20240804

the witness of house slaves

1 Peter 2:18-20 (JDV)

1 Peter 2:18 House slaves, submit to your masters with all reverence not only to the good and gentle ones but also to the cruel.
1 Peter 2:19 Because it brings favor if, because of a consciousness of God, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly.
1 Peter 2:20 Because what credit is there if when you do wrong and are beaten, you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer, if you endure it, this brings favor with God.

the witness of house slaves

Peter encourages Christian house slaves to submit to their earthly masters, not because their masters have God-ordained authority over them, but for the same reason all Christians should submit to everybody: the gospel. A servant who endures unjust suffering is witnessing to his master. There is no “separate but equal” doctrine implied here. There is no justification for slavery of any kind. This is merely an instance of obedience to the apostle’s command to submit to every human creature (2:13). Why? The answer is always the same: “because of the Lord.”