Bible in One Year Day 353 (1 Peter 3-5, 1 Thessalonians 1-3, Proverbs 30:15-16)

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Day 353: Sharing the Gospel 

Agape Bible Study 1 Peter 3 - 5

Chapter 3

1 Peter 3:1-7 ~ Advice to Christian Wives and Husbands

The Greek word hupotasso in verse 1 means: "to be subordinate, to obey or under obedience (obedient), to submit oneself." Peter's advice is for the newly baptized women who are in "mixed marriages" to either Gentile pagans or Jews who have not converted to the New Covenant in Christ Jesus. Theirs was a difficult burden to carry in being faithful to the Lord Jesus and obedient and considerate of husbands who were not always considerate to them concerning their commitment to their faith.

Question: What three marital virtues does St. Peter mention that were typical for virtuous women of his time? See verses 1-2.
Answer: The virtues of obedience, reverence (treating their husbands with respect), and chastity.

Question: St. Peter gives the practice of these virtues for Christian women what new motivation?
Answer: Christian women are to practice these virtues so that they may be instrumental in the conversion of their pagan or Jewish husbands to Christianity.

1 Peter 3:8-12 ~ Christian conduct

Christians who are "living stones" (2:5) of the Church who form one Body in Christ should also be of one mind.
Question: What four positive attributes does Peter name that should identify Christians who are of one mind with Christ and their brethren?
Answer: They should be sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble.

1 Peter 3:13-17 ~ Christian suffering and Life in the Spirit

St. Peter's exposition in verses 13-22 focuses on these reasons for which Christians should rejoice:

1. By his suffering and death, Christ, the righteous Son of God, saved the unrighteous (verse 18).
2. By His resurrection Jesus received new life in the Spirit which He communicates to all who believe in Him through the Sacrament of Baptism, cleansing them from all sin (verses 18, 21).
3. Just as Noah and his family were saved through water, so too are Christians saved through baptismal waters that have cleared their consciousness of the power of sin over their lives (verses 19-22).
4. Therefore, Christians do not need to share the fear of sinners or be put to shame by the actions of sinners but should rejoice in suffering because of their hope in Christ who has ascended to the right hand of God with power over all heaven and earth (verses 13-14, 21-22).

The redemptive power of suffering has always been a teaching of the Church. St. Paul wrote: I rejoice in my sufferings. In my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's sufferings (Col 1:24). We unite our sufferings to the suffering of Jesus as a pleasing sacrifice to God. This is another way we become co-workers with Christ in the salvation of souls, as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:9 and as the Catechism teaches: "... Though often unconscious collaborators with God's will, they can also enter deliberately into the divine plan by their actions, their prayers, and their sufferings. Then they fully become God's fellow workers' and co-workers for his kingdom" (CCC 307; also see 618 and 1508).

Chapter 4

1 Peter 4:1-6 ~ Christian Restraint

St. Peter began speaking about suffering in 1:6 and 2:21 and now he returns to the subject of suffering from a human and divine perspective.

Suffering Viewed from a Human and Divine Perspective in 1 Peter

Human Perspective	Divine Perspective
Suffering in the flesh (1 Pt 4:1)	Give up harmful desires of the flesh (1 Pt 4:2)
Suffering persecution for the faith (1 Pt 4:12-15)	Rejoice to share in Christ's sufferings (1 Pt 4:13-14)
Suffering for the sake of God's will (1 Pt 4:19a)	Such suffering increases spiritual growth (1 Pt 4:19b)
Suffering from a Satanic attack (1 Pt 5:8)	Resist and Christ will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you (1 Pt 5:10)

Question: What promise does Peter make to unite one's physical suffering to the sufferings of Christ? 
Answer: The willingness of a Christian to unite his/her physical suffering to the suffering of Christ equips the Christian with the power to conquer the sinful desires of the flesh.

1 Peter 4:7-11 ~ The revelation of Christ is close so persevere in Christian charity

Many Christians at this time, including Peter, felt that the increased persecution that Christians were facing signaled that the time of Christ's Second Advent was near.  

Question: How does Peter advise the newly baptized Christians of these provinces to prepare for Christ's return in verses 7-11?

Answer: He advises them to be prepared for Christ's return:

• By being serious about the condition of their souls
By being immersed in prayer
• By being obedient to Christ's command to love one another
• By being hospitable without complaint 
• By using the gifts God has given them to serve one another 

Peter concludes with a doxology declaring God's eternal dominion in verse 11; it is a doxology he will repeat at the conclusion of his letter in 5:11prior to his farewell.

