b. The community’s external relations with a hostile world (3:9-4:6)

Peter’s concern is that his readers respond appropriately to the hostility directed against them. Remarkably, in 3:9-4:6 we find Peter urging the same good conduct for the whole community as he did for servants and wives. Clearly the latter become examples to the former of appropriate response to suffering.

Christians are to face abuse as agents of peace. They must not repay evil with evil, but with blessing. They must because God calls them to such a response. Besides, their own ultimate blessing depends on this response (3:9). Peter explains why this is so by citing Scripture (3:10-12 quotes Ps 34:12-16).

The psalmist indicated that God’s people must avoid all evil and do good because “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer” (3:12a). At the same time, the “Lord is against those who do evil” (3:12b). Accordingly, Christians who act as God’s people must not retaliate but do good (as Christ did) because God promises blessing upon those who do good in the face of evil. For this reason, no one can really harm the Christian who takes the call to do good seriously (3:17). In light of God’s promise, Christians know they ultimately will be kept safe.

Christians may, however, still suffer for righteousness. But that fact does not cancel out God’s promise of blessing (3:14). Rather, when they suffer for doing good they must respond as agents of God’s blessing (recall 3:9). Peter outlines three such responses (3:14b-16). First, they must not be intimidated by the threats of their adversaries. Second, they must recognize that Christ is the Master of the situation. Third, they must be prepared to share the reason for their hope (for their Christian lives) to anyone who asks. Peter assures them that by explaining their hope appropriately they will vindicate themselves in the face of their accusers (3:16). Each of these responses finds its roots in a principle that was illustrated and vindicated by Jesus Christ. The principle is this: If it comes to a choice between suffering for doing good or not suffering by doing evil it is always better (and pleasing to God) to suffer (3:17).

Peter argues that Christians who fight back will lose; if they do good, as Jesus did, God will bless them and make them victorious. This argument, however, is much more than mere assertion. As earlier, Peter recounts the sufferings of Jesus as the basis for a Christian response to suffering. In 3:18-22 we learn that Jesus' victory guarantees victory for all his followers.

This passage, one of the most difficult in the Bible, recounts a series of events in Christ’s redemptive ministry: death, resurrection, proclamation to imprisoned spirits, exaltation, and lordship over all powers. This ministry, Peter insists, assures victory for Christians who suffer as Christ did. The fundamental statement comes first: Christ’s suffering is wholly sufficient to bring suffering Christians safely to God. That fact is certain because Christ’s suffering signaled two victories of crucial significance for Christians who suffer. The first victory is over sin and death, its chief consequence. Christians who suffer as Christ did have victory over sin (see 4:1), which indicates that even physical death cannot harm them ultimately. Therefore, they need not fear even in the presence of mortal danger; the tyranny of death has ended.

The second victory signaled by Christ’s suffering is victory over the demonic spirits that inspire the evil adversaries of suffering Christians. This victory is the theme of 3:19-21. In the first century, Jews and Christians liked to speculate on obscure portions of Scripture and little-known biblical characters. One such passage was the story of the “sons of God” who married “the daughters of men” (see Ge 6:1-3), and one such character was Enoch (see Ge 5:21-24). It was widely believed that the disobedient spirits of Ge 6 had led to the corruption of the world and eventually to the Flood. According to this belief, God punished these spirits who continue to inspire evil on earth by imprisoning them until Judgment Day (see 2Pe 2:4-5; Jude 6). It was also widely believed that Enoch was a prophet of God who had been sent to these disobedient spirits to announce their condemnation. Peter draws on these widely held beliefs in order to say that Christ did, in fact, what had been ascribed to Enoch.

Christ’s death and resurrection signal an absolute victory over these disobedient spirits and all the hostility they inspire against God’s people. As it was in the time of Noah, so it is for Peter’s readers. Just as God saved a few persons through flood waters despite the activity of demonic spirits, so now their new life signaled by baptismal waters also signals the final salvation of Peter’s readers, despite the activity of those same spirits. Christ’s death assures absolute victory over all evil spirits for Christians who suffer as Christ did. By virtue of Christ’s victories over sin, death, and the demonic, Christians may follow his example and be confident of future victory.

Since Christ’s suffering has proved to be the way to absolute victory, Christians must align themselves fully with that way. Peter exhorts: Adopt the same attitude that Christ displayed in his suffering (v.1a). In so doing, he implies, they will find that suffering confirms their decisive break with a life of sin and their distinctive Christian behavior. Because of their good behavior, their former companions may respond with surprise and slanderous abuse (4:2-4). Despite their abuse, however, the slanderous detractors will not have the final word. God will judge them (1:17) and will vindicate his people (4:5). Such assurance extends even to Christians who have died. The Gospel was proclaimed to them so that even if they were condemned by others in their earthly lives, they will be vindicated by God and someday, like Christ (3:18), be made alive in the Spirit (4:6). Therefore, Christians who remain faithful in their sufferings have assurance of final victory.