Introduction:

These verses was mentioned by Peter after the verses deals with submission. As we have already noticed, these verses show us that Christ is an example of submission.

The objective is that we must see what all is involved in the suffering of Christ that will make us appreciate our salvation more and want to serve Christ with more zeal. Although we cannot exhaust this subject from this passage, but there are enough truths to help us to get a better understanding of what Christ has done for us.

I – THE SUFFERER’S SUBSTITUTION

Let us talk about the substitution of the sufferer.

Notice the One who did the suffering in verse 21 and verse 24.

I Peter 2:21 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”

I Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

Isaiah 53: 5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

II – THE SUFFERER’S SINLESSNESS

Let us talk about the sinlessness of the sufferer.

A. Sinless life of Christ

Let us see Christ’s sinless life.

I Peter 2:22a “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:”

Jesus Christ lived 33 ½ years on this earth and did not commit sin one time. This was how it had to be in order for Christ to be a perfect sacrifice.

Think that the sinless One became sin for us. Jesus Christ became a sin sacrifice.

B. Sinless lips of Christ

Let us see Christ’s sinless lips.

I Peter 2:22a “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:”

James 3:2 “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

There was only One lived on the face of this earth that was able not to offend in word. Man’s tongue is the biggest problem of man. That is why our Saviour Jesus Christ lived a sinless life.

III – THE SUFFERING'S SEVERITY

Let us talk about the Severity of the suffering.

A. The Scourged Body

Let us learn the body of Christ that was scourged.

I Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

The scourging was done with a whip that had little prongs of metal on the end of the whip. When one was scourged, the flesh would be jerked loose from the body. That’s the way Jesus was scourged because of our sins.

By law, a person was not to be whipped more than 39 times.

Can you imagine how the body would look after the body was whipped 39 times, and the flesh was torn loose each time they were whipped.

B. The Severe Brutality

Let us learn the brutality that was severely executed.

Isaiah 52:14 “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:”

1. Brutality came before the cross

1. Brutal crowd that caused the suffering

This was the suffering of Christ from the brutal crowd.

Matthew 27:26-36 “Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. ²⁷Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. ²⁸And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. ²⁹And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! ³⁰And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. ³¹And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. ³²And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. ³³And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, ³⁴They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. ³⁵And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. ³⁶And sitting down they watched him there;”

1. Brutal crowd that scourged Christ – v.26

2. Brutal crowd that stripped Christ – v.28

3. Brutal crowd that spit on Christ – v.30

4. Brutal crowd that smote on Christ – v.30

2. Blasphemous crown that caused the suffering

This was the suffering of Christ from the blasphemous crowd.

Matthew 27:26-36 “Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. ²⁷Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. ²⁸And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. ²⁹And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! ³⁰And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. ³¹And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. ³²And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. ³³And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, ³⁴They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. ³⁵And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. ³⁶And sitting down they watched him there;”

1. Misery from the Crown – v.29b

Matthew 27:29b “And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!”

2. Motive of the Crown – v.29c

Matthew 27:29c “And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!”

Thorns are a sign of a curse, and Christ bore our curse for us.

2. Brutality that climaxed on the cross

I Peter 2:24a “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

Jesus was nailed to the cross.

Jesus was given a vinegar.

Jesus was put in the hot sun for approximately 6 hours.

Psalms 22:13-18 “They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. ¹⁴I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. ¹⁵My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. ¹⁶For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. ¹⁷I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. ¹⁸They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”

C. The Shed Blood

Let us learn the blood of Christ that was shed for the forgiveness of our sins.

After Jesus was scourged and put on the cross, Jesus shed His blood little by little until life went out of the body.

Hebrews 9:22 “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remissn.”

Ephesians 1:7 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

We must be reminded of Jesus last words, when He said “It is finished.”

John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

IV – THE SUFFERER’S SPIRIT

Let us talk about the spirit of the sufferer.

A. Christ was calm and did not argue

Notice that Jesus was calm and He did not argue with His accusers.

I Peter 2:23a “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:"

Notice the word reviled. Christ was reviled which means Jesus was threatened, Jesus was called by bad names, and Jesus heard abusive language and Jesus heard humiliating language.

In return, Jesus Christ did not revile them back. Jesus did not argue to anybody. Jesus just kept quite.

B. Christ was compassionate and did not accuse

Notice that Jesus was compassionate and He did not accuse anybody.

I Peter 2:23a “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:"

Jesus could have threatened, and backed up His threat, Jesus certainly had the power, but Jesus threatened not.

Instead of threatening back others, Jesus opened not His mouth.

Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”

C. Christ was committed and did not avenge

Notice that Jesus was committed, and He did not avenge against false accusers and revilers.

I Peter 2:23c “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:”

Romans 12:19 “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

When someone treats us wrongly, that is what we are to do, commit everything to the Lord who will repay and avenge.

V – THE SUFFERER’S SUCCESS

Let us talk about the success of the sufferer.

There are 2 things mentioned in Christ accomplishment.

There are many accomplishments of Christ, but we will just look at two.

A. Success of Christ when He changed our future

We see Jesus' success how He changed our future.

1. Christ made healing for the awful consequence of sins – v.24a

I Peter 2:24a “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

The Bible says in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Our sins are compared to a diseased body in scripture.

Lepers in the Bible were declared un-clean.

I Peter 2:24a “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins,

Illustration: About the dead body. For instance, we put delicious cake in front of body. This dead person does not respond in any way, this dead person does not smell the cake, does not touch the cake, or does not eat the cake.

The same true in our condition. We are dead to sin. We do not have to have anything to do with it. We are only capable of depending on God’s power and defeating sin so that it would not control our life.

Maybe someone might say “you mean we can’t sin; it is possible we can sin”

Although, it is possible we can; but we do not have to sin.

Since it is possible to sin in our old nature, as Paul said in Romans 7:15,17 “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. ¹⁷Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me”

That is why some Baptists use the possibility as an excuse to sin. They say, “well I sinned, and I just ask God to forgive me.”

2. Christ made holiness for a commandment to saints – v.24b

I Peter 2:24b “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

Notice the words “should live unto righteousness”

B. Success of Christ when He compares His function

We see Jesus’ success how He compares His function.

I Peter 2:25 “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

Notice Peter used the word "Shepherd": it means the Shepherd of your souls.

What does a Shepherd do? A shepherd protects, provides, guides.

Regarding knowing the Shepherd of our souls, the goodness and responsibilities of the shepherd, Psalm 23 gives good explanation.

Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. ³He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. ⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. ⁵Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. ⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

Here, Peter used the word “Bishop”: it means an overseer.

Like me I am called to be a Pastor, which means an overseer.

Notice the Peter described the particular area: “Bishop of your souls,”

The main area of overseeing is “The soul.”

John 10:28 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. ²⁹My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”

A Believer in Christ does not have to worry about their soul, when the Shepherd and Bishop are overseeing their soul.

Conclusion: This is all we need to understand what Christ has done for me and you, Jesus did it all for me and for you.

I hope that you and I are more appreciate of our salvation, considering all the suffering that was involved in Christ’s death.

I also think it should cause us to be motivated to give our best while serving our great Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.