1 Peter 4:12-19 ~ Advice to the Persecuted

St. Peter returns to the main theme of this part of his letter which is the trials Christians suffer unjustly because of their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior (see 1:6-7; 2:18-25; 3:13-17). He encourages the faithful who, through the Sacrament of Baptism, have died to sin through the sufferings of Christ (2 Cor 1:5, 7; Phil 3:10) that they might also be assured a share in His glory (1 Pt 1:11; 5:1; Rom 8:17; 2 Cor 4:17; Phil 3:11), therefore, they should not be ashamed by their suffering but should be happy in anticipation of the glory they give to God. 

Chapter 5: St. Peter's Advice to the Local Church Shepherds and the Community

1 Peter 5:1-4 ~ Advice to the Presbyters

Now St. Peter turns to the presbyters or elders who are the shepherds of the local churches in each of the Roman provinces. They are the officially appointed leaders and teachers of the Christian communities. Later this title came to be translated as "priest." He appeals to them as a fellow presbyter/priest. They have been anointed as shepherds to "tend the flock of God." Presbyter is a Greek word that identified a member of a group of priests who advised the bishop. Their rank was above that of deacons but inferior to bishops (see 1 Tim 5:17-18; Titus 1:5-8; Jam 5:14). Together they formed the presbytery, which under a bishop was the governing body of a community. A presbyter was commissioned by a bishop to teach, celebrate Mass, and baptize.
Question: How does Peter tell New Covenant shepherds to lead God's flock and why?
Answer: 

1. They must lead the sheep not by force or for profit but with eager willingness in service to God. 
2. They must not be overbearing but must serve as good examples. 
3. If they behave rightly in their obligations, they will be rewarded by the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, when He returns.

Concerning Peter's warning for priests not to be domineering to the community, Jesus preached on this same human failing in Matthew 20:25-28and gave them the example of humility of service when He washed the Apostles feet at the Last Supper (Jn 13:4-5, 12-17).

1 Peter 5:5-11 ~ Advice to the Community

Next Peter turns his attention to the members of the community, especially the "younger members" in Christ who are the newly baptized. In his closing exhortation, St. Peter assures the newly baptized Christians and others listening to his letter that God's relationship with the Christian is very personal and available for He is always ready to respond to the needs of His children.

Question: What is Peter's advice to them and what reward does he promise for good behavior in verses 5-7?
Answer:

1. They must obey their presbyters.
2. They must act with humility to one another.
3. They must cast all their worries upon God who cares for them.
4. They are promised that God will exalt them at the proper time, which is the Last Judgment.

In Jesus' death on the cross, His ministry seemed to end in the victory of His enemies; however, there was a surprise twist to the ending! In His sacrificial death and resurrection, Jesus conquered sin and death. If the "hour" of His passion and sacrificial death represented the confrontation of Jesus and Satan, "the ruler of this world" (Jn 12:31; 14:30), then in His victory over death, Jesus was victorious over Satan! The fact that Jesus stands justified before the throne of God (Rev 5:4-6) means that Satan has been judged and condemned and has lost a great extent of his power over the world (see CCC 388 and 1433). In the very act of Jesus' sacrificial death, Satan's dominion over the world is no longer preeminent. Although he still has the power to do evil, Satan's authority is now limited and he has no power over those who are united to Christ in baptism and the Eucharist (Heb 2:14). Satan is what St. Augustine described as "a mean dog on a short chain." St. Augustine’s point is that as long as we avoid coming within the reach of that "chain" of sin, Satan has no power over us. God the Holy Spirit will reveal that Jesus' death will result in the final sentence on Satan that was prophesied Genesis: the "crushing of the head" = mortal blow to Satan (Gen 3:15). But, even though Satan is defeated, he is still a threat: "For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground" (Eph 6:12-13). Hold your ground and call upon the power of the Holy Spirit to defend you!

1 Peter 5:12-14 ~ Last Words and Farewell blessing

Peter's secretary Silvanus, who has recorded Peter's letter, is believed to be the same Silvanus (Silvanus is the Latinization of the Hebrew name Silas in Hebrew) who knew Peter in Jerusalem and was an important member of the Jerusalem Christian community:

• He carried letters from the Council to the mixed Jewish and Gentile Christian faith communities after the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:22-23a).
• He was a companion of St. Paul on his second missionary journey (Acts 15:40-41; 2 Cor 1:19).
• He served as Paul's secretary, writing two letters Paul dictated in the same way he served Peter in this letter (2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thes 1:1; 2 Thes 1:1). 

