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网上牧师杂志–中文版（简体）, SCh Ed, Issue 45 2022 年 秋季

A ministry of…

作者: Roger Pascoe,博士，主席,
邮箱: [email protected]

I. 加强讲解式讲道：传讲新约福音，第四部分，比喻

以新约圣经故事为主题的讲道，不会像旧约故事那么复杂，但仍有几点释经和讲道技巧上需要注意的地方，一切便会来得容易了。

1. 经文选择。不论选择什么经文，都要将作者在该段经文中所要表达的信息表达清楚。我提议讲道时，整本圣经都要讲，而不是每个星期只讲些没有关联的经文。这样，我们便可顺理成章的将整本书卷的架构勾划出来，以后的讲台信息便可以循序渐进，起承转合，开始和结尾，都得到充份合适的处理。

福音书既是所发生事件的记录集，如要找出每部分的中心思想，我们不妨试找出事件的转捩点，例如地点的改变，听众的改变，信息的改变，或事件的改变。这都是很好的指引，将事件的起始和终点特显出来。另一个办法就是试问自己，在你采用的经文中，是否有一个完整，和清晰的专题信息要告诉听者。

通常，每次讲道，最好便是把一个完整的信息讲出来。但，如果信息太长，不能一次完成，那么以下的办法岂不更好 …

你可以：将整个信息分成数个段落来分别处理，每次信息只讲一个，这样每次讲章便可丝丝入扣；

或：在讲道中，将其中的重点点明出来；

或：利用经文中能够涵括全段信息的一节或多节经文，把其中要义讲出来。

不论你决定如何传讲信息（整个或其中一部份），都要注意你的讲解是和其他经文，甚或整卷书的意思没有抵触，或自相矛盾。写下你的大纲，你便可以有一个清晰的路线图。

2. 讲道系列。在某些情况下，福音书可以分成不同系列的讲道集，例如…

(1) 登山宝训（马太福音 5-7章）

(2) 约翰福音中的三个“七” …

a) 七个重要的对话（谈论）- 约3:1-21; 4:1-42 ; 7:53-8:11; 13:1-17; 18:33-19:11; 20:1-31; 21:15-25

b) 七个超自然的事迹（神迹）- 约2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-14; 6:1-14; 6:16-21; 9:1-41; 11:1-44

c) 七个自我的宣言 (有关“我是”谁的句子）- 约 6:22-71; 8:12; 10:1-9; 10:10-18; 11:25-27; 14:1-6; 15:1-6

这样，你就可以忠于原著而无须将整卷书讲述一遍。

跟其他系列一样，我们无须跟随作者的编排次序，但在解释和应用上，仍要遵循福音书的脉络。高斯库（Godsworthy）提议“在编排分类的次序时，福音书的结构一定要放在考虑之列，因为内容可能是要在這結构上强调某些一连串的重点和要素。好像比喻或神迹这个系列，我们一定要它们在福音书中和目的和功用表达清楚。(Goldsworthy, Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture, 231)

3. 主题的连贯性。一如以教导为主题的文章，故事也是有主题的。主题句就是将全文中的神学观念写出来，通常一句说话便己足够。主题句（有时候被称为命题句）是要表达一个中心思想，然后整篇讲章便可以围绕着这个思想而展开，这样便不会和所选经文，甚或整卷书卷的教训要义相违背。有时候福音书的作者也会坦白表达故事的主要意思（例如: 路16:13; 路19:10）。

4. 福音故事的讲道结构。就像其他体裁一样，对于福音故事构建你的讲道时，也要尊重经文的文学形式，以至于文学形式塑造你的讲道形式。就像每段经文都有自己的结构，讲章也需要有结构。经文的结构决定讲章的结构。因此，如同经文的文学形式（在此指故事的形式）决定经文的结构，经文的形式也决定讲章的结构。跟其他圣经的故事一样，福音故事的结构便是来自经文中的“行踪”（或称为“场景”）。

不论你采用什么方式来传讲福音故事（包括比喻），你的讲章在结构上，跟你其他的释经讲道无须有不同的表达形式。即是 有一主题句，将故事的大致意思概括简述一遍，然后加上讲道大纲，这样便可将故事要陈述的神学意义逐层讲述出来。

5. 对传讲以比喻为主的信息的一些提议。在传讲比喻的信息时，你可以采用以下 的方式：

(1) 用形式来分类，例如：

(a) 布道式的比喻（例：太7:24-27）

(b) 天国的比喻（例：太13:1-9; 太13:24-30）

(c) 末世的比喻（例：太25:1-13）

(2) 用主题来分类，例如：

(a) 永生的预备 – 财主的比喻 (路12:16-21）和不义的管家 (路16：1-13）。

(b) 神喜欢拯救失丧的人 – 迷羊，失钱，和浪子的比喻 (路15:1-32)。

(3) 平行而有对比的比喻 – 即是那些具有相同意义，而用不同角度演绎 出来 的比喻。例如：神给我们不同恩赐去事奉祂：

a) 十个仆人和十锭银子的比喻 (路19:11-27)

b) 三个仆人和银子的比喻 (太25:14-30）

比喻的讲道应从这比喻要强调的信息开始（即是要描述某一个特别的主题），好让听众身同感受，处于故事的情境中（这样他们便有更深体会的认识），然后用一个现代的实际例子，来和这比喻作一和应，使听众产生共鸣。

这里是可以帮助你预备讲章时的一些问题：

(1) 比喻的整个主题 / 所要带出的冲击是什么？

(2) 这比喻是要说明什么真理？

(3) 听众是谁 – 门徒，群众，或宗教领袖？

(4) 听众身处其中，会发觉自己是故事中的那一个角色，和效应是什么？

(5) 这比喻在文字上是用什么方式表达？是用灵意式，还是喻意式。作用又是什么？

(6) 比喻是要说明一个比对，还是作一个比较？无论是那一个，它是要显示什么对比，或是要作什么比较，作用为何？

(7) 耶稣天国的比喻是要告诉我们什么信息？

(8) 比喻在释经上会遇见什么困难？

(9) 比喻中渐进式情节如何帮助你讲道的进行？例如，富人和拉撒路的比喻 (路16:9-31) 是由两个完全不同的情景和对话组织而成：

(i) 属世生活（19-21）和永恒生命（22-23）的对比

(ii) 永恒赏赐和今世生活的对比（24-31）

另一个例子就是浪子的比喻（路15:11-32），这比喻是由四个场景组成：

(i) 分家产和远走他方（11-13a）

(ii) 陷入极端困苦和耻辱的生活当中(13b-16)

(iii) 醒悟与回转 (17-21)

(iv) 悔改及家人团聚（22-32）

(10) 这比喻和你目前的听众可以拉上什么关系？

当你作好释经功夫后，你便可以开始预备你的讲章。以比喻为体裁的讲道在形式上可以有很大的伸缩性，所有常用的故事演讲技巧都可以用得着。这很简单，比喻的讲道只是说故事的一种，都是由开始，发展到问题的出现，然后达到高潮，最后达到终局，便完场了。

从比喻的多元性（包括内容，字面和灵意方面的多重意思，主题目标，及应用），和比喻本身的产生来看，最好的讲道就是采用一个开放式的态度，并加以一些创意，例如：我们可以运用一些戏剧性的对话，或加插一些评论，甚或讲解时，用一些现代常用的短语，更具吸引力。

通常，比喻的效果，即俗称「致命的一击」，不到最后的情节，都不会显露出来。到那时刻，对比喻抱持相反意见的人也会融化在故事情节中。正因比喻将它的「致命一击」留待最后才爆发出来。讲道也应这样，非到最后时刻，也不要将比喻所要讲的教训爆发出来。

II. 强化圣经领导“和好的职事，第四部份（续前）：教导神的儿女和神的工人和好（林后6：11-7：16）

本段「和好职事」的最后一次讨论。在本刊物前两期，我们从哥林多后书6:11-18（43期，2022春季）和哥林多后书7:1-4（44期，2022夏季），已讨论过经文中的起首三段：

1. 牧者教导会众要彼此相爱 (6:11-13)

2. 牧者教导会众要听从教诲(6:14-18)

3. 牧者教导的实际应用 (7:1-4)

在本期，我们会继续讨论下去 …

4. 牧者教导会众的背境及结果 (7:5-16)。很明显地，由2:14到7:4的一段经文是与2:13无关的经文，是一些题外话。我们试把这两段经文连在一起，看看当中要告诉我们什么。 ” 2:12我从前为基督的福音到了特罗亚，主也给我开了门。2:13那时，因为没有遇见兄弟提多，我心里不安，便辞别那里的人往马其顿去了。… 7:5我们从前就是到了马其顿的时候，身体也不得安宁…”，故此，从2:12-13的意思来看，保罗是要解释因他在特罗亚找不着提多后，而身体又很疲累，故此他便离开了特罗亚往马其顿去，希望能在那里遇上提多，而他真的遇上了 (7:5-6)。保罗切望见到提多，因为他很想从他那里知道他和哥林多信徒的最新消息。更重要的是，保罗想知道他们在收到那封由提多亲自送去的“忧伤 / 悲切的信”之后的反应。在这段经文，他就是写着他在马其顿和提多一起，并听到提多的报告后，他满心欢喜的情形 (7:7-16)。

我们会问：“为什么保罗要用2:14至7:4这么长的篇幅来讲这些题外话呢？有人说，2:14到7:4的经文是从另一封信抄过来的，但我不同意这说法。亦有人说，这时因为当时的书信没有固定格式，写信的人想起什么便写什么。虽然这个可能性是有的，但我认为这封信并不是这样。虽然2:14至7:4节看似是一段题外话，但它要传讲的信息，并不是一般人所说的跟这封书信本身无关。而事实上，保罗特别写这段有关他和提多的相遇的事情，为他呼吁和指导哥林多信徒做了铺垫。保罗在写这段经文时，早已从提多知道了他们的情况。故此，这段题外话便告诉我们，一方面保罗是为着提多告诉他事情的而高兴；而另一方面，他仍有未尽的话要跟哥林多信徒说。神固然给每一位牧者在事奉上有喜乐和得胜的欢悦时刻，但同时也不乏挑战。

最后，保罗从提多那里得知那封给哥林多信徒的哀伤的信产生了以下正面的效果：

(a) 保罗周围遭难的处境借着提多而大得安慰（7:5-6）。 “5我们从前就是到了马其顿的时候，身体也不得安宁，周围遭患难，外有争战，内有惧怕。6 但那安慰丧气之人的神借着提多来安慰了我们。” 到了马其顿，保罗身心灵所受的创伤仍是继续不断 (试比较4:8-9; 11:22-33）。他既是四面“受敌”（可能是心灵上，也可能是肉体上的攻击），内有“恐惧”（可能是忧虑哥林多教会收到保罗和提多的信后的反应，尤其是当提多还未依着原定计划回来）。

牧者跟其他人一样，是会遇见灾难、别人的反对和忧虑。 “但神”可以改变一切。祂“安慰丧气之人”（参阅1:3-7；诗34:18），在此神就是安慰了保罗。在他满受内忧外患的困迫下，他就因着“提多来安慰了我们”（6b），因为他知道提多安然无恙，和再次能跟他一起同工，尤其是在他正饱受别人反对和孤立无援的时候。如果在我们困难的时候，若得到同工的安慰和鼓励，对我们的事奉一定会大得裨益。

故此，使保羅沮喪的困境，因著遇上提多而變成大得安慰和美好的相聚。還有….

(b) 保罗为着他们的罪孽忧伤，但借着他们的回应，化悲伤为喜乐（7:7-13a）。“…不但借着他来，也借着他从你们所得的安慰，安慰了我们；因他把你们的想念、哀恸，和向我的热心，都告诉了我，叫我更加欢喜”（林后7:7）。保罗从他们给提多的正面回应大得鼓励 – “…借着他从你们所得的安慰。”

保罗受安慰 (7:7a），因为提多及他所带去哥林多的信件得到很好的正面回应，提多又受到很好的礼遇，以及他们对提多使命的回应是积极的（即从他手中得到保罗的信）。这就是保罗喜乐的原因，他们的回应使保罗“更加欢喜”。

首先，他的喜乐是来自以下他收到的回应(7:7b)：

(i) “…你们的想念…。 ”他们想见保罗，想是要将事情弄好，和重修和好。

(ii) “… 哀恸…。 ”很明显地，他们为着发生的不愉快事件难过。

(iii)“…向我的热心。 ”他们和保罗之间的距离借着对保罗的热心而拉近了 – 他们愿意遵照他的教训去行，甚至替他辩白。

第二，他为着他们灵性上的回应而更加喜乐 (7:8-12)。保罗似乎正在犹豫如何处理一些的事情：“我先前写信给你们忧愁，我后来虽然懊悔，如今却不懊悔；因我知道那信叫你们忧愁，不过是暂时的。如今我欢喜 …”(7:8-9a) 。在一方面，保罗好像是懊悔写了那封叫人“忧愁”的信，因为他不想他们难过。为什么？可能他不想他们过于敏感，也可能他害怕信中内容过于严厉，因而使他们觉得难过。又或者他正在两难之间。身为牧者，固然要正视问题的解决，但又害怕失去了他们。

这是一个牧者在遇见矛盾时，所常遇见的困难 – 就是知道应该如何处理，但又害怕被拒绝。只要“用爱心说诚实话”(弗4:15)，不要“辖制”(彼得前书5:3）他们，更千万不要在怒中或以属灵长者的高姿态压制他们。保罗写信后，很高兴知道他们的忧伤只是暂时的，“不过是暂时的”(7:8b)，又因为他们的忧愁已变成懊悔 – “如今我欢喜，不是因你们忧愁，是因你们从忧愁中生出懊悔来” (7:9a)。

为什么他们的忧愁变成了懊悔？ “因你们从忧愁中生出懊悔（7:9a）”。他们为着发生的事情而忧愁（就是容让罪恶在他们当中，及他们和保罗之间的紧张关系），这忧愁是依着神的意思来的，也是从神来的。这不是一时冲动的懊悔，而是神在他们身上动了工。因着神的意思忧愁，他们便“不至于因我们受亏损了”（7:9c）。依着神的意思忧愁不是徒然的 – 不会有不良的后果，也不会使关系恶化（保罗为此很是为难），也不会使他们有什么损失，而却是补足他们所失去的。从各方面来看都是好的 – 带来了希望，喜乐、恢复和好关系等。 “因为依着神的意思忧愁，就生出没有后悔的懊悔来，以致得救；但世俗的忧愁是叫人死”(7:10)。这是使人和好的职事，带着一个目的，借着“神意思的忧愁”，可以叫人“生出没有后悔的懊悔来，以致得救”

“神意思的忧愁”比“属世的忧愁”有一个全新的意义。属世的忧愁叫人死（参林后2:16），而神意思的忧愁却使人得生命。这就是两者不同的地方。属世的忧愁是由环境造成（损失、失败等）；而神意思的忧愁是从罪而来。属世的忧愁引至关系的破裂，失望，甚至死亡（例如自杀）；但神意思的忧愁则叫人得救、得着生命，心灵平安、满有喜乐，与人和好，与神和好。

