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Asyncritus
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It is truly remarkable how wonderfully Peter, under the Holy Spirit, and perhaps instructed by the Lord Himself, makes use of Scripture.
We find no examples of his doing so in the gospels – in fact, none of the disciples seems to even quote a passage and ask Jesus what it meant.
I’m confident that they did, but we have no record of their doing so, save perhaps in the matter of Elijah the prophet.
I shall select one outstanding example, for which he has the Lord’s own guidance on the point. It is the subtlety of the use of Scripture that is so striking. He alludes to it, practically quotes it and refers to it: Isaiah 53.
First, let us pick up the Lord’s guidance, given before His ordeal:
Lk 22.37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, “And he was reckoned among the transgressors:†for the things concerning me have an end.
Isaiah 53 is being quoted here. Peter learns from it, even to his own quiet discomfiture, and bravely ploughs on nonetheless, with words that must have pained him deeply as he wrote.
1 Pet. 2.20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
[because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Isaiah 53:9
Unlike Peter himself, who whips out a sword and violently swipes Malchus’ ear clean off. He probably intended to split his skull, and missed, because Malchus ducked].
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not;
[and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth 53.7]
but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
[Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.] Maybe 53.10,11 are also on this subject.
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body
[But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed]
that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:
[by whose stripes ye were healed.] 53.5
and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
for he shall bear their iniquities.v11 on the tree,
25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
[All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 53. 6]
It is a masterly and most instructive example of the extensive echoing we hear in the halls of scripture.
The extreme relevance of the echoes is based on the parallels being drawn between the disciples’ experience, and that of their Lord. If He suffered like this, then we ought to be perfectly willing to do so too.
1 Taking unjust criticism, accusation, allegations and ill treatment without ranting about our innocence.
He makes the point forcefully, that if we have done wrong and get clobbered for it, and take that treatment uncomplainingly – then we deserve it and should expect no less. But it is a far greater thing to be punished when innocent, and then take it uncomplainingly. Even when we know we are in the right. Jesus was in the right, and did not stand on His rights, and insist on His innocence.
We must, therefore, bend every effort to do our jobs as excellently as possible. As someone said, when you work for a man, for heaven's sake, work for him. Don’t be like those who stop working when they get a job.
Be extremely conscientious about the work we do Be very careful about keeping time strictly, and doing more than you need to do. Give the opposition no opportunity, no elbow room, to swing their complaining and sometimes vicious scythes.
As they could find no fault nor occasion to condemn Daniel, and as they tried ever so hard to do the same to the Lord – and failed, because of their excellence, let us bend our best endeavours to be like them.
2 The one instance of Peter defending the Lord (as he saw it) is immediately put right, and no more said about it. Thus establishing that Jesus neither did, nor condoned, any acts of violence. (Who did no violence…)
Therefore, when we are accused wrongfully, treated badly, suffer at the hands of the ungrateful for whom we have made sacrifices and given help, we are not to react violently, either in a physical sense, or by doing or saying injurious things about the wrong-doer/s.
3 No deceit was found in His mouth.
He could have tried to lie His way out of the road to Calvary, and thus have avoided any amount of physical torture and mental anguish – but He chose to remain silent – and how painful is it to keep one’s mouth shut under such circumstances!
Nonetheless, says Peter, “Get rid of all evil and deceit and hypocrisy and envy and slander†(2.1) Let them find no place in your heart, and certainly do not allow such things any place out of your mouth, and in your hands. No cursing, no threatening of retaliation, no swearing of vengeance and revenge, but rather blessing and kindness on the undeserving.
And just as Jesus bore our sins in His body on the tree, in our turn, if we are bosses, accounting to the higher-ups for our own foul-ups, or the foul-ups in out department, let us carry the cans, and stand in the way of the wrath that may otherwise descend upon our juniors. Accept blame undeservingly, if it may spare an unfortunate who has erred.
Remember the story of the government minister whose accountant made a serious mistake in his calculations.
The minister of course, led with his chin, and got his head knocked off in Parliament. And sent for his accountant, who came in fear and trembling.
'John', said the minister, 'You have worked for me for several years now, and I have never found you at fault. What happened yesterday was clearly a one off, and I want to reassure you that my opinion of you has not diminished one bit, and you and your position are secure.'
This is the spirit of Christ in us.
“For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil.
