Jesus had a mind to suffer in order to do right (1 Pet. 4:1-2). Christ is our example of suffering (1 Pet. 2:21), but why would the Lord command us to have a mind to suffer like Christ? We are specifically told in what sense we are to follow Christ, and that is through suffering. What happened when Jesus received the stripes? Somehow those stripes help to heal our spiritual diseases. Jesus is truly our example to follow (Heb. 12:2-3). If we suffer like Christ did, then Christ is our example of suffering to do right. Christ endured the stripes in order to obey his Father, and we can endure suffering in order to obey our Father.
We see how the prophet Isaiah depicts the suffering of Christ.
“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” (Isa. 53:1-4).
Note that Christ was smitten of God. God used men to smite Jesus, but God accepts full credit for what happened. Most everyone in the world is ready to accept that Christ suffered for us (Isa. 53:6), but the problem is that some are convinced that Christ suffered so we don’t have to suffer. We are all ready for our sins to be laid on him (Isa. 53:5). If he had said by his blood we are forgiven, this scripture would pose little problem for anyone; however, the Holy Spirit states that His stripes are what heal us. In what way do His stripes heal us?
Notice the context of verse 21 is found in the three previous verses (1 Pet 2:18-20). The point is that Jesus suffered in order to obey His Father’s commands. Jesus suffered the stripes of men when He had done no wrong to deserve them. Our Father makes it clear that Jesus did not deserve those stripes (1 Pet 2:22-24). Jesus stripes were our example to follow (1 Pet 2:21).
Jesus did not go to the cross of his own will (Luke 22:42-46). Jesus’ will was not to go to that cross (Luke 22:42). Jesus learned to obey His father by that suffering (Heb 5:8). We are commanded to have a mind to suffer like Christ (1 Pet 4:1). We are called to partake in Christ’s suffering (1 Pet 4:12-13), and if we suffer to do right with Christ the spirit of glory rests on us (1 Pet 4:14). Our suffering is far more precious than silver and gold (1 Pet 1:5-7).
Our suffering like Christ will result in God’s praise, honour and glory on that great day (1 Pet. 4:2).
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18).
-Beth Johnson