1 Peter
Suffering like Christ as a witness among the condemned
Group Study
- Read: 1 Peter 3:9-4:6
- From 3:7-17, answer:
- who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 3.14
- have no fear of who?
- what should be do instead of fearing them?
- how do we make our defense?
- to whom do we make our defense?
The Analogy of Noah (3:19-20)
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Some questions:
- who were "the spirits in prison"?
- how did he proclaim to them?
- when did he proclaim to them?
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Consider the experience of Noah:
- A great persecution
- An ungodly environment
- A great punishment
- A miraculous & personal salvation
- Peter's logical flow seems to be:
- Be prepared to make a defense when if called to suffer for righteousness’ sake
- Your defense should be a godly defense - done in gentleness and respect, so that those who revile you will have no excuse.
- In doing so, you are like Noah:
- Through Noah, Christ also preached & made a defense, and who through God’s miraculous power was saved & preserved both from man & from the awful judgement of God
- Like Noah, you are saved (both from man & from the awful judgement of God) through our baptism into Christ, who has all powers under his subjection
- Takeaway: if the Spirit of Christ did this through/to Noah, he will do it through/to you.
Like Baptism (3:21-22)
- What "corresponds to" ESV, or is "after a true likeness" of ASV, RSV, or "is an antitype of" NKJ what? 3.21 ( ἀντίτυπος).
- How does baptism save you?
- How does it not save you? What is the (anti) picture?
- How does it save you? What is the picture?
- Does this teach that you must be baptised to be saved?
So, Arm Yourselves (4:1-6)
- What should we arm ourselves with?
- Why should we arm ourselves with it?
- Against what?
- The consequences
- positive consequence
- negative consequence
- Who are the dead, what what was preached to them, and why?
See Also