This next part is a hard lesson, at least
for me. We've looked at other Bible heroes like Paul as our examples,
but now we're going to look at how Jesus, who was totally sinless met
trials, suffering and abuse. He is our perfect example.
1 Peter 2:22–23, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Peter is quoting this from Isaiah 53:
Isaiah 53:7, He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
Isaiah 53:9, He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
We've learned in our other studies already that the first most obvious place that sin shows itself is in what we say, and before that in what we think. Jesus even tells us that here among other places:
Matthew 15:18–20, But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’ ”
Matthew 12:34–37, You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Our Lord wasn't just abused once, but repeatedly and He always met it with humility and silence, never once sinning with his words. You can read about this in the gospel accounts here: Matt. 26:57–63; Mark 15:3–5; Luke 23:9; John 19:9
This is one where I can much easier identify with Paul who failed on this one.
Acts 23:3–5, Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!” Those who were standing near Paul said, “You dare to insult God’s high priest?” Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
Paul let his flesh get control for a minute there and I'm afraid I have often allowed that to happen too. Since Jesus was God, He was able to have perfect control over His thoughts and feelings. He did it though to show us how we can do it too. So how did He do it? He tells us how in the last part of 1 Peter 2:23.
1 Peter 2:23, When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Entrusting means to "hand over to someone to keep". He entrusted Himself to the Father, knowing that the Father would evaluate all His suffering fairly. For us this also includes what I was talking about earlier, because whatever we suffer unfairly will be added to our account and repaid us in full well over what we suffered.
We need to resist the urge to strike back or retaliate when we are treated unfairly. The only way we can do that though is to continue to abide in Christ and allow His grace and power to sustain us and help us.
1 Peter 5:6–10, Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
Remember, what we go through in this life is temporary and lasts a very short time in comparison of our eternal lifetime in Heaven with God! This is why the apostles and Jesus constantly reminded us to remember our "blessed hope" the rapture when we'll receive our new bodies and begin our real lives in heaven with Him. For those who die before the rapture, although they'll be in Heaven with Him prior to that time, they too aren't quite "finished" yet because they don't have their new bodies, so they too are waiting for the blessed hope, the rapture, when they will also receive the end of their salvation, their new bodies and their new life can begin in full then. It's after the rapture that we are all also given our rewards too. So being in heaven prior to the rapture is fantastic, but after the rapture it's even better then that! Anyway, that's why they constantly tell us to remember our blessed hope, to keep it firmly in our minds because that is what we're waiting for and working toward. Like Paul said, we're working toward a "better resurrection". So just keep imagining that every bit of suffering is just adding more gold to your heavenly bank account which we'll receive as great rewards in heaven! It won't be long now and God will lift us up!
1 Peter 3:9, Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 2:22–23, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Peter is quoting this from Isaiah 53:
Isaiah 53:7, He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
Isaiah 53:9, He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
We've learned in our other studies already that the first most obvious place that sin shows itself is in what we say, and before that in what we think. Jesus even tells us that here among other places:
Matthew 15:18–20, But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’ ”
Matthew 12:34–37, You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Our Lord wasn't just abused once, but repeatedly and He always met it with humility and silence, never once sinning with his words. You can read about this in the gospel accounts here: Matt. 26:57–63; Mark 15:3–5; Luke 23:9; John 19:9
This is one where I can much easier identify with Paul who failed on this one.
Acts 23:3–5, Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!” Those who were standing near Paul said, “You dare to insult God’s high priest?” Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
Paul let his flesh get control for a minute there and I'm afraid I have often allowed that to happen too. Since Jesus was God, He was able to have perfect control over His thoughts and feelings. He did it though to show us how we can do it too. So how did He do it? He tells us how in the last part of 1 Peter 2:23.
1 Peter 2:23, When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Entrusting means to "hand over to someone to keep". He entrusted Himself to the Father, knowing that the Father would evaluate all His suffering fairly. For us this also includes what I was talking about earlier, because whatever we suffer unfairly will be added to our account and repaid us in full well over what we suffered.
We need to resist the urge to strike back or retaliate when we are treated unfairly. The only way we can do that though is to continue to abide in Christ and allow His grace and power to sustain us and help us.
1 Peter 5:6–10, Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
Remember, what we go through in this life is temporary and lasts a very short time in comparison of our eternal lifetime in Heaven with God! This is why the apostles and Jesus constantly reminded us to remember our "blessed hope" the rapture when we'll receive our new bodies and begin our real lives in heaven with Him. For those who die before the rapture, although they'll be in Heaven with Him prior to that time, they too aren't quite "finished" yet because they don't have their new bodies, so they too are waiting for the blessed hope, the rapture, when they will also receive the end of their salvation, their new bodies and their new life can begin in full then. It's after the rapture that we are all also given our rewards too. So being in heaven prior to the rapture is fantastic, but after the rapture it's even better then that! Anyway, that's why they constantly tell us to remember our blessed hope, to keep it firmly in our minds because that is what we're waiting for and working toward. Like Paul said, we're working toward a "better resurrection". So just keep imagining that every bit of suffering is just adding more gold to your heavenly bank account which we'll receive as great rewards in heaven! It won't be long now and God will lift us up!
1 Peter 3:9, Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
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