TJieodore W. Jennings, Jr. The Meaning of ... - Quarterly Review

kings, slavery as a divinely authorized institution and how these texts
are being used in the present as instruction to women to keep their
subordinate place assigned by God.
If Christians in some situations decide that responsible
discipleship means to heed the call of this text to submit to unjust
structures, Christians in those situations must remember that they are
called by 1 Peter to do this as free people, people who are already
liberated (2:16). 17
This is not the whole story, but we may be on to
something vital here. Those who are already secure in the freedom
of God's acceptance are liberated from selfish striving after having
the "right" self-image. As inwardly free Christians, secure in our
self-identity as children of God, we can even be willing to be
misunderstood, allowing people to think of us as more servile and
unliberated than we in fact are, if it serves the gospel. As those who
have been set free by Christ, we no longer have to orient our lives
around our own self-esteem and our own self-image. This, too, is a
graven image, an idolatry. Believing not in an idolatrous image but
in the one God and knowing we are accepted by God, we can devote
our lives to bigger things than our own egos, our own insistence that
nobody violates our rights.
It is a very risky thing even to talk in a positive way about giving
up rights, especially if it is the comfortable speaking to the
oppressed. Such talk can be used as an instrument of oppression, and
has been so used. This text, along with others, was used in
nineteenth century to perpetuate slavery. Yet 1 Peter takes that risk
and claims Jesus lived that risk.
To this we have been called, to the same kind of life as Jesus'
own. (2:21; 3:9). For 1 Peter, the truly radical thing about following
Jesus (3:18, etc.) is to know that one has rights and to know that one
can not only fight for them but also give them up for the sake of the
gospel and other people.
1 Peter's rationale for Jesus' ability to live this way: he committed
himself to one who judges righteously. For 1 Peter, die whole case
for (sometimes) giving up one's rights as a matter of Christian
commitment depends on whether one believes in a transcendent God
who is just, impartial, loving, and interested. 1 Pet. 5:7,
traditionally translated, "Cast all your anxiety on him, for he cares
for you" (NRSV), could also be translated "It matters to him what
happens to you." Jesus believed in such a God and could give
INTERPRETING 1 PETER AS A LETTER 105