NOTES for Pe1 3:21

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²¹The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Baptism is according to these words of the apostle Peter an event, in which we become partakers of the resurrection of Christ. For us deprived of life, having not salvation, this salvific gift comes in particular thanks to faith expressed in the baptism. And that is why it is important to hear the words of the apostle concerning what is our baptism. The stereotypes of our consciousness force us to behave towards baptism, how to say this… differently. Sometimes it {baptism} is for us an initiation rite, or something like vaccination against diseases and misfortunes.

That is why it is so important to hear what Apostle Peter says: baptism, according to him, is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, that is it does not concern the ritual purity. The apostle asserts that the main in baptism is an answer towards God of a good consciousness. The Greek word means here not simply answer, but an answer made solemnly, a vow. For various reasons, for most of us, this event - making a vow of baptism - passes unnoticed. That is why we don’t keep partially in the memory these vow – “answer towards God of a good consciousness". And Apostle Peter says that it is in particular such baptism, answer or oath to Christ that saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It is not less important that all the rest, except a good consciousness, remain "off". Salvation is given only by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and nothing more. It is necessary to answer towards God to have a good consciousness and fulfill this answer, in order to have this salvation. Firstly, such christocentric is in itself important, because everything that pretends to a central place in our life, except the Son of God, is an idol. Secondly, such view of the apostle contains in itself a whole uncountable variety of forms of the Christian vocation.

Therefore, it is as well important that the apostle speaks about our destiny. The apostle speaks about persecutions falling on Christians, with a wonderful peace, as of something which is completely clear to him. He justifies that by the fact that a good consciousness before God will entail any Christian to that way of the Cross, of which the Head of the Church also passed. But, in continuation of the Teacher and Lord, Apostle Peter says to us: be not afraid, it is the way of life.

Other notes

For Pe1 3:10-22

¹⁰For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

¹¹Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

¹²For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

¹³And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

¹⁴But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

¹⁵But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

¹⁶Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

¹⁷For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

¹⁸For 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:

¹⁹By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

²⁰Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

²¹The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

²²Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

The twelve verses from the First Catholic Epistle of the apostle Peter that we read today seem like a very large passage because of the abundance of exceptionally important things... Read more

The twelve verses from the First Catholic Epistle of the apostle Peter that we read today seem like a very large passage because of the abundance of exceptionally important things the apostle says. The most important, perhaps, are the apostle's words about what our baptism is. The stereotypes of our consciousness force us to relate to baptism, how shall we put it... in different ways. Sometimes for us it is a rite of initiation, or something like a vaccination against illnesses and misfortunes.

That is why it is so important to hear what the apostle Peter says: baptism, according to his words, is not the washing away of bodily uncleanness, that is, it has nothing to do with ritual purity. The apostle states that the main thing in baptism is the pledge to God of a good conscience. The Greek word here means not merely a promise, but a promise made solemnly, a vow. For various reasons, for most of us this event itself, the making of baptismal vows, passes unnoticed. Partly for that reason we do not keep these vows in memory, the "pledge to God of a good conscience." But the apostle Peter says that precisely this baptism, this promise or oath to Christ, saves us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

No less important is that everything else, apart from a good conscience, remains offstage. Salvation is given by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and by nothing else. To receive it, one must promise God to have a good conscience and fulfill that promise. First, such Christ-centeredness is important in itself, because anything that claims the central place in our life apart from the Son of God Himself is an idol. Second, this view of the apostle contains within itself all the countless variety of forms of Christian calling.

In this connection it is also significant that the apostle speaks about our lot. He speaks of the persecutions that fall to Christians with remarkable calm, as something fully understandable to him. He grounds this in the fact that a good conscience before God draws every Christian onto the Way of the Cross, which the Head of the Church also walked. But, following the Teacher and Lord, the apostle Peter says to us: do not be afraid; this is the way of life.

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NOTES for Pe1 3:21

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Readings for 17 February 2020

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