9. In the second place, by way of rendering more impressive his
admonition, Peter holds up the example of our real Master, our Leader
and Lord, Christ, who endured persecutions similar to ours, and
himself suffered more than any. The apostle refers to him in a truly
scriptural way--as of a twin or dual character. He presents him not as
an example of a saint in the ordinary sense, but as the real Shepherd
and Bishop of our souls, who suffered for us, making sacrifice for our
sins in his own body on the cross. In this capacity, he is our
treasure, comfort and salvation.
10. The apostle beautifully and strikingly points out the sublime
perfections of our Pattern, in his suffering, by way of gently urging
us to patience. He presents the chief points of Christ's endurance,
examples of real patience; all our sufferings, when compared with
those of Christ, are cast into the shade. "The passion of Christ,"
Peter would say, "the suffering of the Lord, is a surpassing, a
preëminent and sublimely glorious thing, transcending every other
instance of suffering; first, because it was for an example to us;
second, because he suffered to save us; third, because he suffered
innocently in all respects, never having committed any sin." In these
three points we must leave to him alone the distinction, humbling
ourselves before them; even had we suffered death in its every form,
we must cry that all our suffering is nothing in comparison with his.
Even if we could attain to the sublimest, the supreme, the most
glorious degree of suffering, it would be but walking in his
footprints, following his example; it would be but to fall far short
of his suffering. He would stand preëminent--the Master. He would
maintain immeasurable superiority and we would still be left to follow
as best we could. The extent of his agony, the intensity and
bitterness of his sufferings, no one on earth can comprehend. And if
it be beyond our comprehension, how much more is it beyond our power
to imitate or experience. We may thank God we have it before us for an
example to behold and follow. True, we fall far short of perfect
following, but we may approach it in proportion to our sufferings,
faith and patience; for one may exceed another in these things.
Christ is an example, Peter says, for all saints; not for a certain
few. Contrasted with Christ, all saints must with downcast eyes
confess: "Intense, bitter, grievous as our sufferings truly are, when
the sufferings of Christ our Lord are mentioned we will willingly keep
silent; for no human example of suffering will compare with that of
Christ."
11. Now, this one fact, that one so exalted as Christ himself, the
only and eternal Son of God, has trod the path of suffering before us,
enduring unlimited distress, agony transcending the power of humanity
to experience--this alone should be enough to admonish and urge anyone
to patiently endure affliction. Why, then, should we disciples, we who
are so insignificant and inexperienced in comparison with our
Master--why should we be at all troubled at any suffering for his
sake? especially when all he asks of us is to follow him, to learn of
him and to remain his disciples. Here, mark you, is the example set
before the entire Christian Church, the pattern she is to follow to
the extent of at least walking in Christ's steps, at the same time,
however, remembering that her most intense sufferings are naught in
comparison to a single drop of his shed blood, as we shall hear later.
12. Again, this example assumes its ineffable and inimitable character
from the fact that Christ suffered not for himself, nor yet merely as
an example, but in our stead. This act, to say the least, transcends
all human ability. No saint can boast of equaling this example, can
say he suffered for another as Christ suffered for our sins. No, here
all boasting is summarily disposed of. In respect to atonement, Christ
left us no example, for none can imitate him in that. He stands alone
there. He alone was called to suffer for all men; for those
individuals now called and holy, and for the still uncalled and
sinners.
13. The atonement is the chief, the most exalted, article of the
Christian doctrine. Faith alone apprehends it as the highest good, the
greatest blessing, of our salvation, and recognizes that we cannot, by
our works or our sufferings, do or merit anything in atoning for sin.
The manner in which this subject is scripturally presented prohibits
us from adding to it anything of human origin. But so the accursed
popedom has done in the teachings of its pillars and supporters the
monks, who regard the sufferings of Christ as merely an example to us.
They pervert and render immaterial the fact that he suffered for us;
they place the entire responsibility upon ourselves, as if we, by our
own works or our suffering are to make satisfaction for our sins, to
appease God's wrath and to merit grace. This is a doctrine not found
in the Word of God, but is of their own trivial, self-selected,
self-devised and false human teachings.
14. They have carried their untruthful, worthless inventions to the
extent of claiming for the saints not only sufficient acquired merit
for their own salvation, but a large accumulated surplus available for
others, which they have bequeathed to the Pope, thus furnishing him
with an abundant treasury. The Pope, through indulgences, is to
distribute this excess, these superfluous merits, as he feels
disposed, at the same time dipping out for himself and his shorn fat
swine the riches of the world; indeed, the ecclesiasts distribute
their own merits and works. This is the refined monastic chastity,
poverty and rigid obedience of the orders--nothing but shameless
falsehood and scandalous vice, practiced under that covering, both
privately and publicly, with the exception of a few who were sincere
in their desire to be monks, of whom I was one. These falsehoods the
orders readily sold to the laity on deathbeds and under other
circumstances.