Because Christ also suffered once for sins,
the just for the unjust,
to bring you to God,
by being put to death in the flesh
but by being made alive in the spirit."
We find no examples of his doing so in the gospels – in fact, none of the disciples seems to even quote a passage and ask Jesus what it meant.
I’m confident that they did, but we have no record of their doing so, save perhaps in the matter of Elijah the prophet.
I shall select one outstanding example, for which he has the Lord’s own guidance on the point. It is the subtlety of the use of Scripture that is so striking. He alludes to it, practically quotes it and refers to it: Isaiah 53.
First, let us pick up the Lord’s guidance, given before His ordeal:
Lk 22.37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, “And he was reckoned among the transgressors:†for the things concerning me have an end.
Isaiah 53 is being quoted here. Peter learns from it, even to his own quiet discomfiture, and bravely ploughs on nonetheless, with words that must have pained him deeply as he wrote.
1 Pet. 2.20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
[because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Isaiah 53:9
Unlike Peter himself, who whips out a sword and violently swipes Malchus’ ear clean off. He probably intended to split his skull, and missed, because Malchus ducked].
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not;
[and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth 53.7]
but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
[Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.] Maybe 53.10,11 are also on this subject.
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body
[But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed]
that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:
[by whose stripes ye were healed.] 53.5
and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
for he shall bear their iniquities.v11 on the tree,
25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
[All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 53. 6]
It is a masterly and most instructive example of the extensive echoing we hear in the halls of scripture.
The extreme relevance of the echoes is based on the parallels being drawn between the disciples’ experience, and that of their Lord. If He suffered like this, then we ought to be perfectly willing to do so too.
1 Taking unjust criticism, accusation, allegations and ill treatment without ranting about our innocence.
He makes the point forcefully, that if we have done wrong and get clobbered for it, and take that treatment uncomplainingly – then we deserve it and should expect no less. But it is a far greater thing to be punished when innocent, and then take it uncomplainingly. Even when we know we are in the right. Jesus was in the right, and did not stand on His rights, and insist on His innocence.
We must, therefore, bend every effort to do our jobs as excellently as possible. As someone said, when you work for a man, for heaven's sake, work for him. Don’t be like those who stop working when they get a job.
Be extremely conscientious about the work we do Be very careful about keeping time strictly, and doing more than you need to do. Give the opposition no opportunity, no elbow room, to swing their complaining and sometimes vicious scythes.
As they could find no fault nor occasion to condemn Daniel, and as they tried ever so hard to do the same to the Lord – and failed, because of their excellence, let us bend our best endeavours to be like them.
2 The one instance of Peter defending the Lord (as he saw it) is immediately put right, and no more said about it. Thus establishing that Jesus neither did, nor condoned, any acts of violence. (Who did no violence…)
Therefore, when we are accused wrongfully, treated badly, suffer at the hands of the ungrateful for whom we have made sacrifices and given help, we are not to react violently, either in a physical sense, or by doing or saying injurious things about the wrong-doer/s.
3 No deceit was found in His mouth.
He could have tried to lie His way out of the road to Calvary, and thus have avoided any amount of physical torture and mental anguish – but He chose to remain silent – and how painful is it to keep one’s mouth shut under such circumstances!
Nonetheless, says Peter, “Get rid of all evil and deceit and hypocrisy and envy and slander†(2.1) Let them find no place in your heart, and certainly do not allow such things any place out of your mouth, and in your hands. No cursing, no threatening of retaliation, no swearing of vengeance and revenge, but rather blessing and kindness on the undeserving.
And just as Jesus bore our sins in His body on the tree, in our turn, if we are bosses, accounting to the higher-ups for our own foul-ups, or the foul-ups in out department, let us carry the cans, and stand in the way of the wrath that may otherwise descend upon our juniors. Accept blame undeservingly, if it may spare an unfortunate who has erred.
Remember the story of the government minister whose accountant made a serious mistake in his calculations.
The minister of course, led with his chin, and got his head knocked off in Parliament. And sent for his accountant, who came in fear and trembling.
'John', said the minister, 'You have worked for me for several years now, and I have never found you at fault. What happened yesterday was clearly a one off, and I want to reassure you that my opinion of you has not diminished one bit, and you and your position are secure.'
This is the spirit of Christ in us.
“For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil.
Because Christ also suffered once for sins,
the just for the unjust,
to bring you to God,
by being put to death in the flesh
but by being made alive in the spirit."
