The Epistles of

Peter &

Jude Lesson 8: The Value of Submission

& Suffering (1 Peter 3:8-22)

“…knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing”

-- 1 Peter 3:9

The Quality of a Submissive Life

(1 Peter 3:8-12)Qualities of a life of submission (3:8-9)

– Unity: “all of you be of one mind” (Romans 12:16; Philippians 2:2-4)

– Compassion (lit. sympathy) for one another (Romans 12:15; 1 Corinthians 12:26)

– Brotherly love (Gr. philadelphos)– Tenderhearted (strong feelings for)– Courtesy – Returning good for evil (Romans 12:17-21)

“Knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”

The Blessedness of a Submissive Life

(1 Peter 3:10-12)Peter supports the claim that those who live a submissive

life will “inherit a blessing” by quoting Psalm 34:12-16

• To love life and see good days one must…– Refrain from speaking evil and deceit. – Turn away from evil and do good.– Seek peace and pursue it. (Hebrews 12:14)

• The Lord attends to & blesses such a life!– The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous– His ears are open to their prayers– The face of the lord is against those who

do evil (Proverbs 28:9; Isa.1:15; 59:1-2).

Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake(1 Peter 3:13-17)

• Being a follower of what is good makes it less likely that you will be harmed (3:13)– Neither civil authorities nor the vengeful would

have cause to harm you (Romans 13:3-4)• But if you do suffer for righteousness’

sake, you are blessed. So…– Don’t be afraid.– Take advantage of the opportunity to defend your

hope, but do so with meekness and fear.– Live true to your conscience so that those who

mistreat you will be ashamed of doing so.– Remember: It is better to suffer for doing good!

Christ’s Example of Suffering(1 Peter 3:18-20a)

• Christ also suffered unjustly. – He suffered for sins that were not His (1 Pet. 2:24)– He suffered for the unjust (Romans 5:8)– He suffered to bring us to God

• Christ was “put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit” (cf. Romans 8:11)– He preached to “spirits in prison” who had been

disobedient in Noah’s day. • 2 Peter 2:5 & 9 shows that these ungodly men are now

“reserved under punishment” for the judgment day.

– Jesus’ words to these spirits are not revealed; their mention here serves to introduce Noah’s salvation.

Noah’s Salvation Symbolizes Ours(1 Peter 3:20b-22)

• God showed His divine longsuffering in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared.

– Noah was a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). – God’s longsuffering gives men the chance to repent

(cf. Romans 2:4)– But only 8 souls were saved in the ark through water.

• Noah’s salvation is a type or symbol of how we are saved. The “antitype” of baptism now saves us: – An antitype is a real or actual thing, represented

by a type or symbol. An antitype is “that of which the type…is the representation.” (Webster)

– Noah’s salvation is symbolic of our salvation, not the other way around!

Noah’s Salvation Symbolizes Ours(1 Peter 3:20b-22)

• Baptism effectively saves us…– As the answer of a good conscience

toward God, not by removing the dirt from our bodies

– Because of the power of the resurrection of Christ. (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12)

• The resurrection of Christ also facilitated His exaltation at God’s right hand (see Ephesians 1:19-21)