Indeed, wretched mortals who had incurred a death penalty and were
about to be publicly executed, they referred not to Christ for
comfort, but counseled patience in their own well-deserved suffering
and death; as if God would accept their pain as atonement for their
sins if only they suffered patiently. Purchasing of merit was the
ecclesiasts' chief doctrine, their strongest point. They fearlessly
proclaimed it in public, and through its influence erected numerous
churches and cloisters and satiated the avarice and cupidity of the
Pope. And I too, alas, was one of these knaves until God delivered me.
And now, God be praised, I am execrated and condemned by the hellish
seat of the Roman dragon with its scales because I assailed this papal
doctrine and would not justify it.
15. Oh, the shameful abomination, that in the temple of God and in the
Christian Church must be taught and received things which make wholly
insignificant the sufferings and death of Christ! Gracious God! what
can be said for human merit--for superfluity of human merit--when not
one saint on earth has, with all his pains, suffered enough to cancel
his own obligations; much less to be entitled to the honor of making
his sufferings avail anything before God's judgment-seat, by way of
remuneration or satisfaction for the mortal sins of others in the face
of divine wrath? Note, Peter says Christ left us an example that we
should follow his steps; which is but concluding that no saint ever
wrought or suffered enough to warrant the claim: "I have accomplished
the measure--reached the limit; Christ is no more an example and
pattern for me." No; the saint ought to be ashamed to boast of his
sufferings in comparison to those of Christ, and ought to rejoice in
the privilege of being partaker of the divine pain, of sharing it so
far as he can, and thus be found in the footsteps of Christ.
16. The theme of Christ's passion, then, must far outrank every other.
His sufferings are like pure and precious gold, compared to which ours
are as nothing. No one but Christ has suffered for the sins of
another. No man has ever paid the price of his own sins, great or
small. Even if man's suffering could avail aught for sin, the
individual could not go beyond expiating his own sins. But Christ had
no need at all to suffer for himself; for, as follows in the text, he
had committed no sin. He suffered to leave us an example, but yet also
to bring to man the great blessing of being able to say, "My sins and
the sins of the whole world were atoned for upon the cross, blotted
out, through Christ's death." Peter, Mary, John the Baptist, and every
soul born of woman must include himself or herself in this statement,
"Christ also suffered for you."
17. In the third place, Christ stands preëminent, above all others, in
the affirmation of Peter, quoted from Isaiah 53, 9:
"Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth."
18. You may draw your own conclusions as to the eminence of such a
one; for certainly there is to be found no other human being who has
not at some time sinned in word or deed. "If any man stumbleth not in
word, the same is a perfect man," says James 3, 2. But where is this
perfect man, and what is his name? It is this Christ, he alone of all,
James should have added. For Peter excludes all other individuals, in
one class, saying, "Ye were going astray like sheep." And later on
(ch. 3, 18) he tells us plainly, "Christ also suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the unrighteous." This statement leaves no man
innocent of sin, either in word or deed; and in word and deed is
included man's whole life. Speech and action are associated in various
Scripture references; as in Psalm 34, 13-14: "Keep thy tongue from
evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do
good." But in speech is the greatest liability to error. In teaching,
counseling, admonishing, consoling and censuring, and in confessing
the truth, no one indeed will be found so perfect in his utterances as
never to commit a blunder.
19. But Christ is the one perfect example in this respect. It is
impossible for saints to attain to his faultlessness. Surely no
man--unless he desires to be a liar and a true disciple of the devil
instead of a child of God and a faithful Christian--will be
presumptuous enough to put himself on an equality with Christ, will
dare boast himself without sin in word and act. Christ alone has
suffered, the righteous for the unrighteous; that prerogative can
honorably and truthfully be ascribed only to Christ the Lord, and is
his perpetually. No man is just and innocent in word and act. All must
confess their sufferings, of whatever nature, to be the result of
their own sins, and well deserved chastisement. For the fact of having
escaped the eternal wrath, condemnation and punishment of God, they
must thank this just one alone, he who, being himself blameless,
voluntarily suffered to make satisfaction for the unrighteous, and
appeased God's wrath. The sufferings of all saints, then, must be
rated far below those of Christ the Lord. The saints must clothe and
adorn themselves with his innocence, and with the entire Christian
Church pray, "Forgive us our trespasses"; and they must confess the
article, "I believe in the forgiveness of sins."
