Easter People

Lesson 1Humble Servants ............................................................3Philippians 2:5-11

Lesson 2Raised with Christ ............................................................8Colosians 3:1-11

Lesson 3Proclaiming the Testimony..............................................131 John 5:1-12

Lesson 4Aliens and Exiles ............................................................181 Peter 2:11-17

Lesson 5Suffering for Righteousness ............................................231 Peter 2:18-25

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prepare Before the SessionRead the session for today in the Study Guide. Then read the options in this Teaching

Guide, placing checkmarks beside the activities you plan to include. After you have decidedwhich options to use, gather the appropriate materials.

WHAT’S IN YOUR TEACHING GUIDE

This Teaching Guide has three purposes:➤ to give the teacher tools for focusing on the content of the session in the Study Guide.➤ to give the teacher additional Bible background information.➤ to give the teacher variety and choice in preparation.

The Teaching Guide includes two major components: Teacher Helps and Teacher Options.

Teacher Helps

Teacher Options

Bible BackgroundThe Study Guide is your mainsource of Bible study material.This section helps you more fullyunderstand and interpret the Scripture text.

Teaching Outlineprovides you with an outlineof the main themes in theStudy Guide.

The next three sections provide a beginning, middle, and endfor the session, with focus paragraphs in between.

Focus Paragraphsare printed in italics at the top of the page because they

are the most important part of the Teaching Guide. Theseparagraphs will help you move your class from “what the text

meant” to “what the text means.”

You Can Choose!There is more material in each session than you can use, so choose the options from each sectionto tailor the session to the needs of your group.

Bible BackgroundThe Church at PhilippiWithout question, the letter to

the Philippians is one of Paul’smost hopeful epistles. With Paul

imprisoned and facing death because ofhis proclamation of the gospel, many ofthe churches he had planted began to fallaway. Some were seduced by false teach-ing; others were torn apart by communityconflict. The church at Philippi, however,continued to support Paul even in prison.They showed no sign of stopping theirwitness to the gospel Paul had sharedwith them.

Yet Paul recognized that suffering atthe hands of the Roman Empire couldbefall these Christians just as it hadbefallen him. The divisive forces that hadovertaken other churches could easilybreak out among the Philippians if theywere not careful. Therefore, Paul wrote toencourage them to continue to stand firmin their faith. In our text fromPhilippians, he paints them a compellingpicture of a community that molds itscommon life after the image and exampleof Christ.

The Example of ChristChapter 2’s opening words present themain themes Paul explores with thePhilippians. Exhorting them to a unitythat reaches beneath the surface toencompass their mind, heart, will, and

attitude (2:2), Paul insists that people canonly be unified when they live in humility(2:3-4).

It would have been shocking in theancient world to think of humility as avirtue. In Paul’s era, humility was appro-priate only for slaves who were on thebottom rung of the socioeconomic ladder.To be called “humble” in theMediterranean culture of Paul’s daywould be the equivalent of being called“base, unfit, shabby, [or] of no account”(Hawthorne, 69).

Paul seeks to overcome this way ofthinking by retelling the story of Jesus’life, death, and resurrection through theunlikely lens of humility. The story foundin Philippians 2:5-11 is widely understoodto be an early Christian hymn text. ManyNew Testament writers included hymnsas part of their work. The prologue to theGospel of John ( Jn 1:1-18), for example, iswidely understood as a song, as areportions of the book of Colossians (2:15-20), Romans (11:33-36), and Revelation(5:12-13; 7:12). The “Christ Hymn” inPhilippians 2, with its lyrical, poetic form,is the most famous biblical hymn of theNew Testament.

Where did this hymn come from?Since the themes in 2:5-11 fit so closelywith Paul’s themes in 2:1-4, perhaps it wasa hymn Paul wrote especially for thePhilippians. It also could have been anexisting hymn that the Philippians sangin worship. Either way, the language of

1Lesson Teaching Guide

HUMBLE

SERVANTS

Philippians 2:5-11

the hymn reinterprets humility throughthe positive example of Christ.

Paul introduces the hymn byencouraging readers to “let the samemind be in you that was in Christ Jesus”(v. 5). The phrase “same attitude” is prob-ably closer to his intended meaning thanthe phrase “same mind.” Paul doesn’tencourage thinking uniformly but ratherhaving one’s entire self—thoughts,emotions, will, actions—shaped byChrist’s example.

The attitude Paul portrays as belong-ing to Christ is far from whatanyone—Jew or Gentile—would haveexpected from their Messiah. Such acontrast is part of what makes this aprovocative reading for Palm Sunday, theday we celebrate Jesus’ “triumphal entry”into Jerusalem that was in fact an entryinto the place of his death.

Paul highlights Jesus’ right to claimlofty status. He even says Christ was “inthe form of God” (v. 6). The Greek wordfor “form” denotes not merely one’soutward shape or appearance but alsoone’s unalterable inner being. This makesit clear that Jesus’ core, his very essence, isnothing less than that of God. Yet Jesuschose not to cling to this “form” or to useit to accomplish his own desires andpurposes. Rather, he took on the mostdespised position one could hold in hissociety. He chose to become a slave—oneseen as property rather than human, as aneconomic asset with no personal rights.

Being born in such a lowly earthlystate, Jesus, though fully God, becamehuman and subject to the same limita-tions any human would face. Jesus thenproceeded to live a life of humility. He putthe needs and desires of other people, andof God, above his own ambitions (see Lk22:42; Jn 6:38). His humility was socomplete that it led him to the kind ofdeath the lowest slaves and criminals ofhis day suffered: crucifixion at the handsof the Roman authorities.

God’s Unlikely ResponseThe first half of our passage makes Jesus’mission look like a failure. How could aslave, crucified as a criminal, be one thatthe people are called to imitate? The keyto what makes Jesus’ actions worthy ofshaping the Philippians’ lives is God’sresponse to these actions. Paul outlinesthis response in the second half of thehymn (vv. 9-11).

In a dramatic plot twist, God takesthis “slave,” who had become as low asone could be, and exalts him to thehighest place possible. Despite his humili-ation, God honors Jesus’ way of living.God takes this lowest of slaves and giveshim the highest of names. Because of theway Jesus chose to be born and to live and

I. Overview of the Church at PhilippiA. Paul’s Gratitude for Their Support

and Steadfastness (1:3-7)B. Paul’s Concerns for Their Future

(1:15-30)1. Threat of False Teaching (1:15-

17)2. Threat of Persecution (1:29-30)

C. Paul’s Desires for Their Unity (2:1-4)

II. The Example of Christ (2:5-8)A. The Philippians’ Challenge: Imitate

Christ’s Attitude (v. 5)B. Who Christ Is by Nature (v. 6a)C. Who Christ Chose to Be in

Becoming Human (vv. 6b-7)D. Where Christ’s Choice of Humility

Led Him (v. 8)

III. God’s Unlikely Response (2:9-11)A. God unexpectedly exalts the humble

and humiliated Christ (v. 9).B. All peoples of the world unite to

worship Christ (vv. 10-11a).C. Christ’s humility brings glory to God

(v. 11b).

4 Lesson 1

❍ Shaped by SongHave participants share some of the firstsongs they remember learning about Godas children.

Questions➤ What were these songs about?➤ How did these songs shape the way you

viewed God?➤ Did these songs influence the way you

lived?➤ Do they continue to shape your life

today?

Philippians 2:5-11 is a song from theearly church. Paul shared it with thechurch not because it was beautiful orcatchy but because he hoped it wouldshape the way the people lived. Paulhoped this song would help them under-stand Jesus’ life and model their attitudesand actions after his humble example.

❍ The Story of a LifeInvite each participant to write the storyof his or her life in three sentences.

Questions➤ What can you say about who you are

and how you have chosen to live in onlythree sentences?

