Re:Verse passage – 1 Peter 3:18-22 (day five) One of the concerns of studying the scriptures passage by passage is to study them separately from previous passages. We tend to lose context as well as the writer’s train of thought. The first word in our text this week helps us to think and look back at Peter’s previous point and theme for his letter to the believers in Asia Minor- suffering and persecution. In particular this text is connected (the word “for” indicates a reason or grounds for what will follow) to Peter’s thoughts on righteous suffering. Our text is seemingly an answer to a previous statement that produced an implied question, “Why is it better to suffer for doing good, than for doing evil?”
The summarized answer from this week’s text- Because Jesus has previously walked the path of righteous suffering which was God’s path and plan for His vindication and glory. Peter points to Jesus’ example to give believers great hope (in the midst of suffering) for our rescue and resurrection- pictured in baptism.