20. Now, let us sum up the three arguments Peter uses in admonishing
Christians to patience in suffering. First: He says, "Hereunto were ye
called." Though you do have to suffer much and severely, you have ever
before you the example of Christ, to the limit of whose sufferings you
can never attain. You dare not boast even if you have suffered
everything. Moreover, you are under obligation to suffer for God's
sake. Second: Christ did not suffer for his own sake, nor of
necessity; he suffered for your sake, and all from good will toward
you. Third: He was wholly innocent--free from sin; internally--in
heart--and externally--in word and deed. For where evil dwells in the
heart, it cannot long remain concealed. It must manifest itself in
words, at least. Christ says (Mt 12, 34), "Out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaketh."
21. Why, then, should you complain of your suffering or refuse to
suffer what your sins really deserve? Indeed, you deserve much more
than you receive--even eternal suffering. But God forgives you and
remits the eternal punishment for the sake of Christ the Lord,
desiring that you patiently endure the lesser suffering for the utter
mortification of the sins inherent in your flesh and blood. To make
such lot the less grievous to you, Christ has gone before and left you
an example of perfect patience under the most intense suffering, an
example equaled nowhere in the world. The Supreme Majesty, God's own
Son, suffered in the most ignominious manner the extremity of torture,
pain and anguish in body and soul, something intolerable to mere human
nature; and that innocently, and for us condemned sinners--suffering
for the sins of strangers.
"Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered
threatened not."
22. To further emphasize and make effectual in us the example of
Christ's patience, Peter proceeds to analyze it, to show it in its
true colors, to mention the details and make plain how it differs from
any other example of suffering. He has told us before that Christ did
no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Why, then, did the Jews
persecute and crucify him--put him to death? Inquire into his entire
life history and you will find that no one could justly impeach, nor
could convict, him for any sin. He himself appealed to his enemies to
prove aught of sin in him. No one could show an injury he had ever
done to anyone, or a wrong he had ever taught or practiced. On the
contrary, he had gone about to bring to the Jewish nation the grace
and salvation of God. He had revealed God's Word, opened the eyes of
the blind, healed the sick, cast out devils, fed great multitudes when
hungry and lacking food. In short, in all his life, there was nothing
in word or act but truth, goodness, beneficence and a disposition to
aid. In return for the good he wrought, he was compelled to receive
the ungrateful reward of man's hatred and condemnation. His enemies
were moved solely by obdurate, diabolical hatred, and could not cease
their persecutions until they brought him to the cross, where he was
disgracefully hung up nude between two murderers, being lifted up as
unworthy to touch the earth and to live among men.
23. Christ was under no obligation to endure disgrace and
ill-treatment. He might have refrained from his benevolent
ministrations when he saw the futility of his efforts with the Jews.
But he did not so; even in his sufferings upon the cross he charitably
prayed for his enemies. He had authority, he had power enough, and he
would have been justified in the action, had he revenged himself on
his furious enemies, invoked evil upon them, and execrated them as
they deserved to be execrated; for they had treated him with gross
injustice before all the world, as even the testimony of his betrayer
and his judge and all creatures admitted, and had bitterly reviled him
when he hung upon the cross. But he did none of these things. He bore
with ineffable meekness and patience all the ill-treatment his enemies
could heap upon him. Even in his extremity of anguish, he benevolently
interceded for them to his Heavenly Father, to which act the prophet
Isaiah (ch. 53) offers a tribute of high praise.
24. Notice, we have here in all respects a perfect and inimitable
example of patience--patience of the most exalted kind. In this
example we may behold as in a glass what we have yet to learn of calm
endurance, and thus be impelled to imitate that example in some small
measure at least.
25. Not without reason does Peter applaud the fact that when Christ
was reviled he reviled not again, and when he suffered he threatened
not. Though to endure undeserved violence and injustice is hard
enough, that which more than aught else naturally renders suffering
grievous and makes men impatient is to experience the monstrous
unfairness of receiving the mean and vexatious reward of ingratitude
from individuals who have enjoyed one's favors and greatest
benefactions. Base ingratitude is extremely painful for human nature
to endure. It makes the heart flutter and the blood boil with a spirit
of revenge. When no alternative presents, an outburst of reviling,
execration and threatening follows. Flesh and blood has not the power
of restraint to enable it to remain calm when evil is returned for
favors and benevolence, and to say, "God be thanked."
