Slides: Suffering and Glory (1 Peter 5: 10-14)

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹ To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.¹² With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. ¹³ She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.  ¹⁴ Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Wrap-up

• Peter’s authorship

• Peter’s companions

• Peter’s purpose

Author challenges

1. A Jewish fisherman could not have written such polished Greek.
2. Official, empire-wide persecution did not come until after Peter’s death.
3. Peter agrees too much with Paul.
4. The letter has more church teaching than direct memories of Jesus.
   
   

Peter’s authorship

1. Peter was bilingual, mentored by Jesus, spoke in tongues, inspired by Spirit. May have dictated to Silas.
2. Christians were already suffering, and Peter prepared them for worse.
3. Apostles preached undivided truth.
4. Peter was meeting churches’ needs.
   
   

Timeline

• 30 Peter becomes disciple of Jesus

• 33 Peter preaches on Pentecost

• 44 Angel rescues Peter; kills Herod

• 53-55 Mark’s gospel records Peter’s memories of Jesus’ words and deeds

• 62-63 Peter writes 1 Peter (with Silas)

• 64 Peter writes 2 Peter; is crucified

Peter’s companions

With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. (1 Peter 5:12-13)

Silas (Silvanus)

• A leader among Jerusalem Christians

• Presented Council’s letter to Antioch

• Prophet, encourager, strengthener

• Chosen by Paul for mission journey

• Beaten, then jailed, but still singing

• Helped Paul with 1 & 2 Thessalonians

• Helped Peter with 1 Peter

• Did Silas write Hebrews?

She in Babylon

• “She in Babylon, elect with you, sends her greetings” (5:13)

♰   Could be Mrs. Peter, in Rome with Peter; later killed for her faith

♰   Probably refers to church of Rome

• Written after Paul left Rome for Spain and before Nero’s all-out cruelty

Mark

• Mark’s mother, Mary, hosted meetings in her home; prayed for Peter’s rescue.

• Mark helped his cousin Barnabas and Paul in mission, quit, but later resumed.

• In “Babylon” (Rome) with Peter

• Mark wrote gospel of Mark, based on Peter’s preaching about Jesus

In the reign of Claudius the Providence of the universe guided to Rome the great and mighty Peter preaching the gospel. But the hearers of Peter were not satisfied with a single hearing but begged Mark, seeing that he was Peter’s follower, to leave them a written statement of the teaching that had been spoken, and so became the cause of the Scripture called the Gospel of Mark. (Eusebius)

Wrap-up

• Peter’s authorship

• Peter’s companions

• Peter’s purpose

Peter’s purpose

The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast… I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. (1 Peter 5:12-13)

Suffering and glory

• Christ saved perishing people in a wicked world by suffering and then rising to glory.

• Christians witness for Christ in a wicked world by sharing in his suffering and in his glory.

Christ

God has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1:3)

The Spirit predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. (1:11)

You were redeemed …. with the precious blood of Christ… Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1:19, 21)

He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit… Christ has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. (3:18-22)

Jesus suffered for us

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree… by his wounds you have been healed. (2:24)

Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (3:18)

We suffer with Jesus

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (2:20-21)

You participate in the sufferings of Christ… you are insulted because of the name of Christ. (4:13-14)

Suffering and glory

• Christ saved perishing people in a wicked world by suffering and then rising to glory.

• Christians witness for Christ in a wicked world by sharing in his suffering and in his glory.

Christians

In this [rebirth and salvation] you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith… may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1:6-7)

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (2:12)

Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. (3:14)

Since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude. (4:1)

But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (4:13-14)

I appeal as… a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed… when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. (5:1, 4)

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (5:10)

Suffering and glory

• Christ saved perishing people in a wicked world by suffering and then rising to glory.

• Christians witness for Christ in a wicked world by sharing in his suffering and in his glory.

Peter’s purpose

The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast… I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. (1 Peter 5:12-13)

God of all grace…

• Grace and peace (1:2; 5:12, 14)

• Set hope fully on future grace (1:13)

• Stewards of varied grace (4:10)

• God gives grace to the humble (5:5)

• God of all grace restores you (5:10)

• This is the true grace of God (5:12)

… who called you…

• God’s elect… called according to God the Father’s foreknowledge (1:1-2)

• Called by holy God to be holy (1:15)

• Called out of darkness into light (2:9)

• Called to follow in Jesus’ steps (2:21)

• Called to repay evil with blessing (3:9)

• Called to eternal glory in Christ (5:10)

…to his eternal glory in Christ…

• Receive praise, glory, and honor (1:7)

• Crown of glory that never fades (5:4)

I have given them the glory that you gave me… Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory. (John 17:22, 24)

… after you have suffered a little while…

… though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1 Peter 1:6)

Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Cor 4:17)

…will restore, confirm, strengthen, establish you. 

• Restore: make you like new

• Confirm: secure and assure your faith

• Strengthen: power to endure and win

• Establish: set on rock-solid foundation

Suffering and glory

The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast… I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. (1 Peter 5:12-13)