I Peter 4:7-19

Dear RTB’ers,

Suffering… The word “suffer” (and its endings) occurs once in I Peter 1, four times in I Peter 2, three times in I Peter 3, six times in I Peter 4, and three times in I Peter 5. We know from the book of Acts that Paul and his fellow travelers (Barnabas, Silas, others?) suffered for their preaching at the hands of the Jews with beatings, stoning, etc., especially in Galatia, Philippi, and Thessalonica. Peter is very likely writing to these same people and is probably aware of what Paul and his companions have gone through, with an expectation that Gentile converts in those regions would be suffering the same fate. To that end, Peter reminds his readers of Jesus’ suffering and ties their suffering to His. It’s a good reminder for us also! I remember the nuns in my Catholic grade school who used to speak of difficult times with one phrase: “Offer it up.”

In addition to “offering it up”, Peter also offers his readers some good, encouraging advice: keep loving one another; show hospitality; serve one another (by the strength that God supplies); and speak as one who speaks oracles of God. (vv. 8-11) Why? …that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. (v. 11b)

Finally, my Study Bible relates Peter’s quote in verse 18 to Proverbs 11:31, but more pointedly (to me) to Jesus’ own words as He walked His path to Golgotha: For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry? (Luke 23:31) If they did these things to Jesus…

Suffering… (misfortunes, disappointments, etc.) – expect it, and offer it up.

Blessings!

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See also: November 18 (2021) / I Peter 4:1-19.

I Peter 3:13-4:6

Dear RTB’ers,

Some challenging verses today, especially … in which He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison… (3:19) and For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead… (4:6) These verses have confused me every time I have read them and again today. So I don’t think I can clarify them to the extent that I would like. However, there is one thing that I do know, that Jesus went to hell after His death. Here is the text from our Apostles’ Creed: [Jesus] was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead… Our Apostles’ Creed clearly states that Jesus went to Hell between His death and His resurrection. These words are not in our Nicene Creed (go figure!). It simply states that He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again… We pray both the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed in our worship services and we accept them both as true in our faith. We do not accept one and exclude the other. Yes, Jesus went to hell. Why? Ask Him!

Come to our RTB gathering this coming Sunday and we’ll discuss this further! 

Blessings!

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See also: November 17 (2021) / I Peter 3:1-22.

I Peter 3:1-12

Dear RTB’ers,

In yesterday’s reading Peter spoke of slave-master relationships and of our subjection to government authorities. Today he covers wives and husbands (vv. 1-7), then all of us (vv. 8-12). In those last three verses he quotes Psalm 34:12-16. Let’s look at a few more verses from that Psalm. I’m sure many of you will be singing along with me!

I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the LORD
let the humble hear and be glad.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt His name together!

I sought the LORD, and He answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:1-4

Blessings!

I Peter 2:18-25

Dear RTB’ers,

The word “suffer” (and its endings) occurs four times in today’s eight verses, Peter quickly tying Christian sufferings to Jesus. And in so doing, he reminds his audience of Isaiah’s prophecy:

He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned–every one–to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth. [Today’s reading, I Peter 2:22] Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush Him…

Isaiah 53:2b-10a

I have no greater appreciation for my Catholic roots than when we consider Jesus’ persecution, His suffering, and His crucifixion. Peter ties our sufferings to Jesus’ sufferings. We need to remember that.

Blessings!

I Peter 2:4-17

Dear RTB’ers,

Yesterday I commented on the word “exile”, which the NASB had translated as “stay on earth”. Peter continues that analogy today, Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles… (v. 11a) The NASB has foreigners and strangers in place of sojourners and exiles. All four words suggest temporary residence. I like Peter’s sense that we do not belong here, but that Heaven is our true home. But then again, with the faith that we share, what we are living in our faith is something like “Heaven on earth”.

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by Him … Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (vv. 13-14a, 17) Beginning with Truman and now with Trump, I have lived during seven Democratic presidents and seven Republican presidents. I have lauded some and scorned others. But wherever my biases (or economic theory!) take me, from the time I first read Peter’s words (noted above) I have prayed for our country and our president. God is God and I am not. As Mark Bruner is fond of saying, “God is not up there wringing His hands” over national or worldwide situations. He has it under control!

Blessings!

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See also: November 16 (2021) / I Peter 2:1-25.

I Peter 1:13-2:3

Dear RTB’ers,

…conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed … with the precious blood of Christ (vv. 1:17b-19a). Exile. [NOTE: The NASB translates “exile” as “stay on earth”.] Peter sees our born-again life here on earth as an “exile”, a time when we are living where we do not belong.

