By His Wounds, We Have Been Healed—Lectionary Reflection for Easter 4A (1 Peter 2:19-25)

1 Peter 2:19-25 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

¹⁹ For it is a commendable thing if, being aware of God, a person endures pain while suffering unjustly. ²⁰ If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do good and suffer for it, this is a commendable thing before God. ²¹ For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.

²² “He committed no sin,

    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

²³ When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵ For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

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                If you are working your way through 1 Peter during Eastertide, you may find yourself a bit confused by the ordering of the readings. Yes, the Revised Common Lectionary has placed 1 Peter 2:19-25 (Easter 4A) before 1 Peter 2:2-10 (Easter 5A). You would think they would have reversed these texts, but such is not the case. Why is this, you might ask. It is because this is Good Shepherd Sunday.

                During Eastertide, we focus on Jesus’ resurrection appearances, but the Gospel reading from John 10:1-10 centers on Jesus’ sermon in which he describes himself as the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the flock. Appropriately, the reading from the Psalms is a familiar one, the Twenty-third Psalm, wherein the Psalmist (David?) declares: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want . . .” Here in 1 Peter 2, we hear a word about Christ’s suffering as an example for his followers; thus, like the good shepherd in John 10, this is a shepherd willing to lay down his life as an example to us.

                Our reading begins in the middle of a conversation about how one should behave as a servant of God. In the paragraphs before our reading, verses that will not get addressed in the lectionary’s journey through 1 Peter, Peter urges the beloved, who are “aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.  Conduct yourselves honorably among the gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge” (1 Pet. 2:11-12).  Among those who receive this message are slaves, who are told to obey their masters, even if they are harsh (1 Peter 2:18). Perhaps it is not surprising that the lectionary skips over these verses, especially this word about slaves obeying their masters, because it’s not very edifying. This is especially true since passages like this have been used in the past to justify slavery (and in some quarters, defenses of slavery are built on this and other passages, even today).

Contextually, it is important to remember that a huge population of slaves inhabited the Roman Empire. This means that the church to which Peter was writing included a substantial number of slaves. What we have here is to be understood as a word of wisdom to this early Christian community, telling them to keep their heads down, do what they need to do to stay alive. So, obey the authorities, do what is right, behave honorably among the Gentiles, so that God will be glorified. So, live as ones who are free, but don’t let your freedom be a “pretext for evil” (1 Pet. 2:11-18).  This is the background to our reading that begins with the words: “For it is a commendable thing if, being aware of God, a person endures pain while suffering unjustly” (1 Pet. 2:19).

Whether slave or free, the believers are told to obey human authorities, because it is a credit to them if they endure suffering when doing the right thing. That is, if they suffer for doing what is right, they will have God’s approval. While it is understandable that the RCL skips over verse 18, because it makes the job of preaching the passage a little easier, it also prevents the hearer from fully understanding what Peter is saying here. So, my advice is to include verse 18 and speak about the issue of slavery in ancient Rome and in antebellum America. In fact, this might be a perfect opportunity to address a piece of American history that is rather uncomfortable.

                When we hear Peter tell us that it is commendable to “endure pain while suffering unjustly,” let us remember the context. Peter wrote to a community of religious minorities living in an empire that was known for its cruelty. That is not the case for Christians living in the United States, Canada, or Europe, or everywhere else that Christians are the majority. When I hear American Christians complain about being persecuted, usually the complaint involves not having enough power over others. At least for the moment, a certain group of Christians has the ear of the President and seems intent on imposing its rather narrow vision of the Christian faith on the nation, even though the version of the Christian faith seems at odds with the teachings of Jesus.  

                Having provided the context, Peter now turns to the example offered by Jesus, who also suffered unjustly. He grounds his message in the words of Isaiah 53, which describes the “suffering servant.” Verse 22 offers a quotation from Isaiah 53:9, rendered here,  “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” Like the suffering servant of Isaiah, Christ was without sin, and yet he suffered. Be like Jesus, who, when he suffered abuse, did not respond in kind! We should note here that Peter is not suggesting that Jesus is a substitute sacrifice for our sins but rather serves as an example of how to respond when one suffers unjustly. Like him, we should put our trust in the one who judges justly.

                In verse 24, Peter does seem to offer a word about Jesus’ role as an atoning sacrifice. Note that Peter suggests that Jesus bore our sins in his body while on the cross. That does sound like Jesus is serving as a substitute for our sins, but Peter does not put this in a legal formula, as is true of modern penal substitution. Once again, we need to remember that in context, Peter is speaking about staying faithful while suffering, whatever the nature of that suffering. Be faithful, even as Jesus was faithful, seems to be the message. The goal here is to follow Jesus so that we might “live for righteousness.” Peter continues, declaring that through his wounds we are healed. Sometimes this is also connected to atonement, but with physical healing in mind.

                The closing words of our reading connect it to Good Shepherd Sunday. Here, Peter, having spoken of the nature of our salvation/healing in Christ, reminds us that though we had gone astray like sheep, through Christ’s intervention, dying on the cross, we can “return to the shepherd and guardian of our souls.” Considering our context once again, it is worth remembering that Peter offers the suffering of Jesus as a model for navigating a world filled with challenges. By his wounds, we can experience healing, so that we might live righteously and thereby receive God’s approval.