18-20: We are a people, a holy nation, called to suffer for the sake of the gospel. If the world hated our Lord, then it will hate us. We are not immune to suffering. We live in a world plagued by the curse of the fall. Everything we do is made more difficult by the fall. Difficulties are hard and heavy, and they cause us to suffer, laden with weight and trial. But Peter calls us to endure, for this is what grace means. We have been shown grace, grace beyond comprehension, grace beyond our wildest dreams. Peter defines grace this way here: enduring while suffering unjustly. If we suffer as a consequence of our own stupidity, then what credit is that? It is when we suffer for doing good, for acting wisely, or for standing for truth, that is where we showcase grace. On the job site, do we showcase grace? In the home, do we showcase grace?
We live in a necessarily hierarchical world. What does that mean? God has, in His wisdom, created the world in such a way that some would have rule over others. It is not a value statement to say this. Each person is created in the image of God and loved by Him on an individual level. But to keep the world running smoothly, some must have authority over others. In the home, the husband leads the wife; on the job site, the foreman leads the workers; in the church, the elders shepherd the flock. This is so because our Triune God Himself models this for us. The Son submits to the word of the Father, and the Spirit obeys the will of the Father and the Son. They are each equal in their Divinity and equal in worth and power, but submit to one another in love, as if in a grand cosmic dance. One leads, the other follows. It is a beautiful thing, and the source of beauty in the world. We uglify creation when we ham handedly force our clumsy egalitarian mantras onto every situation. If all the contestants are given a gold medal at the end of the race, then there is no point in running, no matter whose self-esteem we artificially boosted. But beauty is found in the leading and submitting paradigm. It is the elegant waltzing couple, gracefully floating across the floor, in precise and practiced steps, made to look effortless.
Some lead, others follow. It is the nature of the world. It is also a fallen world, where leaders do not lead well, and followers do not follow well. Grace, as Peter defines it here, is following well when others do not lead as they should: when masters beat their slaves for doing good, when employers punish employees for acting wisely, when husbands brow beat their wives for being prudent. For sure, it is sin and it is wrong for those who lead to act in such a way. But believe God, and trust in Him. They will be held accountable for their actions. You, in the ways in which you are a follower, showcase grace. Submit, Peter says, to those who have authority over you, remember their authority is not theirs by natural right, but by God's wisdom and determination. Therefore, let us be subject to those we are underneath, and endure with joy, knowing that in doing so, we are proclaiming God's grace.
21-23: Enduring while suffering unjustly is not just something to be prepared for in case it happens sometime. It is a life we are called to. Again, "If the world hated Me, they will hate you also." Jesus Himself, paved the road for this type of gracious living. He suffered cruelly at the hands of wicked leaders. Not only did He suffer, He did so on our behalf, taking upon Himself the greater suffering that we deserved. He was unjustly murdered. We have been shown mercy through His healing wounds. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. Peter says He did this in part to leave us an example. It is as if Jesus said to us, "Children, you cannot endure the suffering you deserve. I will bear that for you. In doing so I will pave the way for you to follow, guided and strengthened by My Spirit who I give to you. In Him you will be able to suffer the little things that life will bring. Many of them you will not deserve. Did I deserve the suffering I bore? Do not be anxious for them. Endure with Joy, seeing the end that is set before you. Follow after me. Pick up your Cross. Fear not, My burden is light."
The remarkable phrase in verse 23 is this: "but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly." Jesus had perspective. He knew that He suffered unjustly under the hands of small men. He knew His trials were "unfair." He knew they were not deserved. But He continued to entrust Himself to the One who judges justly. God is God. He judges the earth with equity. He also works on His timetable. Often we want the fire bolts of judgement to descend right now. We want God to act on our timetable. But He is God, we are not. He sees the end from the beginning. That is where we are required to trust. We believe that God is both just and the Judge. As God, He knows what He is doing. As Just, He will act well. As Judge, He will bring justice to every situation. These three things we must rest in. We must trust God to be God. A rather silly thing to have to say to ourselves, but we need to. God will be God whether we trust in Him or not. But trusting Him gives feet and wings to endurance.
24-25: Our father, Adam, fell at a tree. It was by a tree that the curse of sin and death entered the world. It was a tree that bore the tempting serpent. In the glorious providence of God, salvation came by means of that tree. The serpent was cast down, and God Himself was nailed in his place. The serpent had looked down from the tree, questioning Gods word. The Word looked up from the tree, trusting in Him who judges justly. The tree which offered the tempting fruit, now bore the fallen fruit of temptation. The tree at which our whole human race was wounded and cursed, now brought the healing sap. Christ reversed the effects of the fall. At His death, death itself began to work backwards. But Jesus did not die so that we might live. He died so that we too might die, but live again in His resurrection. We must die to sin, for Jesus died for our sin. We must now live in righteousness, for Jesus was raised to new life. By His wounds we have been healed. We were once lost sheep, straying far from the comfort of our shepherd. But we have been found. We have been brought back home.
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