➤ What truths about yourself did youmost want to convey?

Philippians 2:5-11 is Paul’s three-sentence account of Jesus’ life. It containswhat Paul saw as the crucial pieces ofChrist’s life, laid out in a song he hopedthe Philippians would commit to memoryand to which he hoped they wouldcommit their lives.

Palm Sunday is a day of paradoxes. It is filled with the joy of children wavingpalm branches and the darkness of cheers that change to “Crucify him!” Onsuch a complex occasion, it makes sense to consider a Savior who chose to

be a slave rather than a king. As we remember the humble way Jesus entered Jerusalem andalso lived in the world, we cannot help wondering how his example might lead us to serve Godand others.

A Way to Begin

Teaching Guide 5

to die, God establishes Jesus, the humble slave, as the one who will unite all ofhumankind, drawing people from the ends of the earth together in worship.

Unlike worship of the Roman emperor—a common practice in the Philippians’society—to worship this particular human would not be idolatry. In exalting the humbleJesus, the people would bring glory to the God whose very form Jesus possessed andreflected.

❍ Humility: Virtue or Vice?Have the class describe people theyconsider “humble.” Does this term have apositive or negative connotation? Iscalling someone humble a compliment?When is it a good thing to be humble, andwhen can it become a liability?

Have the class list words used todescribe Jesus’ humility in this passage(such as “emptied,” “slave,” and “death ona cross”). How do these descriptionscompare with those of the people wedescribed as humble?

❍ Christ’s Choices, Our ChoicesHave the class make a list of the thingsPhilippians 2 says Jesus did and the thingsit says Jesus chose not to do. What charac-terizes the choices Jesus made about howhe lived?

❍ What Has Formed You?Hand out copies of resourcepage “What Has FormedYou?” Around the outline ofthe human body, have

participants write names of people,places, ideas, or events that have helpedform them into who they are. They maywant to write these factors near the partof the body to which they most relate—forexample, someone who has influencedthinking could be near the head, one whohas formed choices to go certain placescould be near the feet, etc.

Scan the passage for the occurrence ofthe word “form.” For example, Jesus wasin the “form” of God, took on the “form”of a slave, etc. What does it mean thatJesus was formed in these ways?

❍ Digging DeeperRead Philippians 2:5-11 together, witheach person who is willing reading asingle verse. Discuss the following ques-tions.

Questions➤ What did Paul mean when he encour-

aged the Philippians to have the “samemind” as Christ? (Remind the classthat “same mind” does not refer simplyto thinking but to one’s whole atti-tude.)

➤ What would it have looked like forJesus to “exploit” his equality withGod?

➤ How would this way of life differ fromthe way Jesus actually lived?

➤ What does it mean that Jesus “emptied”himself? What images does this bringto mind?

➤ What was it about Jesus’ life that ledGod to “highly exalt” him? How doesthis compare to the reasons we exaltpeople?

A Way to Explore Scripture Paul offered this hymn not just for the church’s enjoyment or information but alsofor their formation. The Philippians were to admire Jesus’ example and also

follow it. How can believers today embrace the attitude of Christ by adoptinghumility as a way of life?

6 Lesson 1

❍ Christ’s Choices, Our Choices:Take 2

Have the class consider the eventsbetween the triumphal entry and thecrucifixion. You may want to divide thepassion narrative into sections and assigneach to a person or small group.Suggested passages: John 13:1-13; Luke22:19-27; 22:37-41; 23:32-43. On hisjourney to the cross, where did Jesuschoose humility and servanthood whenhe could have made other choices?

Have the class consider their weekahead—to-do items on their calendars,encounters they anticipate, decisions theymust make. Where might they be called tochoose servanthood and humility? Whatmight that cost?

Pray together about anticipatedchoices and challenges. Ask for the atti-tude of Christ to prevail even incomplicated situations.

❍ Who Serves Me and Whom Do IServe?

Make two columns on the board. On theleft side, list people who serve the partici-pants every week (people at the drivethrough, an administrative assistant atwork, etc.).

On the right side, list people whomthe participants serve each week (childrenor aging parents, people they work for,etc.).

Brainstorm ways participants canadopt an attitude of servanthood towardthe people on the left side of the list. Howcould we have a Christlike attitude ofservanthood and humility toward thosewho serve us?

Next, brainstorm ways to deepenservanthood and humility toward thepeople on the right side of the list. Howcan the attitude of Christ reshape our atti-tude toward these people?

ResourcesGerald Hawthorne, Philippians, Word BiblicalCommentary, vol. 43 (Waco TX: Word, 1983).

Morna D. Hooker, “Philippians,” The New Interpreter’s Bible,vol. 11 (Nashville: Abingdon, 2000).

Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, and Tremper LongmanIII, eds., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Downers Grove IL:InterVarsity, 1998).

Philippians 2 does not simply tell us something we must do to be more like Christ.Rather, it encourages us to reshape our entire lives in the image of Christ’s

humility. This means not only an intellectual change but also a transformation ofour attitude and behavior toward others. Jesus’ story reminds us that an attitude of servant-hood can be costly, but that is how we follow God.

A Way to End

Teaching Guide 7

2Bible Background

Concern in ColossaeThe Colossians’ faith was

wavering. False teachers sweptthrough the region, and many

Colossian Christians began to questiontheir faith. How had Christ and his resur-rection actually changed their lives? WasJesus really enough to ensure their salva-tion and well-being? The believers inColossae worried that they were notdoing enough to secure their places inGod’s kingdom.

To address this fear, some false teach-ers encouraged them to pursue ecstatic,emotional experiences of the “heavenlyrealm.” By worshiping angels and othercosmic powers, they claimed, believerscould attain a higher level of spiritualperfection. Others encouraged practicesof self-denial, strict dietary rules, andbodily deprivation (2:16-23), implyingthese pious activities could help earnthem eternal life.

The writer of Colossians denouncesboth kinds of false teaching. But if theColossians were not to worship angels oruphold strict rules, what were theysupposed to do? Colossians seeks to helpreaders understand both the theology ofwhat Christ did and the practical implica-tions of what happened in Christ. That is,they need to know how Christ’s death andresurrection transformed their futuresand how they should live in the present

because of what Jesus did for them. Thesetwo components, theology and activity,converge in the letter’s pivotal thirdchapter.

Raised to New LifeThe writer begins this section by encour-aging the Colossians to have a singularfocus. They must “seek” or “set [their]minds on the things that are above” (vv. 1-2). At first it may seem that thewriter is urging the Colossians to forgetthis earth and focus only on the world tocome. Instead, he is telling them to settheir minds on Christ alone.

After the resurrection, “above” signi-fies the place where the risen Christdwells. Jesus is now exalted to a status ofequality with and full access to God.Christians can claim the same accessthrough Christ because they also have“died” (v. 3) and been “raised with” himthrough baptism (v. 1). Believers are nowfully identified with Christ. Therefore,they must focus on where Christ dwells—“above”—and not on the places wherefellowship with Christ does not exist—represented in our text by “this earth.”

Believers do not experience Christ’sresurrection as a one-time event. Rather,they have been “raised with Christ.” Theyexperience the power of the resurrectionin their earthly lives right now. Thus, theColossian believers have already beentransformed so profoundly that it is asthough they live in the heavenly realm

Lesson Teaching Guide

RAISED WITH

CHRIST

Colossians 3:1-11

even while their feet remain planted onthe ground. Their lives are “hiddenwith Christ in God.” Just as Christ’srelationship with God has been trans-formed, so has that of the Colossians.

“On Earth as It Is in Heaven”In light of Christ’s resurrection, theColossians need not depend on cosmicintermediaries. They are already inti-mately linked to God by Christ. Nor dothey need to practice radical self-denial toleave this earth behind and ascend onhigh. Their lives are already orientedtoward what is above. They live “on earthas it is in heaven” (see Mt 6:10).