Perhaps he had in mind his forefathers’ captivity in Babylon, a time that we know as “the Exile”. With leaders like Ezra, Nehemiah, and Ezekiel the Jewish people were able to hold on to their faith. I can remember reading that this time in Babylon may have been the beginning of Jewish synagogues – building/locations/activities through which the Israelites could maintain their faith in the absence of Temple activities in Jerusalem.

Whether Peter had Babylon in mind or not, he clearly is telling his audience that they, themselves are “exiles”, that they are living in a temporary earthly home and that they should live in this home as if their real home is elsewhere. A good message for us today!

Blessings!

I Peter 1:1-12

Dear RTB’ers,

Back to the New Testament, the first of Peter’s two epistles. It’ll be a long while before we see the second!

I have two general reflections on Peter writing these two letters. The first is that many scholars have argued that Mark’s gospel could well be called Peter’s gospel, that Mark’s gospel reflected Peter’s teachings, with Mark effectively serving as Peter’s scribe (https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/marks-relationship-with-peter-was-the-foundation-for-his-gospel/). Second, today’s first verse has Peter writing to the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia… (v. 1b) Three of those locations (emboldened above) are mentioned by Luke as part of Peter’s audience in his Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:9-11). So in today’s reading Peter is writing to many of those people to whom he preached on the day of Pentecost. Interesting.

I was taken by Peter’s words (as I applied them to myself): He has caused us to be born again to a living hope, … to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you… (vv. 3b-4) Imperishable, undefiled, unfading, kept. If that inheritance is all these things, then that “living hope” should be the essence of our daily thoughts and activities. A future inheritance is a now promise. We should be living a “Heaven on Earth” life.

Blessings!

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See also:

• November 15 (2021) / I Peter 1:1-25
• December 23 (2023) / I Peter

Judges 21

Dear RTB’ers,

Today we end Judges on a happier note that we’ve had the past two days. Although Israel has conjured up a plan to save the tribe of Benjamin, in the process they are losing a “sub-tribe”, a family from across the Jordan River, in their destruction of all the men and their wives from Jabesh-Gilead. But with that action Benjamin is partially restored and remains one of the twelve tribes. We see the importance of this decision twice down the road. First, in the Old Testament: Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? (1 Samuel 9:21) Paul the apostle in the New Testament also claims his Benjaminite heritage: …circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews… (Philippians 3:5)

A few days ago I quoted a verse from earlier in Judges (Jg. 17:6) that provides a good summary of the book of Judges. We see that verse repeated today: In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (v. 25) A good, continuing caution for all of us today…!

Blessings!

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See also: March 19 (2023) / Judges 19-21.

Judges 20

Dear RTB’ers,

Civil war in Israel, this time clearly involving all of Israel, eleven tribes from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead… (v. 20b) arrayed against their “brother”, Benjamin. Apparently this incident from yesterday and the battle today occurred early in the days of Judges, since we still have Phineas, the son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron still around (v. 28). Three items struck me in this reading. First, the Israelites tried to “negotiate”: And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What evil is this that has taken place among you? Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel.” (vv. 12-13a) A good effort on their part, but a stubborn refusal from Benjamin in the very next verses: But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel. Then the people of Benjamin came together out of the cities to Gibeah to go out to battle against the people of Israel. (vv. 13b-14) To me this is the most shocking item in today’s reading, that the people of Benjamin would not deliver up those “worthless fellows”.

The final item that struck me today was that the people of Israel called upon the Lord – and not just once, but three times. Even when the first two battles had horrible results, through Phineas they ask again: “Shall I yet again go out to battle…” (v. 28b). “yet again!” When things aren’t going well, are we inclined to give up on the Lord? To turn tail and walk away…? Or do we go back and “do battle” a third time, a fourth time, countless times…? That person you’ve been praying for – don’t stop! That promotion you’ve been seeking – keep working! God, the Holy Spirit will let you know when it’s time to move in a different direction. Until then, “yet again!”

Blessings!

Judges 19

Dear RTB’ers,

If you are reading the book of Judges for the first time (or maybe the first time in a long time), rest assured that this “story” is not yet ended. We still have two more chapters to go. So, read ahead if you must, but don’t expect much of a happy ending.

Repeating myself here: If you are reading this incident for the first time (or maybe the first time in a long time), it might sound oddly familiar to you. If so, go back to the story of God delivering Lot from the men of Sodom:

But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down. But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door.

Genesis 19:4-10

Wicked. Evil. The men of Gibeah demand homosexual relations with the Levite. Instead, the man of the house offers his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine. Not a good story. More tomorrow…

Blessings!