1 Peter 4:12-19
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1 Peter 4:12-19 Suffering of Christ
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Summary of passage
(Only a paragraph or two)
Text and Translation
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Original Context & Exegesis
A. Passage Boundaries (why are these verses grouped together in this chapter or pericope?)
B. Exegesis of passage as a whole (or verse-by-verse, if helpful).
4:12-14 These verses should forever silence those who teach that nothing bad will ever happen to you again once you accept Christ. To the contrary, you will face difficult trials and be joined with Christ in suffering so that you can be more like Him. It is a blessing to be reproached for the name of Christ (v.14) and we are to rejoice in it (v.13)
4:17 All will suffer judgment: the believer now suffers the chastening, purifying judgments that are put in his life by a holy God who is determined to make him holy as well, and the unbeliever will suffer much greater judgment in the world to come. The point is this: if we suffer this much as children of God, the suffering to come for unbelievers will be beyond comprehension.
4:18 "if the righteous is scarcely saved" Although the end of our journey is secure through faith, it often appears as though we won't make it through the trials that we face-- as Hank Williams sang, "I'll never get out of this world alive." The ungodly (ignoring God) and the sinner (actively promoting sin -- definitely different words) have no hope and will only face judgment.
4:19 Conclusion: anyone who is suffering by the will of God (not their own doing) should just keep on doing what's right and trust in the eventual guaranteed outcome, even though there is no guarantee of outcome in this world. Our only guarantees rest in His nature: He is sovereign, holy, just, will not leave us, will not allow more than we can bear, cannot lie, etc.
C. Literary Features--What genre is it? What literary devices (e.g, metaphor) does it use?
D. Connections to the rest of book—what purpose does this pericope serve in the bigger picture of the book?
E. Connections to the rest of Scripture--How is it referenced or alluded to elsewhere?
Jesus Christ: The Redemptive-Historical Context
A. Where is Christ and the Gospel present in this passage?
B. How does this passage point to Christ or depend on Christ? How does Christ fulfill this passage? How was it fulfilled already? How will it be fulfilled?
C. What does this passage tell us about God’s plan of redemption in Christ?
Current Context
A. What does this tell us about ourselves, our world, and the human condition?
B. What are some modern parallels to the original situation?
C. What is the call/command/invitation of this passage?
D. How does Christ & the Gospel in this passage enable us to see, think, and live differently?
Links/References/Bibliography
A. Representative sermons on the passage
B. Examples and Illustrations
C. Commentaries on this book
D. Articles on this book or passage
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