Pursuing Veritas

One of the facts of life that continues to astound me is how memory can be stirred. How a picture or smell or conversation can bring back the memory of something that you haven’t consciously thought about for years. This recently happened to me while preparing for a small group that we lead at our church, where we’re studying 1 and 2 Peter. As I was reading a passage in 1 Peter 2, I was transported back to a Sunday morning from my past, where we were talking about that same passage. And as I read and remembered, I found myself surprised.

Because what I was reading was not matching up with what I remember hearing. I distinctly remember hearing this message preached on 1 Peter 2.13-21 where the pastor argued that:

• Longstanding institutions (such as a government or church) always demand the Christian’s obedience;
• Economic (as opposed to racial) slavery could be “good and gentle and just” under the right circumstances; and
• Those who are abused or beaten by their spouses should endure such treatment because it made them like Jesus.

Now, you might object to that kind of thinking on all kinds of grounds. But here’s what 1 Peter 2.13-21 says in the English Standard Version.

 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperoras supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

1 Peter 2.13-21 ESV

On its face, I can see how this pastor read this passage and came to his conclusions. If you read this passage on its own and with a certain worldview in mind, you can make this passage sound like it argues for those kinds of ideas.

But as I sat back and remember this message, my surprised turned to skepticism. That can’t be right, can it? Is that really what Peter was communicating? Am I misremembering something? Am I missing something?

Because with how I try to read the Bible now, I can’t imagine someone offering those kinds of interpretations from 1 Peter in a sermon. Because—and this is critically important when it comes to reading Scripture—I simply don’t see how to come to those conclusions if you read 1 Peter 2 in the context of 1 Peter 2.

Let me explain what I mean by looking at the passage that comes right before—what we might call the “immediate literary context” of 1 Peter 2. Peter writes this:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

1 Peter 2.9-12 ESV

This immediate literary context—particularly verses 9 and 12—provide a critical clarification for how we read the following passage. Because Peter begins his conversation about submission with two principles: 1) that people are created and called by God and 2) that those following Jesus should live in such a way that points people to God.

Verse 9 should remind us of everything that the Grand Story tells us about who human beings are: created in God’s image (Genesis 1.27), worthy of dignity and respect (Exodus 21.7, 26-27), and loved by God no matter what they’ve done (John 8.1-11), at the very least. Whatever follows in this passage should be read in light of the fact that everyone is created and called by God as people made in His image who are worthy of dignity, respect, and love.

Likewise, verse 13 provides important context for what follows by communicating that what Peter goes on to say has a specific, mission-focused purpose. That is, in the context of the first century Gentile world, certain actions and practices were perceived as more honorable or acceptable. Peter’s concern, then, isn’t to list a series of expectations for human life in every time in place, but rather to encourage his readers to live in the ways that would allow the message of Jesus to be well received by their surrounding communities. This is missions 101, as far as Peter is concerned: live in ways that bring you into the community you’re trying to reach, not in ways that alienate you.

So, no, 1 Peter 2 doesn’t say we must always obey institutions, or that slavery is good, or that abused spouses should just accept their abuse. Peter is not an affirmation of these kinds of dehumanizing actions. Peter is not blindly supporting wickedness and evil. Instead, Peter is arguing that you don’t reach people for Jesus by coming in and just preaching rebellion against current institutions or expectations. Instead, he’s arguing that Christians should live in such a way that the very way we carry ourselves will point people to Jesus.

This might mean—as it did in Peter’s day and in many days since—that you humble and submit yourself to those in authority over you. That kind of submission doesn’t mean rejecting the fact that human beings are created and called by God. Nor does it mean perpetuating actions or systems opposed to the idea that every person is worthy of dignity, respect, and love.

And Peter’s words do call us to intentionally live a posture of humility rather than power or influence. And this does call us to an ethic of love even in our moments of submission. After all, as Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us, “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”