Yet the world remains broken, andChrist has not been fully revealed in a waythat eliminates evil. Thus, the writerturns from theology to practicality (vv. 5-11). He helps the Colossians live faithfullywith eyes set on things above even as theydwell on the earth below. They can be“raised with Christ” even in the midst oftheir everyday lives.

To paint a picture of this new life, thewriter offers two lists meant to be moredescriptive than prescriptive. These aren’tthings believers must do to gain a sharein Christ’s resurrection. That was theclaim of the false teachers who had beentroubling them! Instead, these listsdescribe the lives of those who authenti-cally participate in Christ’s resurrection,both the negative things they removefrom their lives and the positive thingsthey embrace.

The first list moves from outwardbehaviors to the inward attitudes thatproduce these behaviors. “Fornication,”“impurity,” and “passion” all refer tounchecked sexual appetites. These lustsand urges lead people to objectify oneanother and make faithful relationshipsimpossible.

“Evil desire” can be understood asuncontrolled passions that, when left torun their course, damage others for thesake of getting one’s own way. Many haveseen the last item, “greed,” as the attitudethat lies at the root of the other negative

behaviors. Greed consumes us when welive as if people and things exist only forour personal indulgence.

The second list begins in verse 8. Thislist focuses even more strongly on the

I. Concern in ColossaeA. The letter was written to remind

people of the truth of the gospel(1:21-23).

B. False teachers promoted mysticismor asceticism as necessary in addi-tion to Christ (2:4, 8, 16-23).

C. The letter reorients believers to theall-encompassing nature of whatGod has done in Christ and how ittransforms their lives (2:9-15).

D. Colossians 3 combines theology andpracticality in helping believersunderstand how Christ’s resurrec-tion has changed their lives.

II. Raised to New Life (3:1-4)A. Believers must seek or set their

minds on the things that are above(vv. 1-2)—that is, the things that areof Christ.

B. Believers have died with Christthrough baptism (v. 3).

C. A believer’s new life is now hiddenwith Christ (v. 3). The transforma-tion is hard to see or understand,but it is real and it is glorious (v. 4).

III. “On Earth as It Is in Heaven” (3:5-11)A. The writer describes the resurrection

life through two lists of things thatwill be removed as we are raisedwith Christ.

1. Physical impulses that destroycommunity (v. 5)

2. Words that injure and destroycommunity (vv. 8-9)

B. A new community will take shape inthe image of God (vv. 10-11).

C. Christ is now greater than any divi-sions or other aspirations (v. 11).

Teaching Guide 9

❍ “Where Christ Is”Read Luke 24:1-5. Encourage silent reflec-tion on the question the “men”(presumably angels) pose to the women:“Why do you look for the living amongthe dead?”

Questions➤ If you had heard that Christ was risen,

where would you look for him? Why?➤ Where do we expect to experience

Christ’s presence in the world today?➤ In what surprising places have you

found a sense of Christ’s presence?

Today’s passage says it is not onlyChrist who is risen. We too have beenraised with him. As a result, we are now toseek “where Christ is” and be shaped inthe image of the risen Christ we have seenand known. What might this look like inour lives as Easter people?

❍ “Does Easter Really Matter?”Read 1 Corinthians 15:3-14. ConsiderPaul’s audacious claim: “if Christ has notbeen raised, then our proclamation hasbeen in vain and your faith has been invain” (1 Cor 15:14). Discuss how theevents of the first Easter morning influ-ence our daily lives. Ask the followingquestions.

Questions➤ How has the resurrection influenced

your past?➤ How is the resurrection influencing

your present?➤ How could the resurrection influence

your future?

The letter to the Colossians wasintended to help believers understandChrist’s resurrection not merely as a pastevent to celebrate but also as an event thatcontinuously shapes our lives in thepresent.

Easter is the most heavily attended Sunday of the church year. Even marginalChristians recognize the importance of this holy day. But what draws us to cele-brate the resurrection? Do the events of that first Easter have any enduring

effect on our everyday lives? The believers at Colossae faced these questions. They are essen-tial questions for Christians today as well.

A Way to Begin

10 Lesson 2

relationships among church members. This new community, if it indeed reflects thelordship of Christ, will be free of seething anger, explosive rage, attempts to harmanother, words falsely spoken, and hurtful language. The church is to “strip off ” thesepractices. They must realize that these old ways cannot be part of the new, transformedresurrection life in which they now participate.

As these ungodly practices are removed, a new community is formed—the resurrec-tion community the writer speaks of in verse 11. The things that divided the people andturned them against one another have been washed away. Distinctions of race, ethnicity,and economic status no longer remain. Rather, the people’s eyes are fixed solely onChrist, the one in whose image they are now shaping their lives together. Christ is allthat matters. Christ’s presence is now recognized in each person. Finally, Christ’s activ-ity is more important than any human action that can divide.

❍ Questions for Discussion andReflection

Read Colossians 3:1-11. Discuss thefollowing questions.

Questions➤ What do you think the writer means

when he tells the readers, “You havebeen raised with Christ”?

➤ Is this a future event or a presentreality?

➤ What comes to mind when you hear thephrase “Christ who is your life”?

➤ What common characteristics do yousee among the things that are to be“put to death” in this passage?

❍ Give Me FiveThe writer of Colossians made two lists offive things that are put to death oncepeople have been buried with Christ inbaptism and raised like him to walk innew life.

Have participants note what these listshave in common. Discuss how getting ridof these things would change a commu-nity.

What five things, if “put off ” fromyour congregation, would help you livemore fully as people who have been“raised with Christ”? Have the class worktogether in small groups to make a list ofsuch things. Then have the group list fivewords or characteristics they would likepeople to use to describe your church asthe “image of its creator” (v. 10). Comparethe class’s list to the description of believ-ers in verse 12.

❍ The Ties that Still DivideOur passage ends by talking about formerdivisions that Christians should nolonger recognize now that “Christ is alland in all.” Have your group make lists ofthe ways people still divide themselves insociety: by sex, race, ethnicity, education,income, political views, physical differ-ences, age, etc. In what settings do thesedifferences seem important?

Despite these differences, the writer ofColossians urges Christians to findcommon ground in that we have all been“raised in Christ.”

Questions➤ What does it mean to be “raised in

Christ”? Why does this status outweighthe differences we see in each other?

➤ How could thinking of each other firstas Christians transform the way wehandle diversity in race, income, poli-tics, etc.?

Colossians 3 describes the historical event of the resurrection, but the chapterfocuses on how Jesus’ resurrection continues to shape the lives of those who follow

him. Though the writer begins with lofty and complex language, by the end thetone is closer to home. How does the writer make the connection between the divine act of Godin raising Christ from the dead and the way our human lives can be transformed? What will itbe like to be “raised with Christ,” not simply in some future life in heaven but in the life welead now on earth?

A Way to Explore Scripture

Teaching Guide 11

12 Lesson 2

❍ “On Earth as It Is in Heaven”Whenever Christians pray the Lord’sPrayer, they ask that God’s will be done onearth as it is in heaven. Colossians 3invokes a similar wish: that people settheir minds on where Christ is and liveout that life on earth as it is in heaven.

Questions➤ What might it look like for those who

have been raised with Christ to live onearth as they will one day live togetherin heaven?

➤ How can we “put off ” an old way ofbeing this week in order to live a moreresurrection-shaped life?

❍ Everything Looks DifferentDistribute copies of theresource page “EverythingLooks Different.” Haveparticipants silently read the

three suggested passages and respond tothe questions provided. Allow time forparticipants to share their responses.

❍ Clothed with the New SelfIn the earliest centuries of the church,those who were being baptized literallyput off their old clothes and were clothedin fresh white robes as a sign of their newlife.