<“神意思的忧愁”不是为着自己，而是向着神而来。 “因为神的意思而忧愁” – 即是“依着神的意思”（7：11a） - 从神而来的忧愁，就是回应神而来的忧愁。所以神意思的忧愁引致真正的懊悔 – 离开使我们与神隔绝的罪，借着信而归向神 – 与神和好，也与人和好。这种忧愁和懊悔就是我们得救的基础。

另一方面，“属世的忧愁”是不可逆转的。它不可以使人重获已失去的。不可以逆转己做过的事情，不可以给人心灵上的安息和平安，更不可给人灵命的成长，而只给人苦毒，罪咎、失望和不安。但神意思的忧愁是为罪的原故而来的忧愁，继之便是悔罪，从而得救。无人会因他得着的救恩而后悔的，因为与神和好是好得无比的了。更重要的是，在你余下的一生，你再不会因着你过往所作的而处于一个追悔的境地。反之，我们得着救恩，与神、与人关系和好了，再不会遗憾下去。

但保罗和信徒谈道时，为什么要提到这个引致“救恩”的懊悔来呢？他是说这些信徒的“懊悔”，会使他们“以致得救”。虽然他们都是得救的基督徒，他们现在的懊悔与他们当初得救时所表现出来的在本质上是一致的。保罗在这里不是说他们起初得救，但后来丧失了，现在又重新得救。而是说他们的懊悔正是一个得救的人的应有表现，就是说他们已和神有绝对的和好关系。

使人和好的牧者只要看当中有没有神意思的忧愁，便可分辨出这是否真诚的懊悔。他处理矛盾的方式，就是要生出神意思的忧愁来，这样，（i）关系便不会断绝；也会（ii）生出一个永恒的属灵果子来。

保罗现在开始描述什么是依着神意思的忧愁（属神的）真正是怎样的；这会令人有什么改变；和真正的懊悔是怎样的。 “你看，你们依着神的意思忧愁，从此就生出何等的殷勤”(7:11a)。真正的懊悔可以生出一个全新的我。哥林多人现在就生出一颗热诚，要做神看为正的事的心。他们不再对他们中间存在的罪行置诸不理，更不会以此自夸，而是努力为神作工。他们如何在态度上表现出热心和殷勤来呢？保罗给我们几个要点 …

i) 自诉”(7:11b) - 教会消除了当中的罪恶。

ii)“< 自恨”(7:11c) - 恨恶罪恶。他们正视罪恶，不再容忍罪恶存在他们当中。这正是我们应该作的 - 就是恨恶罪恶！

iii)“恐惧”(7:11d) - 恐惧神的责打，恐惧神的圣洁受到亏损，恐惧得罪了“神的工人”；恐惧他们的行为会引致的后果。

iv) “想念”(7:11e） - 想念与神和好及与保罗亲自相见；去看望他，顺服他，及遵行他的教导。他们想念过往的日子及与神和保罗的密切关系。

v) “热心”（7:11f）- 这可能是关乎他们从起初便应该做的，即是他们在教会中，如看见不法的事情，便应予以处分和纠正。渴慕过着圣洁的生活和顺服神。

vi) “责罚”(7:11g) – 对他们当中罪恶的处理。这是继“热心”纠正教会不法之事后而采取的行动。这和保罗在2:5-11所说的有同一意思，他们热衷于责备犯罪的人，但现在，他们须要饶恕这人。

vii) 真的，“在这一切事上，你们都表明自己是洁净的”(7:11h) – 或许这是指哥林多前书5:1所发生的事情，但保罗没有说明清楚。他们作了一些须要会众施加纪律处分的事情，这样他们便“不会沾污”，不会有份于这人所犯的罪。

在7:8，说完了那封令人不快（忧愁）的信后，保罗便开始解释他为什么要写这封信：“12我虽然从前写信给你们，却不是为那亏负人的，也不是为那受人亏负的，乃要在神面前把你们顾念我们的热心表明出来。13a故此，我们得了安慰。”（7:12-13a）

首先，他解释了为什么他从前没有写那封严厉的信。这是为着那“亏负人”的缘故 – 就是那位娶了继母，保罗嘱咐要赶出去的人（哥林多前书5:13）。他在教会中使多人受着极大的痛苦，但后来悔过了（哥林多后书2:1-8）。他没有写这封严厉的信亦是为着那位“受人亏负”的人 – 相信那是继母的丈夫。请注意，借着牧者的智慧和慈爱，保罗没有指名道姓的说出这人的名字 – 因为事情已过，不值得再旧事重提。他只用了“亏负人”和“受人亏负”的字眼便算了。

接着，他解释为什么他写了那封严厉的信。他写这封严厉的信，是在神面前，要将他们对保罗的顾念和慹心表明出来。这真的是这封信所带来的后果。这一连串的事件（他的信，他们的回应，对教会的影响，提多的回覆等）都让“我们得了安慰”。

(c) 保罗夸奖哥林多教会的话是由提多的鼓励证实出来（7:13b-16）。 “13b并且在安慰之中， 因你们众人使提多心里畅快欢喜，我们就更加欢喜了。14 我若对提多夸奖了你们什么，也觉得没有惭愧；因我对提多夸奖你们的话成了真的，正如我对你们所说的话也都是真的。”(7:13b-14）

虽然保罗和哥林多教会仍有一些未了的事情要待解决，例如他们不赞同保罗的使徒身份等（参10-13章），但在整段经文中，保罗一直都是采取积极的态度（他们的反应、提多的鼓励，和他的喜乐等）。保罗得知哥林多教会的情况，他深受安慰（尤其是他们对他那封严责的信的反应）。甚至在提多将信送到他们那里时，他们热诚接待提多，并使提多得着大大喜乐。

保罗给哥林多人的体贴和爱护是人所共知的。我们从来都不会察觉到，保罗虽受哥林多人的奚落，但仍对提多夸奖他们。他打发提多去哥林多，没有给提多半点哥林多教会的负面评价，也没有吩咐他去严严管教他们。而是他给他们一个正面的评价（夸奖），而这也被证实了，正如他向他们曾经说过的也都是真的一样。结果（i）提多对他们的爱加增了：“并且提多想起你们众人的顺服，是怎样恐惧战兢地接待他，他爱你们的心肠就越发热了”（7:15）；(ii) 保罗对他们更放心：“我如今欢喜，能在凡事上为你们放心”(7:16)。在表达了他们之间的关系变得更密切，及对他们更放心后，保罗便开始在八至九章，转到谈论捐输给耶路撒冷贫困信徒的话题上去。

III. 講道大綱

题目：学习基督的教训 –天国的宝藏（太 13:44-46）

主旨：寻找天国永恒的宝藏

中心思想：借着基督，进入天国，你就会寻到永恒的丰盛

要点一：有些人不经意间走进了基督天国的宝藏里面 (13:44)。

要点二：有些人努力寻找基督天国的宝藏 (13:45-46)。

Related Topics: Pastors

網上牧師雜誌 – 中文版（繁體）, TCh Ed, Issue 45 2022 年 秋季

A ministry of…

作者: Roger Pascoe,博士，主席,
郵箱: [email protected]

I. 加強講解式講道：傳講新約福音，第四部分，比喻

以新約聖經故事為主題的講道，不會像舊約故事那麼複雜，但仍有幾點釋經和講道技巧上需要注意的地方，一切便會來得容易了。

1. 經文選擇。不論選擇甚麼經文，都要將作者在該段經文中所要表達的信息表達清楚。我提議講道時，整本聖經都要講，而不是每個星期只講些沒有關聯的經文。這樣，我們便可順理成章的將整本書卷的架構勾劃出來，以後的講台信息便可以循序漸進，起承轉合，開始和結尾，都得到充份合適的處理。

福音書既是所發生事件的記錄集，如要找出每部份的中心思想，我們不妨試找出事件的轉捩點，例如地點的改變，聽眾的改變，信息的改變，或事件的改變。這都是很好的指引，將事件的起始和終點特顯出來。另一個辦法就是試問自己，在你採用的經文中，是否有一個完整，和清晰的專題信息要告訴聽者。

通常，每次講道，最好便是把一個完整的信息講出來。但，如果信息太長，不能一次完成，那麼以下的辦法豈不更好 …

你可以：將整個信息分成數個段落來分別處理，每次信息只講一個，這樣每次講章便可絲絲入扣；

或：在講道中，將其中的重點點明出來；

或：利用經文中能夠涵括全段信息的一節或多節經文，把其中要義講出來。

不論你決定如何傳講信息（整個或其中一部份），你只要注意你的講解是和其他經文，甚或整卷書的意思沒有抵觸，或自相矛盾。寫下你的大綱，你便可以有一個清晰的路線圖。

2. 講道系列。在某些情況下，福音書可以分成不同系列的講道集，例如…

(1) 登山寶訓（馬太福音 5-7章）

(2) 約翰福音中的三個“七” …

a) 七個重要的對話（談論）- 約3:1-21; 4:1-42 ; 7:53-8:11; 13:1-17; 18:33-19:11; 20:1-31; 21:15-25

b) 七個超自然的事蹟（神蹟）- 約2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-14; 6:1-14; 6:16-21; 9:1-41; 11:1-44

c) 七個自我的宣言 (有關“我是”誰的句子）- 約6:22-71; 8:12; 10:1-9; 10:10-18; 11:25-27; 14:1-6; 15:1-6

這樣，你就可以忠於原著而無須將整卷書講述一遍。

跟其他系列一樣，我們無須跟隨作者的編排次序，但在解釋和應用上，仍要遵循福音書的脈絡。高斯庫（Goldsworthy）提議“在編排分類的次序時，福音書的結構一定要放在考慮之列，因為內容可能是要在這結構上強調某些一連串的重點和要素。好像比喻或神蹟這個系列，我們一定要它們在福音書中和目的和功用表達清楚。(Goldsworthy, Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture, 231)

3. 主題的連貫性。一如以教導為主題的文章，故事也是有主題的。主題句就是將全文中的神學觀念寫出來，通常一句說話便己足夠。主題句（有時候被稱為命題句）是要表達一個中心思想，然後整篇講章便可以圍繞著這個思想而展開，這樣便不會和所選經文，甚或整卷書卷的教訓要義不相違背。有時候福音書的作者也會坦白表達故事的主要意思（例如: 路16:13; 路19:10）。

4. 福音故事的講道結構。就像其他體裁一樣，對於福音故事構建你的講道時，也要尊重經文的文學形式，以至於文學形式塑造你的講道形式。就像每段經文都有自己的結構，講章也需要有結構。經文的結構決定講章的結構。因此，如同經文的文學形式（在此指故事的形式）決定經文的結構，經文的形式也決定講章的結構。 跟其他聖經的故事一樣，福音故事的結構便是來自經文中的“行踪”（或稱為“場景”）。

不論你採用什麼方式來傳講福音故事（包括比喻），你的講章在結構上，跟你其他的釋經講道無須有不同的表達形式。即是 有一主題句，將故事的大致意思概括簡述一遍，然後加上講道大綱，這樣便可將故事要陳述的神學意義逐層講述出來。

5. 對傳講以比喻為主的信息的一些提議。在傳講比喻的信息時，你可以採用以下的方式：

(1) 用形式來分類，例如：

(a) 佈道式的比喻（例：太7:24-27）

(b) 天國的比喻（例：太13:1-9; 太13:24-30）

(c) 末世的比喻（例：太25:1-13）

(2) 用主題來分類，例如：

(a) 永生的預備 – 財主的比喻 (路12:16-21）和不義的管家 (路16：1-13）。

(b) 神喜歡拯救失喪的人 – 迷羊，失錢，和浪子的比喻 (路15:1-32)。

(3) 平行而有對比的比喻 – 即是那些具有相同意義，而用不同角度演繹出來的比喻。例如：神給我們不同恩賜去事奉祂：

a) 十個僕人和十錠銀子的比喻 (路19:11-27)

b) 三個僕人和銀子的比喻 (太25:14-30）

比喻的講道應從這比喻要強調的信息開始（即是要描述某一個特別的主題），好讓聽眾身同感受，處於故事的情境中（這樣他們便有更深體會的認識），然後用一個現代的實際例子，來和這比喻作一和應，使聽眾產生共鳴。

這裡是可以幫助你預備講章時的一些問題：

(1) 比喻的整個主題 / 所要帶出的衝擊是什麼？

(2) 這比喻是要說明甚麼真理？

(3) 聽眾是誰 – 門徒，群眾，或宗教領袖？

(4) 聽眾身處其中，會發覺自己是故事中的那一個角色，和效應是甚麼？

(5) 這比喻在文字上是用什麼方式表達？是用靈意式，還是喻意式。作用又是什麼？

(6) 比喻是要說明一個比對，還是作一個比較？無論是那一個，它是要顯示甚麼對比，或是要作什麼比較，作用為何？

(7) 耶穌天國的比喻是要告訴我們甚麼信息？

(8) 比喻在釋經上會遇見甚麼困難？

(9) 比喻中漸進式情節如何幫助你講道的進行？例如，富人和拉撒路的比喻 (路16:9-31) 是由兩個完全不同的情景和對話組織而成：

(i) 屬世生活（19-21）和永恆生命（22-23）的對比

(ii) 永恆賞賜和今世生活的對比（24-31）

另一個例子就是浪子的比喻（路15:11-32），這比喻是由四個場景組成：

(i) 分家產和遠走他方（11-13a）

(ii) 陷入極端困苦和恥辱的生活當中 (13b-16)

(iii) 醒悟與回轉 (17-21)

(iv) 悔改及家人團聚（22-32）

(10) 這比喻和你目前的聽眾可以拉上甚麼關係？

當你作好釋經功夫後，你便可以開始預備你的講章。以比喻為體裁的講道在形式上可以有很大的伸縮性，所有常用的故事演講技巧都可以用得著。這很簡單，比喻的講道只是說故事的一種，都是由開始，發展到問題的出現，然後達到高潮，最後達到終局，便完場了。

從比喻的多元性（包括內容，字面和靈意方面的多重意思，主題目標，及應用），和比喻本身的產生來看，最好的講道就是採用一個開放式的態度，並加以一些創意，例如：我們可以運用一些戲劇性的對話，或加插一些評論，甚或講解時，用一些現代常用的口頭禪，更具吸引力。

通常，比喻的效果，即俗稱「致命的一擊」，不到最後的情節，都不會顯露出來。到那時刻，對比喻抱持相反意見的人也會融化在故事情節中。正因比喻將它的「致命一擊」留待最後才爆發出來。講道也應這樣，非到最後時刻，也不要將比喻所要講的教訓爆發出來。

II. 強化聖經領導“和好的職事，第四部份（續前）：呼籲神的兒女和神的工人和好（林後6：11-7：16）

本段「和好職事」的最後一次討論。在本刊物前兩期，我們從哥林多後書6:11-18（43期，2022春季）和哥林多後書7:1-4（44期，2022夏季），已討論過經文中的起首三段：

1. 牧者教導會眾要彼此相愛 (6:11-13)

2. 牧者教導會眾要聽從教誨 (6:14-18)

3. 牧者教導的實際應用 (7:1-4)

