1 Peters Reflections Upon The Death Of Christ (2)

Domestic slavery in 1 Peter Before surging into 1 Peter 2:21-25, some issues concerning slavery needs to be cleared out. When reading concerning slaves in the New Testament comes up, most tend to read the discourses with modern slavery in mind. This is saddening though, because a valuable amount of historical background is overlooked and misunderstood. With this, a few mention about slavery in the Greco-Roman culture. Slavery was not a permanent condition for those in it because freedom might be attained when one displayed good behaviour or adequate savings which would lead them to full Roman citizenship[1]. Witherington notes that One could see it as a temporary expedient on the way to a better life.[2] Looking into the living condition of slaves in the era of the Greco-Roman culture, where we are talking about household slaves, the living conditions were better. Slavery was indeed, during that time the very foundation of ancient society and economy, including as slaves up to a third of the population in some parts of the empire, particularly in urban regions.[3] Though contrasting the difference of modern day slavery to the one found in the GrecoRoman society, there are some negative comments made concerning slavery. They had no rights and because of that there were no laws in protecting them against claims made by their masters, in fact, protests were met with grim consequences.[4] Slaves were considered the low class of the Greco-Roman society.[5] According to Jobes, this was the paradigm that Peter used in relating them to the Christian position where though they are free, they are in fact slaves to God.[6] But there are other reasons as well, to why Peter wrote in this manner. It is in fact relating the way in which God sent his son who has a striking correlation with slaves where in status he was lowly, in his death he died like a lowly slave.[7] The imagery that slavery has withChrists suffering forms the foundational basis for communicating the striking picture of ethical behaviour for the community as a whole rather that the designation that the slaves were the majority number in the church, though the fact cannot be denied fully.[8] 2. Christs Death as Ethical Conformity, Made Complete by His Atoning Death (2:2125)

It is unique in the NT that the death of Jesus is reflected with Isa 53. Witherington highlights Jobes in mentioning that we accord to Peter the insight we gain from reflecting on Christs death from Isa 53. This could be a great possibility if one would add up the facts where Peter is one of the original twelve and that we find no other detailed reflection on Isa 53 in the NT.[9] The calling that the believers were called to was the where one endures unjust suffering. This calling is in a response of Christ who has done the same for the believers which has served as an example to follow in.[10] The Greek points to a meaning where, students learn to write the alphabet by copying from the writing of their teacher.[11] Interestingly Jobes tells us that, English words such as example, model, or pattern are too weak, for Jesus suffering is not simply an example or pattern or model, as if one of many; he is the paradigm by which Christians write large the letters of his gospel in their lives.[12] Here Christs death does not fit where he died on our behalf to atone for our sins but in that it forms as a template where believers trace their lives according to Christs life. In this the believer participates in Christs suffering, by emulating the attitude that Christ exemplified.[13] Verses 22 and 23 provide imagery to what Peter says in terms of how Christ went through his experience of suffering. Here, Christs response to his unjust suffering is highlighted. Through all that he went through, Peter emphasised that Christ was sinless.[14] Rather than retaliate, he instead committed himself to the one who judges rightly. Interestingly, in Peters use of Isa. 53, it is only the verbal aspects[15] that is focused on. This might be to indicate to us the condition and the form of retaliation that might be tempting for the believers to fall into. In these conditions, silence is the best solution, as exemplified by Christ.[16] Green makes an important observation about Peters use of Christs death where it is used as a basis of praxis in the situation that they were living in which he deems as serving ecclesiology.[17] In Peters reflection on Christs suffering, he finds grounds of commonality of that with the lives of his readers. He thus informs his readers that they are in fact participators of the life in which their Lord, who through his death, atones and offers to them an example for them in how to live. But an understanding of Christs example is not complete without stating how through Christs death, it atones for their life as well. Green points to an image where in Christs death it atones in the way that from death to life, and healing-speak to the same reality: cleansing for holiness.[18] Therefore, discipleship is made possible by Christs example in how he endured suffering in an unjust manner, but intrinsically made complete in the same suffering which atones for their life. This is the reality that makes patterning their life like that of Christ possible. The reality of atonement becomes the underlying factor of their changed stance towards living under Christs pattern of living.

In this manner we can see that Peters reflection on Christ death, which we designates as Christs suffering to bridge a connection for the believers condition, denotes a strong ethic that exhorts for conformity. Not in a harsh manner because of how Peter forms a connection of the believers present condition to Christs experience in the past. But, Christ death is not complete, in its exemplary implication but made whole by providing atonement, for the once scattered sheep, to a new and living way made possible by Christ provision on the cross.

[1] McKnight, Scot. 1 Peter NAC (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996) Pg 165 [2] Witherington, Ben. A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1-2 Peter. Pg 148 [3] Ibid [4] See for example the excerpt from Cranfield quoted by Witherington, Ben. A SocioRhetorical Commentary on 1-2 Peter. Pg 149 [5] Jobes.1 Peter. BECNT. Pg 187 [6] Ibid. [7] Jobes.1 Peter. BECNT. Pg 187 [8] Ibid [9] Witherington, Ben. A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1-2 Peter. Pg 155 [10] Forbes. Asia Bible Commentary Series: 1 Peter. Pg 74 [11] Marshall, I. Howard. 1 Peter NTCS. (Downers Grove: IVP, 1991) Pg 92 [12] Jobes.1 Peter. BECNT. Pg 195 [13] Forbes. Asia Bible Commentary Series: 1 Peter. Pg 74 [14] See Witherington. A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1-2 Peter. Pg 156 and Forbes. Asia Bible Commentary Series: 1 Peter. Pg 75 [15] Jobes.1 Peter. BECNT. Pg 196 [16] Ibid [17] Green. The Two Horizons New Testament Commentary: 1 Peter. Pg 83 [18] Ibid. Pg 90