Weekly Teaching Reflection
July 6th Reflection
Discussion Questions:
How does Peter’s instruction to “submit to harsh masters” challenge our natural response to injustice, especially in a culture shaped by personal rights and resistance?
How might this passage speak into situations at work, in politics, or in relationships today?
Peter directly addresses slaves (a group without legal status or agency in the Roman world). What does this reveal about the way the early church viewed human dignity and spiritual authority?
How does this shape how we view those society often overlooks today?
What does it mean to “follow in Jesus’ steps” when facing unjust treatment (v. 21)?
Can you think of a time when someone responded to injustice with grace, rather than retaliation? What impact did it have?
How is Peter using subversion in his letter? In what ways does he both acknowledge existing social structures and quietly undermine them from within?
How can we practice that same kind of faithful subversion in our current cultural systems?
Peter lifts up suffering slaves as examples for the entire church. What does this upside-down vision of leadership and discipleship teach us about Christian influence and witness?
How does it compare with cultural models of power and success?
Miroslav Volf describes submission in this context as “breaking the cycle of violence.” Why is refusing retaliation so powerful?
How does that contrast with our instinct for revenge or control?
What is the difference between being a “customer of Christ” and being a disciple, as Wurmbrand describes?
What does a life shaped by Jesus—not just saved by Him—look like in practical terms?
How can our community cultivate the kind of trust in God’s justice that Peter calls for (v. 23)?
What practices might help us resist the pull toward fear, retaliation, or despair?