1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

MEMORY VERSE: Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. —1 Peter 3:7

CENTRAL THOUGHT: Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, set an example for us to follow in being meek, loving, merciful, patient, and humble; and by allowing Himself to suffer the awful death on the cross. This attitude of kindness and mercy to others must be applied in marriage and family relationships, as well as in all our relationships with humanity.

WORD DEFINITIONS

1 Peter 2:21, “hereunto were ye called”: Counseled to be patient in suffering as Christ did.

Ver. 22, “guile”: Deceit or trickery.

Ver. 23, “reviled”: Accused of evil. “threatened not”: Did not promise to do evil.

Ver. 24, “tree”: The cross of Calvary. “stripes”: Wounds and bruises.

Ver. 25, “Bishop”: Overseer.

3:2 “chaste conversation”: Holy conduct and behavior.

Ver. 3, “adorning”: Beauty of decoration or arrangement. “plaiting”: Elaborate braiding of the hair. “apparel”: Fine clothing.

Ver. 4, “hidden man of the heart”: The inward spirit or the seat of one’s affections. “not corruptible”: Not fleshly or physical. “meek”: Mild, humble, and gentle.

Ver. 6, “lord”: One higher in authority and power. Genesis 18:12 speaks of Sarah calling her husband Abraham “lord”. “amazement”: Alarm, terror, dismay.

Ver. 7, “according to knowledge”: In or with understanding. “honor”: Rightful esteem.

Ver. 8 “courteous”: Kind and friendly.

Ver. 9, “railing”: Slander or evil accusation. “contrariwise”: Instead. “blessing”: Words of kindness.

LESSON BACKGROUND

Our lesson today contains some more vital and important counsels for us as Christians and saints of the most High God to diligently follow with regard to our relations with our brothers and sisters in Christ and our fellow creatures of earth. Our Lord Jesus set the perfect example of proper and holy relations to others. When we read of the terrible way our Lord was treated by the Jewish leaders and men of His day, we are moved with admiration of our Saviour’s meek and lowly attitude and spirit. They reviled Him, but He did not threaten them in return. Jesus committed himself to His Father, the Almighty God and Creator of the Universe, and retained a loving and merciful attitude and spirit toward all of His accusers. Because of this wondrous example on the part of our great Redeemer, we are called and counseled to have the same spirit and loving kindness toward all of our kindred and associates of earth. If our Lord Jesus had not possessed this meek and lowly attitude toward his accusers, we would not have the confidence afforded by Him of our everlasting salvation and hope.

This loving attitude of mercy and kindness is applied in our lesson to our relationship with our families and close kin. Wives are to be in subjection to their own husbands, maintaining love and warm affection even to the troublesome and problem-makers. Manifesting this loving and humble spirit will help stir the troubling ones to awareness of better attitudes. Notice especially in this lesson the counsel to women to have and maintain inward adorning of the mind and spirit rather than the vain outward adorning, fancy hairstyles and fashionable clothes that are paramount in the world. Husbands must show love and honor to their wives and treat them in a godly manner. This can help the home to be a peaceful and happy place where prayers are effectual and unhindered, a place with wonderful blessings for all to enjoy!

—Bro. Leslie Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. What kind of example did Christ leave for us to follow?

2. How did He react to the horrible way He was treated?

3. How should we live and treat others who persecute us?

4. Why should wives seek to be in subjection to their husbands?

5. What kind of adorning and apparel should a woman wear?

6. How should husbands treat their wives?

7. How can we hope and expect to inherit the blessings of God?

COMMENTS AND APPLICATION

Jesus Christ, our precious Saviour and Lord, came down from eternity to take upon Him human flesh with all of its temptations, sorrows, suffering, and death. He manifested the great Almighty power of His Heavenly Father before us. He had power to heal all kinds of sick and afflicted people. He had power to walk on the water of the sea and still the raging storms that blew there. He healed those possessed with devils and unclean spirits. Along with all of this, He manifested a kind, gracious and merciful spirit to humanity and held high the counsels and doctrines of truth, godliness, humility, love, mercy, forgiveness and every other spirit of goodness that people needed to behold.

After so many days of the healing of the sick and manifestation of the power of God, Jesus became subject to the darkened minds and hearts of the professed people of God in that He allowed them to put Him through a mock trial and condemn Him to the horrible death of the cross. He rebuked Peter for trying to defend him, for He could have called for multitudes of angels to come to His defense; instead, He chose to obey His Father and fulfill the prophecies that had been written before of Him by godly men of old. His was an example for all of us to follow. We must be humble, meek, loving, forgiving, and merciful to others as He was. No matter how mean and cruel people can be against us, we are to maintain the loving and forgiving attitude that Jesus fully possessed and showed.

We are then given wise and holy counsel concerning the relationship between husbands and wives. We live in a world and society that is destitute of the true happiness and blessing God designed for the home life. The many divorces, broken homes and disappointed lives reveal the vanity and pride that rule the hearts and lives of so many people. Oh, may God help us all to bear in mind all the guidance and counsel of the Holy Spirit, that we may attain to His precious life!

—Bro. Leslie Busbee

REFLECTIONS

ORDER: God is a God of order and intentional design. He is not a God of chaos or random thought.

Counting to ten – 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 – is something we learn early on. One can walk into a math classroom feeling happy, sad, disgruntled, or confused, but the order of numbers (and order of operations) do not change based on one’s feelings or opinions of them!

Likewise, the order, balance, beauty, and harmony of God’s creation does not change. If the moon forgot its place and randomly decided to rise one morning and be our “main light” of the day instead of the sun, it would be so abnormal as to be terrifying. Why? Because God said the “greater light” was to rule the day and the “lesser light” was to rule the night; that was the order he gave to the lights of the heavens. When God looked at all of His creation and the order of it, He said, “It is good.”

If we will follow the Biblical template and God-ordained order governing our relationships, it will yield forth rich dividends in our lives and likewise be “good”! Jesus was our prime example. Under the most extreme pressure, He suffered, He didn’t talk back, He wasn’t deceitful, and He bore His burden. He unselfishly loved us. He committed Himself to His Father, a righteous judge. We each one have variables in our lives and in our relationships. While we cannot control the actions of others, our best hope for a good relationship in our marriages and with our fellow man is to stay within the confines of God’s order and the example He set for us without regard for personal or societal opinion. In marriage, this is God’s order: “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” In our other relationships, we are to all be of one unselfish mind one toward another. HIS order is the right order; as we willingly subject ourselves to it, God can behold our obedience and say, “It is good.”

–Sis. Julie Elwell