To "[be] humble" is not only to reflect the character of our Lord, but it is also a practical necessity for a church under persecution. Most of those who are prideful really have little to be proud about, and of course no one can boast about himself before the Lord. But humility is not blind self-abasement. It is honest, and does not deny a person's virtues and abilities, even relative to that of others. However, it is so honest, and it sees so clearly, that it understands not only a person's relation to other people, but also his relation to God and his grace. Thus he acknowledges God's transcendence and superiority, and relative to God, his own creatureliness and undeserving condition. The Greeks considered humility a sign of weakness, but the truth is that the lack of humility is a sign of ignorance.

However, humility cannot be attained and explained solely by honest self-assessment, for Christ understood that he was able, perfect, and sinless in every way, and yet he was the very example of humility. Therefore, like other Christian virtues, humility is deliberate. One is not compelled to be humble, and one does not become humble by accident. Christ acknowledged that he was Teacher and Lord to his disciples, but he stooped to serve them, even to wash their feet (John 13:13-14). And this explains how we can remain humble before others even when we know that, by God's grace, we are genuinely superior to them in some respects. Humility is not an acknowledgement of inferiority, although it can include this when it reflects reality. But in its higher expression, it is the deliberate act of stooping in one's attitudes and actions in order to serve others according to the will of God.

Our modern corporate world considers it healthy to always compete and compare, but this attitude can prove destructive to the Christian community. Yet one can often find it in the contexts of Christian discipleship and ministry. To the extent that we are concerned about becoming better and bigger than our brothers, and exhibiting our superiority before men, we are no longer serving God, but self. A humble man has a true assessment of himself, but there is also the spiritual strength to practice deliberate abasement and service before others.

Humility often works itself out in very practical situations. For instance, Paul tells his readers, "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position" (Romans 12:16). A man who is rich, powerful, or educated is certainly superior to one who is not at least in these ways. A humble man does not flaunt these things, and he does not use his credentials to belittle or subjugate others. Rather, he associates with his brothers and sisters as equals in Christ, using his talents and resources to promote their welfare.

Then, Peter continues in verse 9, "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing." Because the verse begins by telling Christians how they should respond to evil and insult, some commentators assume that he is now referring to how they should deal with outsiders, or unbelievers.

This naïve interpretation is puzzling. Perhaps these commentators attend churches that are far better than those that we have seen, and so they think that Christians do not suffer evil and insult from other believers. But even then, the New Testament contains more than a few warnings against jealousy, deception, and infighting among church members (1 Corinthians 1:11, 3:3, 6:6-8; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Galatians 5:15, 26; Ephesians 4:25, 31-32; Colossians 3:8-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15; James 4:1). Thus even if Peter is referring to outsiders, his instruction must also apply to conflict among believers.

Some of the cruelest treatments and scathing insults that a believer will receive will come from his Christian brothers and sisters. Sometimes the ministers are the favorite targets, but even when they are not, they will always get their share of criticisms and accusations. And sometimes ministers steal from one another, or plot to destroy one another. God's work is the greatest joy, but young ministers would do well to put aside romantic ideas of ministry life. It can often be a thankless job, and their greatest enemies will often be other professing Christians. But as Paul says, "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). So we fix our gaze on the Lord and move forward with determination.

When assailed by evil and insult, believers are not to respond with more of the same, but with blessing instead. To imitate the Lord in such a manner pleases the Father. Moreover, it serves to counteract the unbelievers' false accusations against our faith (2:12). It promotes peace within the Christian community. It is the stronger brother who could absorb the evil and the insult, and return a blessing instead. An immature and hotheaded believer would act on his indignation and perpetuate the hostility.

Along with this instruction, Peter adds an incentive, as he continues in verse 9, "…because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." That is, Christians are called to act in the way specified in verses 8 and 9, so that they may "inherit a blessing" from God.

Although the verb "inherit" is often used in connection with the Christians' heavenly inheritance (1:4), context must dictate the meaning, and the emphasis here is temporal blessing. Verses 10-12 refer to those who would "see good days," and that the Lord has his eyes on the righteous, being "attentive to their prayer." These verses are taken from Psalm 34:12-16, where the context also relates to God's attentiveness, deliverance, and protection in this life.

Taken from the Psalm, these verses exhibit clear parallelisms, making them almost self-explanatory. Thus to "love life" refers to the desire to "see good days" (v. 10). The "evil" that one must "keep his tongue from" is "deceitful speech" (v. 10), although other kinds are not excluded, of course. To "turn from evil and do good," in this context, is to "seek peace and pursue it" (v. 11). For the Lord to have his "eyes" on the righteous, among other things, means that he would be "attentive to their prayer" (v. 12). The other side of this is that "the face of the Lord is against those who do evil" (v. 12).

Posted in Expositions | Permanent Link