something that must be located – it is not present for us to automatically apply. Even moreso, Peter says pursue after it (as if it has the capacity to run or flee from life and the circumstances that make life up).

In and through these descriptions we are open to the idea that peace is elusive. When two or three are gathered together He may be with us, the Prince of Peace, but He must be sought . . . sometimes even pursued.

The allusion seems to suggest that it requires effort – we have to seek and pursue peace, that it takes effort – and boy does it.

Jesus plainly said: Blessed are the PEACE MAKERS for they shall be called the children of God.

Let’s wrap todays teaching by touching on the context of this teaching of Jesus about peace.

Peter, citing psalms, tells us here that if we, as believers want to love life, if that is our desire,

1 let him refrain his tongue from evil
2 and his lips that they speak no guile:
3 Let him eschew evil,
4 and do good;
5 let him seek peace, and pursue it.

We noted that Jesus also said,

“Blessed (happy) are the PEACEMAKERS for they shall be called the Children of God.”

Part of being here in meat is to understand (and live) the difference between being a babe in Christ and being a joint heir with Him.

Between being a milk drinker and being a meat eater.

One of the MAIN differences Paul points out between Milk drinkers and Meat eaters is the fact that milk drinkers often strive with each other.

They create and allow for strife and division to exist and instead of seeking after peace and/or pursuing her when she flee’s, babes seek for and pursue division.

In the teachings of Jesus – the absolute master teacher – we are presented with a series of “blessed” points.

I would suggest to you that they are offered in a chronological order, applicable to all believers but especially pertinent to us when we first believe and having more and more application as we mature.

Let’s work through them quickly:

First Jesus says:

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

We note a few things. First, He says Theirs IS the Kingdom of heaven – nothing more required, with “poor in spirit” invoking a brokenness.

“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

Again, a state of woe – mourning – maybe over our past times of our former life, our sin, maybe the brokenness exacerbated. The promise is as we mourn we SHALL (future tense) be comforted.

Being broken and mourning Jesus then says:

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

A natural state for someone broken and mourning – meekness. We see the saved here becoming more like Christ.

And suddenly, Jesus starts describing the life of a more mature believer.

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Instead of just being saved believers begin to hunger and thirst for righteousness – not the things of this world but the things of the Spirit.

Desiring righteousness, Jesus then describes the next condition – we begin to become merciful and He says:

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

These are states of sanctification. Pride fades understanding and compassion rise, mercy appears and our hearts begin to become pure. And this brings us to a place that takes time and conditioning of the Holy Spirit. And so Jesus says:

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

We are merciful and pure in heart. We’ve been there. And so we, at this point begin to seek after and to pursue peace.

And once we have reached this state, God allows the thing to come in upon all peacemakers in this world – the last blessed –

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

And we see that even being all such things, our state – like when we started – is the same. For those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, theres IS the kingdom of heaven . . . too.

Q and A
Volunteers meeting