suffering

¹³ Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, ¹⁵ but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. ¹

3:13–14 even if. Peter is writing to Christians already suffering for their faith, therefore he is not saying that such suffering is improbable. His point is that no one will ultimately or finally harm Christians, “even if” they suffer now, for God will reward them (cf. Rom. 8:31). Indeed, they will be blessed by God in their sufferings (cf. Matt. 5:10).

3:15–17 Believers should always be ready to provide a rationale for their faith, but they should do so winsomely and righteously. And if they keep a good conscience, any accusations against them will prove groundless, and their accusers will be put to shame. It is sometimes God’s will that Christians suffer for doing good.²

This in turn can provide opportunities for the spread of the gospel. A Christian’s response to suffering, so different to the world’s, will eventually draw questions. Their attitude when under pressure will make others take notice, so Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

The Christian might be asked at any time to explain his ‘hope’ and not least in hopeless situations. As Clowney says, ‘Peter sees the “impossible” position of Christians as a remarkable opportunity to bear witness to Christ.’ Not every Christian is a theologian or apologist for every aspect of truth, but he (or she) should have an intelligent grasp of his ‘hope’ in order to answer the questions which may be asked, and the emphasis here is on his readiness to do so. We are always to be prepared to give an answer to everyone. This is to be done courteously, without arrogance or self assertion. What might have been a wonderful opportunity for witness has so often been spoilt by a Christian’s conceit or smugness. Wiersbe comments: ‘We are witnesses, not prosecuting attorneys!’ We are primarily concerned with winning a soul not winning an argument. Paul expresses a similar truth: ‘Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone’ (Col. 4:5–6).

The Greek word for ‘respect’ is phobos which means ‘fear’, suggesting that whereas the gentleness is in regard to men, respect or ‘fear’ refers to reverence of God. Peter thinks again of Isaiah 8:13—‘he is the one you are to fear.’³

3:14 Since not everything in the world functions as it should, even those who do God’s will may undergo suffering. for righteousness’ sake: Believers should make certain that when they suffer it is only because they have served God faithfully and not because they have done anything wrong (4:14, 15). you are blessed: God specially honors those who suffer for doing what is right (see Matt. 5:10–12).

3:15 sanctify the Lord God: Believers should acknowledge the eternal holiness of Christ by revering Him as the Lord of the universe who is in control of all things. to give a defense: Peter assumes that the Christian faith will be falsely accused. He therefore encourages Christians to have rational answers to respond to those false accusations. Meekness is the same term translated gentle in v. 4. Meekness is not weakness. Scripture indicates that both Moses and Christ were meek men; however, they were certainly not weak men. Fear implies a high degree of reverence or respect.

3:17 for it is better: Peter is not encouraging believers to seek out situations in which they will experience suffering. Instead, he is saying that believers should make certain that when they suffer it is the result of having been faithful to God rather than because they have done evil (see 2:19, 20). if it is the will of God: Suffering may be part of God’s perfect and wise plan for a believer (see Matt. 5:10–12).⁴

15. But sanctify the Lord God. Following another text, a better translation has, “Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord.” Be ready always to give an answer (Gr apologia), that is not just a reply, but a defense of the hope that is in you. What Peter is suggesting is that suffering may be another opportunity to testify of the saving power of Christ and so win some of the persecutors. The word hope refers to the whole system or philosophy of Christianity in general, as well as specifically to the attitude of certainty and assurance about the resurrection and the coming of Christ. With meekness and fear. These indicate an attitude of humility toward men, and not fear but reverence and worship toward God.

16–17. Having a good conscience. Again, Peter emphasizes that it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (On these verses, see 2:20.)⁵

\When Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives, each crisis becomes an opportunity for witness. We are “ready always to give an answer.” Our English word apology comes from the Greek word translated “answer,” but it does not mean “to say I am sorry.” Rather, it means “a defense presented in court.” “Apologetics” is the branch of theology that deals with the defense of the faith. Every Christian should be able to give a reasoned defense of his hope in Christ, especially in hopeless situations. A crisis creates the opportunity for witness when a believer behaves with faith and hope, because the unbelievers will then sit up and take notice.⁶

This means you ought to know more than a little about the Bible. The tragedy of the hour is that there are so many folk who say they are Christians, but the sceptic is able to tie them up into fourteen different knots like a little kitty caught up in a ball of yarn—they cannot extricate themselves at all. Why? Because of the fact that they do not know the Word of God. “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.” Oh, today, do you have a little sanctuary, a little chapel in your own heart? When you are riding along in the car or walking down the street or are in the shop or office or classroom,is there a little chapel in your heart where you can withdraw and sanctify the Lord God in your heart? If there is, folk outside will know that you belong to God, and you will not have to mouth it all the time or make yourself obnoxious by making some pious statement. Oh, if in our lives today we would sanctify the Lord God in our hearts. How we need to do that!

