Even when we do act rightly there will still be those who speak against us. Our defence to this is to keep a clear conscience before God, not to retaliate. If we do this there will come a point where they are ashamed of their malicious behaviour.
Verse 17 sums up the whole ethos for doing this: it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. You see, if we do respond with evil we will actually end up suffering anyway. We might as well suffer for doing good and so achieve something, than suffer for doing wrong and achieve nothing.
Peter again cites Jesus as the supreme example. He is the example in what He did, in the attitude He had, and in the effect and outcome. Earlier Peter drew attention to the attitude Jesus had, here he focuses on the effect. Although Jesus died on the cross, He was raised to new life.
Verse 17 sums up the whole ethos for doing this: it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. You see, if we do respond with evil we will actually end up suffering anyway. We might as well suffer for doing good and so achieve something, than suffer for doing wrong and achieve nothing.
Peter again cites Jesus as the supreme example. He is the example in what He did, in the attitude He had, and in the effect and outcome. Earlier Peter drew attention to the attitude Jesus had, here he focuses on the effect. Although Jesus died on the cross, He was raised to new life.
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