"Babylon" in verse 13 is the code name for Rome here and in the Book of Revelation (Rev 14:8; 17:5; 18:2). At this time Babylon was a ruined city with no influence in the world and the once great city was a symbol of pagan corruption. The title "chosen one" is in the feminine (ekklesia) and does not refer to Peter but to the Christian community in Rome where Peter serves as Bishop of Rome and Christ's Vicar of the universal Church. The Fathers of the Church testified that the Mark referred to affectionately by Peter as "my son" is John Mark/Marcus the son of Jewess Mary of Jerusalem and a Roman father (Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13 and 15:37-39). He was a boy/teen at the time of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, a cousin of the disciple Joseph Barnabas, (Col 4:10) and became is mentioned as a co-worker with St. Paul in Philemon 24 (also see 2 Tim 4:11). According to the Church Fathers, John-Mark served as St. Peter's secretary in Rome and recorded Peter's recollection of Jesus in the Gospel of St. Mark before going on the Alexandria, Egypt where he was the first Christian Bishop of the Church in Alexandria.

Peter said: Always be ready to give an explanation [apologetikos] to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope ... 

Agape Bible Study Thessalonians 1 - 3 

Chapter 1 ~ Greeting, Thanksgiving, and Prayer

2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 ~ Greeting

As in Paul's other letters, his opening address divides into three parts:

1. Greeting (1:1-2)
2. Thanksgiving (1:2-10)
3. Prayer (1:11-12)

 Paul's greeting in his second letter to the Thessalonians is much like his greeting in the first letter where Silvanus and Timothy are also co-senders, but there are some differences in the second letter and a significant difference from the greetings in Romans and Corinthians:

1. Paul describes God as "our Father" instead of "the Father" in the greeting of the second letter.
2. The phrase "the Lord Jesus Christ" is added in the second letter a second time to specify the source of grace and peace.
3. Paul does not claim apostolic authority as he does in most of his other letters.

In referring to God as "our Father" instead of "the Father," Paul may be intending to reinforce the unique covenant family relationship with God rather than the creative dimension of "God the Father" as humanity's Creator. 

to the church of the Thessalonians
That this letter, like the first letter, is to all the Thessalonian Christians may suggest there are several groups of Christians in Thessalonica and the smaller surrounding towns that Paul considers the "church in Thessalonica." For example, his letter to the Colossians included all the different communities of Christians in the Lycus River Valley.

2 Thessalonians 1:3-10 ~ Thanksgiving and the Day of the Lord

Paul thanks God for the faith and love of Thessalonian Christians (verse 3). He expresses his pride in their endurance under persecutions (verses 4-5). His pride in them contrasts with his condemnation for those who cause them to suffer. In verses 6-10, he tells them their persecutors will receive their just judgment at the time of the Christ's Parousia (coming in glory).

The bad news is the way St. Paul describes the Final Judgment for those who reject Christ and His Gospel of salvation in severe and implacable terms. In Matthew 25:46, Jesus spoke about the "eternal punishment" of those who rejected Him; in Romans 2:9, Paul wrote about those who send themselves to Hell for rejecting Christ enduring "tribulation and distress"; and in Luke 3:17 there is the description of the horror of "unquenchable fire" (also see Is 66:26 and CCC 1033-36). The good news is that Christ will come with His "holy ones." "Holy ones" could refer to the redeemed saints who have died and are with Christ in Heaven (Jude 3) or His angels (2 Thess 1:7; Ps 89:7), or both. Their appearance will magnify the glory of the Christ and the light of His divine splendor that shines through them

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 ~ Prayer for the Community

A prayer for the fulfillment of God's divine purpose in the lives of the Thessalonian Christians completes Paul's opening address.

Chapter 2: Preparing for the Second Coming of the Christ and Avoiding Evil Influences

In this part of the letter, Paul writes about the anticipated arrival of "the lawless one," who St. John refers to as the antichrist.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 ~ Christ and the Lawless One

Apparently, the community received a forged letter in Paul's name with false teachings concerning the Parousia of Christ and claiming the event had already occurred. To combat the false claims, Paul lays out the sequence of eschatological (end times) events. In verses 2-12, Paul gives the countdown to the Parousia in the events that must come before Christ's return and presents information concerning the "lawless one," literally "the man of sin," "the son of perdition"² that St. John calls the Antichrist. Jesus also refers to Judas Iscariot as "the son of perdition" in John 17:12. Paul describes the individual who will appear at the end of time to stand in opposition to God and His divine plan for humanity:

1. The lawless one desires to be revered and to receive the worship of humanity above the True God (verse 4).
2. At present, God restrains his appearance on the stage of human history until the appointed time when he will be revealed (verse 6).
3. The apostasy/rebellion of the lawless one is already at work (verse 7).
4. Satan is the origin of his power (verse 9).
5. God will reveal the lawless one, and Jesus will destroy him when He returns (verse 8).
6. The lawless one will deceive many (verse 11).
7. Those who believe the lawless one above God will be doomed to God's divine judgment and condemnation (verse 12).