Habakkuk wrote, “But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him” (Hab.2:20). On Sunday you may go to your church, but the world is passing you by, headed for the beach, headed for the mountains, headed for the desert, headed for places of amusement. The whole world is not keeping silence before Him. Why? Because we as individuals need to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts.⁷

4. This patient humble behaviour of Christians is further recommended and urged from two considerations:—(1.) This will be the best and surest way to prevent suffering; for who is he that will harm you? v. 13. This, I suppose, is spoken of Christians in an ordinary condition, not in the heat of persecution. “Ordinarily, there will be but few so diabolical and impious as to harm those who live so innocently and usefully as you do.” (2.) This is the way to improve sufferings. “If you be followers of that which is good, and yet suffer, this is suffering for righteousness; sake (v. 14), and will be your glory and your happiness, as it entitles you to the blessing promised by Christ” (Mt. 5:10); therefore, [1.] “You need not be afraid of any thing they can do to strike you with terror, neither be much troubled nor concerned about the rage or force of your enemies.” Learn, First, to follow always that which is good is the best course we can take to keep out of harm’s way. Secondly, To suffer for righteousness sake is the honour and happiness of a Christian; to suffer for the cause of truth, a good conscience, or any part of a Christian’s duty, is a great honour; the delight of it is greater than the torment, the honour more than the disgrace, and the gain much greater than the loss. Thirdly, Christians have no reason to be afraid of the threats or rage of any of their enemies. “Your enemies are God’s enemies, his face is against them, his power is above them, they are the objects of his curse, and can do nothing to you but by his permission; therefore trouble not yourselves about them.” [2.] Instead of terrifying yourselves with the fear of men, be sure to sanctify the Lord God in your hearts (v. 15); let him be your fear, and let him be your dread, Isa. 8:12, 13. Fear not those that can only kill the body, but fear him that can destroy body and soul, Lu. 12:4, 5. We sanctify the Lord God in our hearts when we with sincerity and fervency adore him, when our thoughts of him are awful and reverend, when we rely upon his power, trust to his faithfulness, submit to his wisdom, imitate his holiness, and give him the glory due to his most illustrious perfections. We sanctify God before others when our deportment is such as invites and encourages others to glorify and honour him; both are required, Lev. 10:3. “When this principle is laid deeply into your hearts, the next thing, as to men, is to be always ready, that is, able and willing, to give an answer, or make an apology or defence, of the faith you profess, and that to every man that asketh a reason of your hope, what sort of hope you have, or which you suffer such hardships in the world.” Learn, First, An awful sense of the divine perfections is the best antidote against the fear of sufferings; did we fear God more, we should certainly fear men less. Secondly, The hope and faith of a Christian are defensible against all the world. There may be a good reason given for religion; it is not a fancy but a rational scheme revealed from heaven, suited to all the necessities of miserable sinners, and centering entirely in the glory of God through Jesus Christ. Thirdly, Every Christian is bound to answer and apologize for the hope that is in him. Christians should have a reason ready for their Christianity, that it may appear they are not actuated either by folly or fancy. This defence may be necessary more than once or twice, so that Christians should be always prepared to make it, either to the magistrate, if he demand it, or to any inquisitive Christian, who desires to know it for his information or improvement. Fourthly, These confessions of our faith ought to be made with meekness and fear; apologies for our religion ought to be made with modesty and meekness, in the fear of God, with jealousy over ourselves, and reverence to our superiors.⁸

1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (1 Pe 3:13–17). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

2 Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2410). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

3 Cleave, D. (1999). 1 Peter (p. 102). Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications.

4 Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (1 Pe 3:14–17). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

5 Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2611). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

6 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 413–414). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

7 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 Peter) (electronic ed., Vol. 54, pp. 74–75). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

8 Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 2429). Peabody: Hendrickson.