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"If, when you are beaten for your faults"

Text: 1 Peter 2:20

THE BEATING OF SLAVES

Slaves have no rights in the first century. They could not lodge a complaint at a magistrate’s court even if they were severely beaten. That was the sad plight and reality of slavery.

“For what credit is it if,
when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently?
But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently,
this is commendable before God.”
1 Peter 2:20

1. “For what credit is it”

a) The word “credit” means “praise”.

b) It may even be “glory”.

2. “You are beaten for your faults”

a) The word “beaten” means “mistreated”.

b) The word “faults” may also mean “sin” or “wrongdoing”.

c) If a slave is guilty of wrongdoing:

i) He steals.

ii) He beats up weaker people.

d) He may be beaten (punished).

3. “You take it patiently”

a) The slave bears with his punishment.

b) He accepts it willingly and patiently.

c) But wherein is the “credit” or “praise?”

d) There is none.

4. “But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently”

a) This is true “mistreatment” (translated “beaten”).

b) The slave is not guilty of wrongdoing (“sin”).

c) He is mistreated by a cruel master.

b) The slave bears with his affliction patiently.

5. “This is commendable before God”

a) The word “commendable” appears again (1 Peter 2:19).

b) The word “charis” has a number of applications besides the usual “grace”.

c) The person who bears mistreatment well is to be commended before God.