Colossians 3 may reflect this practice,or it may have been the inspiration for it.Either way, for many centuries new believ-ers experienced this tangible symbol ofremoving the old and being clothed withthe new.

Questions➤ What is one old habit you need to “put

off ” this Easter?➤ What is one Christlike characteristic

you need to “put on”?

ResourcesLewis R. Donelson, Colossians, Ephesians, 1 and 2 Timothy,and Titus (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1996).

Andrew T. Lincoln, “The Letter to the Colossians,” The NewInterpreter’s Bible, vol. 11 (Nashville: Abingdon, 2000).

Peter T. O’Brien, Colossians, Philemon, Word BiblicalCommentary, vol. 44 (Waco TX: Word, 1982).

Marion L. Soards, “Colossians 3:1-11: ExegeticalPerspective,” Feasting on the Word Year C, Volume 3(Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 2010).

Colossians 3 reminds us that the resurrection is more than a distant historicalevent. Rather, as we participate in Christ’s resurrection and allow it to reshapeour relationships with God and one another, we are daily raised with Christ to

walk in a new life. What might this new life look like here on earth?

A Way to End

3Bible Background

BelieveWhen we first read 1 John 1:1-

5, it may seem that John istalking in circles. This is not acci-

dental; it is what he was trying to do! Thiskind of redundant and cyclical writing iscalled amplification. It is an ancientrhetorical technique that uses parallelsand lofty speech to draw listeners upwardinto the consideration of divine matters(see Black).

A key concept brackets John’s spirals.This concept is the definition of one whobelieves. In John’s understanding, “belief ”or “faith” has both a doctrinal compo-nent—what one confesses to be true—andan ethical component—how one lives as aresult of this confession. Both meaningsof “faith” are present in these verses.

First, John describes who Jesus is—thedoctrinal component of faith. Johnframes this section with statements aboutJesus: he is both the Christ or Messiah,literally the “anointed one” (v. 1), and“the Son of God” (v. 5). John defines Jesusas the Messiah for whom Israel had beenlooking and as the one who has auniquely intimate relationship with Godas God’s Son.

Furthermore, Jesus’ relationship withGod expands in this passage into a rela-tionship that he also makes possible forhumanity. Like Jesus, those who believehave been “born of God” and incorpo-

rated into a new family with God as theirFather.

This theological understanding ofJesus as the Son of God determines howthose who believe in Jesus should behavein the world. The relationship betweenChristians is like the relationship betweenmembers of the same family. If we claimJesus as God’s Son and ourselves as God’schildren, then the love we show for oneanother must be as unconditional as thelove between blood relatives. To fail toshow love for a fellow believer would bethe equivalent of failing to love one’s ownbrother, sister, or parent—for theHeavenly Parent now dwells in everyChristian.

John exhorts the members of thebelieving community, as children of God,to follow God’s commandments. Hislanguage evokes the “Greatest Command-ment” Jesus identifies in Matthew22:27-39; Mark 12:29-31; and Luke 10:27:the commandment to love God and loveone’s neighbor as one’s self. To live bysuch a commandment is not burdensome.It is as natural as loving a member ofone’s own family. Through such lovefreely shared between God’s children, theelder argues, believers “conquer theworld.” They demonstrate that the lightof love is stronger than evil’s darkness.When lived out in love, such faith has thepower to overcome everything opposed toGod. It also reinforces Jesus’ identity asthe Son of God and creates a new family

Lesson Teaching Guide

PROCLAIMING THE

TESTIMONY

1 John 5:1-12

where love flows freely in a never-endingcycle between God and God’s childrenon the one hand and between all ofChrist’s brothers and sisters on theother.

TestifyThe theme of belief carries into verses 6-10, where it is joined with the theme ofwitness or testimony. How can thecommunity demonstrate that what theybelieve is true? They do so not only by thelove they show but also bythe testimonyof Jesus’ life and death.

The elder proclaims that Jesus came“by water and blood” (v. 6). This phrase isopen to several interpretations. Somehave argued that water and blood refer tothe Christian sacraments of baptism(water) and Communion (blood) thatmark our membership in the communityof faith. Others have argued that this is areference to the statement in the Gospelof John that when Jesus was crucified,blood and water flowed from his piercedside ( Jn 19:34).

Another interpretation says “water” isa reference to Jesus’ baptism and “blood”refers to his crucifixion—the two book-ends of his earthly ministry. These events,along with the testimony of the Spiritpoured out after the resurrection as Jesushad promised (see Jn 14; 20; Acts 2),testify that Christians do not believe inJesus in vain. On the contrary, believerslive out faith in one who has multiplewitnesses. God himself has vindicatedJesus and declared him to be true byraising him from the dead.

Finally, the testimonies of the Fatherand the Spirit to the truth of the Son’sidentity are joined by the testimony of“those who believe” (v. 10). By the lovethey show, Christians also witness to thetruth of God’s love revealed in Jesus. Wemay add the lives of believers to the listofwitnesses. They show that Jesus is the Sonof God, the one whose unique relation-ship with God holds the power totransform human relationships.

LiveWhat is the outcome of this faith asbelievers live it out in love? What is theoutcome of this divine testimony towhich we join our lives and voices? Forthe elder, there is one powerful result:

I. BelieveA. Belief as Understanding: Who Is

Jesus?1. The Messiah—Chosen by God

(v. 1)2. The Son of God—Enjoying the

Unique Intimacy of a Child witha Parent (v. 5)

3. “Born of God”—Claiming thisIntimacy for Ourselves (v. 1).

B. Belief in Action: The Ethics of God’sChildren

1. If we love God as Parent, we alsolove God’s children as oursiblings (v. 2).

2. We follow the divine commandto love God and others (v. 3).

3. Such love, which reveals ourfaith, overcomes the darkness ofthe world (v. 4).

II. TestifyA. There are three credible witnesses to

who Jesus is: water, blood, and Spirit(vv. 6-8).

B. God has also testified to who Jesus isby raising him from the dead (v. 9).

C. To these reliable testimonies we addour own testimony of love for thechildren of God (v. 10).

III. LiveA. The result of our belief and testi-

mony is eternal life (v. 11).B. Eternal life refers not to a life of

endless time but to a life of highestquality.

C. No other way of life is authentic (v. 12).

14 Lesson 3

❍ I Am SureDistribute copies of theresource page “I Am Sure.”Invite participants to workprivately to respond to the

questions. As a class, discuss the follow-ing questions.

Questions➤ How and when did you become sure of

the things you named in the firstsection?

➤ What helps you trust that these thingsare true?

➤ Have you ever been uncertain of thesethings? What led you to doubt or ques-tion?

➤ Of what sorts of things do you wishyou were sure?

➤ Why do you wish for certainty aboutthese things?

➤ What would it take for you to achievecertainty about them?

Today’s passage explores what itmeans to be certain about Jesus and theChristian life.

❍ Trustworthy TestimonyEnlist three volunteers to share brieflyabout something that happened to themthis week. Send the volunteers outside todecide which two of them will share a truestory and which will tell a story that is atleast partially untrue. After each hasshared, have the class vote on what theythink is true or false.

Questions➤ How did you decide whose story was

true and whose was false?➤ What made certain stories more believ-

able?

After the resurrection, people toldmany different stories about Jesus. Howcould believers know what was true? Howcould they be certain they were followingthe right way? These are questions Johnsought to address.

How could early Christians be certain their faith was based on the rightthings and ultimately on the right person? First John 5 reassures believersand helps them see that they are on the right track.

A Way to Begin

Teaching Guide 15

eternal life for the believer (v. 11; see 1 Jn 1:2). But what does the writer mean by “eternallife”? In John’s theology, it appears that “eternal” did not describe a quantity of time butrather the nature of one’s life. As Smalley wrote, “‘Eternal life’ is qualitative, not quanti-tative; it is the highest kind of spiritual and moral life, irrespective of time, which Godallows the believer to share in relationship with Jesus” (287).

