Wisdom 12 – “Little by little,
therefore, you correct those who offend, you admonish and remind them of how
they have sinned, so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord”
(12:1-2).
The author explains that God
made way for the Jews in the holy land of Canaan because the ancient people
there practiced loathsome rites of child sacrifice. Yet God “treated them [the
Canaanites] leniently . . . [giving] them a chance to repent” (12:9).
The
theme seems to be that while God intended to supplant the Canaanites so that his
people could be established in their Promised Land, he treated the Canaanites
with justice and patience – as an
example of how all power should be exercised. Even the practices of child
sacrifice and cannibalism [not proven historically according to the New Jerusalem footnote] did not bring on
sudden and definitive destruction.
“You
show your strength when your sovereign power is questioned and you expose the
insolence of those who know it; but, disposing of such strength, you are mild
in judgment, you govern us with great lenience, for you have only to will, and
your power is there” (12:17-18).
By
being this kind of God you teach us “how the virtuous man must be kindly to his
fellow men, and you have given your sons the good hope that after sin you will
grant repentance” (12:19).
1 Peter 3 – Wives are advised to
submit themselves to their husbands “so that if any of them do not believe
God’s word, our conduct will win them over to believe” (3:1). He also advises
women not to spend time worrying about outward things like dresses or jewelry.
“Instead, your beauty should consist of your true inner self, the ageless
beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of the greatest value in God’s
sight” (3:4). And again, he points to Sarah as an example of a woman who
“obeyed” her husband and called him “master” (3:6). Husbands should treat their
wives with respect.
It is understandable that many women find this kind of advice hard
to listen to, and for some it undermines the respect they have for Scripture
generally. Somehow it has never struck me this way. I see Scripture as
embodying the culture of the age in which it was written, but it also reflects
a gradual movement of God’s spirit of love into the culture and thinking of
those who are trying hard to be faithful.
Members
of the churches are advised above all to “love one another, and be kind and
humble with one another” (3:8).
Have
“reverence for Christ in your hearts, and honor him as Lord. Be ready at all
times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have . . . but do
it with gentleness and respect” (3:15).
If
you suffer for doing what you are called to do as a Christian, you will have a
clear conscience. “For Christ died for sins once and for all, a good man on
behalf of sinners, in order to lead you to God. He was put to death physically,
but made alive spiritually, and in his spiritual existence he went and preached
to the imprisoned spirits . . . the spirit of those who had not obeyed God when
he waited patiently during the days that Noah was building his boat”
(3:18-20). The writer refers to
the Noah story here to note that the water of the flood was “a symbol pointing
to baptism, which now saves you. It is not the washing off of bodily dirt, but
the promise made to God from a good conscience” (3:21).
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