在本期，我們會繼續討論下去 …

4. 牧者教導會眾的背境及結果 (7:5-16)。很明顯地，由2:14到7:4的一段經文是與2:13無關的經文，是一些題外話。我們試把這兩段經文連在一起，看看當中要告訴我們甚麼。” 2:12我從前為基督的福音到了特羅亞，主也給我開了門。2:13那時，因為沒有遇見兄弟提多，我心裡不安，便辭別那裡的人往馬其頓去了。… 7:5我們從前就是到了馬其頓的時候，身體也不得安寧…”，故此，從2:12-13的意思來看，保羅是要解釋因他在特羅亞找不著提多後，而身體又很疲累，故此他便離開了特羅亞往馬其頓去，希望能在那裡遇上提多，而他真的遇上了 (7:5-6)。保羅切望見到提多，因為他很想從他那裡知道他和哥林多信徒的最新消息。更重要的是，保羅想知道他們在收到那封由提多親自送去的“憂傷 / 悲切的信”之後的反應。在這段經文，他就是寫著他在馬其頓和提多一起，並聽到提多的報告後，他滿心歡喜的情形 (7:7-16)。

我們會問：“為什麼保羅要用2:14至7:4這麼長的篇幅來講這些題外話呢？有人說，2:14到7:4的經文是從另一封信抄過來的，但我不同意這說法。亦有人說，這時因為當時的書信沒有固定格式，寫信的人想起什麼便寫什麼。雖然這個可能性是有的，但我認為這封信並不是這樣。雖然2:14至7:4節看似是一段題外話，但它要傳講的信息，並不是一般人所說的跟這封書信本身無關。而事實上，保羅特別寫這段有關他和提多的相遇的事情，為他呼噓和指導哥林多信徒做了鋪塾。保羅在寫這段經文時，早已從提多知道了他們的情況。故此，這段題外話便告訴我們，一方面保羅是為著提多告訴他事情的而高興；而另一方面，他仍有未盡的話要跟哥林多信徒說。神固然給每一位牧者在事奉上有喜樂和得勝的歡悅時刻，但同時也不乏挑戰。

最後，保羅從提多那裡得知那封給哥林多信徒的哀傷的信產生了以下正面的效果：

(a) 保羅周圍遭難的處境藉著提多而大得安慰（7:5-6）。“5 我們從前就是到了馬其頓的時候，身體也不得安寧，周圍遭患難，外有爭戰，內有懼怕。6但那安慰喪氣之人的神藉著提多來安慰了我們。”到了馬其頓，保羅身心靈所受的創傷仍是繼續不斷 (試比較4:8-9; 11:22-33）。他既是四面“受敵”（可能是心靈上，也可能是肉體上的攻擊），內有“恐懼”（可能是憂慮哥林多教會收到保羅和提多的信後的反應，尤其是當提多還未依著原定計劃回來）。

牧者跟其他人一樣，是會遇見災難、別人的反對和憂慮。“但神”可以改變一切。祂“安慰喪氣之人”（參閱1:3-7；詩34:18），在此神就是安慰了保羅。在他滿受內憂外患的困迫下，他就因著“提多來安慰了我們”（6b），因為他知道提多安然無恙，和再次能跟他一起同工，尤其是在他正飽受別人反對和孤立無援的時候。如果在我們困難的時候，若得到同工的安慰和鼓勵，對我們的事奉一定會大得裨益。

故此，使保羅沮喪的困境，因著遇上提多而變成大得安慰和美好的相聚。還有….

(b)保羅為著他們的罪孽憂傷，但藉著他們的回應，化悲傷為喜樂（7:7-13a）。“…不但藉著他來，也藉著他從你們所得的安慰，安慰了我們；因他把你們的想念、哀慟，和向我的熱心，都告訴了我，叫我更加歡喜”（林後7:7）。保羅從他們給提多的正面回應大得鼓勵 – “…藉著他從你們所得的安慰。”

保羅受安慰 (7:7a），因為提多及他所帶去哥林多的信件得到很好的正面回應，提多又受到很好的禮遇，以及他們對提多使命的回應是積極的（即從他手中得到保羅的信）。這就是保羅喜樂的原因，他們的回應使保羅“更加歡喜”。

首先，他的喜樂是來自以下他收到的回應 (7:7b)：

(i) “…你們的想念…。”他們想見保羅，想是要將事情弄好，和重修和好。

(ii)“… 哀慟…。”很明顯地，他們為著發生的不愉快事件難過。

(iii) “…向我的熱心。”他們和保羅之間的距離藉著對保羅的熱心而拉近了 – 他們願意遵照他的教訓去行，甚至替他辯白。

第二，他為著他們靈性上的回應而更加喜樂 (7:8-12)。保羅似乎正在猶豫如何處理一些的事情：“我先前寫信給你們憂愁，我後來雖然懊悔，如今卻不懊悔；因我知道那信叫你們憂愁，不過是暫時的。如今我歡喜 …”(7:8-9a)。在一方面，保羅好像是懊悔寫了那封叫人“憂愁”的信，因為他不想他們難過。為什麼？可能他不想他們過於敏感，也可能他害怕信中內容過於嚴厲，因而使他們覺得難過。又或者他正在兩難之間。身為牧者，固然要正視問題的解決，但又害怕失去了他們。

這是一個牧者在遇見矛盾時，所常遇見的困難 – 就是知道應該如何處理，但又害怕被拒絕。只要“用愛心說誠實話”(弗4:15)，不要“轄制”(彼得前書5:3）他們，更千萬不要在怒中或以屬靈長者的高姿態壓制他們。保羅寫信後，很高興知道他們的憂傷只是暫時的，“不過是暫時的”(7:8b)，又因為他們的憂愁已變成懊悔 – “如今我歡喜，不是因你們憂愁，是因你們從憂愁中生出懊悔來”(7:9a)。

為甚麼他們的憂愁變成了懊悔？“因你們從憂愁中生出懊悔（7:9a）”。他們為著發生的事情而憂愁（就是容讓罪惡在他們當中，及他們和保羅之間的緊張關係），這憂愁是依著神的意思來的，也是從神來的。這不是一時衝動的懊悔，而是神在他們身上動了工。因著神的意思憂愁，他們便“不至於因我們受虧損了”（7:9c）。依著神的意思憂愁不是徒然的 – 不會有不良的後果，也不會使關係惡化（保羅為此很是為難），也不會使他們有甚麼損失，而卻是補足他們所失去的。從各方面來看都是好的 – 帶來了希望，喜樂、恢復和好關係等。“因為依著神的意思憂愁，就生出沒有後悔的懊悔來，以致得救；但世俗的憂愁是叫人死”(7:10)。這是使人和好的職事，帶著一個目的，藉著“神意思的憂愁”，可以叫人“生出沒有後悔的懊悔來，以致得救”。

“神意思的憂愁”比“屬世的憂愁”有一個全新的意義。屬世的憂愁叫人死（參林後2:16），而神意思的憂愁卻使人得生命。這就是兩者不同的地方。屬世的憂愁是由環境造成（損失、失敗等）；而神意思的憂愁是從罪而來。屬世的憂愁引至關係的破裂，失望，甚至死亡（例如自殺）；但神意思的憂愁則叫人得救、得著生命，心靈平安、滿有喜樂，與人和好，與神和好。

“神意思的憂愁”不是為著自己，而是向著神而來。“因為神的意思而憂愁” – 即是“依著神的意思”（7：11a） - 從神而來的憂愁，就是回應神而來的憂愁。所以神意思的憂愁引致真正的懊悔 – 離開使我們與神隔絕的罪，藉著信而歸向神 – 與神和好，也與人和好。這種憂愁和懊悔就是我們得救的基礎。

另一方面，“屬世的憂愁”是不可逆轉的。它不可以使人重獲已失去的。不可以逆轉己做過的事情，不可以給人心靈上的安息和平安，更不可給人靈命的成長，而只給人苦毒，罪咎、失望和不安。但神意思的憂愁是為罪的原故而來的憂愁，繼之便是悔罪，從而得救。無人會因他得著的救恩而後悔的，因為與神和好是好得無比的了。更重要的是，在你餘下的一生，你再不會因著你過往所作的而處於一個追悔的境地。反之，我們得著救恩，與神、與人關係和好了，再不會遺憾下去。

但保羅和信徒談道時，為什麼要提到這個引致“救恩”的懊悔來呢？他是說這些信徒的“懊悔”，會使他們“以致得救”。雖然他們都是得救的基督徒，他們現在的懊悔與他們當初得救時所表現出來的的本質是一致的。保羅在這裡不是說他們起初得救，但後來喪失了，現在又重新得救。而是說他們的懊悔正是一個得救的人的應有表現，就是說他們已和神有絕對的和好關係。

使人和好的牧者只要看當中有沒有神意思的憂愁，便可分辨出這是否真誠的懊悔。他處理矛盾的方式，就是要生出神意思的憂愁來，這樣，（i）關係便不會斷絕；也會（ii）生出一個永恆的屬靈果子來。

保羅現在開始描述什麼是依著神意思的憂愁（屬神的）真正是怎樣的；這會令人有甚麼改變；和真正的懊悔是怎樣的。“你看，你們依著神的意思憂愁，從此就生出何等的殷勤”(7:11a)。真正的懊悔可以生出一個全新的我。哥林多人現在就生出一顆熱誠，要做神看為正的事的心。他們不再對他們中間存在的罪行置諸不理，更不會以此自誇，而是努力為神作工。他們如何在態度上表現出熱心和殷勤來呢？保羅給我們幾個要點 …

i) “自訴”(7:11b) - 教會消除了當中的罪惡。

ii)“自恨”(7:11c) - 恨惡罪惡。他們正視罪惡，不再容忍罪惡存在他們當中。這正是我們應該作的 - 就是恨惡罪惡！

iii) “恐懼”(7:11d) - 恐懼神的責打，恐懼神的聖潔受到虧損，恐懼得罪了“神的工人”；恐懼他們的行為會引致的後果。

iv) “想念”(7:11e） - 想念與神和好及與保羅親自相見；去看望他，順服他，及遵行他的教導。他們想念過往的日子及與神和保羅的密切關係。

v) “熱心”（7:11f）- 這可能是關乎他們從起初便應該做的，即是他們在教會中，如看見不法的事情，便應予以處分和糾正。渴慕過著聖潔的生活和順服神。

vi) “責罰”(7:11g) – 對他們當中罪惡的處理。這是繼“熱心”糾正教會不法之事後而採取的行動。這和保羅在2:5-11所說的有同一意思，他們熱衷於責備犯罪的人，但現在，他們須要饒恕這人。

vii) 真的，“在這一切事上，你們都表明自己是潔淨的”(7:11h) – 或許這是指哥林多前書5:1所發生的事情，但保羅沒有說明清楚。他們作了一些須要會眾施加紀律處分的事情，這樣他們便“不會沾污”，不會有份於這人所犯的罪。

在7:8，說完了那封令人不快（憂愁）的信後，保羅便開始解釋他為什麼要寫這封信：“12 我雖然從前寫信給你們，卻不是為那虧負人的，也不是為那受人虧負的，乃要在神面前把你們顧念我們的熱心表明出來。13a故此，我們得了安慰。”（7:12-13a）

首先，他解釋了為什麼他從前沒有寫那封嚴厲的信。這是為著那“虧負人”的緣故 – 就是那位娶了繼母，保羅囑咐要趕出去的人（哥林多前書5:13）。他在教會中使多人受著極大的痛苦，但後來悔過了（哥林多後書2:1-8）。他沒有寫這封嚴厲的信亦是為著那位“受人虧負”的人 – 相信那是繼母的丈夫。請注意，藉著牧者的智慧和慈愛，保羅沒有指名道姓的說出這人的名字 – 因為事情已過，不值得再舊事重提。他只用了“虧負人”和“受人虧負”的字眼便算了。

接著，他解釋為什麼他寫了那封嚴厲的信。他寫這封嚴厲的信，是在神面前，要將他們對保羅的顧念和慹心表明出來。這真的是這封信所帶來的後果。這一連串的事件（他的信，他們的回應，對教會的影響，提多的回覆等）都讓“我們得了安慰”。

（c）保羅誇獎哥林多教會的話是由提多的鼓勵證實出來（7：13下-16）。“13b 並且在安慰之中， 因你們眾人使提多心裡暢快歡喜，我們就更加歡喜了。14 我若對提多誇獎了你們甚麼，也覺得沒有慚愧；因我對提多誇獎你們的話成了真的，正如我對你們所說的話也都是真的。”(7:13b-14）

雖然保羅和哥林多教會仍有一些未了的事情要待解決，例如他們不贊同保羅的使徒身份等（參10-13章），但在整段經文中，保羅一直都是採取積極的態度（他們的反應、提多的鼓勵，和他的喜樂等）。保羅得知哥林多教會的情況，他深受安慰（尤其是他們對他那封嚴責的信的反應）。甚至在提多將信送到他們那裡時，他們熱誠接待提多，並使提多得著大大喜樂。

保羅給哥林多人的體貼和愛護是人所共知的。我們從來都不會察覺到，保羅雖受哥林多人的奚落，但仍對提多誇獎他們。他打發提多去哥林多，沒有給提多半點哥林多教會的負面評價，也沒有吩咐他去嚴嚴管教他們。而是他給他們一個正面的評價（誇獎），而這也被證實了，正如他向他們曾經說過的也都是真的一樣。結果（i）提多對他們的愛加增了：“並且提多想起你們眾人的順服，是怎樣恐懼戰兢地接待他，他愛你們的心腸就越發熱了”（7:15）；(ii) 保羅對他們更放心：“我如今歡喜，能在凡事上為你們放心”(7:16)。在表達了他們之間的關係變得更密切，及對他們更放心後，保羅便開始在八至九章，轉到談論捐輸給耶路撒冷貧困信徒的話題上去。

III. 講道大綱

題目：學習基督的教訓 –天國的寶藏（太 13:44-46）

主旨：尋找天國永恆的寶藏

中心思想：藉著基督，進入天國，你就會尋到永恆的豐盛

要點一：有些人不經意間走進了基督天國的寶藏裡面 (13:44)。

要點二：有些人努力尋找基督天國的寶藏 (13:45-46)。

Related Topics: Pastors

网上牧师杂志–中文版（简体）, SCh Ed, Issue 44 2022 年 夏季

A ministry of…

作者: Roger Pascoe,博士，主席,
邮箱: [email protected]

I. 加强讲解式讲道：传讲新约福音，第三部分，比喻

比喻并非是福音独有的。比如拿单，用了一个比喻警示大卫关于他的罪（撒下12:1-10）。以赛亚用了一个比喻控告以色列家（赛5:1-7.其中1-6节为比喻，7节为应用）。 然而，为了本文的目的，我将把比喻作为“福音”的一个下属类型来处理。

1..比喻的定义和结构。比喻是一种短篇故事，里面的日常经历和人物代表了某些道德或属灵的真理。耶稣经常用比喻来说明问题。通常，比喻以描述某一特定情况下的事件或人物开始，以直接应用或解释故事结束，使听者认识到故事与他们的生活有关。这就是为什么你经常会看到对耶稣比喻的强烈负面反应，因为这些比喻触到了听众的良心。

2.比喻的文学形式。简单来说，比喻是修辞的一种形式。让我做以下的区分…

(1) “真正的”比喻。我所说的“真正的”比喻是指那些符合我上面所给出的结构和定义的比喻。“真正的”比喻的例子：（1）好撒玛利亚人（路1:25-37）；（2）失羊、失钱和浪子（路15:1-32）；（3）大宴席（路14:15-24）；（4）在葡萄园做工（太2:1-16）；（5）财主和拉撒路（路16:19-31）；（6）十个童女（太25:1-13）.

