Submission to Magistrates; Various Exhortations; Christ's Example
as a Sufferer. AD 66.
19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure
grief, suffering wrongfully. 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: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not
again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him
that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own
body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:
by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray;
but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
The general rule of a Christian conversation is this, it must be honest,
which it cannot be if there be not a conscientious discharge of all relative
duties. The apostle here particularly treats of these distinctly...
2. Having charged them to be subject, he condescends to reason with
them about it.
(1.) If they were patient under their hardships, while they suffered
unjustly, and continued doing their duty to their unbelieving and untoward
masters, this would e acceptable to God, and he would reward all that they
suffered for conscience towards him; but to be patient when they were justly
chastised would deserve no commendation at all; it is only doing well,
and suffering patiently for that, which is acceptable with God, v. 19,
20. Learn, [1.] There is no condition so mean but a man may live conscientiously
in it, and glorify God in it; the meanest servant may do so. [2.] The most
conscientious persons are very often the greatest sufferers. For conscience
towards God, they suffer wrongfully; they do well, and suffer for it; but
sufferers of this sort are praiseworthy, they do honour to God and to religion,
and they are accepted of him; and this is their highest support and satisfaction.
[3.] Deserved sufferings must be endured with patience: If you are buffeted
for your faults, you must take it patiently. Sufferings in this world are
not always pledges of our future happiness; if children or servants be
rude and undutiful, and suffer for it, this will neither be acceptable
with God nor procure the praise of men.
(2.) More reasons are given to encourage Christian servants to patience
under unjust sufferings, v. 21. [1.] From their Christian calling and profession:
Hereunto were you called. [2.] From the example of Christ, who suffered
for us, and so became our example, that we should follow his steps, whence
learn, First, Good Christians are a sort of people called to be sufferers,
and therefore they must expect it; by the terms of Christianity they are
bound to deny themselves, and take up the cross; they are called by the
commands of Christ, by the dispensations of Providence, and by the preparations
of divine grace; and, by the practice of Jesus Christ, they are bound to
suffer when thus called to it. Secondly, Jesus Christ suffered for you,
or for us; it was not the Father that suffered, but he whom the Father
sanctified, and sent into the world, for that end; it was both the body
and soul of Christ that suffered, and he suffered for us, in our stead
and for our good, v. 24. Thirdly, The sufferings of Christ should quiet
us under the most unjust and cruel sufferings we meet with in the world.
He suffered voluntarily, not for himself, but for us, with the utmost readiness,
with perfect patience, from all quarters, and all this though he was God-man;
shall not we sinners, who deserve the worst, submit to the light afflictions
of this life, which work for us unspeakable advantages afterwards?
3. The example of Christ's subjection and patience is here explained
and amplified: Christ suffered, (1.) Wrongfully, and without cause; for
he did no sin, v. 22. He had done no violence, no injustice or wrong to
any one--he wrought no iniquity of any sort whatever; neither was guile
found in his mouth (Isa. liii. 9), his words, as well as his actions, were
all sincere, just, and right. (2.) Patiently: When he was reviled, he reviled
not again (v. 23); when they blasphemed him, mocked him, called him foul
names, he was dumb, and opened not his mouth; when they went further, to
real injuries, beating, buffeting, and crowning him with thorns, he threatened
not; but committed both himself and his cause to God that judgeth righteously,
who would in time clear his innocency, and avenge him on his enemies. Learn,
[1.] Our Blessed Redeemer was perfectly holy, and so free from sin that
no temptation, no provocation whatsoever, could extort from him so much
as the least sinful or indecent word. [2.] Provocations to sin can never
justify the commission of it. The rudeness, cruelty, and injustice of enemies,
will not justify Christians in reviling and revenge; the reasons for sin
can never be so great, but we have always stronger reasons to avoid it.
[3.] The judgment of God will determine justly upon every man and every
cause; and thither we ought, with patience and resignation, to refer ourselves.
4. Lest any should think, from what is said, v. 21-23, that Christ's
death was designed merely for an example of patience under sufferings,
the apostle here adds a more glorious design and effect of it: Who his
own self, &c., where note, (1.) The person suffering--Jesus Christ:
His own self--in his own body. The expression his own self is emphatic,
and necessary to show that he verified all the ancient prophecies, to distinguish
him from the Levitical priests (who offered the blood of others, but he
by himself purged our sins, Heb. i. 3), and to exclude all others from
participation with him in the work of man's redemption: it is added, in
his body; not but that he suffered in his soul (Matt. xxvi. 38), but the
sufferings of the soul were inward and concealed, when those of the body
were visible and more obvious to the consideration of these suffering servants,
for whose sake this example is produced. (2.) The sufferings he underwent
were stripes, wounds, and death, the death of the cross--servile and ignominious
punishments! (3.) The reason of his sufferings: He bore our sins, which
teaches, [1.] That Christ, in his sufferings, stood charged with our sins,
as one who had undertaken to put them away by the sacrifice of himself,
Isa. liii. 6. [2.] That he bore the punishment of them, and thereby satisfied
divine justice. [3.] That hereby he takes away our sins, and removes them
away from us; as the scape-goat did typically bear the sins of the people
on his head, and then carried them quite away, (Lev. xvi. 21, 22), so the
Lamb of God does first bear our sins in his own body, and thereby take
away the sins of the world, John i. 29. (4.) The fruits of Christ's sufferings
are, [1.] Our sanctification, consisting of the death, the mortification
of sin, and a new holy life of righteousness, for both which we have an
example, and powerful motives and abilities also, from the death and resurrection
of Christ. [2.] Our justification. Christ was bruised and crucified as
an expiatory sacrifice, and by his stripes we are healed. Learn, First,
Jesus Christ bore the sins of all his people, and expiated them by his
death upon the cross. Secondly, No man can depend safely upon Christ, as
having borne his sin and expiated his guilt, till he dies unto sin and
lives unto righteousness.
5. The apostle concludes his advice to Christian servants, by putting
them in mind of the difference between their former and present condition,
v. 25. They were as sheep going astray, which represents, (1.) Man's sin:
he goes astray; it is his own act, he is not driven, but does voluntary
go astray. (2.) His misery: he goes astray from the pasture, from the shepherd,
and from the flock, and so exposes himself to innumerable dangers. (3.)
Here is the recovery of these by conversion: But are now returned. The
word is passive, and shows that the return of a sinner is the effect of
divine grace. This return is from all their errors and wanderings, to Christ,
who is the true careful shepherd, that loves his sheep, and laid down his
life for them, who is the most vigilant pastor, and bishop, or overseer
of souls. Learn, [1.] Sinners, before their conversion, are always going
astray; their life is a continued error. [2.] Jesus Christ is the supreme
shepherd and bishop of souls, who is always resident with his flock, and
watchful over them. [3.] Those that expect the love and care of this universal
pastor must return to him, must die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.
