1. In v. 11c what is wrong with indulging fleshly lusts?

1 Peter 2:12-15

1. In the context of verses 11 and 12 who are the Gentiles?

 

1. What is the day of visitation in v. 12?

 

1. What is the function of good works in v. 12?

 

1. What is the relationship of verses 12 and 15?

 

1. Who are the foolish men of v. 15?

 

1. In verses 11, 12, and 15 what constitutes “doing right”?

 

1. In verses 13 and 14 what constitutes submission to the Lord?

 

1. What is it that is “the will of God” in verse 15?

 

1. What is referred to as “the ignorance of foolish men” in v. 15?

 

1. In the light of v. 12 why is such activity foolish?

1 Peter 2:16-18

1. What constitutes acting as a free man in v. 16a?

 

1. What is the message of v. 18?

 

1. What is “submitting yourselves” in v. 18a?

 

1. Who is to fear in v. 18b, and who is to be feared?

1 Peter 2:19-20

1. What is “this” in v. 19a?

 

1. What is the message of verses 19b and 20?

Assignment Answers

1 Peter 2:11

1. Aliens, (paroikous), are people who live in a place that is not their home; they are temporary residents (Harper 310). Figuratively, they are Christians whose real home is in heaven (A & G 634).

   Strangers (parepidamous), are those who stay for a short time in a strange place; they visit someone. The word is used of Christians who are not at home in this world (A & G 631). See for example Gen 23:4; PS 39:12 (38:13 LXX).

 

1. They war against the soul.

1 Peter 2:12-15

1. Non-church members. (The word usually refers to everyone who is not a Jew by birth.)

 

1. A day of enlightenment; a time of learning; a time of fulfilled promises. In the Septuagint the concept of visiting occurs in connection with the exodus when Joseph on his death-bed prophesies that God will visit the children of Israel in Egypt.

   It also occurs in connection with God sending trouble on the rebellious.

   In one text, Job 31:14, the reference appears to be to the post-death judgment, where men meet with God. This is the only clear reference to the coming of Christ to appear under the circumlocution of visiting in the scriptures in my opinion.

   In the New Testament the form of the word we are studying occurs only 3 times; Luke 19:44, a reference to the time of the prophets and of Jesus on the earth; 1 Tim 3:1, where the reference is to a church office, and 1 Pet 2:12, our text, where the message is now quite clearly seen to be to the times when the gentiles (non-church members) see that Christians are doing God’s will—when they are enlightened. That which they had earlier denounced as evil, v.12b, they now observe, and glorify God (v. 12c).

 

1. The good works of God’s people change the viewpoint of non-church members, as they observe them over a period of time, and result in the non-members glorifying God, when they are enlightened— “in the day of visitation.”

 

1. Verse 15 continues the thought of verse 12.

 

1. The foolish men of v. 15 are those who look at the good deeds of God’s people in v. 12 and call those deeds evil; “they slander you as evil doers,” v. 12.

 

1. Negatively, abstaining from the fleshly lusts which war against the soul; positively, doing those deeds which, though at first are pronounced evil by non members, result in God being glorified— after observation.

 

1. Obeying human institutions, even when you don’t agree with them, for the Lord’s sake— that He might be seen as good, when it is known that He is your
   pattern to follow.

 

1. The will of God in v. 15 is the “such” of v. 15a, which is the lifestyle of verses 11-14.

 

1. Charging God’s followers with acting out evil; for example, the pure (non-adulterers) are called selfish, while adultery is called sharing. Those who would reprove sin are called judgmental, while those who condone open sin are called loving; a good friend.

 

1. In the day of God’s visitation, men will redefine conduct and glorify God for the good works of God’s faithful followers; leaving the doers of evil without admirers or words of praise.

1 Peter 2:16-18

1. Following the counsel of w. 11-15.

 

1. Verse 12.

 

1. See materials under 1 Peter 3:1, 2″c”.

 

1. See materials under 1 Peter 3:1, 2″g”.

1 Peter 2:19, 20

1. “This” in verse 19a is to follow God’s counsel with the result that your lifestyle causes observers of you to see God as good— glorifying Him in the day of visitation. (Note again v. 12.) “To give glory to God is to reveal His character in our own, and thus make Him known. And in whatever way we make known the Father or the Son, we glorify God….” 7SDABC979.
2. I believe the message of these verses is that acting like a Christian when you are wrongly treated brings you grace (“a favor [charis] with [para with dative] God” is the literal translation). The favor, in this context, appears to me to be the granting of grace (charis is the word translated “grace”), but the phrase is not para with the genitive. That construction would be used to indicate that something proceeds from something or someone (A & G 614), and would be translated, “this is grace from God.”

   But while the phrase, “this is grace from God” is not a proper translation of the Greek phrase appearing in this verse, I believe it is the message of the phrase.

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