Jesus’ earthly life between the waters of baptism and the blood of crucifixiondemonstrates what such abundant life ( Jn 10:10) could look like. By living as childrenof God and obeying the divine command to love God and neighbor, believers partici-pate in eternal life already.

The nature of this life in Christ is so far above any other way to live that Johndeclares it is the only life that truly exists: “whoever has the Son has life,” but “whoeverdoes not have the Son of God does not have life” (v. 12). They cannot know what itmeans to live fully and abundantly as part of God’s family.

❍ Let’s Talk about LoveRead 1 John 5:1-12. Love is a key conceptfor John and a crucial idea throughoutthe first verses of this passage. Ask thefollowing questions.

Questions➤ Whom does John exhort his readers to

love?➤ From where does this love originate?➤ What could John have in mind when

speaking of God’s commandments?How can something as strenuous as a“commandment” be described as “notburdensome” (v. 3)?

➤ Based on these verses, how might Johndefine “faith”?

Explain the possible interpretations of“the Spirit,” “water,” and “blood” (vv. 6-7)as outlined in the Bible Backgroundsection.

Questions➤ How do the Spirit, water, and blood

bear witness to Jesus’ identity?➤ Where else in Scripture do the Spirit

(or wind), water, and blood point toGod’s presence?

➤ How can believers experience “eternallife” (v. 11) in the here and now?

❍ By Water and BloodRead 1 John 5:6-8. Some interpreters say“water” could represent Christianbaptism or Christ as living water (see Jn4:1-2, 10-14; 7:38-39), while “blood” couldrefer to Communion ( Jn 6:53-56). Thus,we experience Jesus’ presence through thesacraments of the church.

Questions➤ How do baptism and the Lord’s Supper

shape your understanding of who Jesusis?

➤ How do they shape your life as an indi-vidual Christian?

➤ How do they shape your congregation’slife and witness?

❍ Echoing the Gospel StoryRead 1 John 5:1-12. Have a volunteer readJohn 3:1-16. Invite participants to notesimilarities in vocabulary and themebetween these two passages.

Question➤ How can Jesus’ words to Nicodemus

shed light on the key words and themesin today’s passage?

A Way to Explore Scripture First John expands on many of the ideas found in the Gospel of John. The letterreinterprets for a new generation the significance of who Jesus is and how his

identity shapes the Christian life. For John, true life only comes when we believein the risen Christ as Son of God and live out God’s love in community with one another.

16 Lesson 3

❍ Love Close to HomeThough in other passages Jesuscommands us to love all people—even ourenemies—in this passage the elder seesfaith being most fully expressed in thelove we show specifically for our brothersand sisters in Christ.

Questions➤ How is it easier to love those who are

close to us than those who are moredistant?

➤ How can loving those close to us bedifficult?

➤ How would our life together in thechurch change if we authentically lovedone another as brothers and sisters inChrist?

➤ Where in our community does loveseem to flow freely? Where does it tendto be strained?

❍ Picturing Eternal LifeFor John, eternal life is not about life withexceptional length. Instead, it is a present-tense experience. Eternal life signifies alife of exceptional quality that can onlycome from knowing Jesus as God’s Sonand ourselves as God’s children.

Have participants list words theywould use to paint a picture of what“eternal life” could look like in the hereand now.

Questions➤ How would my life be different if it

more perfectly reflected the “eternallife” made possible through Christ?

➤ What would “eternal life” look like inour congregation?

ResourcesClifton C. Black, “The First, Second, and Third Letters ofJohn,” The New Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 12 (Nashville:Abingdon, 1998).

Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, and Tremper LongmanIII, eds., “John, Letters of,” Dictionary of Biblical Imagery(Downers Grove IL: InterVarsity, 1998).

Stephen S. Smalley, 1, 2, 3 John, Word BiblicalCommentary, vol. 51 (Waco TX: Word, 1984).

For John, the significance of knowing Jesus as God’s Son is not limited to a futurelife in heaven. Rather, it includes the influence our belief has on our lives today.As we understand ourselves to be God’s beloved children, our lives take on the

contours of God’s love. Our love for others is proof that Jesus was who God proclaimed himto be.

A Way to End

Teaching Guide 17

Bible BackgroundThe World of 1 PeterFirst Peter was not written to a

single congregation but to “theexiles of the Dispersion in Pontus,

Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia”(1 Pet 1:1).

The diverse communities 1 Peteraddressed were united by a commonproblem. Having abandoned their paganways to follow Christ, these Christianswere now outcasts because of their newfaith. Claiming the risen Christ as Lordset them apart from their wider culture inways that brought about misunderstand-ing, scorn, and—at times—suffering.

How were these Christians to remainfaithful to a way of life that brought theminto conflict with everyone and every-thing they had known before? Howshould they handle themselves in thiscontext?

First Peter addresses these issues witha pastor’s care. After reminding theChristians of the richness of their newidentity in Christ (1:1–2:10), the lettershifts to the heart of its message. Thewriter spells out in great detail what itmeans to follow Christ in a hostile world.

Exile Examples (2:11-12)This section of 1 Peter begins by address-ing the readers as “aliens and exiles” (v. 11). These two powerful terms carriedmany meanings for those who originally

read this letter. Though these Christianswere likely non-Jews, the writer of 1 Peterassumes his audience has a rich knowl-edge of the Old Testament story. Hequotes Old Testament passages anddiscusses Old Testament concepts.

In particular, the language of “aliensand exiles” brings to mind potent imagesfrom Israel’s history. In the OldTestament, an “alien” (also translated“stranger,” “sojourner,” or “foreigner”) isone who has been uprooted from theland, customs, and loyalties of his or herorigins. Such a person would have tostruggle to find a new identity. Abrahambecame an alien when he followed God’scommand to go to a land that God wouldshow him (Gen 12:1). The entire nation ofIsrael was an alien and stranger in Egypt,a status crucial to the formation ofHebrew identity and ethics (Exod 22:21).Many biblical laws deal with just treat-ment of the aliens in Israel’s midst. Laterin their history, the Jews spent years livingin exile among the Babylonians, wherethey struggled to worship God in a paganculture.

To call the readers “aliens and exiles”reminded them of their estrangementfrom their old ways even though theyremained in their own communities. Theywere a dispersed people, striving to befaithful to God while living among unbe-lievers. By calling themselves Christians,they became aliens in their homelands.

Lesson Teaching Guide

ALIENS AND

EXILES

1 Peter 2:11-174

At the same time, the biblical writerreminds his readers that they areconnected as the people of God. The“people of God” originally referredonly to the nation of Israel, but thatfamily now includes them. They are nowpart of the history of wanderingAbraham, the alien Hebrews in Egypt,and the exiles from Judah. First Peter’swords highlight both their connection toa new community and their alienationfrom their old ones.

As aliens and exiles, these fledglingChristians are distinct from those aroundthem. They are distinct from the prevail-ing culture, but they do not live inisolation. How can they relate to theircommunity? The writer insists that theyavoid unnecessary conflict and continueto relate to their unbelieving neighbors.

The first readers of 1 Peter livedamong friends and family who did notknow Christ. They must be examples notto draw sharper lines between the twogroups but to bring the others intoChristian exile as well!

Faithful living will bring scorn andmisunderstanding from those who rejectChrist. Even so, the writer urges hisreaders twice in one sentence to behave sohonorably that their actions cannot bereproached. Thus, others may be inspiredto join the aliens and exiles who haveforsaken everything for the way of Christ.