(2)明喻。一些比喻采用扩展的明喻的形式，其中主体与被比较的事物是有区别的，通过使用“像”或者“如同”这样的比较使其明确——“天国就像…”（太13:44-46）.比喻中明喻的例子有：（1）面酵（太13:33）；（2）撒种（太13:1-23）；芥菜种（太13:31-32）。

(3) 隐喻。有些比喻采用扩展的隐喻。与明喻不同的是， 隐喻的主体与被比较物之间的比较是隐含的、分不开的。例如“你们是世上的盐…你们是世上的光”（太5:13-14）。虽然可以说这些陈述只是隐喻（这也是真的），但从他们所处的上下文来说，我认为有些隐喻从结构和目的来说有比喻的特点。

3..比喻的目的。虽然比喻的形式和内容简单明了，但是关于它们的意义有很多争论。确实，有些比喻难以理解，比如不义管家的比喻（路16:1-13）。当我们看到这样一个故事，会问：“耶稣到底说的是什么意思？难道他真的要我们不诚实吗？或者这个故事不仅仅是表面所看到的？”。就连门徒们也会疑问耶稣一些比喻的意义（可4:10；‘路8:9’）。

不幸的是，耶稣对比喻意义的解释本身就是一个难以理解的陈述：“神国的奥秘只叫你们知道；若是对外人讲，凡事就用比喻，叫他们看是看见，却不晓得；听是听见，却不明白。恐怕他们回转过来，就得赦免”（可4:11-12；引用赛6:9-10）.虽然这句话并不一定意味着这是耶稣所有比喻的目的，但是它确实解释了为什么耶稣用一些比喻来讲解天国的神圣奥秘，这些神圣的奥秘对于那些有神的生命的人是敞开的，向顽固抵挡真理的人是隐藏的。

或许耶稣的解释最好从经文的背景来理解。他的事工有两方面完全相反的效果。正如使徒保罗说的，对有些人来说，耶稣在比喻中传递的信息是“活的香气叫人活”，但是对另外一些人就是“死的香气叫人死”（哥后2:14-16）.或者，像使徒彼得说的，对于“你们相信的人”，耶稣是“匠人所弃的石头已变成了房角的头块石头”，但是对其他人，他是“绊脚的石头，跌人的磐石”（彼前2:7-8）。换句话说，耶稣的比喻迫使人选择立场。你不是支持他就是反对他。这显然是很多比喻的效果—它们将人区分开来，并显明人的心迹。就像Moises Silva所说的，“比喻…对那些选择反对主的人来说，成为审判的工具。因此，‘有的，还要给他；没有的，连他所有的也要夺去’（可4:25）” (Silva, An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics, 111)。

因此，比喻是为了区分那些听过耶稣的人—一方面，向拒绝他的人，隐藏了真理，另一方面，向那些对他的话积极回应的人，显明了真理。对于那些积极回应他的话的人，耶稣的比较彰显了神，他的真理和他对自己百姓的心意。对于那些拒接耶稣和他的话的人，比喻被耶稣用作审判以及向他们隐藏真理的工具(比如太 13:10-15; 可 4:11-12; 路 8:9-10)。就像Henry Virkler说的，“同样的比喻使忠诚的信徒明白真理，但对那些硬着心反对真理的人却毫无意义” (Virkler, Hermeneutics, 165)。哥前2章也教导了同样的道理，重生的人明白属灵的真理，而未重生的人不能明白真理。不同的是，一个有属灵的看见，而另一个是属灵瞎眼的。因此，比喻有两个目的或者焦点—一个对相信的人，第二个是对不相信的人。

比喻的目的是两方面的：（1）教导听者关于属灵的真理，比如祷告、奉献等（如可13:10-12；可4:11），和（2）就不当、罪恶或虚伪的生活向他们提出质疑（如路7:36-50）。一般来说，比喻的目的是向听的人显明他们的内心和品性—他们是谁/怎样的人。

4. 比喻的本质。比喻是普通人能够轻易理解的、能从中找到认同并能从中学习的、与日常生活相关的简单有趣的故事。可能正是因为比喻的这些特点，耶稣在他的教导中大量使用比喻。

因此，比喻揭示、澄清、强调属灵的真理并将其应用于心灵、良心。比喻的性质使它们能够在人们的脑海和良心上留下深刻的印象，远比仅仅陈述观点更有影响、更有效、更持久—比如不懈的寡妇和不义的官（路18:1-8），或者法利赛人和税吏的祷告（路18:9-14）。

因此，比喻的本质是真实的简短故事，将相似的情况、人和事件与另外一个情况、人或事件比较，从而解释、阐明和教导一个不熟悉或者不被知道但却很重要的属灵真理。本质上说，比喻是间接的，需要听者做出回应。

5.理解和解释比喻。比喻就是信息。讲比喻是为了抓住或引起听众注意，让他们简单了解自己的行为或者让他们对耶稣的事工做出某种回应。正是这个特点，使得解释比喻很困难，因为就像解释一个玩笑—如果你必须解释它，它就不再有趣和直观。就像笑话的直接感染力一样，比喻的听众也会立即与他们所明白的点产生共鸣。

由于我们与比喻的时间、文化和语言相距甚远，我们可能无法立即明白这一点，因此它们对我们的作用与对原听者的作用不同。然而通过对比喻进行解释，我们有可能明白当时听众所理解的。

.一般来说，对故事解释和应用会出现在故事结尾，与故事本身区分开来。比如路7:40-42，三个主要人物是：债主和两个欠债的。听众立即会明白：（1）神就像这个债主；（2）妓女和西门就像两个欠债的。这个比喻是一个审判，呼吁西门悔改。这个比喻的力量在于西门不可能错过要点。需要注意的是，涉及到的人物本身并不构成比喻。他们只是为了把听者吸引到故事中，使听者能从中找到认同。这个故事的重点在于有意识的回应。在这个例子中，是对西门和他朋友的审判，对这个女人的接纳和饶恕。

请记住，在某种程度上，耶稣的所有比喻都是耶稣选择用来宣讲天国的方式。因此，我们必须非常熟悉耶稣事工中天国的意义。

6.研究和解释比喻的准则。当这些比喻第一次被说出来的时候，很少需要解释，因为它们的意思对听众来说是直观的。但由于我们当时不在现场，而且它们只有书面形式，我们缺乏对原始听众所拥有的一些相关点的直接理解。然而，通过解经过程，我们可以高度准确地发现它们的点。我们需要做的是把那个点应用到我们的背景下（如马太——18:10-14；20:1-16）。你可以通过在讲道中插入（从上下文和释经上来说）适合的与当代相关的点，从而做到这一点。

虽然在上下文背景下研究比喻，所有正常的传统的工具、程序和原则都必须应用上，以便于能够推断理解作者的意图，但是比喻的体裁本身非常流畅、多样，并包含多个层次的意义，给讲道留下了很大的灵活性。我们应该记住，我们今天的听众喜爱比喻故事，并像最初的听众一样认为它们很迷人一样。这凸显了故事的力量。

黄金法则（就像所有准备讲道的解经研究一样）是不要让比喻表达它们所没有的意思。这是解释比喻的常见错误—即，试图使比喻的每一个细节都有一个相对的意义（也就是寓意化你的解释）。寓意化作为一种​​解释方法，其问题在于它太过主观。十个不同的人可以为每个细节想出十个不同的含义。理解和传讲比喻的一般规则是，正如我的一位牧师朋友曾经说过的，我们不应该试图“让比喻四肢着地行走”——即不要试图为每一个小细节赋予意义，除非比喻本身显明。

此外，寓意化试图为每一个小细节赋予意义，往往会错过比喻的整体要点。一些学者为了反驳寓意化的解释方法，声称每个比喻只有一个要点，细节只是叙事的装饰。但这无疑过于简单化了。比如浪子的比喻中，儿子、父亲、哥哥不都代表不同的人吗？比喻可以有一个也可以有多个点，就像它们可以有多种目的、形式和应用一样。然而，虽然一个比喻可能涉及到多个点，但每个比喻（就像任何其他圣经段落一样）只有一个神学要点或它所传达的原则。

7. 一种平衡的解释比喻的方法（改编自 Craig Blomberg，引自 Duval 和 Hays，260f）。

(a)为每个主角找到要点。所有其他的细节只是增强了故事情节。例如，在浪子的比喻中（路15:11-32），浪子清楚地代表了悔改和相信神的罪人。父亲代表神愿意施怜悯和宽恕。哥哥代表宗教人士——也就是耶稣这个比喻所指向的对象，法利赛人和文士（路15:2）， 认为只有他们才配得神的恩典。

再比如在好撒玛利亚人的比喻中（路10:29-37）。被强盗殴打的人代表有需要的邻舍（这是耶稣所讲的主题，路10:29）。祭司和利未人代表宗教领袖，你希望他们无条件地爱他们的“邻居”，但他们可能不会真正这样做。撒玛利亚人代表那些你不会期望他们来爱具有不同宗教和文化背景的“邻居”，但实际上可能以实际和公开的方式这样做的人。

(b)确定最初听众所理解的要点。不要将比喻从上下文发生的事中孤立出来去阅读或解释。仔细查看它们的文学背景。耶稣的比喻总是说明在前面的问题或情况中发生了什么。

在试图确定比喻的要点时，问自己一些问题会很有帮助，例如：（1）这个比喻要求或产生什么样的反应？ (2) 叙述中是否有惊喜、转折、震撼？ (3) 这个比喻直接或间接地教导我们关于神国的什么？或者如何教导？ (4) 基督论和神学的重点和教导是什么？ (5) 它是什么类型的比喻——真正的比喻、明喻还是隐喻？ (6) 比喻有哪些不同的场景和动作？ (7) 听众是谁？ (8) 谁是主要人物，他们代表谁？ (9) 神学的中心论点是什么？

8.解释比喻的一些进一步提示

(1)一遍又一遍地听这个比喻。找到耶稣的听众可能会联想到的点。试着确定最初的听众会如何理解这个故事——他们会听到什么以及他们会如何解释和应用它。有时，含义在比喻被明确说明了；有时，出现在应用中(参考 太 5:13; 18:21, 35; 29:1-16; 22:14; 25:13; Lk. 12:15-21; 15:7, 10; 18:1, 9; 19:11)。

(2)仔细查看上下文。就像所有可靠的解经方法一样，从作者选择呈现素材的角度，仔细查看每个比喻的上下文。比如，葡萄园工人的比喻（太20:1-16），紧跟在富有的少年人的故事之后（太19:16-22）。在指出财富可能是进入天国的一大障碍之后，彼得说：“看哪，我们已经撇下所有的跟从你，将来我们要得什么呢？”（太19:27）。 耶稣向彼得保证他们会得到应有的奖赏（太19:28-30），但是紧接在这个保证之后是这个“家主清早出去，雇人进他的葡萄园做工”的比喻（太20:1）.在这个比喻中，耶稣责备彼得的自义“看看我们为你做了多少，耶稣，我们为你放弃了多少…”。彼得说话就像葡萄园里的工人，他们认为自己比那些工作时间不长的人配得更多的工钱，而不是出于对基督的爱，满足于服事基督。这就是作者所选择呈现这个比喻的角度。

首先，看历史和文化的背景—它特殊的设定。比如，耶稣讲了浪子的比喻，专门责备那些发怨言的文士和法利赛人，“这个人接待罪人，又同他们吃饭”（路15:1-2）。接着，耶稣讲述了一个比喻，其中法利赛人和文士被描绘成“当一个罪人‘被找到’时，他们会抱怨而不是欢喜……欣赏的重点是大儿子的角色，他唯一的弟兄，不是一百个中的一个也不是十个中的一个，迷失了。这个大儿子代表抱怨的法利赛人，他们似乎无法分享天堂里神和天使的喜悦” (Moises Silva, 112-113)。

了解文化背景要求我们研究一世纪的习俗，以便我们了解经文中所说和所做的影响。例如，当浪子要求他的父亲将他的那部分遗产分给他时，他要求的是通常在父亲去世之前不会发生的事情。这样做，说明了他希望他的父亲死去。明白这一点，使父亲接纳这个儿子回来的爱和恩典更加显著。

II.加强圣经化领导
“和好的职分，第四部分（继续）：呼吁神的百姓与神的执事和好”（哥后6:11-7:16）

我们在本期的牧师网络杂志中再次继续这段经文。上次，我们介绍了 哥后 6:11-18这段经文的前两节：

1.一个牧者爱的呼吁（6:11-13）

2.一个牧者警告的呼吁（6:14-18）

现在我们继续第三部分…

3.. 牧者呼吁的应用（7:1-4）.“因此…”（从刚才所说的得出结论，），基于旧约的应许（6:16-18），（注意这个应许是有条件的）如果他们将自己与恶（外邦人的宗教行为，尤其指偶像敬拜）分别出来，神要做他们的父，恢复他的百姓与他应有的关系，然后保罗劝告：“亲爱的弟兄，我们既有这等应许，就当洁净自己，除去身体、灵魂一切的污秽，敬畏神，得以成圣”（7:1）。

对保罗而言，神的百姓最重要的圣洁原则是，我们“和不信的不要同负一轭”（6:14），而在神百姓中实践这样的圣洁就是要“洁净自己，除去身体、灵魂的一切污秽”（7:1）。原则是“不义的人不能承受神的国”（哥前6:9-10）。神的百姓 “奉主耶稣基督的名，并借着我们神的灵，已经洗净、成圣、称义了”（哥前6:11）。

这个原则必须在他们的行为中明显表现出来，对他们才会是真实的。换句话说，地位上成圣必须在行为的成圣中表现出来。我们已经被神分别为圣—这是地位上的成圣（例如徒 26:18; 来 10:14; 13:12; 1 彼 1:2; 弗 5:26; 约 17:17）——我们也必须洁净自己—这是逐渐的、行为上的成圣（哥前1:18；彼前3:15），以至于我们与基督的联合在我们的生活中变得越来越明显和真实。已经从罪中得自由（罗6:11-18）并且能够不再犯罪（1约3:9），神在我们里面做工（帖前5:23；多2:14）以至于我们越来越像基督（哥后3:18；罗8:29；来13:20-21；1约2:6；3:7）。特别是圣灵，在我们成圣的过程中活跃作用（帖前4:3；帖后2:13；加5:16-18，22-23）。

被动成圣和主动成圣这两个概念在这里没有冲突。成圣是神在我们里面的工作，我们被洁净，被分别出来、被称为圣徒和圣洁的（哥前1:2；哥后1;1），神在基督里使我们成为圣洁（罗1:30；帖后2:13），并且我们也洁净自己，努力不犯罪（哥前6;18;哥后7:1；1约3:6:19），寻求去实践神对我们所说的真理（哥前7:34；帖前4:3-8；罗6:19），渴慕更像基督（罗8:13；来12:1；腓2:12；3:13-14；彼后1:5ff）。

