1 Peter 3:13-22
In the mid-20th century 1 Peter was commonly thought to have been written to persecuted Christians. The persecution of believers that took place under the Roman Emperor, Nero, was considered the context. More recent scholarship has questioned whether any “official” persecution in the time of Nero took place outside of Rome itself. It is more common now to think that the first recipients of 1 Peter were being harassed by their neighbors and (former) friends because of the radical change in their lives and lifestyles since their conversion to faith in Christ. The possibility, rather than the actuality, of persecution or some official (governmental) opposition to their practice of Christian faith seems to be hanging over their heads.
The author is concerned with helping the readers live positively with the harassment and suffering they were experiencing or fearing. He desires them to live in ways that would be most winsome for the gospel. He acknowledges that their suffering is probably undeserved, but he points to Christ as their example of how to do what is right when suffering unjustly. The text of 1 Peter 3:13-22 addresses these two concerns. Verses 13-17 encourage the readers to remain committed to doing good even if it brings suffering to them. Verses 18-22 focus on the example of Jesus as one who suffered wrongly.
Most (though not all) the readers of this commentary live in contexts where there is official religious toleration. We are more likely to be ignored than harassed for our practices of Christian faith. Nevertheless, the call to hold the highest standards of Christian living and to look for opportunities for effective witness to gospel is a call that needs to be heard in every context.
Verse 13 begins the first section with a rhetorical question, “Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good?” The question implies that the answer should be, “No one!” However, the readers were able to name names of people who had harmed them or at least had threatened to do so. The question was how eager the readers were to remain committed to doing good. Verse 14 implies that Peter was ready to concede the point that they had or were going to suffer. If such suffering for doing right would come he promised that they will be blessed. This promise echoes the eighth beatitude of the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness” (Matthew 5:10).
The promise of blessing is strong enough Peter shifts to a direct command, “Do not fear what they fear.” These words are a close quotation from Isaiah 8:12 (LXX) where God warned the prophet to not be swayed by public opinion but to commit himself to trust and obedience. Isaiah 8:13 goes on to declare that the Lord is to be his fear. This suggests that Peter’s readers may have been refusing to participate in the periodic public sacrifices to either the local or the imperial gods. Their neighbors would then have feared those gods would bring punishment to their villages or province and had begun threatening the believers trying to intimidate them into joining the sacrifices. Peter’s call is for his readers to fear or reverence the Lord rather than the gods they were being pressured to worship.
As a result, they must sanctify Christ as Lord according to verse 15. These words also come from Isaiah 8:13 where Isaiah is commanded to regard the Lord as holy. Peter’s command reflects one of the basic meanings of the word “sanctify” which is to “set apart as holy.” Christ does not need to be made holy since he is holy; but we need to set him apart and respond to him as one who is holy and thus worthy of our worship and obedience. It is important that we set apart Christ as Lord. When Christ is Lord of our lives we will not be terrified of suffering, even unjustly. He suffered and was crucified for us though he had done nothing wrong so we should not expect an easier path than the one he trod. Comfort and safety must not be the ultimate value for followers of Christ.
Peter concludes verse 15 instructing his readers to always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you about the reason for the hope which is in you. The Greek word translated “defense” here is apologia from which we get the English words “apologetics” (defending the faith) and “apology.” This word was often used for a legal defense in a court trial. Peter’s hope is that his readers will be able to provide a reasoned explanation for their faith in Christ and why that relationship with Christ has led them to certain behaviors (including not sacrificing to the gods). The more thoroughly post-Christian Western society becomes, the more important it is for Christians to be able to provide just an explanation of their faith.
This explanation must be done with gentleness and reverence (the Greek says with meekness and fear). Heavy handed witnessing is forbidden. Believers must not give their opponents reasons to speak ill of the faith. Verse 17 then declares it is better to suffer for doing good than to suffer for doing evil. That is, Christians’ behavior must be above reproach. Suffering will come, but we should never give anyone a foothold from which to attack us.
Verses 18-22 turns to Christ as an example of one who suffered unjustly though the thought is developed in an unusual way. The injustice of Christ’s suffering is clear in verse 18. Christ, the sinless one, suffered for our sins. Christ, the righteous one, suffered for unrighteous people. Christ, who was at the side of the Father, suffered to bring us to the Father. Christ was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. It is common to interpret this phrase in terms of the popular Greek philosophy of the time that saw flesh or body and spirit as two distinct parts of a human person. However, Peter here understands flesh and spirit as ways of existence and persons as whole beings rather than a collection of parts. The flesh is the mode of existence for human beings and includes our weaknesses, frailties, and susceptibility to sickness, death, and sin. As a whole person Jesus died in the fleshly or human way of existence. By the resurrection he was made alive with respect to the Spirit, which is the mode of existence of God and of those who are raised from the dead.
Verse 19 is one of the most difficult verses to understand in the New Testament. In the Spirit mode of existence Christ went and preached to the spirits in prison. Various times that Christ did this have been suggested: prior to his Incarnation, between his death and resurrection, at the time of or just following his Ascension. The latter two views are the most common. The identify of the spirits in prison has also been debated, but little agreement exists regarding this question. What is clear is that these spirits did not obey God in previous times.
Verse 20 places these imprisoned spirits in the time of Noah who built the ark resulting in eight persons being saved. Peter states that these eight were saved “through water.” We would have expected him to have said they were saved from the waters of the flood. However, by attributing saving agency to the flood waters Peter can reflect on Christian baptism in verse 21. He notes that its significance is not the removal of dirt from the body (that is as a bath), but it functions as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Christ. That is, the basis of our salvation is the resurrection of Christ. Baptism appeals to God to apply the saving benefits of the resurrection to the one being baptized.
From his thoughts on the resurrection Peter then describes in verse 22 Christ’s ascension into heaven and being seated at God’s right hand where all the heavenly beings are subject to him. This all-powerful and holy Christ is the one who suffered death on the cross for sinners. Thus, Peter reminds his readers that Christ suffered though he had done no wrong. Surely his followers should be willing to do the same.