Aliens and Authority (2:13-17)As aliens and exiles, how are Christians tointeract with the rulers of their day?Other New Testament texts (such asRevelation) urge Christians to resist thepowers of the empire actively, but in 1Peter the situation does not seem as grim.Believers are not yet being persecuted orto the point that they must overtly chal-lenge the social order. Rather, the writerof 1 Peter encourages his readers to livefaithfully in their context as exiles. Heurges them to display Christlike obedi-ence and patience in their behavior. Theiractions must remain above reproach.

There was no concept of “separation ofchurch and state” in the ancient world.Sacrifice to the gods of one’s city was anexpected part of good citizenship.Christians were often reviled as traitors

I. The Letter of 1 PeterA. Written to many different churches

(1 Pet 1:1)B. Written in a time of moderate perse-

cution and slanderous speechagainst Christians

C. Written to Gentiles1. Seeking to find their identity in

the Judeo-Christian traditionwhile still living in a pagansociety

2. Struggling to navigate thistension

II. Exile Examples (1 Pet 2:11-12)A. The people’s new identity: being

“aliens and exiles” sets them apartfrom their culture and links them tothe history of people of God

B. Conduct yourself honorably: exilesneed to live as examples among theGentiles that they, too, may join thisnew community

III. Aliens and Authority (1 Pet 2:13-17)A. How do Christians conduct them-

selves among pagan rulers?1. Submit to the authority of those

who encourage right behavior2. Honor everyone without excep-

tion, including the emperor3. Freedom and service of God

leaves them free to submit toearthly rulers without fearingthem or giving them undopower

A. How do Christians conduct them-selves within their own community?

1. Love the family of believers2. Fear God

Teaching Guide 19

❍ Greetings, EarthlingsDiscuss the following questions.

Questions➤ Have you ever felt “exiled” in a group

because you were of a different race,gender, political leaning, socioeco-nomic background, age, etc.?

➤ Have you ever left a familiar place andreturned to find that either you or ithad changed so much that it was nolonger familiar?

➤ Has your Christian faith ever made youfeel like an outsider? Explain.

Their faith in Christ made 1 Peter’saudience “aliens and exiles” in their owncommunity. Their new life in Christ setthem apart.

❍ The Cost of DiscipleshipFrom recent news or your own experience,share a story of someone who has beenostracized for their faith (for example,someone who converted from anotherreligion and had to leave disapprovingfamilies behind; someone whose decisionto follow Christ led to lifestyle changesthat separated her from old relationships,etc.).

Questions➤ What did it cost you to become a

Christian?➤ How would turning to Christianity

have been different if it had involvedopposition from your culture or fromthose closest to you?

The Gentile converts in the late firstcentury faced opposition as soon as theymade the choice to follow Christ. They setthemselves in contrast to their communi-ties, leaving them subject to persecutionand alienation by unbelievers.

Resurrection faith led the readers of 1 Peter into a new world. They lived on thesame streets among the same people, but everything had changed. With beliefsand practices now radically different from those of the people around them,

they had become exiles in their own homelands. What can we learn about Christian livingfrom the new identity these believers forged as aliens and exiles?

A Way to Begin

20 Lesson 4

and anarchists because they refused to take part in these pagan rituals. It shouldn’tsurprise us, then, that the writer encourages believers not to give their opponents anymore ammunition to use against them. They must obey the civil authorities to theextent their conscience will allow.

Ironically, confessing Jesus as Lord makes it possible for Christians to honor theRoman emperor appropriately. As servants of God alone (v. 16), they no longer seek theapproval of those in power. By doing what is right in obedience to God’s command, theyalso honor the rulers whose God-given task is to encourage proper behavior and punishwrongdoing. By living within the just rules of the state, Christian exiles relate appropri-ately both to each other and with their unbelieving neighbors. Toward outsiders,Christians will conduct themselves with respect and dignity as they “honor everyone,”including those in high positions. Among themselves, however, the relationship will beof a deeper quality as they “love the family of believers” and “fear God” (v. 17).

❍ Questions for DiscussionRead 1 Peter 2:11-17. Discuss the follow-ing questions.

Questions➤ What sets Christians apart from their

non-Christian neighbors?➤ What seems to be 1 Peter’s attitude

toward non-Christians? How is this likeor unlike the way Christians today viewand act toward nonbelievers?

➤ How should Christians handle them-selves in a hostile culture that may notunderstand their motives?

➤ How can believers be servants of Godand still accept the authority of civilrulers?

➤ Why is it important that Christians notbring further criticism on themselvesfrom neighbors and ruling authorities?

❍ Striking the Right BalanceRead 1 Peter 2:11-17. Discuss examples ofChristian groups like the Amish that liveapart from the culture. How do thesegroups set themselves apart? How has thisdifference shaped their witness to theworld, either positively or negatively?

Next, consider Christians who try tolook as much like the culture as possible.(You may want to discuss “seeker-friendly” churches, tee shirts withChristian slogans that parody secularadvertising, etc.). Why would believersintentionally try to look like the culture?How does this lack of difference shapetheir witness?

Discuss the challenge of living withinone’s culture without being compromisedby that culture’s values. How does thewriter of 1 Peter encourage his readers tolive as aliens both apart from and amongtheir surrounding culture? How can westrike the proper balance today? When isit appropriate to fall in line with ourculture? When must we stand apart?

❍ Christians and AuthorityDistribute copies of theresource page “Christiansand Authority.” Have partic-ipants look for similarities

and differences between 1 Peter 2:13-17and Romans 13:1-7. How do thesepassages take into account the possibilitythat governments can become corruptand ungodly? Are there times whensubmission to authority is inappropriate?

As exiles living among people who did not understand them, first-centuryChristians had to think intentionally about how to live. They were different from

those around them, but they still had to maintain ties to neighbors, family, andthose in power. How could they decide where to draw the line? As believers in an increasinglydiverse society, how does following Christ create tensions for us?

A Way to Explore Scripture

Teaching Guide 21

22 Lesson 4

❍ The Word on the StreetDiscuss the following questions.

Questions➤ If you were to ask your neighbors what

they know or think about our church,what honest responses would you get?

➤ Is our church seen as “different” in apositive or a negative sense? Explain.

➤ Do outsiders misunderstand ourmotives? In what ways? What can we doto correct those misunderstandings?

➤ What advice might 1 Peter’s writer giveus as aliens and exiles?

❍ Honor, Love, FearMake three columns on the board with theheadings “Honor,” “Love,” and “Fear.”First Peter 2:17 encourages believers toconsider their relationships to fourgroups:

➤ everyone (i.e., the general population)➤ the family of believers➤ God➤ the emperor (i.e., civil authorities)

Note which attitude (honor, love, orfear) is commanded toward each of thesegroups. Brainstorm ways we can showappropriate honor, love, and fear to thoseto whom they are due. (It may be helpfulto explore what “fear” of God means inbiblical terms. A Bible dictionary is a goodplace to begin.)

ResourcesDavid L. Bartlett, “The First Letter of Peter,” The NewInterpreter’s Bible, vol. 12 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1998).

Raymond E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament(New York: Doubleday, 1997).

Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, and Tremper Longman III,eds., “Exile,” “Foreigner,” and “Peter, First Letter of,”Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Downers Grove IL:InterVarsity, 1998).

When should Christians stand in contrast to our surrounding culture? Whenshould we stand in solidarity with people of all faiths, backgrounds, and

beliefs? These questions plagued first-century Christians and they still resonatewith believers today. As we consider how to shape our community life to reflect the risenChrist, we determine how the watching world will experience the Christian faith. What is ourwitness to those who need to know of the love and power of the risen Christ?

A Way to End

Bible BackgroundWhat’s the Social Situation?To whom was 1 Peter written?

Its readers are called “aliensand exiles” (1 Pet 2:11), people

shoved to the fringes of society because oftheir new faith. Yet this section of 1 Peterindicates that many of the readers of thisletter were marginalized not only becauseof their religious status but also becauseof their social status.