26. Mark the example of Christ, however, and there learn to censure
yourself. Beloved, how can you complain when you see how infinitely
greater was the grief and how much more painful the anxiety endured by
your beloved Lord and faithful Saviour, the Son of God himself, who
yet bore all patiently and submissively and, more than that, prayed
for those instrumental in causing that agony? Who with a single drop
of Christian blood in his heart would not blush with shame to be
guilty of murmuring at his sufferings when, before God, he is so
sinful and is deserving of much more affliction? Wicked, unprofitable
and condemned servant must he be who does not follow his Lord's
example of endurance but presumes to think himself better and nobler
than Christ; who with inimical spirit murmurs, complaining of great
injustice, when he really deserves affliction, and when he suffers
infinitely less than did his dear, righteous, innocent Lord. Beloved,
if Christ so suffered in return for the great blessing he conferred,
be not too indolent to imitate him in some degree by suffering without
anger and reproaches. Less reason have you to be angry and reproachful
from the fact that you, too, were one whose sins brought Christ to the
cross.
27. But you may say: "What? Did not Christ revile when (Mt 23) he
called the scribes and pharisees hypocrites, murderers, serpents, a
generation of vipers, and even more severely rebuked them?" I reply:
Oh yes, we would gladly follow Christ's example here; we could
cheerfully revile and accuse. It is much easier than being patient. We
would need no Master to help us in this. But note what Peter says:
When Christ was about to suffer death, having fulfilled the obligation
of his ministry--having proclaimed the truth, rebuked falsehood and
been brought to the cross therefor--and being about to conclude his
mission by suffering, he reviled not; as a sheep for the slaughter, he
permitted himself to be executed and opened not his mouth against his
calumniators and murderers. See Isaiah 53, 7.
28. It is necessary, then, to make a distinction here. Reviling--or
pronouncing execrations and threats--is of two kinds. In one case it
is official and pronounced of God; in the other, without authority and
comes from man. It was one of the duties of Christ's office on earth,
and one now incumbent upon those called to bear that office after him,
to assert the truth and censure the evil. Such a course is essential
to the honor of God and the salvation of souls; for if the truth were
to be ignored, who would come to God? Official chastisement is a work
of divine, Christian love. It is a parental duty imposed of God. God
has implanted in the parent nature intense love for the child; at the
same time, if parents are godly and have proper affection for their
children they will not connive at, or let pass unpunished, the
disobedience of the latter. They must chastise, both with reproof and
with keen rods. These are official strokes--love stripes--enjoined of
God, and their infliction is our duty. They are not injurious, but
beneficial. Solomon says (Prov 13, 24): "He that spareth his rod
hateth his son; but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." And
Jesus the son of Sirach says in Ecclesiasticus: "He that loveth his
son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in
the end."
29. So everyone may, and should, reprove when official duty or his
neighbor's case requires; it serves to reform the subject. To quote
Solomon again (Prov 27, 6): "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but
the kisses of an enemy are profuse [deceitful]." Reproofs and stripes
prompted by love and a faithful heart are beneficial. On the other
hand, an enemy may use fair and flattering words when he has enmity
and deceit at heart, preferring to let you go on to ruin rather than
by gentle reproof to warn of danger and rescue you from destruction.
The faithful, conscientious physician must often, of necessity and
with great pain to the patient, amputate a limb in order to save the
body.
Paul, too, commands pious bishops to be urgent in season, out of
season; to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering. 2 Tim 4,
2; Tit 2, 15. By our silence to commend or to encourage to evil the
wrong-doer would not be to manifest one's love to the offender, but
rather to give him over wholly to death and the devil.
30. It was this love and sincerity of heart which prompted Christ in
his office to censure and rebuke, for which he merited only wrath and
hatred; as we say, he sought his stripes. But the duty of his office
required such action on his part. His motive was to turn the
transgressors from their blindness and malice, and to rescue them from
perdition; and he could not be deterred by the consequent persecution,
cross and death which awaited. But having fulfilled his official
duties, and the hour of his suffering having arrived, he suffered
patiently, permitting his enemies to heap upon him all possible evil
in return for his manifested love and blessings. Instead of angrily
reviling and execrating while, suspended from the cross, he endured
the most shameful calumnies, he, with strong cries and with tears,
prayed, "Father, forgive them." It was, indeed, a heart of
unfathomable love that, in the midst of extreme suffering, had
compassion on its persecutors and blessed them in greater measure than
parent can bless child or one individual bless another.