因为与“不信的人同负一轭”而导致的 “不洁净”（污秽、肮脏）是完全的，污秽我们的“身体、灵魂”。因此，“洁净”也是完全的，既需要“身体”的洁净（身体上的、外面的洁净—从外面看我们是谁），也需要“灵魂”的洁净（灵魂，内在的—从里面看我们是谁）。

“成全圣洁”意味着我们的成圣是逐步的，我们在这个世上努力成圣，但同时也明白只有在我们得荣耀的时候，我们的圣洁才会完全。虽然，成圣过程的完全要在世界末了的时候(帖前. 3:13; 犹 24; 哥后 11:2)，但不管怎样，我们现在仍然继续向着完全努力。另外“成全圣洁”也意味着这是我们必须为自己做的事情。就像哥林多教会，他们必须完全他们的圣洁，把自己与不洁净的分开、不与不信的人相交—特别是，但不完全限于，偶像崇拜。

正如“敬畏神”是保罗事工的动力之一（5:11；参考哥前2:3；哥后7:11），所以这也应该成为神百姓追求圣洁的动力—“洁净自己，除去身体、灵魂的一切污秽”。我们生活在神无所不知的注视之下。我们无法逃脱他的审查和审判。

跟随着他在6:11-12节的思想，保罗继续一个牧者对哥林多人的呼吁。“你们要心地宽大收纳我们。我们未曾亏负谁，未曾败坏谁，未曾占谁的便宜”（7:2）。他呼吁他们“心地宽大”收纳他。他首先将福音的好消息传给他们，他们的心应该向他敞开，向假使徒（正在影响他们的人）关闭(David E. Garland, 哥后, 344)。毕竟，保罗没有做过任何事情使他们有理由这样对待他。尽管他严厉斥责和强烈指示，但他没有冤枉任何人，没有腐蚀任何人，也没有欺骗任何人。那么，他们为什么要这样对待他？他们为什么要把他拒之门外？

“我说这话，不是要定你们的罪。我已经说过，你们常在我们心里，情愿与你们同生同死”（7:3）。保罗想要确保他们不要误解他在7:2中的辩护。读它的人，尤其是哥林多人的属灵状况，可能会认为保罗不是在为自己辩护，而是在指责他们。因此他澄清他的辩护，“我说这话，不是要定你们的罪。我已经说过，你们常在我们心里，情愿与你们同生同死”。他不想他们对这有任何的误会。

“情愿与你们同生同死”可以被译为“因此我们同死是为了(“εις” 希腊语)能够同生”。因此保罗这个陈述是有目的的，他在这里要么指他和他们作为基督徒的经历和奉献（也就是和基督同死，并与他并为他而活），要么指他们作为基督徒死后的共同未来，一起复活与基督一同在天上。他们之间有这样亲密的关系，这是他想向他们表达的。

“我大大地放胆，向你们说话。我因你们多多夸口，满得安慰。我们在一切患难中分外地快乐”（7:4）。这节经文可以作为2:14-7:4这部分的最后一句，或者作为下一部分7:4-16的第一句。7:4-16可以看做2:3关于找到提多并听提多报告的继续。与其试图决定这节经文的位置，不如考虑把7:4作为一个枢纽节，结束上一节，开始下一节，因为它与这两节都很好地相关。7:4保罗强调了他对他们的积极态度，同时介绍了他对提多报告的积极回应，反过来，这又回到了书信开头(2:2-3 参考 7:4, 13)。

他以前对他们的大胆讲话（在各种问题上纠正他们）带来了他想要和需要的敬虔悔改和改正（7:9-10）。因此，他对他们直率的责备和纠正达到了它的预期结果，现在使得他为他们感到“自豪”。他的放胆讲论有可能永久断绝他们的关系（因为没有人喜欢被纠正），而事实上，通过他们的积极回应，他得到了很好的结果，所以现在他能够并且高兴地因他们夸口。确实，他“满得安慰…分外地快乐”，尽管“在一切患难中”。他所指的患难显然是他在马其顿寻找提多时所遇到的（7:5）.

III. 讲道大纲

题目:基督的福音（太7:13-14）

主旨:通向永生的两条路

主题:如果你想要进入天国，你必须选择窄的、难走的真理之路。

要点1:一条路容易走但结局艰难(7:13).

1a)它开始容易，因为入口是宽的，路是大的

1b).他结局艰难因为他的目的地是永恒的毁灭。

要点 2:另一条路难走但结局容易(7:14).

2a)它开始难因为入口窄，路难走

2b)它结局容易因为它的目的地是永生

Related Topics: Pastors

What to Know About This Study Guide

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Its Format

This study is written with few questions per week (usually around fifteen), but they’re thought- provoking questions. It requires listening to God through his Word, being directed by open questions, and responding to what you’ve read and heard by writing down your thoughts.

Each week’s study has three parts to make it easy to split it up or do at once, depending on your preference.

See beyondordinarywomen.org for previews of other studies or information about group purchases.

Simple Doesn’t Equate To Shallow.

This study demands your involvement. Although the layout is simple, how deeply you go depends on you. As you spend time talking to God and journaling your thoughts, he may lead you to other cross-references, but he will certainly give you insights into the verses. Don’t stop with initial surface answers, but ask God to clarify and guide. The time you spend in the Scriptures with God gives him space to speak. Listen well, note your thoughts (simple journaling), share them with your small group and glean from one another’s insights.

Studying Through Three Sections A Week

If you like doing a little study at a time, each week’s lesson is set up in three parts, but feel free to go through it in any way that works best for you. If you prefer daily time in the Word, consider spending two days on each part, writing on the optional starred section the second day. You may be amazed at what you see by reading the same passage twice. If you prefer to do the entire study in one sitting, you may want to read all the passages first and then answer the questions at the end. Of course, it’s great to be in God’s Word each day, but you may have other ways of doing that. Stick to what works for your schedule.

Additional Reading And Background Information

The lessons provide background information pertinent to your understanding. Feel free to do your own research when you have interest or questions, but the group conversation will be focused on the passages studied by everyone.

*** A star identifies optional verses or suggested study for those with time and interest. The additional reading will help you wrestle with deeper insights into the passages.

Words To Live By

The verses that begin each week’s lesson are great choices for memorization.

What You Need

  • A quiet place, if possible.
  • A Bible that you can understand. If you don’t have one, ask your group leader for suggestions, or email us at [email protected]. Modern versions are available as downloads, through Bible apps or in print at any bookstore. (We are using the NET Bible at netbible.org, a free online Bible translation with study helps that is also available in print.)
  • A notebook, laptop or tablet to record your insights and answers that can easily be taken to your group meetings. If you’re using a printed copy of this study, you can add a piece of paper after each lesson. (See “Simple Journaling” in the Appendix.)
  • The commitment to listen to God and write out what you hear as you read and pray.
  • Someone, or even better a group, to discuss this with you and provide support, encouragement and spiritual challenge.

Best Practices For Group Get-Togethers (For More Detail, See The Appendix & BOW Small Group Leader Videos.)

Plan a regular place, time and leader.

The leader should—

  • read the section “Tips for Leaders” in the Appendix.
  • watch BOW’s free, short videos: “Tips for Leading a Journaling Study” (https:// vimeo.com/album/4256789) and the series “Listening Well” (https://vimeo.com/ album/4065298). For leaders older than Millennials, watch the series “Millennials: The Good, the Bad, & the Ministry” at https://vimeo.com/album/5118401.
  • start on time, not waiting for late arrivals.
  • move the group along, being sensitive to God’s Spirit.
  • encourage everyone to share without forcing it.
  • be a great encourager.
  • avoid dominating the conversation.
  • keep the focus on the women, not herself and her own thoughts.
  • provide time for the group to think and share from their journals.
  • contact absent group members to encourage them.
  • email the group weekly to remind them of the upcoming meeting, and share her excitement.

As a group—

  • encourage one another.
  • don’t interrupt the speaker.
  • love one another.
  • don’t try to fix the other members of your group or their problems by giving advice.
  • pray for one another and entrust each other and your problems to God.
  • be honest and vulnerable, but wise in how much detail you share personally.
  • stay in touch with each other between meetings for support and encouragement.
  • come prepared and on time with your study, notebook (journal) and Bible.
  • share freely and honestly.

If Your Group Meets Within A Larger Group In A Church Setting

  • Look for a woman gifted in teaching God’s Word to teach a short lesson after the small group discussion. Watch BOW’s short, free video “Why Use Live Teachers, not Video?” at https://vimeo.com/209323216. (For help in preparing to teach, see our collection of videos at https://beyondordinarywomen.org/bible-teaching or contact us at https://beyondordinarywomen.org/contact-alternative/.)
  • Because educators say that we learn best when we focus in groups on the members’ personal study rather than the teacher’s comments, the discussion should precede the teaching time.
  • The teacher may spend 15-25 minutes adding to the background of the lesson, beginning and ending within the allotted time frame. The majority of the time together should be invested in small groups.
  • The teacher’s role is to clarify and extend what the group has studied, not to retell what they have discussed.

Schedule Suggestions

As you work to both connect those in your group and study the scriptures well, it’s great to begin with an introductory meeting. That means that this study will require eight weeks to complete. Look at your church or small group calendar and try to fit it into a block of weeks with no more than one break for the sake of consistency.

Each week set aside 50-60 minutes for small group and more if there’s no teacher.

1. Week One—Given an Inheritance

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Words To Live By

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:3-5

Let’s begin this study by reading this week’s verses quoted above. Peter starts his letter with deep truths about what Christ has done for his followers, encouraging those facing hostility because of their faith. Meditate on these words and take them to heart. Each week’s lesson will begin with verses that are good choices to memorize, or at least meditate on.

I have a bundle of letters written to my mother by my father when he was overseas during World War II. They are valuable to our family not only because of my parents’ special relationship but also because he was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean flying bombing runs over Japan. Even more precious to God’s family are the New Testament letters, or epistles, that have endured for approximately 2,000 years. The authors spoke by God’s Spirit to the people of God in the First Century and by extension to us today. How exciting it is that we are able to read the very words inspired by God through the Apostle Peter, who personally knew Jesus, saw his miracles and heard his teaching!

As we study this letter, it’s important to remember that it wasn’t written to us as 21st-century Christians living in a country with democratic norms. Peter’s world was ruled by the Emperors of the Roman Empire. To understand his message, we must first consider what it meant to its recipients by looking at the historical and cultural context. Only then we can apply it correctly to our lives today.

Part One Study

As we go through Peter’s letter, we’ll come to see that “Peter intends his readers to understand who they are before God so that they can be who they are in society,”1 as Scot McKnight puts it. We, too, need to know who we are as Christians, our new identity that we’re called to live out in an often hostile world.

Read Slowly And Carefully Through The NET Bible Translation Of 1 Peter In The Appendix. (If You Don’t Have A Paper Copy, You May Want To Print It Out From Your Downloaded Study.) Note These Repeated Words And Their Synonymous Phrases That Point To The Themes: Suffering, Glory And Doing Good. (Consider Marking The Words As Suggested In The Starred Section Below.) Think About How Those Repeated Words Point To Themes Of This Letter. Write Down Any Thoughts You Have About Those Topics In Your Journal. (These Are Simply Your First Thoughts. You Can’t Be Wrong!) Mark The Purpose Statement Of The Book, 1 Peter 5:12, So That You Can Easily Find It Later.

*** As you read, mark the following three repeated words/phrases to help you discover Peter’s themes. Mark the word “suffering” and its synonyms by circling them in black. Mark the word “glory” by highlighting it in yellow. And finally, mark the phrase “doing good” and phrases with a similar meaning by underlining or highlighting them in green.

Part Two Study

To Understand The Historical Context Of 1 Peter, Read The Short Two-Page Section “Background Of 1 Peter” In The Appendix. Note In Your Journal, Notebook Or On Paper Anything That Is New To You Or That You Want To Remember. Also, Comment On What You Learn About The Term Translated In Various Translations As “Those Temporarily Residing Abroad,” “Exiles,” “Strangers” Or “Aliens” In The Salutation Of The Book In Vv.1-2. Then Add Your Insights Into The Bulleted Questions Below:

  • List the terms and descriptions used by Peter for the recipients of this letter in vv.1-2. Which term referring to believers in Jesus is particularly precious and encouraging to you? Why?

You probably noticed that in 1 Peter 1:1-2 Peter describes those who receive this letter not only as exiles but also as chosen. There are entire books written about the idea that God has selected his children. Denominations have divided over its meaning, but God has decided not to reveal more than the fact that we are chosen. Instead of debating how this works, think about how it feels to be chosen. Perhaps as a student you were picked for an athletic team. Maybe your job experience has been one of being chosen to tackle a specific task or receive a promotion. We’ve all experienced times when we were selected and times when we weren’t.

God has chosen you to be his child, but his choice has nothing to do with your being better than anyone else. He chose you in his mercy simply because he loves you and wants a relationship with you, no matter your past. I often hear people say that God loves you just the way you are, but that is not exactly correct. God loves you despite the way you are. If we truly believe that God selected us regardless of what he knew about us rather than because of it, we would recognize how undeserving we are of his mercy and realize that no one else deserves it either. You and I are not alone. God loves us all despite our sins and failures.

  • What do you sense God saying to you today? (Being a disciple of Jesus is about a relationship with him, not just knowing about God or following a set of rules. We therefore listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts as we read and study God’s Word.)

*** Do further research on the background of this book. I recommend Scot McKnight’s commentary2 as clear and easy to understand. If you prefer a free resource, you might link to Constable’s Notes3 on the entire Bible written by Thomas Constable, a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary.

Part Three Study

Now we’ll take a closer look at 1 Peter 1:3-9. This is a statement of praise to God for what he has done for his children. Remember that Peter’s purpose was to encourage these believers facing hostility because of their faith and to testify about the true grace of God so they can stand fast in that grace.

Read 1 Peter 1:3-9, And Record Your Thoughts On These Questions.

  • What does this passage testify about God—who he is and what he has done for us?
  • What does it tell us about the inheritance that we receive because we’ve now been born into God’s family through faith in Jesus? How do these truths encourage you?

You’ve already noticed and possibly marked the words suffering, glory, doing good and all their synonyms. They reflect themes that extend throughout the entire letter written to Christians dealing with hostility from their culture because Jesus and his teachings are counter-cultural. When God’s people say there is one God, those who worship other gods are offended. When followers of Jesus live out the ethics of the kingdom, other people may become hostile because a godly life suggests they are sinful or wrong.

  • What do you learn in vv. 6-7 about the persecution, the trials, that these believers were experiencing?
  • How do you see vv. 8-9 as an encouragement for these Christians dealing with persecution?
  • Do you sense God using these scriptures to speak to you? If so, record your thoughts. What will you do in response?

*** Read James 1:2-4 and Romans 8:18. They aren’t about persecution necessarily but other kinds of hardships and trials. Journal about their application to your life.