First Peter 2:18-25 begins the letter’sso-called “household code.” Such codeswere a typical part of ancient letters. Theytold people how to live within theircommunities and family structures.Household codes elsewhere in the NewTestament (Col 3:18–4:1; Eph 5:21–6:9;Titus 2:1-10) address relationshipsbetween wives and husbands, slaves andmasters, and subjects and rulers. FirstPeter’s code differs from these examples,however, because it only addresses oneside of these social pairings—namely,those who lack power in relationships.First Peter speaks to subjects but notrulers (2:13-17), servants but not masters(in this section), and says much to wivesbut little to husbands (3:1-7). This empha-sis on the powerless suggests that manyreaders of this letter were believers of lowsocial status.

How were these marginalized believ-ers to live out their new freedom in Christwithin a society where they had little

power? Today’s passage provides a modelfor slaves and household servants.

What to Do, What to Do? (2:18-20)When the writer of 1 Peter previously gaveadvice to those living under the rule ofthe empire, he assumed that their rulerswere just. He expected these rulers wouldcarry out their God-ordained responsibil-ity to “punish those who do wrongand…praise those who do right” (2:16).One cannot assume, however, that slavemasters follow the same righteous ethic.The writer understood that some slaveowners are notably “harsh” (2:18).

The writer says Christians distinguishthemselves by their response not merelyto those who treat them well but also tothose who abuse them. The letter’s adviceechoes Jesus’ teaching that his followersmust be set apart by their higher rela-tional standard:

It was said, “You shall love yourneighbor and hate your enemy.” ButIsay to you, Love your enemies andpray for those who persecute you, sothat you may be children of yourFather in heaven…. For if you lovethose who love you, what reward doyou have? Do not even the tax collec-tors do the same? And if you greetonly your brothers and sisters, whatmore are you doing than others? Donot even the Gentiles do the same?(Mt 5:43-47)

5Lesson Teaching Guide

SUFFERING FOR

RIGHTEOUSNESS

1 Peter 18-25

How can Christians live up to thisstandard of loving our enemies? Itbegins with “being aware of God”(2:19)—a phrase that could also meanhonoring one’s conscience. Verse 19points ahead to 1 Peter 3, in which thewriter exhorts his readers to “keep yourconscience clear, so that, when you aremaligned, those who abuse you for yourgood conduct in Christ may be put toshame” (3:16).

The strength of the believers’ witnessto their watching neighbors lies in theirability to stay above human abuse. Theyuse their freedom in Christ not to repayevil for evil, as might be expected, but toanswer evil with good. They refuse to givein to their lower natures because theyknow their lives are in the hands of God,the ultimate Judge. They trust that, in duetime, God will set things right. Therefore,they can afford to be patient in thispresent day.

Yet these verses also speak of God’srole in the process. The word translated“approval” in verses 19-20 is the sameword typically translated “grace.” It refersto God’s power at work in people beyondtheir own ability to act. To do rightrequires intentional effort on the part ofthose who are suffering. At the same time,they can also count on the gift of God’sgrace to sustain and strengthen them intimes of oppression.

What Christ Did (2:21-25)When they must suffer for doing good,Christians can look to the example ofChrist. The writer of 1 Peter turns hisattention to this example in verses 21-25.He encourages suffering servants toremember what Jesus did. Jesus sufferednot because he had no choice but becauseit was part of his calling to love ratherthan to violence.

Christ’s calling is our calling as well.Our suffering is not meaningless. On thecontrary, it finds meaning in the largerstory of our Christian vocation. Christlived out this calling before us, allowingus to follow in his steps (v. 21). The word

used here for “example” literally means apattern or template that a child couldtrace to learn how to write. This is howclosely the Christian is called to followChrist’s example. Our lives are to tracethe path Christ walked before us.

The Christians of first-century AsiaMinor could find kinship with a Christwho was also a servant abused by others.First Peter uses Isaiah 53 in describing

I. The Social Situation of 1 Peter’s AudienceA. A Household Code (see Col

3:18–4:1; Eph 5:21–6:9; Titus 2:1-10)

B. First Peter’s code addresses onlyslaves, women, and subjects—thosenot in power!

II. What to Do, What to Do? (vv. 18-20)A. Masters are not always just, but this

is not a loophole permittingChristians to be unfaithful (v. 18).

B. Slaves are to remain blameless evenwhen treated unfairly. How?

1. Stay “aware of God” (clearconscience) (v. 19).

2. Have “God’s approval” (grace)as you endure (v. 20).

III. Christ’s ExampleA. It is not merely conscience and grace

but also Christ’s life that gives suffer-ing slaves the strength they need.

B. Suffering is not meaningless. It ispart of the Christian calling (v. 21).

C. We follow in Christ’s footsteps (v. 21).

1. He suffered as a servant, too (vv. 22-23).

2. He has walked this road beforeus so we can walk with the samefreedom of trust in God (v. 24).

3. Even in vulnerability andviolence, the Christian is secure,counting on what Christ hasalready done (vv. 24-25).

24 Lesson 5

❍ Suffering in SocietyBring recent newspapers to class. Haveparticipants find articles that speak ofsuffering or oppression, either globally orlocally. Ask the following questions.

Questions➤ In these stories, what are the sources of

oppression or suffering?➤ How do those subject to hardship

respond to those who cause theirsuffering?

In the first century, slaves weresubjected to harsh treatment. As slavesbecame Christians, how could they under-stand their suffering in the context oftheir new faith?

❍ Responding to PersecutionHave the class read Martin Luther KingJr.’s 1957 essay, “The Power of Non-Violence” (see the link in the Resourcessection).

Questions➤ What does King say makes nonviolence

possible?➤ What makes this response to violence

and oppression necessary?➤ What does King hope the outcome of

such nonviolent responses to sufferingwill be?

Just as King tried to provide both atheological and practical rationale fornonviolence, so the writer of 1 Petersought to shape the behavior and think-ing of slaves suffering under unjustmasters. The biblical writer wanted thosewho were suffering to respond in waysgrounded in the example of Christ ratherthan in ways that could lead to blame andadditional abuse.

Living distinctively as Christians is hard enough among those we love and trust.How can we possibly love our neighbors as ourselves when they oppress,mistreat, and control us in ways we feel powerless to change? This was the

challenge the readers of 1 Peter faced. How do we respond to suffering and abuse? Who arethe oppressed and enslaved among us today who must learn how to live faithfully?

A Way to Begin

Teaching Guide 25

Christ as one who “was oppressed, and…afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth” (Isa53:7). In the New Testament, this prophetic passage is viewed as foreshadowing Christ.In fact, the whole section of 2:22-25 could be seen as an interpretation of the message ofIsaiah 53 in light of Jesus and of his followers who are now called to follow in his foot-steps.

As in the previous section, the readers are reminded of their freedom (2:16, 24) evenas they are mired in powerless social situations. Christian freedom is modeled after thefreedom Christ showed on earth. It is the freedom to trust God wholly with one’s lifeand act faithfully even when others act with cruelty and violence. Christ did not need todefend his reputation. Rather, he trusted God to acknowledge his faithfulness. SinceGod has already raised Jesus from the dead, Christians can be assured of our ownhealing (2:24) and security (2:25) even as we are wounded by and vulnerable to thosewho hold power over us.

26 Lesson 5

❍ Caution: Interpret with CareThis passage from 1 Peter could soundlike the bad advice often given to peoplein abusive relationships, telling them tobe submissive and accept the abuse. Insuch situations, people believe they sufferbecause they are worthless and theydeserve it. This is obviously not themessage the writer wishes to convey topeople who are “a chosen race and a royalpriesthood” (2:9)!

Questions➤ How could this passage offer a sense of

worth to those who feel beaten downby life?

➤ How could this passage guide thebehavior of someone in a dangerouslyoppressive situation?

➤ Is there room for an active response? Ifso, what kind?