31. Observe, then, the distinction between official and unofficial
censure and rebuke; the former is prompted by love, and the latter by
wrath and hatred. The world, however, is artful and cunning enough
when it hears this distinction, to pervert and confuse the two,
exercising its own revenge under the name of official zeal and
reproof. For instance, if a preacher is disposed to act the knave, he
can easily give vent to his personal anger and vengeance in his pulpit
utterances, censuring and rebuking as he pleases, and then claim it is
all in obedience to the demand of office and for the good of the
people.
Again, a judge, a mayor, or other prominent official, desiring
revengefully to satisfy a personal grudge, can more successfully
accomplish his object under the title of the office he bears and the
obligations imposed upon him for the punishment of the wicked than in
any other way. This practice now frequently obtains since the world
has learned to use the Gospel to conceal its malice and knavery, to
adorn it with the name of a divinely appointed office. It ever uses
the name and Word of God to cloak its infamy. But who is vigilant
enough to elude such knavery and to make the children of the devil
honest? Let him who would be a Christian, then, take heed how he shall
answer such accusation. Assuredly God will not allow himself to be
deceived. He will, in due time, relieve the innocent victim of
injustice, and his punishment will seek out the wicked. Peter says,
further:
"But committed himself to him that judgeth righteously."
32. Who revealed to Peter the nature of Christ's thoughts upon the
cross? The apostle has just been saying that Christ reviled not nor
thought of revenge, but rather manifested love and good-will toward
his virulent enemies. How could Christ approve such malice? Truly he
could not endorse it. Nor could he commend his enemies for crucifying
him and putting him to death upon the cross without cause. No such
conclusion may be drawn. The devil and his adherents must not construe
the passage to mean license to heap all manner of torture and distress
upon Christ and his saints as upon those who must not only patiently
bear these things, unmoved by revengeful desires, but must render
gratitude to their persecutors as if their acts were praiseworthy. No;
this can by no means be permitted.
Could I be said to suffer innocently if I am obliged to confess I am
well treated? Several times in this epistle Peter admonishes
Christians not to suffer as evil-doers, thieves, murderers. But if I
suffer innocently and am unjustly treated, I am not to justify the
ill-treatment and strengthen the enemy in his sins; for, so doing, I
would approve his conduct and assume the guilt attributed. That
principle would be pleasing to the Pope and the devil and to tyrants;
they would willingly have it obtain. They are not wholly satisfied
even to murder the innocent; they would prefer to be justified in
their action--to have us confess to wrong-doing. But that is something
no Christian heart will do; it may be left to the devil.
33. But the Papists will say: "However, it is written, You must suffer
and not revile; you must thank God for persecution and pray for your
enemies." That is true; but it is one thing to suffer patiently, the
while wishing your enemies well and praying for them, and quite a
different thing to justify them in their conduct. I must cease not to
confess the truth and maintain my innocence, both in heart and with my
lips. But if men will not accept my word, my heart must tell me I have
suffered injustice. Rather should I endure ten deaths, could my
enemies inflict them, than to condemn myself in violation of
conscience. So, when Peter made this little statement about Christ not
reviling nor threatening, which was true, he did not mean that Christ
justified his persecutors in their treatment of him. But what are we
to do? If we do not justify our enemies when they make us suffer, they
will do even worse things to us; for they desire the name and the
credit, in the eyes of the world, of having done right by us. Yes, as
Christ has somewhere said, they would have it thought they do God
great service by murdering us. Now, who is to judge and decide the
question?
34. Peter declares that Christ committed the matter to him who judges
righteously. How should he do otherwise, knowing that his persecutors
treated him unjustly and yet maintained the contrary? There was for
him no judge on earth. He was compelled to commit the matter to that
righteous judge, his Heavenly Father. Well he knew that such sins and
blasphemies could not go unpunished. No, the sentence was already
passed, the sword sharpened, the angels given orders, for the
overthrow of Jerusalem. Previous to his sufferings, on his way to
Jerusalem, as Christ beheld the city, he announced its coming doom and
wept over it. Therefore, he prays for his enemies, saying: "Dear
Father, I must commit the matter to thee, since they refuse to hear or
to see the wrong they do. Well I know they are rushing into thy wrath
and thy terrible punishment, but I pray thee to forgive them what they
do to me." And so they would have been forgiven had they afterward
repented at the apostles' preaching, and had they not further sinned
in persecuting God's Word and thus brought upon their unrepentant
selves ultimate punishment.