It helps me to realize that the Bible tells us that trials that come because of being a Christian—outright persecution or something less that is still difficult—are distressing and yet Peter speaks of joy. (You may want to mark “joy” in a unique way throughout the letter also.) So often as believers we think that living joyfully means an absence of distress, but joy is an inward attitude that doesn’t rule out sorrow, pain or grief. At times it helps me to turn to scriptures such as this chapter in 1 Peter to be reminded of reasons to be joyful. If believers dealing with persecution can be joyful like this, so can you and I. When I begin to wallow in my circumstances, I need to refocus on Jesus and the great things he has done for me, just as Peter encouraged them to do.

End your week’s study with praise to God for all his mercies in your life.

1 Scot McKnight, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 Peter, Ed. Terry Muck (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 36.

2 Scot McKnight, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 Peter, Ed. Terry Muck, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,1996).

3 Thomas L. Constable, “Constable’s Notes: 1 Peter.” https://netbible.org/bible/1+Peter+1

Related Topics: Christian Life

2. Week Two—Called to Be Holy

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Like obedient children, do not comply with the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance, but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:14-16

Holy sounds so, well, holy! How can God call us as sinners, whom he accepted only by his grace, to be holy?

The theme of holiness in this letter begins in 1 Peter 1:2 when Peter refers to the recipients of the letter as “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with Jesus Christ’s blood.” The word translated “set apart” in the NET Bible (hagiasmos)1 is often translated with a form of the word sanctify, which is a separation or consecration unto God. It is a cousin of the word for holy (haggio).2 The main sense of the word holy is “separation, consecration, devotion to the service of Deity, sharing in God’s purity and abstaining from earth’s defilement.”3

This concept of being holy or sanctified refers to both our initial setting apart as God’s people to obey and serve him (1 Peter 1:2) and also the continuous setting apart in character that changes believers to become more like Jesus, acting out the obedience for which we are purposed.

Karen Jobes comments: “The two components of consecration and sanctification cannot truly be separated: the transformation of character away from conformity to the world is constitutive of consecration.”4

Part One Study

Read The Entire Section Of 1 Peter 1:1-12 To Keep It All In Context.

I find the last paragraph in this passage (vv.10-12) to be so interesting. Throughout the Old Testament, God sent prophets to speak to his people, calling them back to fidelity to him through repentance and faith. Their messages included predictions of future events and of a coming king who would lead Israel into prosperity and peace. He was referred to as the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek). These terms translated into English would be Anointed One, suggesting that he is God’s anointed king.

When we read the prophetic books of the Old Testament, we often wonder what many prophecies mean. Well, apparently the prophets themselves wondered about the timing and circumstances of their own predictions, particularly those about Messiah’s coming, his suffering and the glories to follow. Peter says that even angels wanted to understand these words. Today, we as God’s children are privileged to be on the back side of Jesus’ coming and can thus understand the prophecies about Jesus and his suffering for us according to the gospel.

What is the gospel? It is the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the truth that Jesus is God himself who came to earth and became man to grow up to suffer and die, freeing us from sin and the power of the forces of evil. Because of his death, we become God’s children and citizens of his kingdom by responding in faith to Jesus. We can’t earn this salvation; we can only receive it as a gift. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we are called to follow him and allow God’s Spirit to change us more and more into his likeness. This is sanctification, the process of being set apart in character. Our purpose is to serve him on earth, sharing this gospel message and giving people glimpses of the kingdom that is to come in full when Jesus returns by speaking of and showing God’s love.

In Light Of The 1 Peter Passage, Think Through These Questions And Write Down Your Thoughts:

  • Comment on how these first twelve verses connect to Peter’s purpose written in 1 Peter 5:12: “I have written to you briefly, in order to encourage you and testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.”
  • Where are you on your spiritual journey? We all begin far from him. Where are you in knowing and following Jesus, not only for initial salvation but also for growing more like him?

*** Read more about the salvation Jesus brings in Romans 3:10-18, 21-23; 5:6-11; 6:23. Write down your insights.

  • What is God saying to you through his Word today? How will you respond?

Part Two Study

We Now Move Into The Next Section Of Peter’s First Letter (1 Peter 1:13-21). Since It Begins With “Therefore,” Indicating A Link From What Came Before To What Is About To Be Said, Reread Vv.1-12 And Continue Reading Through V. 21 To Put It In Context. Then Write Down Any Insights Or Questions You Have As You Answer The Bulleted Questions:

  • Verses 13-21 are built on the truths of vv.1-12. How would you explain their relationship? How do they fit into the purpose of the book (1 Peter 5:12)?

Often the Bible calls us to do something and yet also describes it as God’s work. How are we to understand that? He calls us to obey, but all the while it’s the Spirit within us providing the power.

  • Knowing that it’s God’s Spirit who gives us the power to change and obey, what commands do you find in vv. 13-21? List them and consider underlining and marking them in blue in the text of 1 Peter as you go. (You will generally recognize them by the lack of a subject. When I say to my child, “Clean your room,” I don’t put a subject in the sentence. The “you” is understood. But that said, Peter sometimes doesn’t talk to “you” but to a specific group and may use the terms “let him or let them,” suggesting that a command follows. It may be profitable to mark them also, especially if the person or group applies to you.) How do these commands relate to living in a hostile culture? How do you see vv. 13-21 relate to the command to be holy?
  • Read Philippians 2:12-13. Comment on how it relates to the commands you found.
  • What is God saying to you today through his Word? What will you do about it?

*** Read these other verses about God’s work through his people, and comment in your journal: John 15:1-5, 26; Acts 4:5-12, 31. If time permits, also look at Acts 12:25-13:3; Romans 8:14-17 and 2 Peter 1:19-21.

Part Three Study

Reread All Of 1 Peter 1:13-21. If You Want To Mix It Up And Likely Gain New Insights, Read It In A Different Translation. (There Are A Number Of Bible Apps With Multiple Translations, Or You Can Go To Netbible.Org And Switch To A Different Translation At The Top Left Of The Passage Where It Says NET2, The Default Translation Which Is In The Appendix To This Study.)

In 1 Peter 1:17 we see the Greek word paroikias5 meaning a time of residence in a foreign land, a time of exile, living as an alien. It refers not to the alien, as the word in 1:1 does, but to the period of time lived in an area that isn’t really home.

Think About How We Would Need To Live If We Were Aliens In A Physical Country. How Should We Relate To Its Culture, Government And People?

Write Down Your Insights From 1 Peter 1:17 As You Consider These Questions:

  • Do you live with an awareness of how alien the character and actions of Jesus and his disciples are in our broader culture, or do you feel at home here? How would living into the new identity that God has given you as a resident alien or stranger in your country and the larger world change your attitude and actions? (Be specific about things that may need to change as you write in your journal.)
  • What truth about God’s grace does Peter give as the reason to adopt that attitude? How does it relate to the command?

Read Philippians 3:17-21, And Comment On These Questions In Light Of 1 Peter 1:17:

  • In the Philippians passage, Paul contrasts his own attitude as a citizen of heaven with those of others. What do you learn from this contrast?
  • How do you see the attitudes mentioned in Philippians 3:19 in our culture today? How do you see them in yourself?
  • What is the Spirit saying to you as you consider how well you’re living out Peter’s suggested attitude as a resident alien? What do you need to do about it?

*** If you have ever lived in a foreign land as a temporary resident, how does that experience help you understand Peter’s use of these words? Does it suggest to you ways that you may need to adjust your attitude toward your permanent home?

Take time to pray, asking God to continue to show you what it means to be a foreigner on this earth.

1 Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: 38, accessed at netbible.org.

2 Strong: 40.

3 Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN AMG Publishers, 1992), 70.

4 Karen H. Jobes, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1 Peter (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005), 70.

5 Strong’s: 3940.

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3. Week Three—Born Again

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Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:22-23 (NASB)

How much do you resemble your parents? Perhaps you look like your father and act like your mother, or vice versa. Maybe you’re just like one of them in both looks and personality. When some of us were born, we were immediately recognized as (what we call in Texas) the “spitting image” of a parent. For others of us, the resemblance was only seen over time.

When I’m in public, I really enjoy looking at strangers and trying to pick out those who are related. On Father’s Day this year we went to breakfast before church, and there was a family whose three grown children were easy to spot because they all favored the dad. The daughter-in-law was obvious because she looked nothing like them.

As we’ve already seen in our study so far, Peter’s letter was purposed to encourage the recipients, people suffering for their faith, and he does that in part by reminding them of who they were as believers in Christ. Peter stresses that they had been born anew into God’s family, consecrated to their heavenly Father and thus called to be holy.

Romans 8:29 puts it this way: “those whom he [God] foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

As you study God’s Word this week, consider who you are as a believer and why knowing your identity is important if and when you deal with real persecution for your faith.

Part One Study

As Peter describes our new identity, he uses terminology that suggests a familial relationship.

Read 1 Peter 1:1-2:10, The Entire Passage For This Week’s Study. Journal About The Following Questions:

  • Much of this is a review, but it’s worthwhile to go back and list (and even mark in purple) every word and phrase that refers in any way to our new identity as God’s children. Then comment on how knowing these truths affects you.

*** Some scholars have commented that parts of this letter appear to have their origin in Jesus’ teaching. Well of course! Peter was one of the twelve men who accompanied Jesus during his three years of teaching ministry. Read John 3:1-21, a related conversation for which Peter was likely present. (John gave us the record of what they discussed, but generally when Jesus had John with him, he also took Peter and James, even if he didn’t include the other nine disciples.) Write down what Jesus says there that reminds you of what you’ve read from Peter so far.

  • How does the command in 1:22 relate to 1:23-25, where Peter once again repeats the idea of our being placed in God’s family?
  • In light of the command in 1:22, look up John 15:12-13 and 1 John 3:16-18, and comment on what it would mean for us to obey this command. How important is obeying it in light of Jesus’ prayer for his people in John 17:11, 20-23?
  • What is God saying to you about your love and actions today?

Rich Villodas comments on the importance of the family of God: “At the core of the gospel, then, is the ‘making right’ of all things through Jesus. In Jesus’s death and resurrection, the world is set on a trajectory of renewal, but God graciously invites us to work toward this future. However, this work is not an individual enterprise; it is one orchestrated by the collected effort of a new family in the power of the Spirit.”1

Part Two Study

Reread 1 Peter 1:13-25 And Continue Reading Through 2:3. Journal Your Thoughts On The Bulleted Questions:

  • Chapter two starts with “therefore” or “so,” and that requires us to look at the verses that precede it to see the complete thought. Note the characteristics that Peter says to take off or rid ourselves of. Ask God to show you if you are guilty of holding such attitudes, and know that he forgives you completely as you humbly repent. Sadly, social media is filled with posts that violate these commands. How do you see the command in 1 Peter 1:22 to purify your soul relate to the command in 2:2-3 to yearn for pure spiritual milk?

If you have any experience around newborn babies, you will understand Peter’s metaphor in 2:2. Peter is not correlating babies with believers, suggesting only baby Christians need this command. Instead, he is comparing a baby’s hunger with the kind of desire that all Christians should have for spiritual milk.

Most scholars agree that milk refers to the Word of God which was just mentioned, but apparently in the Greek there are some grammatical problems in translating it that way. So a number of others2 have suggested that spiritual milk is more than the Word, which is of course essential to our growth. In their thinking, the spiritual milk may include all kinds of spiritual practices as well as the teaching and encouragement of the church community.

  • What kinds of spiritual milk have affected your growth as a Christian? Be prepared to share your experience with your small group (if you have one) so that you can be encouraged by each other to consider trying a new spiritual practice.
  • What is God saying to you today?

*** Because Peter specifically mentions God’s Word as an agent of the new birth (1:23-25), that means that it is part of the spiritual milk of 2:2. Read these other passages focused on God’s Word, and record any thoughts that you have about them: 2 Peter 1:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; John 17:15-19. If you have time, also look at Psalm 119 with the theme of God’s Word, also referred to as God’s law or commands.

Part Three Study

Before you read today’s passage, keep in mind that the letter is to churches, not individuals. Christians aren’t to be lone rangers but are to carry out the mission of God with and among the family of God. This is about us collectively, our identity as God’s church and God’s family, just as the rest of the letter is.

Read 1 Peter 2:4-10, And Respond To These Questions:

  • There are a number of word pictures in this passage: living stone and stones, a spiritual house, priests offering sacrifices, cornerstone, stumbling over a rock and darkness into light. Record your thoughts on these various pictures as you read the details in this passage and note what you learn about Jesus and what you learn about the church. Which image is most encouraging to you? Why?
  • What are spiritual sacrifices? Read through these verses, and journal about one that God lays on your heart: Psalm 51:17; 107:22; 141:2; Romans 12:1; 15:16; Philippians 4:14-18; Hebrews 13:15-16.
  • How are Christians and those who reject Christ contrasted in this passage?
  • What is God saying to you through these scriptures?

*** Peter calls Jesus rejected in 2:4, 7. (Read John 1:9-13 to see more.) Read these passages about the rejection of his followers and journal your thoughts, especially in light of the hostility toward the first-century believers to whom Peter writes: John 15:18-21; Acts 5:17-18, 27, 41-42; Philippians 3:12.

Praise God for his high calling on your life as part of the church.

1 Rich Villodas, The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus (United States: WaterBrook, 2020), 50.

2 Jobes, 141.

Related Topics: Christian Life

4. Week Four—Living as Aliens

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Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

1 Peter 2:11-12 (NASB)

At this point in Peter’s first letter, he moves from an emphasis on our salvation and identity as followers of Jesus to guidelines for living in a world hostile to Christianity. Let’s review the overall teaching of 1:1-2:10. It’s easy to miss the forest for the trees, as the old saying goes. That’s particularly true for the Bible because we tend to focus on verses or thoughts that are meaningful to us personally instead of the larger, more prominent themes.

I’ve mentioned many times Peter’s purpose and themes because understanding them is important. He is writing to Christians who were likely resident aliens in their area being persecuted for their faith as a minority group among polytheists. His purpose is to testify of God’s grace and encourage them so that they stand firm in their faith.

To so testify and encourage, Peter begins with several related themes:

  • The gospel of Jesus Christ that brings faith resulting in a new birth into God’s family, a new identity and a purpose based on that new familial relationship
  • The recognition that God saved us by his grace to be obedient by living out that salvation as his people, the church of Jesus Christ
  • The understanding that our faith causes friction with the world, bringing suffering now, but glory later to God’s people.

Part One Study

At this juncture of the book, Peter’s message becomes more specific about living out faith in the midst of a hostile environment. Because he was writing to a people who were being persecuted just short of death, we can’t simply apply the commands as written to our situations, but instead we must carefully consider them in light of the historical context. This principle is always true in Bible study. The more similar our situation is to the historical context of the people being addressed, the simpler the application is. In this case it’s very different, so first we must understand what the scriptures meant to them. Then and only then can we figure out when and how to apply it rightly in our own context.