➤ How can this passage shape theresponse of those who advocate forpeople who suffer oppression?

❍ Suffering ServantsDistribute copies of theresource page “SufferingServants.” Have participantscompare and contrast the

language of Isaiah 53 with that of 1 Peter 2:21-25.

Questions➤ What images are common to both

passages?➤ How does 1 Peter reinterpret Old

Testament ideas and images for hisaudience in light of what Christ hasdone?

➤ How does the writer connect the suffer-ing of slaves to the suffering of Christ?

➤ Read Mark 14:55-61; 15:3-5 (on theresource page). How does Mark’slanguage echo 1 Peter’s advice aboutfacing persecution for righteousness?

❍ Slaves or Enslavers?This passage was addressed to the power-less. Today, however, many Christianshold positions of power. We have oppor-tunities to challenge oppression that wererare in the first century.

Discuss what the writer might havewritten to those in power. Think of theother side of the traditional Greco-Romanhousehold code: husbands, masters, andrulers. In small groups, have participantswrite three or four verses of response.Share each group’s work with the wholeclass.

The writer of 1 Peter helped society’s most powerless to reinterpret their situa-tion in light of Christ. The letter locates the people’s suffering within the larger

story of what God did in Jesus. Suffering is inevitable if one lives by godly stan-dards. How can Christians connect to Christ in their suffering? How can we be strengthenedto face the persecution that comes from faithful living?

A Way to Explore Scripture

Teaching Guide 27

❍ Modern-day SlavesAlthough it still exists in many parts ofthe world, slavery has long been outlawedin America. And yet, informal types ofslavery still endure. People are stillsubject to the whims of others who disre-gard their human rights and dignity.

Brainstorm examples of “slaves” incontemporary society. Who lacks powerin our social structures?

Challenge participants to considerhow they are “enslaved” in their own lives.In what areas do they feel powerless tochallenge the status quo?

Questions➤ How can Christians draw on the

example of Christ in our suffering?➤ How can we follow Christ in

confronting attitudes and practicesthat devalue others?

➤ How can we hold ourselves accountablewhen tempted to oppress others?

❍ Songs of the SufferingArrange to play a recording of either“Wings of the Morning” by Caedmon’sCall or the gospel hymn “Lift Every Voiceand Sing.” If a recording is unavailable,provide copies of the lyrics.

Questions➤ How do these pieces of music spur

Christians to hope in the midst ofsuffering?

➤ What is the source of this hope?➤ How could these songs encourage us to

persevere for what is right in a societyfilled with systemic wrongs?

ResourcesDavid L. Bartlett, “The First Letter of Peter,” The NewInterpreter’s Bible: Hebrews–Revelation (Volume XII)(Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998).

Martin Luther King Jr., “The Power of Nonviolence,”<http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=1131>.

David L. Tiede, ”An Easter Catechesis: The Lessons of 1Peter,” Word & World 4/2 (1984): 192–201.

Suffering is unavoidable in a world broken by sin. In such a world, we must bewilling to suffer for doing good. At the same time, as residents of a sinful world,we also have the potential to oppress. How can we better follow Christ’s

example of suffering for the sake of righteousness?

A Way to End

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WHAT HAS FORMED YOU?

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EVERYTHING LOOKS DIFFERENT

Read John 20:11-18; Luke 24:13-35; Luke 24:36-43. In each of these stories, someof Jesus’ closest friends fail to recognize him after the resurrection. Now that hehas been raised, something is different about him. What do you imagine wasdifferent about Jesus after he was raised?

What is different about you because you have been raised with Christ? Whatwould you hope is different about you?

How do you need to be transformedthis Easter to show that you are notthe same now that you have beenraised with Christ and “Christ is yourlife”? Write a prayer in which youname the transformation you needfrom God.

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I AM SURE

Benjamin Franklin once reportedly quipped, “In this world nothing can be saidto be certain, except death and taxes.” Is this true, or are there other things ofwhich you believe you can be certain?

1. Complete the following sentence. List as many examples as you can.

“I am sure of _______________.”

2. Complete the following sentence.

“I wish I were sure of ___________________.”

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CHRISTIANS AND AUTHORITY

Romans 13:1-71 Let every person be subject to thegoverning authorities; for there is noauthority except from God, and thoseauthorities that exist have been insti-tuted by God. 2 Therefore whoeverresists authority resists what God hasappointed, and those who resist willincur judgment. 3 For rulers are nota terror to good conduct, but to bad.Do you wish to have no fear of theauthority? Then do what is good, andyou will receive its approval; 4 for itis God’s servant for your good. But ifyou do what is wrong, you should beafraid, for the authority does not bearthe sword in vain! It is the servant ofGod to execute wrath on the wrong-doer. 5 Therefore one must be sub-ject, not only because of wrath butalso because of conscience. 6 For thesame reason you also pay taxes, forthe authorities are God’s servants,busy with this very thing. 7 Pay to allwhat is due to them—taxes to whomtaxes are due, revenue to whom rev-enue is due, respect to whom respectis due, honor to whom honor is due.

1 Peter 2:13-1713 For the Lord’s sake accept theauthority of every human institution,whether of the emperor as supreme,14 or of governors, as sent by him topunish those who do wrong and topraise those who do right. 15 For itis God’s will that by doing right youshould silence the ignorance of thefoolish. 16 As servants of God, live asfree people, yet do not use your free-dom as a pretext for evil. 17 Honoreveryone. Love the family of believers.Fear God. Honor the emperor.

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SUFFERING SERVANTS

Isaiah 53:3-7, 10-113 He was despised and rejectedby others; a man of suffering andacquainted with infirmity; andas one from whom others hidetheir faces he was despised, andwe held him of no account. 4 Surely he has borne our infir-mities and carried our diseases;yet we accounted him stricken,struck down by God, and afflict-ed. 5 But he was wounded forour transgressions, crushed forour iniquities; upon him was thepunishment that made us whole,and by his bruises we are healed.6 All we like sheep have goneastray; we have all turned to ourown way, and the Lord has laidon him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he wasafflicted, yet he did not open hismouth; like a lamb that is led tothe slaughter, and like a sheepthat before its shearers is silent,so he did not open his mouth….10 Yet it was the will of theLORD to crush him with pain.When you make his life an offer-ing for sin, he shall see his off-spring, and shall prolong hisdays; through him the will of theLORD shall prosper. 11 Out ofhis anguish he shall see light; heshall find satisfaction throughhis knowledge. The righteousone, my servant, shall makemany righteous, and he shallbear their iniquities.

1 Peter 2:21-2521 For to this you have beencalled, because Christ also suf-fered for you, leaving you anexample, so that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He com-mitted no sin, and no deceit wasfound in his mouth.” 23 Whenhe was abused, he did not returnabuse; when he suffered, he didnot threaten; but he entrustedhimself to the one who judgesjustly. 24 He himself bore oursins in his body on the cross, sothat, free from sins, we mightlive for righteousness; by hiswounds you have been healed.25 For you were going astraylike sheep, but now you havereturned to the shepherd andguardian of your souls.

Mark 14:55-61; 15:3-555 Now the chief priests and thewhole council were looking fortestimony against Jesus to puthim to death; but they foundnone. 56 For many gave falsetestimony against him, and their testimony did not agree.57 Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, say-ing, 58 “We heard him say, ‘Iwill destroy this temple that ismade with hands, and in threedays I will build another, notmade with hands.’” 59 But evenon this point their testimony didnot agree. 60 Then the highpriest stood up before them andasked Jesus, “Have you noanswer? What is it that they tes-tify against you?” 61 But he wassilent and did not answer…. 15:3 Then the chief priestsaccused him of many things. 4 Pilate asked him again, “Haveyou no answer? See how manycharges they bring against you.”5 But Jesus made no furtherreply, so that Pilate was amazed.