The one Antichrist who appears at the end of human history and all antichrists that come before him are agents of Satan. Satan rules over the world of those immersed in sin. St. John makes three references to Satan using the title ruler/prince (Jn 12:31; 14:30; and 16:11). Jesus assured His disciples at the Last Supper that Satan has no power over Him (Jn 14:31). Satan does not have any power over Jesus in His humanity because Jesus is without sin. It is the sin in human beings that gives Satan power, but Jesus came to do away with Satan's power over humanity: "Whoever sins belongs to the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil" (1 Jn 3:8). The bad news is that sin will greatly increase on earth to facilitate the coming of the Antichrist.

There are Biblical images of men who stood in opposition to God that Paul may be drawing on in his portrait of the Antichrist:

1. The King of Babylon wanted to be worshipped as a god (Is 14:13-14; Dan 3:1-7).
2. The prince of Tyre claimed to be a god above all other gods (Ez 28:2).
3. Antiochus Epiphanes IV desecrated the Jerusalem Temple and wanted to exalt himself as a god (Dan 11:35; 1 Mac 1:20-24, 54). 

In the Epistles of St. John, he calls the "man of sin" and "son of perdition" the Antichrist (antichristos = "against Christ"). It is a term that only appears in his letters and refers to a single individual but also to those who exhibit the "spirit" of the antichrist. The Antichrist is the chief of Christ's enemies. St. John identifies the spirit of "antichrist" with unbelievers who deny the Incarnation:

• 1 John 2:18 ~ Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared.
• 1 John 2:22 ~ Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.
• 1 John 4:3 ~ and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world.
• 2 John 7 ~ Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist.

According to Sacred Scripture and the Catholic Church, the Antichrist is not merely symbolic or an embodiment of an anti-Christian philosophy. The Antichrist is a real person in an alliance with Satan who will reveal himself just before the return of the Christ (see CCC 675-77). The Church teaches that anyone is an antichrist who knowingly perverts the truth about Christ. Culpability includes:

1. Refusing to accept the divine origin of Jesus Christ's being (1 Jn 2:22).
2. Refusing to accept the fact that God chose to come enfleshed as a human man (2 Jn 7).

The Church teaches that he will present himself as the solution to humanity's problems that can only come "at the price of apostasy from the truth" (CCC 675). He will embody "the supreme religious deception ... a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and his Messiah come in the flesh" (CCC 675). 

The Thessalonian Christians, like many Christians in Paul's time, believed the return of Christ was to happen within their lifetimes when the Gospel had spread "to the ends of the earth" (Mk 16:15; Acts 1:8), which for them was to the ends of the Roman Empire. However, Jesus said it was not possible to date the time of His return. He did give them a list of "signs" relating to His return in Matthew Chapter 23 and Mark Chapter 13: 

1. the appearance of false messiahs
2. war and rumors of war
3. earthquakes
4. famine
5. the persecution of Christians

However, since these are continuous events in human history, Jesus' signs suggest that the time of the end is ever-present in human history. It is why Jesus and Paul taught that one must always observe a state of vigilance. Concerning continued vigilance for His return, Jesus said "Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: Watch!' (Mk 13:35-37).

The word antichrist does not appear in the Book of Revelation, but "antichrist" is usually associated with the beast in Revelation 11:7-8 and the second beast in 13:18:

• When they have completed their witnessing, the beast that came out of the Abyss is going to make war on them and overcome them and kill them. Their corpses lie in the main street of the great city known by the symbolic names Sodom and Egypt, in which their Lord was crucified.
• Wisdom is needed here; one who understands can calculate the number of the beast, for it is a number that stands for a person. His number is six hundred and sixty-six (Rev 13:18).