Go Ahead And Read The Entire Passage For This Week 1 Peter 2:11-3:7, Focusing On 1 Peter 2:11-12 As You Read These Comments:

The term “fleshly desires” (NET) or “fleshly lusts” (NASB) sounds like these must be sexual acts of some kind, but D. Edmond Hiebert explains:

Peter’s words should not be interpreted to mean that desires related to our physical nature are evil, as though the human body in itself was evil. The thought is not limited to sensual indulgences; Peter’s words circumscribe all those cravings associated with the entire nature of man as a fallen being, whether they express themselves through the body or the mind. Flesh is used in its ethical sense to denote fallen mankind as characterized by depraved and corrupting desires.1

Journal About These Bulleted Questions In Your Journal:

  • Why might Peter have decided to remind them that they are foreigners and exiles at this point as he turns to this new topic? Remember that they may have been aliens both literally as residents in the land and also figuratively as believers in the world.
  • What is Peter’s general overall instruction in these verses about living in the midst of people who don’t believe in Jesus? Explain his reasoning.

Jobes says it this way: “Regardless of where Peter’s readers find themselves scattered, they are to live as faithful witnesses to the truth of Christ’s gospel in a way that does not unnecessarily offend the expectations of their society.”2

  • We know that Peter sat under Jesus’ teaching for over three years. Read these scriptures quoting Jesus’ words that would have informed Peter’s letter: Matthew 5:16, 41, 43-48; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 23:33-34. What does Jesus say that helps your understanding of Peter’s message?

*** Read Romans 12:14-21 and James 3:13. What do these passages add to your thoughts?

  • What is God saying to you today from his Word?

Part Two Study

In 1 Peter 2:13-3:12, Peter writes what was then called a household code, which set out the ethical requirements for members of households. These ancient ethical codes were normal in the Greco-Roman culture, and Paul and Peter adopted them in their letters as “a common form of early Christian ethical instruction.”3 (You can read more detail about the First Century culture in the Appendix, as it will aid your understanding of this week’s verses.) We’ll study most of Peter’s code this week, and then complete the final section next week.

As we begin to read about living well in persecuted places, let’s keep in mind Peter’s overall instruction: “. . . maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears” (1 Peter 2:12). Jobes explains that both the verb translated doing good (NET) and its noun form in their biblical contexts mean “good works beyond that expected in a given situation, which could be noted by the authorities, by the master or by the husband.”4 (See also Luke 6:35.)

Read 1 Peter 2:13-25 In The Appendix, Noting The Commands As You Go, Underlining Them In Blue As Suggested In Week Two, Part Two Study, For 1:13-21 (Second Bullet Item).

The Greek word for “be subject to” or “submit” used in this whole section “is a compound verb from the Greek words hypo (meaning ‘under’) and tasso (meaning ‘to order, place, appoint’).”5 McKnight defines the combination: “to order oneself under, or according to, a given relationship . . . .”6 He goes on to say, “. . . for Peter and the entire church, ‘submit’ does not imply total obedience, for the Israelites and the early Christians participated in civil disobedience when the demands of society overrode the demands of the Lord….”7

Now Write Down Your Thoughts On This Question:

  • How do you see that overall instruction in 2:12 reinforced throughout this section?

Now Focus On The First Part Of The Household Code In 1 Peter 2:13-17 And Its Counterpart In Romans 13:1-7, Journaling Your Response To This Question:

  • What are the general guidelines in responding to government?

Although we can learn from the commands about government, our situation in democracies is so different from that of Christians living under emperors and kings who had absolute authority. We have laws that allow for peaceful protest and freedom of speech. We can engage in peaceful civil protest as Martin Luther King, Jr. did, accepting any consequences as he and the other civil rights workers did, similarly to the response of the early Christians when asked to quit sharing the gospel message.

McKnight similarly sums up his view:

“… ‘living under the order’ no longer means ‘submission’ in the way it did in the first century. What we do now is to live decently and as good citizens, but we can still be good citizens in vehement protests and civil disobedience in a way that was completely outside the capacity for first-century citizens (and non-citizens). We ought to respect our leaders, but we do not for a minute think we have to obey their every wish—out of a fear of serious punishment.”8

*** Read at least one of these stories about God’s people who refused to submit to those in authority, recording your insights into the limits of godly submission: the Apostles (Acts 4:1-3; 18-20); Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 3:4-18) and Daniel (Daniel 6:6-22).

Let’s Look In Detail At The Section On Slaves In 1 Peter 2:18-21.

Peter’s household code makes clear that there was physical abuse going on for some of the slaves in these churches, perhaps because of their faith. Like me, you may wish that Peter had completely denounced slavery at this point. His primary concern in the verses beginning at 1 Peter 2:11, however, is that these Christians bow to the customs of the day so that their good responses, even in suffering, would be a glimpse of the gospel to unbelievers. To understand the differences in first-century slavery and that found in the United States, read the short summary in The First-Century Culture section of the Appendix.

Marshall’s comments are helpful: “Peter’s teaching is about retaliation when you are being persecuted and not about the securing of justice for the oppressed. There is a distinction between the two. Nothing that is said here runs contrary to the expression of Christian love in seeking the rights of the oppressed. But this duty lies outside the horizon of Peter’s concern here….”9

Reread 1 Peter 2:21-25.

Marshall explains the significance of this passage:

In many ways this paragraph, which stands virtually at the center of the letter, is its theological center. Sandwiched into the section on how people are to behave in their different relationships, it may give the impression of being a digression, a mere back-up for the teaching given to slaves in the preceding verses. But in fact what it says goes far beyond the immediate problem and provides the basis for all Christian behavior.10

You may be wondering whether 1 Peter 2:21 means that all Christians are called to suffer, just these specific Christians were called to suffer or whether it’s neither. I found Marshall’s view helpful: “As he [Peter has already made clear, unjust suffering is not necessarily the inevitable lot of each individual reader. Instead he says that if they suffer, they must bear it patiently. When he says that they were called to this, he means that they were called to the patient endurance of suffering”11 (emphasis in the original).

Journal Your Thoughts About The Passage In Light Of These Questions:

  • What does Jesus’ example teach Christians generally about how to think from God’s kingdom perspective when facing persecution or suffering for their faith—or even in today’s culture when we are dismissed or ridiculed?
  • What is God saying to you today from his Word?

Part Three Study

Read 1 Peter 3:1-7, A Continuation Of The Household Code.

I need to say this to wives before we go any further: submission does not require submitting to abuse. That is an evil which the commands to the husband in 3:7 would prohibit. We’ll look at it in more depth, but first, let’s consider what Peter says to wives.

Write Down Your Thoughts On These Questions As You Read:

  • Describe the character qualities that Peter commends in wives. (Note that submission was expected of first-century wives, including the Greco-Roman cultures.)12
  • What again is Peter’s main teaching for these minority Christian people being subjected to persecution (1 Peter 2:11-12)? How do you see that relate to what he commands wives?
  • Do you see any boundaries to Peter’s command to submit in the wording?

FYI: The external beauty or outward adornment that Peter references in 3:3 was a gaudy show of wealth meant to attract attention, not simple jewelry.13

Now We Turn To Husbands In The Household Codes, So Reread 3:7 Before Journaling About The Bullets Below.

What does it mean that the wife is the “weaker partner”? McKnight says, “Inasmuch as the preponderance of evidence in the ancient world uses identical or similar language when describing a woman’s physical condition, it is almost certain that Peter has in mind a wife’s physical capacities.”14

  • What does Peter say to husbands that would rule out abusing their wives?
  • Rewrite 3:7 in your own words.

Peter’s comments to husbands don’t include concern for a non-Christian spouse that his message to wives did, likely because wives were expected to adopt their husbands’ religions.15 That would mean that most, if not all, Christian men would have had Christian wives.

Keep in mind that Peter’s theme throughout this letter is that these persecuted believers not act in ways that non-Christians would consider morally wrong, thereby undermining the gospel message. Thus, to interpret his words in its context means that we can’t say that a letter written to persecuted people guiding them about marriage in a hostile climate in the Roman Empire provides guidelines for the ideal marriage in other situations.

Marshall says, “We can argue that Peter is concerned with marital obligations that are recognized by society. Christians must uphold these but they may go beyond them. … In other words, the command here may be transcended in a Christian marriage, which makes the command unnecessary except perhaps as a fall-back position.”16 He feels that “where the new law of love given by Christ is fulfilled, the relationships between husband and wife will partake of this quality.”17

The new law of love is found in John 15:12-13: “My commandment is this—to love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends.” Jesus calls for a cruciform life, selflessly laying down our rights for others as he did. When believing husbands and wives live that way, they look very different from our culture that teaches us to stand up for our rights and prioritize ourselves.

Take Some Time To Go Back And Meditate On All The Verses We’ve Covered This Week (2:11-3:7), Recording Your Thoughts On This Question:

  • What is God saying to you from his Word?

*** Journal about unresolved questions and lingering issues you have with the verses we’ve considered. Sometimes it takes years of prayer and listening to God’s people who have studied it to settle into such big issues. Ask God to guide you as you consider these topics.

Ask God to show you how to better show Christ’s sacrificial love and your faith to others through your actions and attitudes in a world that is desperate for love.

1 D. Edmond Hiebert, First Peter: An Expositional Commentary (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1984), 144.

2 Jobes, 166.

3 McKnight,142.

4 Jobes, 175.

5 McKnight, 143.

6 Ibid.

7 Ibid., 144.

8 McKnight, 152.

9 Marshall, I. Howard. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: 1 Peter. Grant Osborne, Series Ed., D. Stuart Briscoe and Haddon Robinson, Consulting Editors (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1991), 97.

10 Ibid., 91.

11 Marshall, 92.

12 Keener, Craig. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1993), 715.

13 Ibid., 716.

14 McKnight, 186.

15 Marshall, 98.

16 Ibid., 100-101.

17 Ibid., 100.

Related Topics: Christian Life

5. Week Five—Suffering for Doing Good

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Words To Live By

Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others because you were called to inherit a blessing.

1 Peter 3:9

I’ve been doing a study the past few weeks from The Voice of the Martyrs1 with a small group of women. It uses the story of Richard Wurmbrand based on his autobiographical book, Tortured for Christ, and compares scriptural references that apply. (I highly recommend reading his book2 or watching the movie.3) Wurmbrand and his fellow Romanian believers were willing to suffer for the truth and the name of Christ—all the while loving and praying for their Russian persecutors.

In contrast, today in America it’s common for Christians to label those with different opinions, political parties or even Christian perspectives as enemies, which somehow gives them license to attack them. Hatred and arrogance seem to be the order of the day. How very opposite of the way the Bible teaches us to respond to people, even those we might consider enemies! (Note and memorize this week’s verse.) I pray that God will give me love, grace and humility for those with whom I disagree now, so that if the day comes when I do suffer for Christ, blessing my persecutors will be second nature to me.

Part One Study

In this part of our lesson, we’ll consider the final section of the household code found in 1 Peter 3:8-12, where Peter speaks to every group he already mentioned, plus individuals who don’t fall into a previous category.

Review 1 Peter 2:12, The Theme And Purpose Of Peter’s Household Code: “. . . Maintain Good Conduct Among The Non-Christians, So That Though They Now Malign You As Wrongdoers, They May See Your Good Deeds And Glorify God When He Appears.”

In Light Of That Context, Read 1 Peter 3:8-12.

Now Focus On 3:8 That Deals With Relationships Within The Church, And Dwell On The Character Qualities Listed. These Are Traits That Would Apply To Us In America As Well As To Persecuted Christians. Journal As You Consider This Question:

  • How well are you doing with these qualities? Rate yourself on each one. How do you see these character qualities relate to each other?

Peter begins v. 8 with “be harmonious,” also translated as “unity of mind,” “like-mindedness,” “agreeable,” “in agreement” and “of one mind.” Jobes says this quality “implies a willingness to conform one’s goals, needs, and expectations to the purposes of the larger community”4 and presumes “a high commitment to the stability and well-being” of the church in contrast to our Western individualistic focus.5

Prayerfully Comment On This Next Question. Be Honest Yet Gracious As You Consider Your Personal Experiences Which May Have Been Hurtful.

  • How willing right now would you say that American believers are to give up personal goals, needs and expectations (and I would add rights and preferences) for the unity of Christ’s church and the flourishing of his larger kingdom? What would you identify as our highest priority?

McKnight points out that v. 8 is essential for the persecuted church because “. . . they need to be harmonious and love one another if they are going to be able to make an impact on the outside world; in fact they may need to unify simply in order to survive.”6

Obviously, there are times when the church both universal and local can’t be of one mind because orthodoxy requires standing for the truth of Scripture. But not every doctrine is essential to unity, nor is it equally clear. Too much of what’s being argued today doesn’t fall into heresy but simply involves doctrinal differences about second and third tier issues. If our differences aren’t about core issues, it’s hard to see why there would be division (not simply disagreement) if the other characteristics in v. 8 are present. (If you aren’t sure of the core issues, watch BOW’s free videos Choosing Trustworthy Resources7 or download the podcast episodes.8)

Reread 1 Peter 3:9-12, Which Deals With Our Relationships And Attitudes Toward All People, And Journal About The Bulleted Questions:

Marshall adds this insight into giving a blessing instead of revenge: “. . . inherent in the Christian way of life is the attitude of love for others, including enemies and persecutors.”9

  • Summarize the description of the one who wants to see God’s blessing. In general, what is your perspective of how we as the church are doing with God’s words here?
  • Ask God to show you how you personally measure up to the attitudes he commands toward all, including unbelievers. Write down what you sense him saying.

*** Compare Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6:27-28 with 1 Peter 3:9-12.

I love this quote by Jobes: “Those who are able not simply to clench their teeth and remain silent but to maintain an inner attitude that allows one to pray sincerely for the well-being of one’s adversaries, are truly a witness to the life-changing power of a new identity in Christ.”10

Lord, give us the grace to be such witnesses, even if we have to face a hostile world!

Part Two Study

Read 1 Peter 3:13-22. Don’t Linger On The Parts That Are Unclear (Vv. 18b-2011), But Focus On Peter’s Comments About Suffering, A Word Which You Marked In Your Copy Of 1 Peter In The Appendix. (You May Want To Mark The Commands By Underlining Them In Blue As Suggested Before.) Then Record Your Thoughts On The Following Questions:

  • What commands did you find in this section of God’s Word? How do you feel about them? (You can’t be wrong if it’s how you feel.)
  • By looking at the word suffering and its synonyms and knowing that in this context it occurs because of faith in Christ, what is God’s message about this topic in this passage?
  • How are we to respond to those who ask about the hope they see within us?
  • Peter refers to Noah’s ark as a symbol of baptism in vv. 20b-22. What does he teach about baptism and salvation?

Let’s take a brief look at the unclear section of this passage in vv. 19-20a: “In it [the spirit referred to at the end of v. 18] he [Jesus] went and preached to the spirits in prison, after they were disobedient long ago when God patiently waited in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed.”

How do we unpack a weird reference that no one today understands for sure? Good study requires cross referencing and looking up definitions and usage of the words Peter used. In this case there really aren’t clear cross references and definitions don’t provide a definitive answer, so no one can be adamant about its meaning.

For our purposes, it’s good to recognize that the meaning in this obscure passage has no bearing on Peter’s theme or purpose in this letter or on our understanding of the core beliefs of Christianity. That means it’s okay not to know what Peter meant. Spending a lot of time on it may just end up distracting us from Peter’s message about how to live in a godly way in a hostile world.