The "beast" from the Abyss is Satan. Throughout the history of redemption, he has made war against the Church, particularly against God's prophetic witnesses. The "beast" theme is familiar in Biblical history. When Adam and Eve yielded to the temptation of the serpent/beast in Genesis, they become "beasts" themselves. They even dressed as the beasts, clothed in animal skins as they left Eden (Gen. 3:21). Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, through pride sought godhood and was judged. He became like a beast in his insanity (Dan. 4:33). The beast is the image of man's rebellion against God. The enemy of God and the Church is therefore always the "beast" in various historical manifestations. The Prophets spoke of pagan states in this imagery: as terrifying ravenous beasts that warred against God's Covenant people ( Ps. 87:4; 89:10; Isa. 51:9; Dan. 7:3-8, 16-25). All men and women who persecute God's holy ones come in the spirit of antichrist, as the imagery of the second beast of is a man in Revelation 13:18. All the "beast" imagery and symbolism will be gathered together in John's descriptions of Rome and apostate Israel in Revelation chapter 13. But it is important to remember that there is one "beast" that is behind all the manifestations of rebellion down through the history of redemption, and he is the "lawless one" St. Paul refers to in this letter. As for the prophecy of the "beast" whose "number" (the gematria or addition of the letters of his name) is 666, most scholars believe the passage refers to Nero Caesar who attempted to destroy Christianity, beginning in 64 AD. See the chart on the gematria of Nero Caesar. 

When Jesus comes in glory, as a divine warrior king, he will bring about the final defeat of Satan and his agent, the man of lawlessness with the power of His breath or spirit of His word. Paul may be using imagery from Isaiah 11:4 where the Davidic Messiah comes as a judge to vindicate the poor and afflicted and to slay their wicked oppressors with his powerful word: But he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land's afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 ~ Continued Thanks for the Thessalonians and their Hope of Glory

Paul writes that "God chose you." We are chosen by an eternal decree of love (Eph 1:5), and the Holy Spirit sanctifies us in the Sacrament of Baptism. However, our sanctification continues as the Holy Spirit works within us on our journey of faith.

Those who reject all forms of tradition fail to acknowledge that Jesus did not mean that we were to avoid all forms of "tradition." He only meant the traditions introduced by humans that set out to invalidate the works and words of God. There are "Traditions" that the Church received from Jesus, like the Sacraments, and there are "traditions" that individual communities celebrate that are associated with their history and customs. Both kinds of "tradition" glorify God and His work in the Church. Besides, those who reject all forms of "tradition" that are Catholic are themselves guilty of "traditions" that they observe in their worship services and the organization of their communities that are not in Scripture.

Chapter 3: Concluding Exhortations and Farewell

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 ~ Request for Prayers

Paul asks the Thessalonian community to pray for the progress of the spread of the Gospel and the protection of the missionaries entrusted to deliver its message of salvation. Paul and his missionary team lived and worked in constant danger to fulfill their mission. He relied on the intercession of his dear friends in the churches he founded for their safe and successful ministry (Rom 15:30-31; 2 Cor 1:11; 1 Thess 5:25).

In verse 4, Paul gives the community his assurance that the Lord will continue to strengthen and guard them from "the evil one" who is the enemy of all who believe in the Christ. He also expresses his confidence in them to persevere in faith and obedience to the instruction they have received from him whether orally or in writing. Finally, he offers a petition for them, praying that the Lord fill their hearts with the love of God and with the endurance of Christ so as not to be tempted beyond their powers of resistance.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-16 ~ Conducting Yourselves in the Traditions of the Faith

In verses 6-15, Paul addresses a problem within the community. There are those in the community who are not behaving as they should, and Paul urges the members to avoid these people if they refuse brotherly correction (3:6 and 14). It appears certain members of the community are relying on the charity of others and not working to support themselves. Paul asks that the community imitate him and the other members of his team who worked to support themselves and were not a burden to the community.

2 Thessalonians 3:17-18 ~ Final Greeting

Paul was dictating his letter, probably to Silvanus who also acted as a secretary for St. Peter (1 Pt 5:12). Now, at the end of the letter, Paul takes up the stylus himself. His personal signature and closing remarks authenticate the letter. He did this in other letters (1 Cor 16:21 and Col 4:18), but this time his intention may be to dispel any concerns that the letter is legitimately from him. Apparently, they had earlier received a forged letter that claimed to come from Paul containing false teaching (2 Thess 2:2-3), and he now intends to sign every letter himself, so there is no question that it came from him.

Paul urged the Thessalonian Christians to hold fast to the traditions and the deposit of faith they had received from him concerning the Gospel of salvation even though there were false teachers trying to shake their confidence in him. How would you respond if someone tried to shake your confidence in the teachings of Mother Church? How would you defend your faith? Perhaps the document "Catholic Apologetics Resource" on the website would help you.