That said, Jobes explains a couple of the interpretations of these verses held today. One view holds that “the preincarnate Christ preached repentance through Noah to the sinful people of that generation, who were about to be judged by the waters of the flood.”12 She also identifies the most common interpretation among modern scholars: “. . . it refers to Christ’s victory proclamation following his resurrection as he ascended to take his rightful place in heaven as the ruler over all.”13

McKnight connects the gist of these verses to Peter’s theme: “Just as Jesus suffered as a righteous man and was vindicated, so too if the churches of Peter live righteously (as he has exhorted them to do), they will be vindicated and sit with Jesus in the presence of God.”14

*** Study these obscure verses in 3:19-20 in commentaries or online.15

Journal As You Consider These Questions:

  • Read Hebrews 12:1-2 and comment on how we can endure hostility as Jesus did.
  • What is God saying to you today through the commands in this section of the Word?

Part Three Study

The last passage in this week’s study (1 Peter 4:1-6) begins with “therefore” or “so.” Although those who divided our Bible into chapters and verses disconnected 4:1-6 with those that preceded them in chapter 3, Peter’s thoughts are connected.

Review 1 Peter 3:13-22 And Read Through 4:6. Write Down Your Thoughts On The Following Questions:

  • How do you see 4:1-6 connect back to 3:13-22?
  • Copy the only verse containing a command in this passage. What is the reason Peter gives them to obey it? What questions do you have about it? How can you obey this command in your present circumstances?
  • How does Peter describe the lifestyles of his audience before they became Christians? How have their old friends responded to their changed lives?
  • How has your life changed because of your love for Jesus? How have your old friends responded?

You may be wondering about how we understand 4:6. Through the years there have been multiple attempts to explain it, but McKnight says this: “The vast majority of commentators today argue that Peter is referring to Christians in Asia Minor who heard the gospel while alive but are now physically dead,”16 which makes perfect sense. Nowhere does the Bible suggest that either Jesus or the apostles preached the gospel to dead people so that they could be saved, nor does the Word anywhere allow for dead unbelievers to come to faith.

Jobes quotes P.J. Achtemeier’s comments about negative reactions from unbelievers when Christians do what is right by living a lifestyle pleasing to God: “It is a problem that will recur whenever Christians are forced by their faith to oppose cultural values widely held in the secular world within which they live.”17

And yet, we are still to respond in grace, love and prayer, just as Jesus would do because we are his ambassadors to the world. Whether that means losing friends, being isolated by the crowd or co-workers, hated by the culture or imprisoned and tortured like Richard Wurmbrand was, we are to respond with kindness and love.

After spending several weeks looking at Wurmbrand’s story of being persecuted and reading many Bible verses on the subject, I find myself more and more convicted by the strength of faith of so many persecuted believers, and I know my faith doesn’t hold a candle to theirs. As Peter says in 4:1-2, suffering has the power to change people so that they live for the will of God instead of sinful desires. In other words, their hearts and lives are purified by suffering. When the Christians in Romania began suffering for Christ, Wurmbrand and his wife started praying that God would allow them to share in the sufferings of Jesus.

I came across this prayer by Henry Suso that well reflects the posture of Wurmbrand and so many nameless others:

Lord, I can see plainly that you are the only and the true source of wisdom, since you alone can restore faith and hope to a doubting and despairing soul. In your Son, Jesus, you have shown me that even the most terrible suffering can be beautiful, if it is in obedience to your will. And so the knowledge of your Son has enabled me to find joy in my own suffering.

Lord, my dear Father, I kneel before you this day, and praise you fervently for my present sufferings, and give thanks for the measureless sufferings of the past. I now realize that all these sufferings are part of your paternal love, in which you chastise and purify me. And through that discipline I now look at you without shame and terror, because I know that you are preparing me for your eternal kingdom.
Amen.18

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow or in the next few decades, but who am I to be exempt from sharing in Christ’s sufferings? The early Christians rejoiced that “they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41, NIV).

*** Spend some time in prayer considering how willing you are to suffer for Christ if necessary.

Could you honestly pray such a prayer? I’ve been mulling over that question for myself since I first read it. May God give us the grace we need to be true to him no matter what comes.

1 https://www.persecution.com

2 https://www.persecution.com/wurmbrand/?_source_code=WHPB20M

3 https://www.persecution.com/2019-03-tfc-movie/?_source_code=WHPB20N

4 Jobes, 216.

5 Ibid., 215.

6 McKnight, 204.

7 https://vimeo.com/showcase/5065391

8 https://beyondordinarywomen.org/general-leadership-skills/#Trustworthy-Resources

9 Marshall, 109.

10 Jobes, 218.

11 The b refers to the second part of a verse.

12 Jobes, 236.

13 Ibid., 237.

14 McKnight, 215.

15 As mentioned before, Dr. Thomas Constable provides a helpful and free resource. “Constable’s Notes: 1 Peter.” Access it at https://planobiblechapel.org/constable-notes/

16 McKnight, 327.

17 P.J. Achtemeier, 1 Peter; A Commentary on 1 Peter (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 227), quoted in Jobes, 262.

18 Prayer by Henry Suso (1295-1366), quoted by Skye Jethani in “WITH GOD DAILY: More than the Absence of Bad,” July 27, 2022.

Related Topics: Christian Life

6. Week Six—Living in Light of the End

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Words To Live By

So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good.

1 Peter 4:19

I hate to hear the end of a story before I read the book or see the movie! I want to experience the surprise or try to figure out how the plot ends before it happens. I don’t like the climax ruined before I get there.

Yet, the Bible is different. We need to know the end of the story because it changes the way we see the present and gives us the right perspective of what’s wrong in our world today. Through the meta-narrative we understand who God is in a deeper way. It’s a story in four parts: Creation, Ruin, Reconciliation and Restoration.1

Today we live in the time after Reconciliation when Jesus died on the cross to bring us into relationship with God by defeating the powers of sin and death. We live in the era after the cross when God is using his church to announce the good news that Jesus reconciles us to God when we believe and follow him. Next up is Restoration, the end when all the perfection that God intended for humans and our world will be restored from its marred state. All that is wrong now will be made right.

That’s a story that I need to hear as I look around and lament the evil, wars, pain, tragedy, alienation, oppression, injustice, hatred and fragmentation so prevalent in our world. But in the midst of it all, we can look to the coming of Jesus and the end of all these terrible consequences that arise from sin in the world. We can know that in the meantime God is in the business of working in the midst of the pain and sorrow. That should encourage us to participate in his kingdom work even at great personal cost, as was true of Peter’s audience.

Part One Study

Read 1 Peter 4:7-11.

You may be wondering what Peter was thinking by saying that “the end of all things is near” (4:7, NIV). It’s a legitimate question in light of the fact that it’s been 2,000 years since Jesus walked the earth. I’m grateful that Peter helps us answer this question in his second letter.

Read 2 Peter 3:8-9, And Journal About Peter’s Answer, Or Write The Main Ideas In Your Own Words.

Jobes provides this insight into the end:

“The last of times” [See 1 Peter 1:20] indicates the final stage in God’s redemptive plan, inaugurated by the resurrection and ascension of Christ. Therefore, Peter’s statement that ‘the end is near’ is not precisely equivalent to saying that the end of the world will happen soon. While “the end” is certainly a future-oriented concept, Peter is not referring to one termination point in time. He rather has in mind the period of time after which Christ, who all along has been sovereign over all things, has finally been revealed as such in the resurrection . . . We, too, are living in the last stage of God’s redemptive process: it is no more or less true that “the end is near” today than it was when Peter first said it.2

Journal Your Thoughts About The Bulleted Questions:

  • Describe the relationship of knowing the end of all things is near (4:7) to obeying the exhortations of 4:8-11, which are connected to it by “therefore” or “so.”

According to Jobes, the first exhortation, “So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer,” refers to being “fully in control of one’s thoughts,”3 while McKnight calls it “mental alertness.”4

  • What in the immediate context are things these believers would have needed to be alert about? Read Philippians 4:8-9 as you consider how a lack of controlling one’s thoughts may affect prayer. What examples do you have?

The second exhortation, “Above all keep your love for one another fervent because love covers a multitude of sins,” begins with “above all,” meaning most important.

Other translations use the words “deep” or “earnest” instead of fervent to describe what kind of love we are to keep, making it sound like it’s about emotion, but apparently that’s not so in the Greek. Jobes says that the word “speaks not so much of emotional intensity but is, in this context, a love the persists despite difficulties because it is a love that ‘covers a multitude of sins.’”5

McKnight suggests that the idea of a love that covers a multitude of sins means that “the community that loves one another is able to forgive one another more rapidly when minor issues arise.”6

  • How do you see this second exhortation about love summarize the rest of this section (4:9-11)?

*** Write down your thoughts about the importance of these exhortations for a church that makes up a small minority in a hostile pagan culture. Why do you think our American churches have so much trouble loving one another persistently, resulting in forgiving easily?

The third exhortation, “Show hospitality to one another without complaining,” was particularly important in that day because the Roman Empire didn’t offer easily available hotels and B&Bs, making it necessary for believers to host traveling Christians. Also, the church itself depended on the hospitality of their people in order to gather together since they had no buildings.

  • Have you ever opened your home for someone to live with you who wasn’t part of your family? If so, share about it with your group. What would hospitality in the church look like today if we took this command seriously?
  • What is God saying to you today about living in light of the coming end?

We’ll look at one more area of exhortation for those living in light of the end in Part Two.

Part Two Study

Review This Entire Section By Rereading 1 Peter 4:7-11.

To summarize Peter’s first three exhortations about how the church is to live with one another in light of the coming end, we could say that the church is to pray alertly, be persistent in our love for each other and show hospitality with a good attitude.

Now we’ll look at the final two verses that exhort believers to show their love by using their spiritual gifts in the church in light of the approaching end.

The Greek word translated gift is actually the word for grace, suggesting that each Christian has received “a gracious gift from God, which is to be shared and passed on to others.”7 We normally refer to them as spiritual gifts because they are given by and empowered by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:1, 7).

I grew up in a church where I attended three times a week and learned what seemed like all the Bible stories. I had a father who was a great student of God’s Word, and he talked to me about theology quite often. Despite all of that, I never knew that all believers are given spiritual gifts and are expected to use them. Finally as a young adult, I was in a class where the teacher taught the subject. I had already been serving in the church several years without much success or joy, and finally I knew why—those places of service didn’t match my gifts!

Journal Your Thoughts About 1 Peter 4:10-11 In Light Of These Questions:

  • If you are God’s steward (one who manages another’s property), what does that mean in a practical way concerning your spiritual gifts?
  • Do you know what spiritual gift(s) God has given you? (They aren’t natural talents like singing or athleticism, although God can use those qualities as an avenue for a spiritual gift.) If so, how are you using it? If you aren’t sure, where have you served in the church or among God’s people, and how did it go? (If you have no idea, which is where we all begin, take the time to study the starred section at the end of this Part Two Study.)
  • In v.11, Peter seems to be summarizing the variety of gifts into speaking and serving gifts and explaining how they are to be used. Use your own words to explain what using them Peter’s way would look like, and write down any questions that you have.
  • What is the ultimate purpose of using your spiritual gifts that way according to v.11?
  • What is God saying to you about your gifting?

*** You have two choices for this optional study:

1. If you have already studied spiritual gifts, read this parable in which Jesus uses money to represent one area of stewardship of God’s gifts: Luke 19:11-27. Write down how it applies to our use of spiritual gifts. Which servant are you? Why?

2. Study more about spiritual gifts by reading the passages that mention them: Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:7-16; 1 Corinthians 12-13. As you can see in these passages, there is no one list of spiritual gifts. It may be that there are other gifts not even listed, but putting all the lists together results in an extensive list. In my experience the larger list covers how God’s people serve in any situation. Paul says that he was “appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher” (2 Timothy 1:11), suggesting that he had more than one spiritual gift. The Bible says we each have at least one, but I often notice people using multiple gifts that work in tandem, enabling them to serve where God has called them. With all of that in mind, what gift(s) would your fellow believers say that you have? Why? If you aren’t sure, ask them.8

Part Three Study

In 4:7-11 Peter has been discussing how to live in light of the approaching end of all things within the church. He now continues speaking to the church as he resumes the theme of suffering well for Christ.

Read 1 Peter 4:12-19, And Journal Your Thoughts On These Questions:

  • What attitudes are Christians to have and not have as they suffer for their faith? What else are they to do?
  • What would be the hardest exhortation to apply to your own life if you were being persecuted for Christ? Why?

In 4:17, Peter says that judgment begins with the household of God. That has been God’s practice with the Jews in the Old Testament and still is with Christians today.

But Peter gives no hint that these Christians have been unfaithful and deserve judgment in the sense of punishment, as we usually understand its meaning. What does this kind of judgment entail? Jobes says that it “can mean ‘the action of a judge’ with no assumed penalty or punishment in view.…”9 She explains that in this case “God will begin his process of judging humanity with his own people, to see which are truly Christ’s,”10 similarly to God’s work in Zechariah 13:9 and Malachi 3:1-5:

Then I will bring the remaining third into the fire;

I will refine them like silver is refined and will test them like gold is tested.

They will call on my name and I will answer; I will say, ‘These are my people,’

and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”

Zechariah 13:9

Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can keep standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap. He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the Lord a proper offering.

Malachi 3:2-3

Of course, in both passages some people don’t pass the test, and for them the same refining uncovers who they really are—not God’s people.

Thus, this judgment in 1 Peter is about purifying these believers and unmasking those whose faith is not real. The context tells us which definition to use—not punishment but the action of a judge to refine.

Comment On The Bulleted Questions Below:

  • How does Peter describe the contrast of judgment for both groups of people in vv. 17-18?

McKnight applies this judgment of purification to us in the twenty-first century: “Our lives now prepare us for our final exam with God; even our suffering is one way God prepares us to be fit for his presence.”11

*** Since we aren’t being persecuted at this point in America, it’s good for us to recognize that God does sometimes punish the church because of its sin and idolatry. Consider God’s words of rebuke to five of the seven churches addressed in the book of Revelation (Rev. 1:10-11), and write down what you learn about why and how he says he will judge them: to Ephesus (Rev. 2:4-5); to Pergamum (Rev. 2:14-16; 19:15); to Thyatira (Rev. 2:20-23); Sardis (Rev. 3:1-3); Laodicea (Rev. 3:15-19). What might he be saying to the American church today?

  • How has God spoken to you through his Word this week?

Read Psalm 51 and confess any personal sin or corporate sin of the church that God brings to your mind. Write down your prayer and know that God forgives.

1 If you’ve never studied the meta-narrative of Scripture, BOW has a study so that you can study it for yourself. The ONE Story is found at https://beyondordinarywomen.org/the-one-story/

2 Jobes, 276.

3 Ibid., 277.

4 McKnight, 237.

5 Jobes, 278.

6 McKnight, 238.

7 Marshall, 146.

8 For more information on spiritual gifts, see Chapter 4 in my book, From Ordinary Woman to Spiritual Leader: Grow Your Influence.

9 Jobes, 293.

10 Ibid.

11 McKnight, 255.

Related Topics: Christian Life

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